Rock A Little not holding up so well

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by dontlookdown

I remember really liking Rock A Little when it came out; but I just listened to it the other day -
and it really wasn't one of Stevie's best moments.
So much meandering weak writing and mostly not so great vocals.
It's amazing how much better her singing and writing is now.
She really didn't get her voice back until Street Angel, despite the mostly weak songs.

24 Kt. Gold, In Your Dreams, Bella Donna, and The Wild Heart are the essential albums.
Everything else - not so much.

I agree about Rock A Little. However, It is facinating mess. You can actually tell that Stevie is having a melt down. Even though it is not good as a whole. It is always interesting.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by priestofnothing

How will we feel 30 years from now???

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v...type=3&theater

Now THAT was clever
Good one

[gypsy333]

@ Jondalar...*a fascinating mess*!!
I agree, it tells the story of a rock n roll princess melt down...but there are some stellar moments on the album...the hauntingly strained voice on Rock A Little....."Go ahead Lily hit it"....the defiant voice at the end of Some Become Strangers..."Well, you're no stranger... not that I am"...the very dance-able Sister Honey ..."She'll hit you with a fury, Whispering the words one more time, baby, One more time... And she says don't let that golden hair
Get in your way now" and on The Nightmare....I can still hear the refrain "Blinded by the light of the day....blinded by the light of the dayaaaay"
I loved the album cover...and as evidenced by my profile pic...love the *Mata Hari* look of the back cover. Not a stellar Bella Donna here, but more revealing!...an album where all the songs gave a hint of the craziness going on in her life/career...as Jondalar says...*A Fascinating Mess* I think I like it alot better than The Other Side of The Mirror....

[The Juggler]

I think it's Stevie's worst album apart from Street Angel, it's a bit messy and all over the place.
And then there's blatant filler - Sister Honey, Imperial Hotel, If I Were You etc. that are a pleasent listen but very detacted from the Stevie I love.

I Croak For The Things has to be her worst vocal performance ever. Of course the album has some strong points - particulary the title track (where her temporary husky voice suits the song well), No Spoken Word & Some Become Strangers are ace.

But I do agree that it's not held up well. I do like 80s music a lot, even though I wasn't born in the 80s. But I think Rock A Little is a step too far, it's excessive. I think one of the reviews said something along the lines of "Stevie should take her own advice and rock, a little" and I completley agree with that. It's just a little too much.

[Macfan4life]

I can sum up one of the major reasons I don't like the album in one of the songs. I Sing For The Things. Lyrically it is perfect and one of the few songs she wrote on RAL. It went back several years too. If they had acoustic guitars and real drums keeping beat instead of the drum machine and tin almost fake sounding steel guitar the music would have been so good. Her voice is horrible. If she sang strong against real instruments, the song would be very strong. The song is programmed and sucks the life out of the song and its a shame because it is a well written song. I think even the bass in the song is computer driven

[Jondalar]

Like the person who started this thread, I only like Bella Donna, 24k, the wild heart and in your dreams. However, I do come to rock a little once In awhile because it's so interesting. The album is totally overproduced and dated.

Ps excuse my typing. I'm on my phone and lazy.

[On Ice]

Oh my favourite subject....

Rock a little is not a bad album title and I was expecting just that... some great rock and roll songs. When I first put it on the turntable, I thought umm this is ok and I didn't immediately pick up on the voice issues. After about a year or so, I started really listening to the 70's Mac again and had never really stopped listening to Bella Donna and I was shocked at how low Stevie had set the bar for herself. The fake instruments, the soulless, sloppy singing, the deterioration in writing, all added up to a "hot mess" of an album and then there was the tour...oh my, I wanted to crawl under a rock because I hyped her to my two friends who were with me and we were all in shock of just how out of it she was. I do like a couple of the tracks like Imperial Hotel and I can bop a bit to Talk to Me and No Spoken Word does have some great elements, but not the rest. I can't understand that Street Angel, an album she sings well on, ranks lower than this. First and foremost Stevie is a singer, and the singing on Rock a Little is not up to par and is better off forgotten.

