Is Street Angel really that bad?

[James89]

I've been listening to Street Angel recently and I really don't think it's as terrible as Stevie makes out. I also find it strange how she absolutely loves TOSOTM and hates Street Angel. Yes, it isn't as good as her other albums and that magic isn't there. Also, her vocals seem very quiet and drowned out in the mix which is quite strange. I do think that tracks such as Blue Denim, Love Is Like a River and Destiny are good but yes, there are a few which are boring and lack talent in the lyric department.

HOWEVER. I think Stevie trashes this album more because of how it did commercially and what state she was in at the time. I simply don't think that this album is far worse than TOSOTM, it's not as good but it certainly doesn't deserve the trashing that it's had.

I wonder why she hates it so much? There's a few good songs there.

[markolas]

I think the main reason she hates it is that making it was such a bad experience for her. She clashed with the producer big-time, and then tried to go back and undo what he did with the songs, and finally just decided to put it out even though she wasn't satisfied with it, because the whole thing had taken so long.

There a few songs on it that I like (I love the Enchanted version of "Street Angel" the song), but even they aren't really among her best tracks.

[SisterNightroad]

I have made my bestfriend listen to the album and she liked it and couldn't absolutely see why I deemed it the worst. Probably someone that isn't acquainted with Stevie's imagery can't understand.

I don't think it's such an awful album, rather the production is tasteless. The songs are just subpar, so wholly it is a disappointing album.

Had Stevie had more time I'm sure it would have been a good album, during the tour she had again great voice and stage presence.

[sorcerer999]

Originally Posted by markolas

I think the main reason she hates it is that making it was such a bad experience for her. She clashed with the producer big-time, and then tried to go back and undo what he did with the songs, and finally just decided to put it out even though she wasn't satisfied with it, because the whole thing had taken so long.

This. I don't think she thinks the songs are bad, otherwise she wouldn't have included as many as she did on "Enchanted". She was just soured by the whole experience of making the album, and yes, perhaps the fact that it didn't sell well.

I personally don't think it's a BAD album. It's just completely different from anything she did before or after. There aren't any witchy songs. It's the closest thing she's done to a completely alt-country album, with a lot of adult contemporary smattered about. It is the "red headed step child" of her catalog.

I enjoy about 1/3 of the record. I love "Blue Denim", "Greta", "Destiny", "Street Angel" and consider "Docklands" a guilty pleasure.

[louielouie2000]

I tend to think Stevie is dismissive about the album for a couple of reasons:

1) Street Angel was her first solo album to not crack to Top 20 or even 40. It was also her first album to not go Platinum. Street Angel was also her first album which failed to produce a top 40 radio single. Even Behind The Mask had a top 20 debut and a Top 40 single. You see where I'm going with this- for someone who was very used to her albums making a commercial splash, Street Angel was her first flop.

2) Stevie heavily associates the making of the album with her Klonopin use. Unlike when she came out of rehab for cocaine hopeful- she came out of rehab for Klonopin angry. Angry that she'd lost a decade. Angry at the quality and lack of product she'd been releasing. Angry that her star power had greatly diminished. You can hear the indignation in the performances from the Street Angel tour- she came out swinging for each and every show. Talk about some fiery performances!

I think the fact Stevie has completely disowned the album is a shame, though. To me it's Street Angel, NOT Trouble In Shangri La that was her much needed back to basics rock album. The album where she ditched all of the extraneous layers of production and gimmickry. The album where she didn't really take herself too seriously, and the flowery excesses were left at the door. Street Angel has some really fantastic music on it. Great rock songs like Blue Denim, Listen To The Rain, Love Is Like A River, and Kick It. Gorgeously deep and philosophical songs like the title track. Fun little tunes like Greta. Yes, Street Angel has it's clunkers. Every Stevie album does. I think what sets Street Angel's apart though is just how bad those clunkers are. Is that why it's so reviled among the fan community? I'm still not sure. I think Stevie's personal bias against this album plays a bigger part. And again, I think that's unfortunate. Because there's good stuff here!

[sorcerer999]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

You can hear the indignation in the performances from the Street Angel tour- she came out swinging for each and every show. Talk about some fiery performances!

Yep! And unfortunately her vocals haven't been as passionate on stage SINCE the Street Angel tour!

[SisterNightroad]

Not to mention that at the time everyone talked about her weight.

[sadmabelnormand]

I personally love a few songs on the album, namely Blue Denim (although I prefer the single version), and Docklands, while I don't mind some others (original mix of Street Angel and Destiny). I think Stevie constantly trash-talks the album because she was in a bad place when it was made, and didn't have much control over it (like louielouie2000 said)

[sorcerer999]

Originally Posted by SisterNightroad

Not to mention that at the time everyone talked about her weight.

