Disc one provides us with his early Motown sides. [If there is a legitimate criticism of this box set, it's here. Of his first five albums, only "Fingertips-Pt 2" is included. In fact, his only solo singles missing are from this period: "Workout Stevie, Workout" from 1963 and "Hey Harmonica Man" from 1964. The now out-of-print Looking Back (which I have on LP) does a better job of covering his 1963-1971 period over the album's 40 tracks.] The music on this disc is all the more amazing when you stop to remember Stevie was only 22 when "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)" charted in 1972--his 22nd Top 40 hit.

Discs 2 and 3 (1972-1980) cover what are arguably Wonder's peak years when he released classic albums like Talking Book (3 tracks), Innervisions (8 tracks--all but "Jesus Children of America"), Fulfillingness' First Finale (5 tracks), Songs in the Key of Life (5 tracks)and Hotter Than July (6 tracks). The Seventies were an incredibly fertile and creative period.

Disc 4 represents something of a decline--at least by the high standards Wonder set for himself in the Eighties. Sure, there were still hits, including a pair of No. 1's: "I Just Called to Say I Love You" and "Part-Time Lover," but he was no longer perched on the cutting edge.

Since my collection already includes the 3-LP Looking Back and the 2-LP Originial Musiquarium (which At the Close of the Century duplicates except for the glaring omission of "Front Line") , I've been waiting for the opportunity to add some Stevie Wonder to my CD collection. This set is nearly perfect. ESSENTIAL


First-Time Buyer, Long Time Listener   March 3, 2000
B. Eisen (The Swamps of Jersey)
29 out of 30 found this review helpful

I've always been a fan of Stevie's, but never knew where to start in my acquisition of his music. Everyone has their favorite album that you "must buy first" (Innervisions, Talking Book, Songs in the Key, etc.) and his career spans decades. In addition, the (abnormal) abundance of greatest hits packages were always missing a few classics.

Finally, this box set was issued and let me tell you it was worth the wait. This has every great song from the early Motown (Signed,Sealed; For Once in My Life, My Cherie Amour, etc.) through the seventies (Superstition, Higher Ground, Sir Duke, I Wish, Isn't She Lovely, Master Blaster, etc., etc,) and to the most recent tunes (Do I Do, Overjoyed, etc.)

You might think that buying a 4 CD box set as a "starter" album of an artist is a tad excessive, but this is a special case. Other reviewers say that there is a lack of B-sides and rarities, but I wasn't looking for those. Others say you have to buy the original albums, but that is a timely and expensive venture. "At the Close of the Century" is perfect how it is. Song after song of great Stevie songs. I love it.


As great a body of work as can be found!   November 5, 2000
Eric V. Moye (New York, by way of Dallas)
20 out of 20 found this review helpful

Box sets are supposed to be comprehensive. There are not very many individuals who could do such a set of works without some filler. Not so here. Amazingly, Stevie Wonder's set, aptly titled to reference the past century (since he has recorded in most of it) even at four discs could have added a fifth or a even a sixth without losing a single step. With the same number of discs as the two volumes of Original Musicquarium, this set seems to span a longer time, and still include more hits.

It starts as it must with the joyous songs which made Little Stevie Wonder the young legend: "Fingertips", "Uptight" and "Shoo-Be-Do-Be-Doo-Da-Day". Then some more mature love songs like "I was Made to Love Her" and "My Cherie Amour", and then serious works from Fulfillingness First Finale and the masterpieces of Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. It also includes his later works from Hotter Than July and thereafter.

Listening to all this make you realize just how much great music Wonder has recorded over an incredible four or five decades. Sadly, though, the inescapable conclusion which I reached is that most of the best of his body of work came earlier. It would be unfair of us to expect every album to be an Innerisions or a S.I.T.K.O.L. It is kinda sad, though to listen and learn that he has not come up much of late which is as good as the music of the sixties and seventies.

It is a great set by any standards. Unless your library has each and every Stevie Wonder album, this is a worthwhile purchase.


From a devoted Stevie Fan   January 1, 2000
Dean Martin Dent (SAN LEANDRO,CA)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

IT'S ABOUT TIME! After settling for compilations that either a)focus on 60s era Stevie or 70s & beyond-era b)omit song to make room for tired favorites,a box set finally to quench a long thirst.Kudos for not including vault material(the kind that should stay in the vault),hopefully to be released on another compilation for us die-hard fans,and spare the casual listener(one of the biggist headaches when puchacing box sets). Now the gripes.Though it covers every era of Stevie's illustrious career,as well as include a majority of every hit,it still leave off essential songs including "Blame it on the Sun"(Talking Book )"Keep on Running"(Music of my Mind ),Summer Soft(SITKOL)Black Orchid(JTTSLOP)Free(Characters) "Make sure you're sure(Jungle Fever),Ebony & Ivory and "Whats That You're Doin'(McCartney'sTug of War)and the one off single 1990s Keep Our Love Alive.INNERVISIONS & SITKOL are over-represented(jut add Jesus Children of America and you have the whole INNERVISIONS album)and "Blowin' in the Wind"is in its truncated version. In all the fact that there's finally a box set,is enough reason for rejoice,and shows that the title of genius bestowed upon him 37 years ago is well justified


The best from the best   December 2, 1999
Stuart D. Saull (USA)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

In my view, Stevie Wonder is the most important R&B and pop artist of the twentieth century. He has repeatedly shown the ease with which he can write and perform many different styles of music. This box set only scratches the surface fo what has been a remarkable career. In order for it to truly be an overview of his career, he would have needed it to be 10 or 12 discs. Stevie has rarely performed a stinker. Besides complementing this set with 'The Essential Stevie Wonder,' one should also purchasd 'Natural Wonder' which is also a 5 star purchase. Only dissapointment is the lack of With a Child's Heart on either of the sets, and I will now be searching for it on the internet. If you like Stevie, and evn if you have the albums from "Talking Book" through "Songs in the Key of Life," you need this set. The song selection and the liner notes are second to none.