Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I (a second part was far from) appeared in 1982. The then double LP was an interim report and summed up his work of the years 1972 to 1980 quite well along with 12 songs. Also, there was this 4-rehearsed new songs, so about an hour old material and 26 minutes half a new album. The song selection of the greatest hits from this period is okay. At 60 minutes into since only a limited time available. So missing a few classics like Is not Gonna Stand For It, As and Lately. The new songs are the classics but in every way. Do I Do is a 10-minute funky epic that would have made good on Michael Jackson's Off The Wall. This thing has a sensational bass line of Nathan Watts, brass sections reminiscent of Earth Wind & Fire, a trumpet solo by jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie and at the end raps Wonder even. Mostly remembered the song to much of what made them so famous Jamiroquai years later. Frontline is rock / funky and is about a war veteran who does not come with the world cope. That Girl can be almost described as modern R & B. With Ribbon In The Sky this compilation provides a most successful of Wonders ballads. Except for the acoustic guitar Wonder has recorded the song alone. Particularly noteworthy is the jazzy Pianooutro. As in many of his albums some of the songs are mixed into each other without breaks, which I personally do not like so much. Had Wonder here stopped new music to publish, then his artistic balance would have been virtually flawless. But when he put his next Heimorgel on autopilot, in which case I Just Called To Say I Love You came out, a song of every Stevie Wonder fan should make the 70 because of its banality (text and especially music) stunned. The remaining 80 were then also not much better.
To remaster of 2000: Here is some gone wrong. This is all the more incomprehensible since the other remasters of the albums of 1972-1976 and Hotter Than July are actually became pretty good. In original Musiquarium a clear very loud noise can be heard in many songs, but what bothers me and pretty annoyed. The album versions were taken for this compilation many, where the original albums this problem can not be heard. Apparently they wanted to not mix the album from these recordings over again, compile and mastering. Since you have saved somewhere and the thing made too easy. Overall, the question arises whether this compilation is still used today. With At The Close Of A Century, there is now a price often very günstigs 4 CD set (also known as Ear-book in large format) to 15 euros, up in the 90s very well summarizes his career and up to Frontline all songs provides original Musiquarium without noise.
Conclusion: From the song selection of old hits from 1972-1980 and up mainly because of the 4 songs of 1982 Original Musiquarium is highly recommended. Frontline thereof the rarest song. Due to the partly bad mastering (noise) I have to deduct 2 stars. I have to listen Unfortunately no comparison like the old vinyl and CD versions.
