

Stevie Wonder’s stunning 14th album kicked off his “classic period” of creative output, and it found him further distancing himself from the Motown sound of his teens. He was 21 at the time of its release, but he explores themes of love, loss, and isolation like an artist years older. From the hard funk-soul of “Love Having You Around” to the gentle melodies of “Happier Than the Morning Sun” to the deceptively sad “Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You),” his maturity is obvious. Aside from a guitar part and a trombone line, Wonder plays all instruments here, too, and the arrangements are layered and rich.