2014 Releases by Stevie Wonder

[woodward]

Entertainment Tonight gave a brief announcement that Stevie Wonder will be recording and releasing two albums in 2014. No other details were told. Does anyone have any clues?

[soulster]

As long as he gets his FUNK back...

[calvin]

From Wikipedia:
On October 29, 2013, Wonder confirmed that he is to release his first album in eight years, with two albums in 2014. He revealed that he had been recording new material for the albums When the World Began and Ten Billion Hearts, in collaboration with producer David Foster.

More on those [[and a third project) here:
http://www.classichitsandoldies.com/...lk-about-love/

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/ne...lbums-20130625

10 Billion Hearts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvHQUBId6Sk

[soulster]

David Foster? Fo-get-it! I ain't buyin' nothin!

[midnightman]

David Foster? Fo-get-it! I ain't buyin' nothin!

Stevie Wonder hasn't been funky since 1982...

[jobeterob]

Two albums within a year from an oldies artist is a lot these days; are these albums on Motown?

[midnightman]

Two albums within a year from an oldies artist is a lot these days; are these albums on Motown?

Yeah it would be but it's taken about eight years since the initial announcements of these "albums". He was also planning a Marvin Gaye tribute album and a jazz album also.

[jobeterob]

Yeah it would be but it's taken about eight years since the initial announcements of these "albums". He was also planning a Marvin Gaye tribute album and a jazz album also.

I would like to hear both of the later; maybe not good, but interesting.

But all of these artists have albums planned and they never come out; Mary Wilson has had a CD coming for 10 years; Aretha Franklin for a couple; Stevie for 8. Most of them are just dreams of a day gone by.

[MrTopCat]

Since the Motown label has resumed operation I expect the album to be released through it!

[midnightman]

Since the Motown label has resumed operation I expect the album to be released through it!

Even when Motown was halting operation, Stevie was planning albums lol he's got a lifetime contract or something? LOL

[wichmanne]

Stevie hasn't been funky since 1982?

Did you miss these:

Spiritual Walkers from In Square Circle
Skeletons from Characters
Chemical Love from Jungle Fever
Sensuous Whisper from Conversation Peace
So What The Fuss from A Time 2 Love
...and any concert performance....
Stevie is still funky

[midnightman]

Stevie hasn't been funky since 1982?

Did you miss these:

Spiritual Walkers from In Square Circle
Skeletons from Characters
Chemical Love from Jungle Fever
Sensuous Whisper from Conversation Peace
So What The Fuss from A Time 2 Love
...and any concert performance....
Stevie is still funky

I meant in general. I didn't say he didn't have anymore funky moments. But he was surely more funkier in his heyday. That's all I was saying.

[jobeterob]

I meant in general. I didn't say he didn't have anymore funky moments. But he was surely more funkier in his heyday. That's all I was saying.

Perhaps funky isn't the only word that could be used; like all the other Motown artists still alive, it isn't like it was. And their prime is long past.

But it would still be enjoyable to hear something new; I'd be interested in both the Marvin Gaye album and the jazz album but I don't expect to see either or if they come out, it will be some self released affair.

I bet we wont see another 5 albums total come out of any of the remaining Motown artists that recorded before 1982.

Hopefully the new guys, Justin Bieber, Kesha, Michael Buble etc. are saving some of their $155 Million a year if you are Justin so they don't end up in trouble in the 70's.

[midnightman]

Perhaps funky isn't the only word that could be used; like all the other Motown artists still alive, it isn't like it was. And their prime is long past.

But it would still be enjoyable to hear something new; I'd be interested in both the Marvin Gaye album and the jazz album but I don't expect to see either or if they come out, it will be some self released affair.

I bet we wont see another 5 albums total come out of any of the remaining Motown artists that recorded before 1982.

Hopefully the new guys, Justin Bieber, Kesha, Michael Buble etc. are saving some of their $155 Million a year if you are Justin so they don't end up in trouble in the 70's.

Yeah I've about lost hope in Stevie releasing anything. Stevie had been wanting to do jazz stuff in such a long time but I don't really know what's going on. I hope he's okay. I know he just did a Christmas-esque performance performing the entire "Songs in the Key of Life" [[he need to do a tour of that album like Todd Rundgren did with his albums a few years ago) but recording wise he seems to be at a stalemate.

[jaybs]

I don't want to hear Stevie do anything funky now! that was his past and we have it for memories, it was sad when many soul artists tried to do disco and then the sounds young artists were doing instead of keeping to their roots and their core audience.

[thomas96]

Wasn't he going to do a gospel album in tribute to his mother?

[jobeterob]

One can understand the constant "album coming" from an artist like Mary Wilson who rarely has ever had an album released; but Stevie Wonder should not be playing that same game of "my new album is coming". No one is really listening anymore like they are for Beyoncé. If you "got it", let's have it; otherwise, best to stay quiet. Stevie has massive laurels to live off of.

[calvin]

Wasn't he going to do a gospel album in tribute to his mother?

In the Rolling Stone interview I linked to above, Stevie is asked "What's the third project?". His answer:
"Gospel Inspired By Lula, a gospel album I'm doing in tribute to my mother. I promised her I would do it. She always wanted me to do it before she passed away, the untimely passing away. We've been working on some songs and some ideas. So we're going to complete that as well."

Lula Mae Hardaway passed away in 2006. So it seems that Stevie lost any sense of urgency he may have had for the project at that point.

[midnightman]

I don't want to hear Stevie do anything funky now! that was his past and we have it for memories, it was sad when many soul artists tried to do disco and then the sounds young artists were doing instead of keeping to their roots and their core audience.

The Jungle Fever and Conversation Peace albums were Stevie's failed attempts to add fans of Swingbeat/New Jack Swing music to his base.

[soulster]

Monday I was going through a bunch of CDs I had been planning on getting rid of. I found "A Time 2 Love" in a stack of discs destined to be sold or given away.

I seriously hadn't played the whole thing, and wondered if I had been unfair in my assessment of it over the years. I had been put off by the first two songs on the album all these years. But, yesterday, I was in the mood to give the album another chance.

Well, I still wasn't impressed by the first two songs, as they were too mellow and the first just too long. But, I got to "Please Don't Hurt My Baby" and liked it. Not funky, but it jammed. Then, the album just kept getting better.

I have decided to keep the CD and immediately ripped it to the computer, added artwork, and tagged it for archiving, and saved it to five backups, including the server.

I can't say that it is a classic album, but it is one of the finer things he's done in the last couple of decades. IMO. I still say his last classic album is "Hotter Than July", and hasn't been funky since that album. "That Girl", "Do I Do", "It's You", "Love Light In Flight", and and "Ribbon In The Sky", were still excellent. But, "A Time 2 Love" shows he is still capable of fine music. I just wish he'd get harder again.

[alanh]

I agree Soulster, 'A Time 2 Love' is an under-rated and under appreciated album and one of the best Stevie has made since the early eighties.