Customer Reviews
The First Great Stevie - By: T. Flint, 18 Jun 2008 
I agree with what reviewers have said so far. This is not as good as Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness or Songs In The Key. It is quite a good introduction to the classic Stevie sound though & the listener can see how Stevie developed that trademark sound over the next 4 or 5 albums. I would say it is better than Where I'm Coming From & the 60s Motown period is nicely summerised on several compilations albums, so this is the first truly great Stevie solo album. My faves are 'Superwoman', 'Happier Than The Morning Sun', 'Keep On Running' & even 'Evil', though it is very cheesy, I like a bit of that sometimes!. The only negative point about some Stevie albums is the tendency to make a 3:30 pop single into an 8 minute jam which sometimes works & sometimes does not. The opening track & 'Keep On Running' could have been trimmed & still been as great. That's a small point though, I love Stevie's music & if you're thinking of buying some quality pop music you've come to the right place.
A forerunner of better to come - By: Magic Rat, 13 Feb 2007 If I could have given this album 3.5 stars I would have done. It is a somewhat strange, albeit adventurous prototype of an album, almost "workin progress"in parts. It seems as if Stevie Wonder is laying the foundations for the bridge that took him from his sixties "poppy" output to his mighty seventies work. The cohesion that was foundin "Talking Book" & continued to absolute perfectionin "Innervisions" was not yet here. The album's extended seven minute funk workout of an openerin "Love Having You Around" is appealing & intoxicating, but it lacks the punch & perfection of "Superstition" or "Boogie On Reggae Woman". Similarly "Superwoman" is a bit directionless - falling into two distinctly different parts, the second part being laid back & smooth & vastly superior to the song's incongruous opening two minutes. For me, the next track, the succinct "I Love Everything About You" is the album's loveliest track - melodic & haunting, romantic & to the point. "Sweet Little Girl" is unfortunately completely ruined by an execrable, unlistenable "spoken" passage. The high standard returns with the beautiful "Happier Than The Morning Sun" but from then on it all becomes a bit rambling - particularly on the tinny "Girl Blue" & the dreary "Evil" - as if Wonder is not quite there yet. "Keep On Running" is upbeat & funky all the same & worthy of praise. Of course, he plays nearly every note of music on this album & that has to be received & ackowledged as a phenomenal ahceivement, but, I have to be honest, he does the same thing to a much greater effect on his following three albums - "Talking Book"; "Innervisions" & "Fulfilligness' First Finale".
Rugged, messy, charming- overflowing with sex appeal - By: The Fish, 22 Oct 2006 
It is fascinating to look at Stevie Wonder's music evolve throughout the 70s (his only decadein my opinion). By the end of the decade, he had produced Hotter Than July, which boasted more great songwriting, great musicianship, & a great new "tidy" sound. However, those people who felt it was missing something should turn to Music of My Mind- which is worlds away from the trimmed, poppy sound of HTJ.
Right from the start, it is clear that we arein for something different with Love Havin' You Around, a +7 minute funk jam years ahead of its time. Stevie is never afraid to change mood quickly- after the roughly stylish, & downright sexy opener, we move to Superwoman, which is moving, captivating, hypnotic, & simply beautiful.
I Love Everything Little Thing About You, & Seems So Long also seem to be where the album peaks, but you would do well to find much here that you don't like. The ridiciulously enjoyable Sweet Little Girl, the cool Girl Blue, & the genuinely moving Evil will entertain for sure, & it is an absolute delight to hear an uncompromised Stevie Wonder do his thing.
It is true that you might not fallin love with this album straight away (I recieved it along with Hotter Than July as a gift, & initially preferred HTJ before succumbing to MOMM's inescapable charm), but once you get to know the songs, it is a guaranteed grower. It seems like this album is neglected amidst all the praise of Songsin the Key, Talking Book, & Innervisions- But I honestly consider it superior to the formers, & only just inferior to the latter. Respect.
Wonder-full stuff! - By: Sebastian Palmer, 26 Jul 2006 Stevie did get better on the following albums, but by any standards this is still five star fare. This was his second album since taking total creative control from Motown (the first was 'Where I'm Coming From'), though still recorded & released on Gordy's label.
As a drummer I'd like to draw attention to the occasional tempos shiftsin Stevie's drumming. There are several very noticeable shifts on 'Love Having You Around', the opening track. But does it ruin this excellently effusive number? No... Modern music's slavish adherence to the click is, I believe, helping destroy the freedom & feeling - the 'soul' if you like - that lies at the heart of good music (another good example would be Chameleon by Herbie Hancock, a monstrosity of musical excellence & funky groove, that ends at a significantly higher tempo than it began at, but does that lessen it's magnificence, I think not!).
'Superwoman/Where Were You When I Needed You' is Wonder at his best, as is the simple sentimental groover 'I Love Every Little Thing About You'. 'Girl Blue' & 'Seems So Long' also belong to Stevie's sentimental side, whilst 'Evil' belongs to his epic/consciousness themed catalogue. 'Happier Than The Morning Sun' has a similar feel to Talking Book's 'Big Brother' keys-wise, tho' the lyrics are obviously quite different. 'Sweet Little Girl' & 'Keep On Running' are the closest you get to filler, but they are still purty good...
Fabulous, from Stevie's golden era, & well worth having.
sign of great things to come - By: keith roberts, 23 Sep 2005 
I do not agree that music of my mind is second to songsin the key of life neither is innervisions a bit of hit & miss. I believe that with this album, soul music was about to have an overhaul. This album was pointing the way forward & soul music was never to return to what it once was. This was truly a remarkable albumin terms of its technological advancein sound for that period. Superwoman still sounds remarkable & some songs sound a bit unfinished, but as the title says it was the music of his mind & not what was being played on the radio. A good album for every aspiring musician who wants to play music from their heart as they hear it & not what the demographics dictate.
