"What are you listening to right now?" thread | Page 596 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Reveal Spoiler

Von Bontee said

vonbontee said

…OK, this is one schizo collection of sounds – Motown wasn’t sure yet what to do with this kid’s gifts. And so they try him in a variety of formats – jazz instrumentals, Ray Charles covers, straight adult standards, and even a kind of half-assed beach-themed concept. And surprisingly little of the familiar Motown sound that is sweeping the world at the time. (These were recorded between 1962 and ’64) Some of this works, some of it doesn’t…but all of it is worthwhile, because (no longer little) Stevland Judkins Morris of Saginaw, Michigan was and is a goddamned genius (and I want to wish him a happy 70th birthday right now, a coupla months early because life is uncertain), and he’s irrepressable. And he’s all over these records, moving from bongos to keyboards back to drum kit – and seemingly always with his radiant-sounding chromatic harmonica in hand. His voice (not yet changed) is ultimately still that of a child’s (however staggeringly talented); and anyways, there’s something kinda creepy when young adolescents sing of adult romance. For now, at least, that eternally happy-bluesy harmonica feels more like his “real” voice than his actual voice does…
All five of these are mildly-to-very-to-barely enjoyable, and none of them are classic. An interesting start to a career/discography that’s about to get a lot better….

 

…and we come to the second phase of Stevie’s career, his mid-to late teens (1966-1970), when his voice deepens and matures, he begins writing more and participating in the production, adds the Hohner Clavinet to his arsenal and he becomes a consistent smash-hit maker. And Motown consistently churns out IN-consistent albums built on a title smash (occasionally two), assorted covers (including the Doors, Dylan, Sonny & Cher (!), Dylan-via-The Byrds, and many labelmates), passable filler, wonderful filler, and always a bit of sappy balladry that will never vanish entirely from his catalog. (It’ll help him win many, many awards in future!)

Basically, all of these albums are in the range of good-to-very good, with some earth-shattering highs (“Up-Tight” is one of the finest singles of ever) along the way. And still not a truly great album in the bunch. “Signed, Sealed” and “For Once…” are possibly the standouts, for now…but the real step forward won’t happen until Stevie turns 21, and renegotiates his Motown contract so he can start to make his own records his own way….

  

 

…but first lemme take a step back a year or two or three to deal with these three weirdos. “Someday At Christmas” I only played once (nearly once), and it wasn’t bad, but I’m not gonna give a second listen until December. Also pleasant and occasionally mildly exciting is the entirely instrumental Adult Contemporary debut of one “Eivets Rednow”, who adds a very familiar-sounding harmonica solo style to the proceedings. Smooth! And the live album is a bit pointless, but does generate some heat when the band extends the grooves a bit. Also: an extended drum solo from the leader, as well as some cool electronic embellishments to his extended clavinet solo on “Shoo Bee Doo Bee…” – a glimpse into the future of his sound, as it approaches its flowering…