Stevie Wonder’s 1985 album In Square Circle is a record that knows exactly what it is. After a decade of ambitious, sprawling statements — from the synthesizer epics of the late ’70s to the soundtrack work and political turns of the early ’80s — Wonder pulled back.
In Square Circle is a pop album, built for radio, filled with love songs and dance tracks, and wrapped in the pristine digital production of its era. It is not trying to change the world, though it does try, briefly, to address it. The record is Wonder consolidating his craft, showing off his melodic gift without reaching for the grand conceptual sweep of Songs in the Key of Life or Journey through the Secret Life of Plants.
The result is a pleasant, polished collection of ten songs, running about 45 minutes. It is a record that sounds effortless, and that ease is both its charm and its limitation. Wonder is so good at what he does that even his lesser material lands with a professional sheen, but In Square Circle rarely pushes past that sheen into something truly memorable. It is a minor album from a major artist, and it knows it.
Part-Time Lover and the Lead Single
The album opens with “Part-Time Lover,” the hit single that anchored the record’s commercial success. It is a slick, synth-driven piece of pop-funk, built on a catchy keyboard riff and a vocal hook that lodges in the head. The song tells a story of a secret affair, with Wonder layering his own voice to play both sides of the phone conversation.
It is clever, but it is also safe — a radio-friendly confection that shows off Wonder’s knack for a hook without demanding much from the listener. The production is clean, almost too clean, with every element in its place. It works, but it is the sound of an artist cruising.
I Love You Too Much and the Middle Stretch
“I Love You Too Much” follows, a ballad that lets Wonder stretch his voice over a gentle, insistent rhythm. It is one of the stronger tracks here, with a melody that feels genuine rather than manufactured. The song builds slowly, adding layers of harmony and percussion, and it lands with a warmth that the opener lacks.
It is a reminder that Wonder can do sincere romance better than almost anyone, and the track’s quiet confidence is a highlight of the album’s first half. “Whereabouts” is a shorter, more atmospheric piece, a moody cut that drifts on a synth pad and a soft bassline. It is pleasant enough, but it does not leave much of an impression. The song feels like a sketch, a placeholder between the more defined tracks around it.
“Stranger on the Shore of Love” picks up the tempo slightly, a mid-paced groove with a Latin-tinged rhythm and a vocal that moves from tender to urgent. It is competent, but the melody is not as sharp as the best songs here, and the arrangement, while polished, does not elevate the material. “Never in Your Sun” is another ballad, slower and more introspective.
Wonder’s voice is the focus, and he delivers the lines with care, but the song never quite catches fire. It is the kind of track that fills out an album side, pleasant in the moment and forgettable after. The first half of In Square Circle is a mixed bag: two strong singles, two serviceable grooves, and a couple of cuts that feel like filler.
Spiritual Walkers and the Back Half
“Spiritual Walkers” opens the second half with a change of pace. It is a more rhythmic, percussive track, with a gospel-tinged chorus and a message about faith and perseverance. The song has more energy than most of what came before it, and Wonder’s performance is committed, but the lyrics lean toward the vague. It is uplifting without being specific, a general call to keep walking the path. It works as a groove, less so as a statement.
“Land of La La” is a curious one. It is a playful, almost childlike song, with a bouncy synth melody and lyrics about escaping to a fantasy place. It is light, even silly at times, but it has a charm that some of the more serious tracks lack. Wonder sounds like he is having fun, and that comes through. It is not a major work, but it is an enjoyable detour.
“Go Home” is the album’s most direct pop-funk number after the opener. It has a driving beat, a sharp horn arrangement, and a vocal that shifts between pleading and commanding. The song is about a relationship falling apart, with Wonder telling his partner to leave, and it carries a frustration that feels real. It is one of the most energetic tracks on the record, and it shows that Wonder can still deliver a punch when he wants to.
Overjoyed and the Closer
“Overjoyed” is the album’s centerpiece, a ballad that has become one of Wonder’s most beloved songs. It is a slow, soaring love song, with a melody that feels effortless and a vocal performance that is tender without being saccharine. The arrangement is spare — piano, strings, and Wonder’s voice — and that restraint lets the song breathe.
It is the best track on the album, a reminder of what Wonder can do when he commits fully to a melody. It is also, tellingly, a single in its own right, released from the album and standing as a counterweight to the more commercial pop of the opener. The fact that “Overjoyed” holds its own against “Part-Time Lover” says a lot about the depth of the record’s best material.
The record closes with “It’s Wrong (Apartheid),” a protest song that stands apart from everything else here. It is a direct, angry condemnation of the apartheid regime in South Africa, with lyrics that name the injustice plainly. The music is a slow, insistent groove, and Wonder’s vocal carries a moral weight that the rest of the album avoids.
It is a serious statement, and it lands. But it also feels bolted on, a moment of conscience grafted onto a record that is otherwise content to be light. The song is good, but it does not change the album’s overall character.
Wonder actually wrote some superb songs, and several, like ‘Overjoyed’ and ‘I Love You Too Much’, were superior to the hit single ‘Part-Time Lover’. — Ron Wynn, AllMusic
The Verdict
In Square Circle is a record of contrasts. It has moments of genuine beauty — “Overjoyed” alone justifies the album’s existence — and a handful of solid pop tracks. It also has stretches of pleasant filler, songs that are professionally made and instantly forgettable.
The production is immaculate, the melodies are generally strong, and Wonder’s voice is as good as ever. But the album never coheres into something greater than its parts. It is not a statement, despite the protest song at the end. It is not a return to form, because Wonder never really lost his form. It is simply a good pop album from a great artist, and that is both its accomplishment and its ceiling.
Wonder’s craft is on display throughout, and the record is easy to listen to, easy to enjoy, and easy to set aside. It is the sound of an artist in control, but not an artist pushing himself. The best moments here — “Overjoyed,” “I Love You Too Much,” “Go Home” — show what this album could have been. The rest shows what it settled for.
In Square Circle is a minor entry in a major catalog, a record that will please fans and satisfy casual listeners, but it will not be the album anyone reaches for when they want to hear Stevie Wonder at his best. It is a pleasant 45 minutes of music, and nothing more.
- Part‐Time Lover4:09
- I Love You Too Much5:30
- Whereabouts4:17
- Stranger on the Shore of Love5:01
- Never in Your Sun4:07
- Spiritual Walkers5:12
- Land of La La5:14
- Go Home5:18
- Overjoyed3:42
- It’s Wrong (Apartheid)3:29
