Customer Reviews

Conversation Peace

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had to give five stars because I grew up on this album before I heard any of his other stuff. I'm definitely a Stevie Wonder fan and to hear somebody knock the projects that he come out with upsets me. Basically I think its because don't nobody know what good music is. To me, if you are a "true" fan, you would listen to any album, anytime, anywhere! You have certain periods that you want to listen to his works. For instance, If i want to hear real instruments, I pull out his stuff in the 70's. If I want to hear his amazing change in vocals, I pull out the 80's. His stuff in the 90's is a combination of both. Though nobody claims to like this cut, I think You're full of it!! Good music doesn't matter how long a song can be. If u listen to Jazz u know that! And the message on this album is put at his best(along with a time to love). I can't explain how much I love this cd. My dad bought it when it came out cuz he was hooked on "I'm New," and we both fell in love with the record since. If you are sooo concerned about "time limits" and the genre of music that was big in that time period (which was New Jack), Naw, u don't need to buy this joint. If u don't give a damn jus cuz its Stevie and u kno he got sumthin to say, Buy this Joint. I think the only ones you might not feel too much is "My love is with You, and "Sorry," but they will grow on you too. Jus pay attention to what he's singin bout! Holla

Being a huge Stevie Wonder fan, I am pretty taken back by some of the reviews I have seen about the album Conversation Peace. This latest offering from Stevie is everything it needs to be and more. Typical of his classic albums, Conversation Peace contains the wide array of music that only Stevie can do: CP has it's moments of R&B, Jazz, Reggae, Funk, Gospel, and Pop all rolled into one album. First off, let's take a look at each track individually.

Rain Your Love Down - Great album opener, Stevie sets the table by giving a look into the troubled world that we live in and how we need God to rain his love down.

Edge Of Eternity - Funky tune where Stevie flexes his R&B talents. Great horns and great vibes on this song.

Taboo To Love - Originally written back in the early 80's, this is a song that is often overlooked. Stevie's vocals are impeccable on this tune.

Take The Time Out - Average song, but has a very true message of today's world. The song's lyrics exemplify Stevie's belief that love can heal all and the world will be a better place if we all took the time to love one another.

I'm New - Perhaps the best cut on the album. If anyone can truly say that Conversation Peace is a bad album, obviously they have overlooked this song. Listen to the lyrics, how beautiful. Conversation Peace is worth it for this song alone.

My Love Is Wtih You - Another world conscious song based on an actual event. The best lyric to this song is "...they can't take what we've shared, Spread the love I've given, And I'll be there."

Treat Myself - A feel good song about the places we can go in our mind when times are bad. A very happy song with an excellent harmonica ending.

Tomorrow Robins Will Sing - Reggae-flavored song that lets you know that everything will be good tomorrow, so you needn't worry.

Sensuous Whisper - Another great song. Very good vocals on this one, it has a very smooth ... ... feel. This song will make you wanna get up and dance. O wee, o wee, o wee.

For Your Love - The pop love ballad that rounds out this album.

Cold Chill - Funky tune with a great guitar solo by Ben Bridges.

Sorry - Average song with OK lyrics.

Conversation Peace - Great album closer, it has the same message as Rain Your Love Down. If we don't heed the call, who knows what we are headed for.

After looking over all the songs, how can't Conversation Peace be a great album? It was well worth the wait. Stevie gives us a little bit of everything for this one. There are songs of love, socio-awareness, and songs of pure happiness on this album. I also think that it's not fair to judge this album to ones that Stevie did in the 70's, an artist must move on and seek new things. Stevie has evolved on this album and it is just as good as his 70's stuff, if not better. To say that this album is a 'dud', is totally out of line. Open your ears and listen. Even a so-called 'average' Stevie Wonder album is much better than some of today's 'great' albums.

Conversation Peace is a great work that features great songs like I'm New, Rain Your Love Down,Treat Myself and Sensuous Whisper. Stevie presents a strong and urgent message in this album "Cause we are out of order and so out of time". Stevie's music is timeless and will never wear out or get old, and his music now is as good as, or even better than what he made in the 70s. Peace and Love to all.

What a fresh and hopeful sound. Wonder's hope about the world shines through on every track. A super CD. I'm glad I purchased it.

I decided when I started to collect Stevie vast amount of music, I would start at his latest stuff- thus the first album I have is Conversation Peace- At first it didnt really impress, the music didnt really seem innovative except for tracks like
"Rain Your Love Down", "Taboo to Love", "Sensuous Whisper"
However, after repeated listens, there is a lot to appreciate-
Rain Your Love Down makes you singalong, which I bet what Stevie wants so grace and love can be upon us all.

Edge of Eterity has the slick lyrics that Stevie is saying what he wants, and getting what he gets- a sexy lady. The repeating base with the horns really wants to dance, definitely something to pump out the stereo- though my only complaint thats its a bit long for its own good, if you arent dancing.

Taboo to Love is perhaps the best track on the album. The backing violins and keyboard guitar gives you sense of an inner struggle to love or not love again, which is how Stevie makes music so you can truly feel the meaning of what hes trying to say. The lyrics are top notch too, and his singing is strained purposely- just awesome. Very remininsent of "If its Magic"

Take Your Time Out is the best social song he has on here. At first the beginining sounds a bit silly- with the light keyboards and sound effects, but once the base comes in with Stevie blazing vocals. Similar to Rain Your Love Down in a social mentality.

Im New is probably longer than it needs to be espically since the third verse just seems tacked on compared to the beautiful lyrics of the first and second verse. Stevie gets Take 6 to act as base, and brings a warmth to it. The percussion will have you bouncing as well, and the lyrics are just beautiful. Love the guitar solo at the end, though I think it would have done well to replace the last verse.

