i'll start it 24K (Upgrade or Downgrade)
 

This thread is absolutely inevitable with an album 85 percent full of songs many of us have known forever. And maybe its a little early to start it, but now that a few people have the album, why not.

Are the finished products on 24 KG an upgrade or a downgrade over their demo version. You can also say absolutely no difference but I feel that will be rare.

Since I'm not one of those who've heard the album I can't start us off except for the four songs already released, but ill just do those 4 with the rest later on.


Obviously Hard Advice, I Don't Care and Carousel don't count since there are no leaked demos for the first 2 and the last one is a cover song.

IMO, the only songs that didn't translate well from demo/outtake form to its new incarnation are "Blue Water", "Twisted" and "She Loves Him Still". The rest are stellar!

For the most part Stevie kept very true to the demos.The Nashville musicians did an excellent job of fleshing these songs out.

What's everyone's thoughts on The Dealer? I must have 3-4 different demos and it was always a favorite. I was bummed when I first heard the album version but its growing on me. I feel like its slightly slowed up. I always thought it was such a fun song and I picked up two demo/outtake bootleg CDs at a record store last year and each had versions of The Dealer on it, was a blast to sing along in the car. New version, not so much. I'm not sure if I've worded that well. I also think the demos had a jazzier sound which I really enjoyed and that's definitely lacking from the new version. I actually thought it sounded super "Nashville" when I first heard the new version, didnt like that at all. Like I said though, it seems to be growing on me but I still prefer the demo. Listening again now and I'm thinking its the verses that seem slow and distinctly lack that jazzy sound but the chorus is completely true to demo which may be why the song is growing on me. Lots of fun to sing about being the mistress of your fate. :)

LOVE the new Twisted.

Haven't had enough time to decide on the rest, The Dealer was the number one song on the album I was most intimately familiar with in demo form, not so much on the others.

The only ones I wasn't really a fan of; The Dealer and Blue Water (The one I was looking forward to the most lol) Why couldn't she just have the girls sing harmonies with her along with the signature piano and tinkling chimes?? :shrug: This version was...odd.

Downgrade: The Dealer (boring) & Blue Water (not bad, but kinda botched) Cathouse Blues (cute and fun, but nothing super special)

Upgrade: MABEL NORMAND (this song is espic), 24 Karat Gold (magical), She Loves Him Still (demo was a little too sappy for me), Starshine, Watch Chain, and Belle Fleur

I would say All The Beautiful Worlds is an upgrade because it's so fantastic, but it's pretty much on par with the demo. Both are so sexy. Same with If You Were My Love and Twisted

1. Starshine - upgrade

2. If You Were My Love - upgrade

3. Mabel Normand - HUGE upgrade

4. Twisted - downgrade

5. 24 Karat Gold - HUGE upgrade

6. Belle Fleur - upgrade

7. All the Beautiful Worlds - upgrade

8. Lady - big downgrade

9. I Don't Care - new track

10. Watch Chain - upgrade

11. Hard Advice - new song

12. Carousel - I'm sure it's better than the Vanessa version... but is that really saying anything? :shrug:

13. Blue Water - heartbreaking downgrade :distress:

14. Cathouse Blues - downgrade; not that the original was something of substance anyway

15. The Dealer - downgrade

16. She Loves Him Still - definite upgrade

So I only rated 5 of 16 as downgrades... not bad considering how in love I was with some of the originals.

New versions that are upgrades:
Mabel Normand
24 Karat Gold
Belle Fleur
Watch Chain
Blue Water
Cathouse Blues

A likable new version of a song I already liked; a crossgrade:
Starshine
Twisted
Lady
The Dealer
She Loves Him Still

The rest:
If You Were My Love
All The Beautiful Worlds

I think they're all upgrades by definition, except for Twisted. But I've always viewed the demos as curiosities more than actually enjoyable songs.

they are all upgrades for me with the exception of "Blue Water" and "If You Were My Love" (I like the mirage take better

They are all upgrades. I will be listening to this album for years. :)

DITTO!! All the songs are updated, fleshed out and Stevie's voice shines on all of them. LOVE, LOVE!

1. Starshine - Meh - I guess upgrade

2. If You Were My Love - Upgrade

3. Mabel Normand - Upgrade - loved it

4. Twisted - In the middle - I love it but I love the duet version too

5. 24 Karat Gold - YES - major upgrade

6. Belle Fleur - Upgrade

7. All the Beautiful Worlds - Upgrade - I think she killed the vocals here they were stunning!

8. Lady - Downgrade - I don't like how she shouts through the chorus

9. I Don't Care - Well yeah - but I FREAKIN LOVE IT

10. Watch Chain - Modest upgrade

11. Hard Advice - New - but I loved it - very sweet

12. Carousel - Hard to say - I love both this version and Vanessa's original too.

13. Blue Water - Major downgrade - I did not like this at all. Should have been Stevie and the girls and that's it. They oversang it at the end.

14. Cathouse Blues - Upgrade - I actually like it - it's different - and I love the ensemble

15. The Dealer - Downgrade - Was never a fan of this song I think it would have been an ok song in its time.

16. She Loves Him Still - Upgrade

Well they basically turned "Blue Water" into a potential country hit, hence the addition of the Lady Antebellum vocalists.

I'm not nearly as familiar as others are with the demos, but the one that I was is "If You Were My Love", and I like the Mirage version better.

"24 Karat Gold," "Starshine," "Lady," "Mabel Normand," and possibly "The Dealer" all could have sounded right at home on a Fleetwood Mac album. It still surprises me that these songs never made a Mac album when other Nicks songs did. It's kind of baffling.

I've come to like Lady Antebellum, mostly due to Stevie's Crossroads show. So I've softened up and have come to like their contribution to Blue Water. It's not what was expected, but it's still a nice song.

All upgrades including All the Beautiful Worlds, which was already a complete song. The latest version of ATBW is just update with some added production and Stevie's more mature voice. Some people say the chorus is slow, but i think it's just fine. Her voice is far superior to most of the the Say You Will album. :nod: