I remember Brotherman leaving a note somewhere, maybe on a message board, about Stevie Wonder finally recording an album of new material. He posted this sometime last year. I remember being extremely excited about this. However, I also knew that Wonder would take his time, and don't ever remember seeing a release date. For much of this year, MJ would update me on the release date of this album. It must've changed every week. We anticipated the album when the date would get close, and then it would change again. Stevie was making us wait. Finally, October 18th was the solid date. And low and behold, I'm on iTunes two weeks before the release, and it's there. At first, I thought it was a mirage. But it wasn't. Stevie's first album since my first year in college (1995), and A Time 2 Love was at my fingertips (and not fingertips part 2). To pay for it early or to wait was my problem. Of course, I bought it on iTunes because I owed it to myself to hear it immediately.

I am always worried when a classic artist who I love comes out with an album in our current music scene. It's a scene where anything classic is old and outdated. It's a scene where essentially timeless artists are boring because they can't keep up with the bells and whistles of today's production. But are the classic artists not up to par with today's music, or is it that today's music simply has taken a turn for the worse? If I had to choose, I'd choose the latter, but I guess it's all in the evolution of music.

My fear is that with this album, Stevie will not be able to reach the young people. This album is about love. That's it. Just love. But, there's no flashy single with a catchy hook. There's no guest MC's. No Kanye West behind the boards. It's just an album full of positive messages, supreme song writing, classic song structure, and no gimmicks. Sure, there's some Stevie production where you wonder why he's making the strange sounds with his instruments, but then again, this is Stevie.

The album starts off with a bang as Kim Burrell joins Stevie on If Your Love Cannot Be Moved which is a spiced up fast paced powerful jaunt. It really kick starts the album and my worries about this album suddenly disappeared, only 5 seconds into the album. If the first single So What The Fuss was any indication that he wasn't playing, neither was his second single, From The Bottom Of My Heart. So What The Fuss is a funky foray into a sassy Steve. While the song is technically about taking blame for your own consequences, his chorus has so much sass, you expect him to exclaim the "f" bomb. He sings, "So what the fu......ss." I swear everytime I hear this song, my heart skips a beat because of the expectation of the expletive. Prince and En Vogue join Wonder on the track which has been out there for a couple months. From The Bottom Of My Heart is a simplistic love song that works on all levels. Once I hear that harmonica, I know I'm in for a good time, and the harmonica is prevalent on this song. Wonder sings that true love is forever, and that's how long (forever) that he'll feel this way.

There are a few tunes on this album with a definite jazzy feel. Moon Blue is near 7 minutes of easy listening perfection. Stevie shows that his vocals are still there near the end of the song as he wails on note after note, even fooling around with it at the end, prompting a recorded chuckle. Tell Your Heart I Love You is more of a funk/jazz combo, but has the catchiest appeal of all the tracks. True Love follows the footsteps of Moon Blue in that you can put it on, close your eyes, and see the man's fingers glancing every key on the piano softly.

Aisha Morris, better known as Stevie's little girl, joins him on How Will I Know. The chemistry is unbelievable between the two as they go back and forth with each other line for line. Stevie originally wrote Isn't She Lovely for her, and now 30 years later, she's singing on a song for his current album. If that doesn't say something about longevity and relevancy, I don't know what does. Aisha is so surprisingly good, I can't imagine Wonder not working with her and putting out more from her. Shelter In The Rain is a benefit song for Hurricane Relief, but originally came to be as a result from Wonder mourning the loss of one of his brothers, as well as former love Syretta Wright who died last July. It's a very uplifting track that can also be seen as a metaphor for the man's life.

Please Don't Hurt My Baby fits right with his recordings from the soundtrack to Jungle Fever. While Sweetest Somebody I Know might not be the type of love song that fueled your heart and mind in the 70's, it's Stevie's salute to his sweetheart. But if you want a track that is an ode to his smart rantings from the 70's, he ends the album with the title track. Featuring India Arie, this song is his visualization for what he's trying to present. He says that people have time for criticism and racism, and asks the question, "When will there be a time for love?" It features a dramatic backing with a consistent drum beat with Wonder and Arie singing what might be the most significant words in 2005.

When it's all said and done, this album is more significant than anything I've heard this year. Yes, I'm a fan and yes, I grew up listening to his music that was already 10 and 15 years old by the time I heard it, but that gives me perspective. Stevie's latest works have been hit or miss, but this is the album that makes him relevant in 2005, and captures his essence as an artist and a man.

Recommended: Yes