Yep. She has often said how hard it was to go on that tour and see the looks on people's faces. I can't remember the exact quote but it was something like, "I'd created this image over the years and all of a sudden I was this little fat girl and I would see people's reactions and think, 'Oh I'm so sorry I'm not the Stevie that you used to love'."

Something else she used to say was, "We're all so insecure." Definitely the weight gain played a part as to why she didn't enjoy the Street Angel experience.

Originally Posted by DauphineMarie

I just think it is definitely an important part of her life that she wanted to be told, and was just delivered in a somewhat clunky fashion.

Yes. With some poor production choices, uninspired lyrics (I know some of you are fans of "Inspiration" and "God's Garden" but I for one am SOOO glad they didn't make the cut) and album artwork that makes any photoshop novice look like Rembrandt, it's not hard to see why diehard fans were scratching their heads over this one. There wasn't anything remotely resembling "Edge of 17", "Dreams" or even "Rooms On Fire" from just a few years prior.

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Street Angel has it's clunkers. Every Stevie album does. I think what sets Street Angel's apart though is just how bad those clunkers are.

I think you really hit the nail on the head with that statement. As bad as I think "Cheaper Than Free", "New Orleans", "I Will Run To You", "Wassa Mattah Baby", and "The Second Time" are (again, just my opinion), I would much rather listen to any of them over the 5 or 6 songs that I consider clunkers on "Street Angel".

Again, I don't think SA is a bad record, just simply different for Stevie and definitely different for both the "Stevie fanatic" and the "casual Stevie fan". Honestly, I didn't even know that the record had even come out when it did. I actually didn't know anything about SA until after "The Dance" came out and I decided to go back and collect my favorite Stevie/Mac albums on CD. I remember listening to it on my headphones, sitting on my dorm room floor and trying to be excited about it but just...not.

[StreetAngel86]

it is AWESOME.
end of story.

of course, there is some Suck on it ...
but all of her albums have some

[SpyNote]

Originally Posted by James89

I've been listening to Street Angel recently and I really don't think it's as terrible as Stevie makes out. I also find it strange how she absolutely loves TOSOTM and hates Street Angel. Yes, it isn't as good as her other albums and that magic isn't there. Also, her vocals seem very quiet and drowned out in the mix which is quite strange. I do think that tracks such as Blue Denim, Love Is Like a River and Destiny are good but yes, there are a few which are boring and lack talent in the lyric department.

HOWEVER. I think Stevie trashes this album more because of how it did commercially and what state she was in at the time. I simply don't think that this album is far worse than TOSOTM, it's not as good but it certainly doesn't deserve the trashing that it's had.

I wonder why she hates it so much? There's a few good songs there.

It was just a bad time for her to make an album. Dealing with drug addiction and working with a producer who was not a good fit for her, she just didn't have the right state of mind to create something inspired; the album didn't have a "crystal vision." So there are lot of good songs mixed with average to poor ones. Trouble in Shangri-La has a similar problem, but it benefits by having the strongest songs upfront in the album. I think that Street Angel could have made a bigger impact by having a different track order. Some of the best songs were left off the album, so I would have started by pulling those back in. Of course, my version changes the album name. I would have called it Destiny.

1. Blue Denim
2. Thousand Days
3. Mirror Mirror
4. Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind
5. Greta
6. Listen to the Rain
7. Unconditional Love (original version)
8. Destiny
9. Rose Garden
10. Love Is Like a River
11. Kick It
12. Jane (original version)

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by SpyNote

1. Blue Denim
2. Thousand Days
3. Mirror Mirror
4. Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind
5. Greta
6. Listen to the Rain
7. Unconditional Love (original version)
8. Destiny
9. Rose Garden
10. Love Is Like a River
11. Kick It
12. Jane (original version)

I like your suggested version of Street Angel album. But no title track? As a radical move, I'd make Street Angel the opening introduction. It would be a startling , unexpected start, and a dramatic segue to Blue Denim. It's somewhat of a signature nod to her first two albums, which opened with their title tracks.

Just Like A Woman and Docklands can be b-sides/bonus tracks.

With a professional graphic designer/art director, the album's image/quality would been elevated. Unfortunately, in act of benevolent nepotism, Stevie handed that responsibility to her brother, who made it perfectly clear, based on the end result, he had no discernible skills in that realm.

[iamnotafraid]

I'm listening to this album off of YouTube right now.
Alternate cuts or unfinished masters I suppose, as it's
a lot different. Maybe better than what was officially
released. But still...

[Jondalar]

In my opinion, the best song from Street Angel never made it on a Street Angel and that was the atmospheric gem, Inspiration. Why she knocked it off the album in favor of that bland crap is beyond me.

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

In my opinion, the best song from Street Angel never made it on a Street Angel and that was the atmospheric gem, Inspiration. Why she knocked it off the album in favor of that bland crap is beyond me.