OOTC VS SWS , I Wish SWS Was Better

[David A]

Hello

Well, I have been listening to SWS for about a week straight now. Both in my car, at home, and at work. It’s amazing, I was pretty excited for this album. I guess I was happy that he had finally decided to go the Indie route, I think this is way over due for him. So, the Indie route along with the fact that I just had this feeling that the album was going to be really special.

I am not a fan of UTS at all. For some reason, that CD (even though I own it) is a throw away. It just never spoke to me at all, I admire his finger picking style and so on, but UTS just seems like a really selfish type of album. GOS, I actually did like very much, and honestly think , outside of OOTC, is his most accessible album. But, it’s weird, because I know that a lot of people didn’t care much for GOS, but that is ok.

I decided to , before the release of SWS, listen to OOTC with a very good stereo system and headphones, and I had not listened to it in some time. Well, It reminded me, after my listen, as to why this album many years ago got me through some very rough personal times, It’s just a amazing piece of work. I can’t see anything wrong with it, its catchy, produced well, etc, heck it sounds crisp, etc. Lindsey’s voice on OOTC I love, I really dont care much for his whispery voice. I can totally see why people have been saying “enough is enough” on the voice . I just love OOTC

Well, SWS. I do like TTWLG, even though I find it embarrassing to play that track for people because of the chipmunk voice, but It’s a darn good track, I do really adore Gone Too Far. Gone Too Far though seems incomplete. One Take is just too weird for me. End Of Time, I love it, even though I loved the way he sang it at Saban compared to the voice on SWS, I love it. The rest I don’t, When She Comes Down has to be the worst song I have ever heard by LB. I mean, that’s about your wife? Well, reading the lyrics, it’s like, that’s all you have to write about her, lol. I mean, maybe he should listen to Richard Marx when it comes to writing love songs, or songs for your wife, aka Right Here Waiting. So, WSCD is garbage. She Smiled Sweetly, I don’t hate it, but man oh man do I miss the GOS version of it, it sounds as if he ran into the studio and recorded that on one take. Stars Are Crazy, I just don’t like it, and hoping that Saban version is better. The chipmunk voice ruins this album in my opinion.

It’s funny because I am so damn happy that SWS is #45. I sent a note to my co workers going “see, he made it to the top 50” because at this point, it’s pretty astonishing. But, I feel this CD will fade away for me, much like GOS has. Meaning, after a month, I will be listening to OOTC more. I don’t think this is his best work at all, OOTC is far better, and I think this may be like SYW, a album that fades away.

I think the best that has come out of this, is that he is Indie now, it will really help him going forward. FM, that’s another story, lol. I sure hope Mick and Company are ready for a rude awakening, when Irving Azoff goes to promoters, etc. demanding millions and millions in advance, and they will go “umm, no” because based off the SYW numbers, and the tour numbers for Unleashed, I fear they may really need to bring down their expectations

I guess, the point of all this is to say OOTC is a amazing album that I was really wishing would have been topped by SWS, and im a tad sad that it didn’t.

FYI, I also find the production, and sound of the album better on OOTC. SWS doesn’t seem to be as polished

Thoughts?

[Nico]

My thoughts are that I didn't really think too much about OOTC when I heard SWS because I wanted to approach it as it's own entity. I heard traces of OOTC (the shimmery guitar, the stunning segues between songs, the great sequencing, and of course "Gone Too Far"), and then I heard a little of UTS in the title track. However, that aside, OOTC is a masterpiece on such a level that it is probably my most favorite album ever. When Lindsey mentioned about his lyrics in a recent interview, I understood to a degree because songs like, uh, "Sleeping Around The Corner" have really banal lyrics to me...and he has had song like that (*cough*TITN*cough*L&O*) but his last albums, SYW, and OOTC all have some amazing lyrics and OOTC has such a personal theme. I think, in that sense, the theme throughout OOTC is probably stronger than SWS because it seems to be about finding/fighting your way. It is very relatable.

But SWS has some pretty impressive themes that I find myself relating to. And the songs are so well written. I think, perhaps, the entire production work on OOTC was simply perfect and there's a few glitches on SWS but nothing that sticks out too bad for me. I honestly put it right beneath OOTC, and not hugely below but right beneath. For me. It's one of those albums I can listen to all the way through without skipping. And songs I cared for less start becoming favorites, like "Stars Are Crazy," with repeated listens.

