| Stevie Wonder Presents: Syreeta | ||||
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| Studio album by Syreeta | ||||
| Released | June 19, 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 1973-1974, The Record Plant, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Soul, R&B, funk, pop, reggae, psychedelic soul | |||
| Length | 39:37 | |||
| Label | Motown M 808 |
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| Producer | Stevie Wonder | |||
| Syreeta chronology | ||||
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Stevie Wonder Presents: Syreeta is the second full-length release by Motown recording artist Syreeta Wright, issued on the Motown label, in June 1974.
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [1] |
Coming two years after Wright's acclaimed but commercially maligned debut album, Syreeta, the album was produced around the same time its producer Stevie Wonder was also providing albums by Minnie Riperton (Perfect Angel) and his own Fulfillingness' First Finale. For this album, members of Wonder's female background singing group Wonderlove (Lani Groves, Shirley Brewer and Deniece Williams) helped alongside Wright in songs such as the political rant "I'm Goin' Left", the funky "Come and Get This Stuff" (originally written by Wonder for the group Rufus and Chaka Khan) and the ballads "Heavy Day", "'Cause We've Ended as Lovers" and "Just a Little Piece of You". Wright handled her own background vocals for the psychedelic soul-driven "Spinnin' and Spinnin'" before being assisted by Wonderlove and Wonder at the end, while both Wright and Wonder sung background on the reggae-flavored "Your Kiss is Sweet". The soulful ballad "I Wanna Be By Your Side" was a duet between Wright and former Spinners lead vocalist G.C. Cameron while the ending of the song "Universal Sound of the World", featured Wright and Wonder flirting with each other emulating the sounds of little children. Minnie Riperton herself provided her trademark whistle register vocal near the end of "Heavy Day". The album became a hit in the UK with the songs "I'm Goin' Left", "Spinnin And Spinnin'" and "Your Kiss is Sweet" finding success in the UK, with the latter song reaching number 12 there in that country while the album failed to generate success in Wright's homeland in the US. It is noted that the second side montage starting with 'Cause We Ended As Lovers' was a chronicle of their lead up to divorce in the early seventies when she helped write some lyrics on 'Music Of My Mind' and 'Talking Book'. A a condition of said divorce was believed to be his willingness to help her with this album. It is a tour de force much like 'Abbey Road' where the first side is made of songs and the second like an opera.
All songs written and composed by Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright unless otherwise noted.
| Year | Album | Chart positions[2] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
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| 1974 | Stevie Wonder Presents: Syreeta | 116 | 53 |
Four artists who performed on this album (Stevie Wonder, Deniece Williams, Michael Sembello, and Ollie Brown [of Ollie & Jerry]) would all find themselves sharing space on the pop singles charts within a year of each other, a decade after this album's release.