It says much for how consistent Stevie Wonder's 1970s music was that "Original Musiquarium," joining his best-known songs from his most successful era with four then-new recordings, fits together lyrically, musically, emotionally as a concept album.

Wonder's innovation during this remarkable period never seemed to cease; this continued right up to "Musiquarium's impeccable pacing. "Ribbon In The Sky" slides beside classic Wonder ballads like "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life," and 1971's haunting "Superwoman." The war protest "Front Line" furthers a social protest timeline begun by "Superstition" and "You Haven't Done Nothin'." Wonder's Carribean-flavored "Boogie On Reggae Woman" and "Master Blaster," play nicely against each other while the curtain-closer "Do I Do" (with Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet) pieces with "Songs In The Key Of Life"'s most jazz/R&B-flavored moments.

The four new songs not withstanding for completists, this is why "Musiquarium" is the only greatest hits collection essential even to those owning the original LPs. How many artists can you say that about?

Between the strict hitmaking machinery of Motown between 1963-1971,and his MOR 80's and beyond,are these historical recordings from 1972's Music Of My Mind,through 1980's Hotter Than July.Musiquarium focuses strictly on the hits(Superstition,...Sunshine..,Sir Duke,etc)as well as include four new songs,three of which are now regarded as Wonder classics(That Girl,Ribbon In The Sky and Do I Do).Unfortunately,Stevie's gift for making music of this calibre has dissipated,but Misiquarium is a great intro for anyone who thinks his best songs includes I Just Called To Say I Love You,and other 80's songs.The newly Remastered CD is also an essential purchase,especially in light of the previous pressing which is sonically inferior considering that Stevie digitally remastered the old tracks when compiling Musiquarium in '82.

The Nathan Watts bassline in "Do I Do" has to be arguably the most fearless 16th-note finger-licking funk in the history of pop music. Enough said!!!!!!!! Peace!

Stevie Wonder wrote an awful lot of really terrible sappy songs in the '80s and '90s. However, from 1970-1981-- the time covered by this excellent set-- he was the Beatles of black pop, covering a staggering amount of stylistic ground and redefining Motown production. This collection-- along with "Talking Book" and the astonishing "Songs in the Key of Life"-- is crucial.

This set opens with "Frontline," where WOnder blasts the American Viet Nam adventure, and continues throuh some of the finest music of the '70s. Indeed, on "Boogie On, Reggae WOman," Wonder wrote the greatest-- and funkiest-- song of his career, making the weird irony of a blind singer's "I wanna see you boogie right across the floor" perfectly match his sense that love is transformative in a pretty basic and yet mystical sense. "I Wish" shows us just how well this man can arrange horns, and even the disc's slower songs-- not my favorites-- are so good that Stevie would repeat pieces of them for the next 30 years or so.

Wonder negotiated into his 1970 contract a provision that would allow him to produce himself. And he took full advantage. Where so much early '70s Motown now sounds so dated-- the cardboard box drums, the chopped horns, the chunky arrangements-- this collection shows just how far Stevie was able to push his production ideas. "Frontline" rides a fluid electric guitar riff and actually jams out at the end, and on "Boogie On," the bongos and scratching rotate around a weirdly effective-- and synthetic!-- bassline.

This colleciton showcases some of the best funk ever written. Makes you want to shake, grab the drums and play along. WOnder can write love, politics and childhood memory perfectly, and does what black music does best-- build an imaginary community on the dancefloor. Chuck D of Public Enemy would capture it perfectly fifteen years later when he said of political music "If you can't swing this/learn the words/you might sing this." Stevie, however, lets you do all three.

This album is beyond GREAT! This is (well in my opinion)HIS

WONDER at his best!The very first time I ever heard him was

on the radio and it was the song LIVING FOR THE CITY...

I was just a child,but still could feel the beat and rythems

and although could not make out the lyrics,I can remember

driving my mom crazy at 4 yrs. old trying to sing/hum.....

DA,DA,DA=DUM,DA,DA,DUM-DUM,DUM,DUM,DUM,DUM,DA,DUM-DA-DA-DA=DUM

DUM-DUM-DUM=DUM....I think my mom thought I was dumb! A year

goes by and I am at the drive in it's a double feature the

movies were Black Sunday(Robert Shaw)and It's Alive(John Ryan)

While waiting for It's Alive to come on those crappy speakers

you had to mount on your window started playing another tune

my 5 yr.old mouth could'nt stop humming.Dun,dun,dun,dunt,dala,dala

dala,dunt,dala,dala,dala,dun,dunt.It was SIR DUKE, and I can still

smell the popcorn and picture the SUPERFRIENDS colorforms in my

hands in the backseat of the car.Not intil many years from than

did I really hear his WONDERful music again...The likes of HIGHER

GROUND,SUPERSTITION(one of JEFF BECK'S FAV.)MASTER BLASTER

and the immortal BOOGIE ON REGGAE WOMAN! I have read other reviews

for this album("ALBUM? JEWEL!")and they are right if you love

great music and are comfortable with $$$ than buy HIS CATALOG!

But seriously if you can buy only one! It should be this and really

that is NOT debatable. You have 16 tracks of music that anyone I

mean anyone can enjoy!If you love country(you will love this album)

you love punk(you will love this album)classical,heavy metal and

yes I will go so far as too say POLKA!!!You will love this album!

So buy MUSIQARIUM it is truly WONDERful(sic)

JUST ENOUGH...JUST ENOUGH....FOR THE CITYYYYEEEAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!