Office Listening: Stevie Wonder 'Innervisions'

During the early seventies Stevie Wonder was prolific beyond belief. After Marvin Gaye paved the way for creativity on Motown with What’s Going On in 1971, Wonder led the charge for the label’s brilliantly socio-political grooves, building on the motor city pop genius that made the label iconic across the globe with five albums between 1972 and 1976 that were all warmly received by the critics.

In the middle of that stylish oeuvre was Innervisions (stream above on Spotify). Nine perfect tracks seamlessly stitched together, it’s a short capsule of incredible music that stands tall as arguably the greatest album he ever made, perfectly capturing the zeitgeist of the moment as popular culture wrestled with the death of the sixties dream.

The lyrical content ranges from rebelling against drugs on the album opener ‘Too High’, and the then president Richard Nixon via ‘He’s misstra know it all’, up to a vivid narrative of the toxic nature of the perils of metropolitan existence, on the epic near eight minute 'Livin for the city'.

Another prevalent concept that surfaces is profound spirituality, in particular his burgeoning interest with Eastern religions alongside his own faith of Christianity.

That would become the recurring theme for the manner in which the album was treated when Wonder nearly lost his life in a car crash just three days after his release.

Postponing a tour to recover, Wonder failed to respond to any kind of communication until eventually he started moving his fingers in time when his tour director Ira Tucker sang the album’s lead single ‘Higher Ground’ to him.

Although faith and his relationship with god had been a constant throughout his career, his reaction to the accident and his recovery, despite the very grave fear of musical paralysis at one point, imbued an almost prophetic feel to the album – certainly in his mind.

Irrespective of your own beliefs though, the argument does nothing to diminish immaculateness of the music, particularly on the jaw dropping chord changes that underpin 'Visions'. 

The instrumentation across the release is stunning as well, Wonder’s virtuoso ability embedded everywhere. On seven of the tracks he plays all the instruments, and there’s flavours of latin, rock, reggae, funk and of course soul splashed upon the grooves.

The album would go onto secure the first ever 'Album of the Year' Grammy by a black solo artist in 1974, the first of three for Wonder in four years, and inspire millions - the uber chic Berlin based record label run by DJs Dixon and Ame is named in its honour. 

Wonder may have dimmed his ability to create music of this ilk, but he certainly hasn't dwindled in delivering on the live front (check out a performance of 'Don't you worry bout a thing' above). Recent headline sets at Bestival and Glastonbury have underlined his pedigree as justifiably in the handful of the music elite currently alive.

This year he'll be commandeering a UK festival from a headline perspective once more, when he graces the second day of Calling Festival on Sunday 29th June 2014, supported by Jack Johnson, Paloma Faith and India Arie, with more artists to be announced shortly.

Head here for Calling Festival tickets.

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