STEVIE WONDER — Fulfillingness' First Finale (review)

STEVIE WONDER — Fulfillingness' First Finale album cover Album · 1974 · RnB Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
js
“Fulfillingness’ First Finale” is one of the finest albums by one of the finest pop artist/writers in the modern (post rock-n-roll) era. No creative stone is left unturned in the production of these tunes, and each one stands alone as its own unique fine polished gem. From a songwriting perspective, you would be hard pressed to find an album with more inventive chord changes and harmonic surprises at every turnaround. Stevie was already a master of the creative chord substitution before he put together “Finale”, but on here he pushes himself to new heights and unveils chord voicings that will have a major impact on pop, jazz and fusion for decades to come. All is not music theory though as Wonder matches these creative changes with lyrics that are often reflective and longing for a love that is always just out of reach and slipping away.

The other plus on here is the production. Following in the footsteps of folks like Brian Wilson and Jimmy Hendrix who pioneered the idea of a studio as a musical instrument, Wonder uses a wide variety of instruments and techniques to give every song its own unique color. Of particular interest is Wonder’s use of early analog synthesizers, which in the early 70s were still difficult to use in conventional tonal ensembles. Throughout this album you can hear these primitive electronic beasts adding background parts, counter melodies and tonal shadings giving the album an almost kitsch-like exoticism.

One of the best albums from a decade full of great albums, songwriting dos not get much better than this and it doesn’t hurt that Stevie also has one of the more likable singing voices of his time as well.
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Matt wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Great album, but weren't they all from little Stevie in the seventies

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