Stevie Wonder’s name has always inspired respect in the music industry and “Innervisions” proves why. I guess most of the people reading this are like me, the first Stevie song they ever heard was a really catchy and poppy song (In my case it was “I Just Called To Say I Love You” while for some it may well be “Superstition”). Well, prepare to be surprised; “Innervisions” is really different from some of his later summer hits or synth-pop singles. You’re going to hear a really soulful and raw Stevie that will blow your mind with his amazing vocals. Stevie sings every single line with an unprecedented passion and power that will likely blow you away on the very first listen.

The album itself is quite an impressive feat musically. With this record Stevie didn’t want you to hear the music, he wanted you to feel it, sounds a bit corny doesn’t it? But when you hear some songs like “Visions” you’ll understand exactly what I mean. Contrary to Wonder’s later records, this one is not really a decadent album with a ton of hits. It’s actually a really deep album approaching diverse subject matters with a really mature attitude that perfectly suits Stevie’s vocals. Talking about those vocals, Stevie has one of the most beautiful and powerful voices in music history. At some point, you’ll even get chills because of how powerful and emotional his voice can be. Only a handful of singers can actually transport you into their songs with only their voice. Of course, there is some music backing Stevie’s vocal talent. The melodies are a lot less catchy than some of his later songs but here they are probably the most beautiful ones of his career . Whether it’s a really slow and emotional song or a more uptempo, decadent one, the musical arrangement always finds a way to take you wherever Stevie wants to. This is the kind of musical experience that everybody wants to experience at least once in their lifetime.

For those who didn’t know, 3 days after the release of “Innervisions” Stevie had a big car accident which could have easily been fatal. The accident put him in the coma for ten days and caused serious head injuries to Stevland. As I think about it, this album nearly became Stevie’s last one. In a second, we could have lost one of the most important individuals in music history. I think everybody should take a listen to “Innervisions” or any other Stevie album as a matter of fact, just to understand how passionate and talented Stevie Wonder is. We should also thank god that this pillar in music is still with us today and went on to release a lot of great records after his nearly-fatal accident. We should all take a moment to thank Stevland Hardaway Morris for his passion and devotion that contributed positively to the beautiful and growing art of music that we know today.

by Jean-Guy