My Love Is With You falls prey to just being all over the place- the rythmns are there, as well as the great base, but the lyrics dont move you- and Stevie singing seems out of place to carry across the message. The best part of the song is where the chant "Ban the handgun" which is just powerful to end it with, but he doesnt, it follows up with some operator nonsense. Not nessesarily BAD, but not moving either.

Treat Myself is kind of that song thats saying more than that could be understood. I think the lyrics give you a way to give yourself some peace, like meditation. Simple straightforward songwriting prevails in this song. the light pop feel works for this uplifting song, and great harmonica solos within the song take it up another notch. And his singing is just great.

Tomorrow Robins Will Sing
For some reason, Eddie Shines apperance would had made more sense in a live cut, like say "Natural Wonder" . For a song that celebrates the tommorow, the studio version seems somewhat subduded. Nevertheless it works very well. The lyrics arent any complaint, and flow around the beats very well for me.

Sensuous Whisper works for me. Its saucy and sexy and I love the piano work. Plus Anita Baker's vocals may be understated, but work well in the chorus- which Stevie excells at. Very dancable too without it being nessesarily overlong.

For Your Love only problem is that it takes too long to get to the vocals! Otherwise, its a sweet declaration of love- cheesy, but with Stevies highest vocal ranges being heard, sincere and believable

Cold Chill heats things up once more, with the drumming which we can assume its Stevie (yay!) and the guitars and solos are just awesome. Lyrically its sound and I like how its about a woman mistreating a guy maybe because hes being too full of himself.

Sorry is a misstep, In my opinion. its sure experimental, and insturmental wise, its sound, but the lyrics arent moving nor is Stevie's singing

Conversation Peace almost makes it but the lyrics, while consice and to the point dont work for the message of a Conversation Peace. And also the last verse gives you feeling that hes talking to Christians which excludes a lot of other peoples. Love the music though.

Conversation Peace at first doesnt accomplish its goal for me; too many love songs all though good, dont address a bevy of issues that Stevie could have written about. Despite all of its blemishes, its a deep album, with songs most R and B artists would crave to have. I'd give 3 3/4 stars, but you cant, this works

Okay. Stevie so rarely releases anything these days that anything new comes with enormous anticipation and ridiculuous expectation. He has given us the best over the years. It's hard to be objective about this man's work at this point, so...I anxiously awaited(as always)this release and have had time to digest the contents and so I give the following conclusion. This is a strong and solid album-by any standard. I'm New is tremendous, Taboo To Love as well, For Your Love should have been a top 10(pop charts), Rain Your Love Down is Classic Stevie, Take The Time Out is very good, Cold Chill and Conversation and Conversation Peace are high quality. The message in the songs is undeniable. I personally think Sensuous Whisper is kind of annoying but many other reviewers here give it thumbs way up. Edge of Eternity is good, too. My LOve Is With You is a musical drama, pretty good, definately effective at telling it's story. Sorry is a heartfelt but somewhat weaker track.So what do we end up with? This is an excellent album by a great and still improving singer/songwriter/composer.

In fact, I would rate it as one of the best R&B/Soul album of the 90s. Sure, it may not rank with the best of Stevie Wonder's work, but what does? Get it now.

I just can't say enough about this CD I think I have listened to it 1000 times, he as usual has so much to say and gives his message with just the right rhythm. Stevie is an artist that will live on forever.

Stevie Wonder's last album in just about a decade has only one thing in common with his usual music-the songwriting craft and the melodies are still as catchy as they ever were and he is in good voice.Trouble is for 1995 vintage album most of the music featured here sounds as if it were trying very hard to follow up the New-Jack swing orieted 'Jungle Fever' soundtrack and that is a sound that doesn't seem to mesh well with Stevie's own.Hip-hop and new jack are not his generation and despite his need to be accessible and reach the public he can obviously do so more,as one reviwer said by being himself-not Babyface,Teddy Riley or anyone else.More so then the somewhat ironic 'Jungle Fever' this album contains some very pointed social criticisms in his classic,honest style but he doesn't tend to back up his message with timeless music.This album contains at least one classic-the reggae/synclaviar driven "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing"-going back to his wonderful integration of electronics into pop music."Sorry" is a tune I like because he features Wonder on a house oriented tune-sounds like a leftover from some unreleased follow up to his 'Characters' album from the late 80's.My main reason for liking the song is that new-jack and hip-hop style music dominates most of the rest of this album and new-jack gets on my nerves after awhile.But aside from trying too hard to appeal to the masses it's always good to have new Stevie Wonder music around.So WHY TEN YEARS WAITING FOR THE NEW ONE?As of this writing his new album 'A Time 2 Love' is on it's way out after two years of promotion and false starts!From what I hear Stevie Wonder will be ALOT more himself and NO NO NEW-JACK STUFF!!

Ok, this is not INNERVISIONS or TALKING BOOK, but this album is beautiful in its own way. First, STEVIE is in fine form as a singer - just listen to the album and hear for yourself. Another costumer here on AMAZON asked "Where's the melodies?", and I answer, they're all here, just listen to FOR YOUR LOVE, the exquisite, beautiful ballad TABOO TO LOVE and I'M NEW, just to name a few tracks. Ans some songs are full of joy and spirituality, exactly what we expect form a great artist like STEVIE WONDER. About the "hip-hop beats": they're integrated to the songs and they're not intrusive - a lesson for some soul artists of the nineties.

Don't waste you time with the old cliché that says "STEVIE WONDER's music died in the 70's" - the man's still delivering great, spiritual, deep music for us.

Peace.