Conversation Peace is the 22nd album released by American musician Stevie Wonder, on the Motown label in 1995. The album was Wonder's first full-length non-soundtrack studio album since 1987's Characters. This album yielded the hits "For Your Love" (a Grammy winner for Wonder for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance) and the reggae-flavored "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing". This album also saw Wonder reuniting with Robert Margouleff, who assisted during Wonder's "classic period" from 1972 to 1974.
Wonder wrote about 40 songs in 1993 after being invited to stay for six weeks in Ghana by President Jerry John Rawlings. A number of these songs were eventually shaped into album form. Motown announced in August 1993 that Conversation Peace would be released later that year; however, Wonder continued to work on the album through 1994 until its release in March 1995, when Vibe magazine reported that the album had been in development "off and on for at least the past four" years. A circulating outtake from these sessions, "Ms and Mr Little Ones", was later released on Natural Wonder.
Reception
Critics felt that the album was a return to Wonder's classic period of the 1970s. John Milward in a 1995 review in Rolling Stone gave it four stars and felt that while the album is "reminiscent" of Wonder's classic albums, its "lean execution" gives it a "modern sound". While the quality of the work was appreciated, Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune and Jean Rosenbluth of the Los Angeles Times felt that the style was a bit too familiar and well-worn to be interesting, though Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave it an "A−" and remarked that while listeners may have "heard all this before, that doesn't mean it's worn out its welcome." Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it two-and-a-half stars in a retrospective review for Allmusic and felt the music wasn't contemporary enough to get radio play.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Stevie Wonder, except where noted. "Rain Your Love Down" – 6:08 "Edge of Eternity" – 6:04 "Taboo to Love" – 4:25 "Take the Time Out" – 5:05 "I'm New" – 5:41 "My Love Is with You" – 5:54 "Treat Myself" (Wonder, Stephanie Andrews) – 4:55 "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing" (Wonder, Edley Shine) – 4:46 "Sensuous Whisper" – 5:47 "For Your Love" – 5:00 "Cold Chill" – 6:53 "Sorry" – 6:15 "Conversation Peace" – 6:39
Personnel
Personnel involved in the album include: Stevie Wonder – Guitar, arranger, keyboards, vocals, background vocals, multi-instruments, mixing Anita Baker – Background vocals Ollie Brown – Conductor Lenny Castro – Percussion Ernie Fields, Jr. – Tenor saxophone Nolan Shaheed – Trumpet Ray Brown – Trumpet Fernando Pullum – Trumpet Jorge Arciniega – Trumpet Fred Wesley – Trombone Reggie Young – Trombone Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Background vocals Robert Margouleff – Mixing Branford Marsalis – Saxophone Greg Phillinganes – Keyboards Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin – Guitar Ben Bridges – Guitar solo on "Cold Chill" Nathan Watts – Bass, background vocals, associate producer Deniece Williams – Background vocals The Winans – Background vocals Syreeta Wright – Background vocals Take 6 – Background vocals The Artist Formerly Known As Prince – credited. Vinx - guest artist