Conversation Peace had originally been set for a 1991 release, but Stevie Wonder shelved the project in favour of providing a soundtrack for Spike Lee's Jungle Fever. Instead of resuming his work and producing the record immediately, Wonder continued to tweak the project, resulting in a four-year wait and a 1995 release date.
The record opens with 'Rain Your Love Down', a catchy opener which demonstrates Wonder's dynamic vocal gifts on the multi-vocaled chorus. The track, as with the rest of the album, has a distinct contemporary, mid-90s feel, which matches Wonder's style than the artificial MOR sound of 1987's Characters.
Edge Of Eternity
'Edge Of Eternity' continues the strong opening to Conversation Peace. A squelchy synth sound coupled with a punchy horn section and percussion from a host of players, including Head Hunters' Bill Summers, gives the song an edgier sound which Wonder had rarely dealt with on his more recent records. Like most of Conversation Peace, however, at 6:04 'Edge Of Eternity' slightly overstays its welcome.
Wonder's expert deployment of the ballad is in evidence on 'Taboo To Love', a string-laden love song on which the singer's expressive voice is the key feature, ably accentuated with flute and harp. 'Take The Time Out' moves away from the strong opening of Conversation Peace, providing a rare example of a Stevie Wonder song sounding dated and uninspired, despite the vocal support of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
'I'm New' starts off as a moody piece reminiscent of 'Creepin'' from Fulfillingness' First Finale, but loses its way due to some over-worded lyrics. 'My Love Is With You' is lyrically more adept and meaningful, Wonder criticising the gun culture prevalent in many American neighbourhoods. As with 'Take The Time Out', however, the track suffers from too many effects and tricks, and the true horror of the subject matter is lost in a sea of synths and recorded performance.
Tomorrow Robins Will Sing
'Treat Myself' and 'Tomorrow Robins Will Sing' (an unsuccessful single) both feature a cheery, positive message and sound, which can't escape a sense of MOR lightness. Dancehall artist Edley Shine introduces 'Tomorrow Robins Will Sing', which has a hint of reggae to it, and a Wonder vocal which is impassioned but too far away from his dynamic range to prove truly effective.
New Jack Swing is referenced in 'Sensuous Whisper', the most sexually charged track of Wonder's output since 1980. A jazzy piano riff combines with a randy and yearning Wonder vocal, providing a winning combination of contemporary tastes and Wonder's own natural talents. A horn-led bridge harks back to 70s soul, and adds depth and layers to the sound.
For Your Love
The lead single of Conversation Peace, 'For Your Love' provided a top twenty R&B hit for Wonder, and a minor pop hit. A simple, stripped down ballad, both musically and lyrically, Wonder's earnestness and gift for melody provided his biggest 90s hit, and helped Conversation Peace become his biggest selling album since In Square Circle ten years earlier.
'Cold Chill' is a less successful New Jack-style track, which is not helped by its near-seven minute playing time. Length detracts from the impact and enjoyment of the final two tracks, 'Sorry' and 'Conversation Peace'. 'Sorry' hurtles out of the blocks, with an urgent percussion backing, which is effective for half the track, but loses all impact as the track moves past the four-and-a-half-minute mark.
Conversation Peace ends with the title track, a plea for world peace, backed with an African vocal arrangement. The lyrical intent is noble, if not blunt (with explicit Holocaust and slavery references) but the track lacks the musical enjoyment factor of his more successful message songs.
Wonder's gifts are in evidence on Conversation Peace, his most consistent album for a decade, but it lacks the cohesive whole of musical interest and lyrical meaning of his greater work. Despite good reviews, it took Wonder ten years to release his next record.
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