[michelej1]

^No Spoken Word is a great song.

Michele

[secondhandchain]

OMG it does not hold up well. This is the pinnacle of Stevie's voice gone wild. So over the top with the vibrato and out of control vocals. Yikes!!!! When I heard hear on the Dance I remember thinking wow she sounds normal again.

[PenguinHead]

Each of her album are sort of a representation of her state of mind in that particular time, along with a production style reflective of that era. Over time I have become more forgiving and less critical about her songs and albums. Even her most questionable songs have an intrigue or certain odd charm to them.

Rock a Little has the sonic elements that were in style in that era. It also mirrors the issues Stevie was facing at the time -- her cocaine addiction, strained relationships with Fleetwood Mac, and other personal issues she was dealing with. I think all of her albums/songs as part of a tapestry. I actually can appreciate Rock a Little for what it is, more now than when it was released, in context to what came after. Perfection is subjective and over-rated. I herald the wild bumpy road.

[olive]

it's a good album she needs to acknowledge it more in her show drop Rhiannon and add something from this But Has Anyone Ever Written

[Macfan4life]

Another example when I say the demos or dropped tracks from RAL are better than the album. Some Become Strangers is probably one of my least favorite Stevie solo songs for many reasons. But this alternative version is pretty good. Its not drowning in background vocals like the album version. Her voice is stronger here and she sounds good. And its a miracle.... you can hear real drumming. SOOOOOO much better than what was put on the album. Listen.

Long story short.....I wish the Mirror Mirror album was released in 1984/early 1985 instead of being scrapped for the latter RAL.

Some Become Strangers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Z7ezrzZAE

And the wonderful Running through the Garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DgYPKFVQzc

Imperial Hotel 1984 demo (her voice is strong)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NSQ7VTR6Xg

[BlueLight]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Another example when I say the demos or dropped tracks from RAL are better than the album. Some Become Strangers is probably one of my least favorite Stevie solo songs for many reasons. But this alternative version is pretty good. Its not drowning in background vocals like the album version. Her voice is stronger here and she sounds good. And its a miracle.... you can hear real drumming. SOOOOOO much better than what was put on the album. Listen.

Long story short.....I wish the Mirror Mirror album was released in 1984/early 1985 instead of being scrapped for the latter RAL.

Some Become Strangers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Z7ezrzZAE

And the wonderful Running through the Garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DgYPKFVQzc

Imperial Hotel 1984 demo (her voice is strong)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NSQ7VTR6Xg

YES!

And don't forget the amazing extended, non-LP Rock a Little, which is far superior to what ended up on the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VEkoRoQNQ8

And the alternate The Nightmare, which is sheer perfection:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ow34XYgmI

And of course Mirror Mirror:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUd7H8vA1Io

Truly love this album. Yes, it's pure 80's, and reflects what Stevie was going through during at the time, but that part of what makes it so incredible. And it's one of her few albums where every song makes me want to dance around the house.

[DauphineMarie]

Originally Posted by BlueLight

YES!

And don't forget the amazing extended, non-LP Rock a Little, which is far superior to what ended up on the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VEkoRoQNQ8

And the alternate The Nightmare, which is sheer perfection:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ow34XYgmI

And of course Mirror Mirror:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUd7H8vA1Io

Truly love this album. Yes, it's pure 80's, and reflects what Stevie was going through during at the time, but that part of what makes it so incredible. And it's one of her few albums where every song makes me want to dance around the house.

I agree with this. But I also think that the outtakes for RAL are some of the biggest missed opportunities in Stevie's solo career.

[BlueLight]

Originally Posted by DauphineMarie

I agree with this. But I also think that the outtakes for RAL are some of the biggest missed opportunities in Stevie's solo career.

For the life of me, I don't understand why, for example. RTTG didn't make the final cut.