Stevie Wonder – In Square Circle

Un sonido espectacular, este fue un disco originalmente grabado en digital, pero en este LP suene mas que excelente!
La tapa bueno la tengo hecha m!erd@ pero bueno es usado 🤷

Clean pressing of this super 80's tastics release.. funky electro synth pop all the way.

Personally, I found 'In Square Circle' to be Stevie's best studio effort from his '80s period (yup, even better than 1980's 'Hotter Than July'). Main reason was because the only thing about it that didn't age so well was the over-synthesized production, which didn't bother me too much as it gave off more of a sentimental "childhood nostalgia" vibe for me (lol). Outside of that, the songwriting, arrangements, and vocal performances throughout were honestly as good as anything Stevie ever came up with back during his '70s creative peak. "Part-Time Lover", "Go Home", and "Overjoyed" were the big hit singles released from the album, but there were quite a few sleeper gems on it such as "Whereabouts" (should've been a high-charting single as well), "Stranger On The Shore Of Love", "Never In Your Sun" (early influence on the The Neptunes???), and "Spiritual Walkers". Even if you're not a big Stevie Wonder fan, you still need this one for your music collection if only to have a definitive snapshot of where the man was at creatively around that point in his now-legendary music career. Just make sure you get the version that has the original EXTENDED mix of the closing track "It's Wrong (Apartheid)"! Whoever decided to cut that track in half for potential radio play on several other releases (both domestic and imported) should've been taken right out to the woodshed back then, ugh...

Correction: This particular early US release actually has the abbreviated version of "It's Wrong (Apartheid)", same as its Club Edition counterpart from that time period!!! Hope somebody on here corrects that tracklist ASAP, lol...

I've rated other SW albums (even a re-issue with 5-stars),
but this one only gets 3-stars from me because of its sterile sound.
Back cover states "Digitally recorded and mixed at Wonderland Studios".

After the blahh of "Woman In Red", I believe "Stevie Wonder" had to regroup (I can't prove it though..Just how I feel about "Woman In Red")...So, at least "Stevie's" next album, "In Square Circle", holds true to the "Stevie form"......

Now, it still at times sounds a little too electronic, but so did most of the '80's....In my opnion, "Stevie" just got pulled in to be with the times ....Not to say that this album isn't good, in fact, at times it's great.....

The album starts off with the Massive Monster #1 Hit Crown Jewel, "Part-Time Lover"....This song sounded so simple, even though it was about a jacked up relationship (LoL!!!!) It also had a gang of guest Vocalist in: "Billy Durham", "Darryl Phinnessee", "Keith John", "Melody McCully", "Peter Byrne", "Renee Hardaway", the one and only "Syreeta Wright", "Earth Wind & Fire's "Philip Bailey" (even though at this time he was now a Solo Star on his own) and it was topped off with the unmistakable Vocals of the one and only "Mr Luther Vandross"......

The 2nd Crown Jewel and one of my outright favorites is, "I Love You Too Much"....I know that "Stevie" couldn't play Guitar, and I desperately looked on the liner notes to see if it was on the song and I couldn't find it...If that is the case, then how he played that Keyboard to make it sound like the Guitar blew me away (Now, honestly, if you guys find out differently, please let me know)!!!!!

"Whereabouts", the 3rd Crown Jewel, sounds like it could be in his '70's heyday....

"Stranger On The Shore Of Love", also falls in that same category, and it is the 4th Crown Jewel...

"Never In Your Sun" is a pretty nice song, but I feel like the beat is slightly too fast for the Melody...Maybe it was experimental, who knows...

"Spiritual Walkers" starts off the second side...It is a pretty interesting song, and I could be wrong, but I feel like it was talking about the "Jehovah Witness" faith (once again, I can't prove it though)....

"Land Of La La", even though very Electronic, still ed for the 5th Crown Jewel....It also had great Guitar work by "Ben Bridges" and "Rick Zunigarand"...

The 6th Crown Jewel, "Go Home" is just short of being stunning.....Even though again, very Electronic, the melody definitely carried this one...

My other Super Favorite, and the Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate, Ultimate Crown Jewel, "Overjoyed", is just the absolute BOMB!!!!!! Having that pure "Stevie Wonder Sound", surrounding by pure nature is just gratifying!!!!!! In fact, I might stretch it a little in saying that this could have fit on "Secret Life Of Plants" (Sike!!! I know how you guys feel about that one!!!!) ....

The album finishes off with "It's Wrong (Apartheid)"...Now, of course "Stevie" is always going to do some serious conscience records, that's what he does...I just personally felt like this one was way too Electronic, even though the subject matter was on point....

Even though this album doesn't measure up to his classic '70's albums, it was still very very good...Even how the songs mesh together makes it feel like an "Authentic Stevie Wonder Record"....So, even though not a Pure Classic, it is still a Classic, and a very good album......

I've had this LP for several years now and haven't really given it the time of day ... until now. I have to say that, far from it being close to the glorious period from 1970-1976, this LP has a few gems imo. Overjoyed easily stands up with any of SW's classics, with a beautiful (if maybe overproduced string arrangement by Paul Riser), but there are some other moments worth listening to, namely Whereabouts, Never In Your Sun and Go Home (which I thought should have been a big hit back in the day when I bought it on 12"). As with many post 70's SW albums, you have to put up with some throwaway moments (It's Wrong for example, and (controversial I know) Part Time Lover, which I've always hated.
If you can get past the "in your face" pure digital recording, then there are clear moments of joy in here!

FULL DIGITAL RECORDING. i guess the CD is preferred over the LP?

This album was produced during the time Stevie was experimenting with synth. The vocals are superb as is to be expected.

Even when "bad" (or not that much, but still kinda naïve) Stevie Wonder stomps everyone else at will. Strong arrangements, despite how dated they sound nowadays.