Songs in the Key of Life

A truly gorgeous album that has a lot of standout moments even on a first listen through. Where it falls down, and I acknowledge this is a thing about my taste, is the songs tend to overstay their welcome. But I'll certainly listen to this some more in future.

It really is that good. Can’t help but smile listening to songs like “As”. But it’s also really long. Some parts have also been ruined for me by being featured in commercials. “Isn’t She Lovely” being the most palpable example. Still a total masterpiece of a record.

Perfect. Probably the greatest album of all time

My second Wonder this week. I was intimidated by its length, but I shouldn't have been. Pretty much every track just hits so hard and sounds so good, that layered detailed electro-funk never gets old. It's like being at the best party ever. Even when it's awful jazz it's brilliant. Also, this seems to be where 90% of 90s hip-hop stars got their song ideas from.

Songs in the Key of Life is a timeless masterpiece. An album overflowing with musical brilliance, heart and soul. Listening to it is more than just enjoyable, it feels like a full experience.

The depth across this record is astonishing. It moves effortlessly between joy, celebration, reflection and social commentary. The arrangements are rich, the melodies unforgettable and the musicianship is on another level. Yet for all its scale and ambition, it never loses its warmth.

Sir Duke is pure joy. An exuberant celebration of music and the legends who shaped it, bursting with energy and one of the most uplifting horn lines ever recorded. In complete contrast, Village Ghetto Land is delicate and deeply moving, with its sharp social commentary and beautiful, almost haunting arrangement. That balance between light and shade is what makes the album so special.

There genuinely is not a weak track here. Every song feels purposeful and adds something to the whole. It is joyful and profound at the same time, and it is easy to understand why it is regularly cited as one of the greatest albums ever made.

Favourite song: Sir Duke
Least favourite: None. Every track earns its place.
Album artwork: Striking and iconic. Bold, warm and perfectly reflective of the music inside

Es handelt sich um ein ganz brauchbares Album, das den Sound der siebziger, authentisch rüberbringt Highlight sind das allseits, bekannte Mister Duke, aber auch das unerwartete Stück… Dass man gar nicht in der Originalfassung Stevie Wonder zugeordnet hätte. Insgesamt ist das Album zur Wiederholung geeignet.

One of the very few exceptions I’ll
Make to a long album, this is Stevie’s true masterpiece. It’s just filled to the brim of brilliance. One of the best of all time.

Ling album... but the hits are great!

"They've been spending most their lives, Living in a pastime paradise"

I feel so sorry (and stupid) for thinking Coolio could create the melodies (and hook) for Gangsta's paradise. Stevie Wonder is undeniably a musical genius, and this album does show his heightened sense of hearing. That being said, I wouldn't listen to this record again, and found myself wishing the current song would pass by quicker than it did, and if I have to listen to "Isn't she lovely" again, I might go insane.

"Sir Duke" is a bonafide classic, and I was glad to have it ripping through my eardrums upon listening to this album, I wish the rest of the album kept as funky fresh as this track was (playlist).

As per my rating promise, if I wouldn't put the record on again, it gets no higher than a 3- so that's what it gets, sorry Mr. Wonder.

Still not fully convinced that he is actually blind.

Double album, all great stuff. The guy is a genius.

One of my all-time favorite albums. An impressively robust and strong double album, with amazing song after amazing song!

What I love about Stevie Wonder is the strength of his lyrics, music, and playing. He is at the top of each field. His music can be fun and bubbly, or dense and political. Harmonically complex without ever sacrificing catchiness.

You turn on the album, and even within the first four tracks, you’re treated to a bevy of styles and ideas, all excellent. And that’s before you even reach the hits! Like, there’s not a single song on this album I would cut, and that is exceedingly rare for double albums! It puts to shame other albums to which I gave 5/5 stars.

Track Picks: “Sir Duke,” “I Wish,” “Ebony Eyes.”

Album is not engaging enough for its nearly 2 hour length. Has some absolutely amazing songs but also has lots of boring songs that dont hold your attention. A 2 hour album is fine but you need to keep the listener engaged throughout. If the album were split into 2 albums, they each would've been a 3-4 for me

Maybe the best album of all time?

Some jams, but very repetitious. Would have been killer as a single album rather than a double.

Lots of different iterations of the RnB band sound showing its range. There are jazz fusion tracks like Contusion that are fast, with great riffs and guitar/keyboard tones and tight collective playing through intricate parts. There are funky uptempo style songs lead by the horns and melodic bass playing like Sir Duke that have a motown basis but incorporate a bigband jazz sound with harmonized horn/guitar leads. There are songs like Ordinary Pain that anticipate the galactic funk of parliament. The bass is the star on so many songs, relentlessly grooving through the changes with imaginative lines and perfect anticipation. Lots of good stuff, but the slow songs are really dire, with orchestral strings and horrible overwrought lyrics like 'babies die before they're born infected with disease'. Isn't She Lovely is so sickeningly sachharine I have diabetes now. If It's Magic is a warbly and tuneless 4 minute ballad. I know he's a legendary singer, but I find his voice to be very nasal and almost thin at times and just at the edge of being off key like on Summer Soft - I'm sure it's intentional and has to do with the jazzy chords/modes he's using where he's delaying resolution to the tonic? But still, find it kind of unpleasant at times.

Favorites: Contusion, I Wish, Ordinary Pain, Another Star, As, All Day Sucker

An absolutely incredible album with 1 star deducted because of Isn't She Lovely. 1) the song makes me feel really quite nauseous generally 2) it sounds like they've tacked on a recording of Stevie having a massive piss at the end of the track

Toimiva paketti! 4/5

I was a little concerned that I just didn't get it with the first few songs on this album, with them not doing much for me, but Sir Duke and onward it was off to the races, with very few songs to slow it down. There are quite a few songs here I can't imagine I'll come back to too often, hence the four star, but otherwise an amazing album with some fantastic songs on here, such as the already mentioned Sir Duke, as well as Another Star, As, Summer Soft, and quite a few more. I'd say had the album trimmed the fat a little this would be a solid five for me, but as it stands still really good and I'm looking forward to the other albums present on the list.

I normally think double and triple albums are ridiculously self-indulgent. This is one of the rare exceptions! All killer, No filler.