Stevie Wonder's second hits collection, gathering together his singles from 1968 to 1971, traces his development into a virtuoso talent, from upbeat Motown numbers like "For Once in My Life" to the emergence of
Wonder's own style in songs like "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" and "If You Really Love Me." Along the way, he demonstrates an amazingly broad pop sensibility that allows him to handle soul, pop/rock, and ballads, all with equal ease. And, of course, the remarkable thing is that this set was obsolete the day it came out, the summing up of what turned out to be only the first phase of
Wonder's remarkable career. This album has been superseded by the Looking Back compilation. ~ William Ruhlmann