TALKING BOOK is the fifteenth album by Stevland Hardaway Morris better known as Mr Stevie Wonder. And do you know how old Stevie was when he recorded his fifteenth album? He was twenty-two. Genius doesn't even come close.
TALKING BOOK is the second album Wonder recorded after renegotiating his deal with Motown. A process that required the the label to agree to a 120 page contract and to hand full creative control to Wonder, with increased royalties. Though the previous album Music Of My Mind had been a critical success TALKING BOOK was the first album to really break outside outside his R&B fan-base. Both the tracks 'Superstition' and 'You Are The Sunshine Of My Life' were Billboard #1s, and won three Grammys between them. A factor in his new wider commercial success was that he was touring heavily with the Rolling Stones, opening his music up to a new rock audience. He also appeared on Sesame Street.
Just as with the preceding album it covers social, mystical and romantic themes but leans most heavily on the romance with tracks like '...sunshine', 'You and I', 'Tuesday Heartbreak', the beautiful 'Blame It On The Sun' and the epic 'I Believe (When I Fall In Love)'.
The album features some great cameos include in guitar Ray Parker, Jnr. (Ghostbusters!!) and also Yardbird Jeff Beck. 'Looking For Another Pure Love' features some incredible guitar playing by Beck. Just before he launches into his cascading solo you can hear Stevie egging him on, "do it Jeff". It was actually Beck that originated the distinctive drum beat for 'Superstition' and Stevie apparently offered him the track once written but Motown chief Berry Gordy insisted Stevie keep it for himself.
And what a tune. It should come with a warning: "Red-hot funk inside. Likely to cause head nodding and in extreme cases delusions of badassness". It makes me feel like I'm in a '70s cop show. For 4minutes and 26 seconds I am Huggy Bear.
TALKING BOOK is a joyful, uplifting and damn funky album. It's worth your pennies for 'Superstition' alone, but add into the mix some of Stevie's finest other songs an it's l essential.
Stevie also looks super-cool on the front in a velvet afghan. A look that surely needs to comeback.
'SUPERSTITION'
'BLAME IT ON THE SUN'
'MAYBE YOUR BABY'
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