I have to determine 6 months from now if I can listen to it almost as much as OOTC, but it's hard to top something that is that epic.

And what is with people being so unimpressed with Under The Skin? I mean, that album has "Show Me How," "Down On Rodeo, " SGTCYM, "Shut Us Down." Those are DAMN great songs. No, it isn't anywhere as great as GOS, but still...I love Under The Skin and have the best memories of it's release and seeing LB live and meeting him. I can't hate on it.

[jellyman10]

I enjoyed reading both these posts. Thank you. You're really making me think I need to get hold of all LB's solo stuff on CD and stack 'em up for a day-long listen with track-by-track scoresheets and everything. I did that with my old man when 'In Your Dreams' came out and it was great. He'd never heard any Stevie solo before and it really enhanced the new album for me by listening to the whole arc of the solo stuff. The scoring was fascinating too, and I think this would be a good way for me to try and appreciate solo LB better.

[Regina]

When I bought OOTC, I didn't even know Lindsey HAD a solo career. It was 1997, and I was trying to catch up on FM--one cd at a time. After hearing their stuff on the radio for 20 years, I finally became a fan. So, after a few weeks of doing this, I went to Tower at lunch time, on pay day, and realized there was nothing of the Stevie-Lindsey lineup that I didn't have (this was pre-my having the internet, so I didn't come prepared with lists, etc!)

Anyway, stuck in with the FM cds was one copy of OOTC. I picked it up, surprised. I put it down. I walked half-way out the store. I came back. I picked it up again.

I bought it.

It helped me change my life. It was a time of great transition in my life (including the death of my father the year before) and Lindsey's words and music helped me change my approach to living. After, when I was reading articles and he downplayed his lyrics, I laughed out loud. Are you kidding me? "Living in exile...aint the way to go...it's just another way of dying. A whole lot of faces, that you call your own, all those faces are crying." (AHH!!! You got it, dude!)

BUT, I can't say I have ever compared anything on OOTC to anything he's done before or since. What's the point? I mean, this is what we blast the media/other members of the Mac for with Rumours. And, David, I'm not at all trying to criticize you for this feeling. Your review is heartfelt and thoughtful. I guess I just wanted to comment on that one part of it that I've heard a lot recently, from other people on this board.

I just think people change. And even their own perception of themselves change. I think, maybe, we put too much emphasis on something being the "best thing" someone has ever done because we care so much and want them to be at their peak, right now. For their sake, as well as our expectations being met. It's natural and I think Lindsey still feels a strong desire to "be heard." Really heard. That's my pet theory of the whispery voice. Get them with a whisper rather than a wail. But, his life as it is now, may not touch us, lyrically or musically, as it did when he was a bit younger, single and experiencing some of the things that may have been more relatable to our own lives.

But, anyway, I guess I've just reached a phase where I like to listen. Not break things down more than I feel is enjoyable to me. If I start questioning what I like with my gut, because my head tells me it's X, Y or Z, then it's time to let the gut take over again.

[bluefox4000]

Well in my mind, nothings Ever topped OOTC. I remember being disappointed in Lindsey's first 2 albums. So OOTC was such a huge surprise. I loved Every minute of it. nothing's ever compared to it, truly an album in a class of it's own.

Cut to SWS, and it's the first album of his i've been disappointed with in years. I don't think he moved forward at all with this one. I hear stuff that he's already done, and as a result the album faded with me oh so quickly. I mean i've said it before. I Can't listen to it. Cause I will wind up hating it. Each listen becomes more of a chore for me, and an album should never be that.

OOTC is still the top with me.

Mick

[Lee]

Originally Posted by bluefox4000

Well in my mind, nothings Ever topped OOTC. I remember being disappointed in Lindsey's first 2 albums. So OOTC was such a huge surprise. I loved Every minute of it. nothing's ever compared to it, truly an album in a class of it's own.

Cut to SWS, and it's the first album of his i've been disappointed with in years. I don't think he moved forward at all with this one. I hear stuff that he's already done, and as a result the album faded with me oh so quickly. I mean i've said it before. I Can't listen to it. Cause I will wind up hating it. Each listen becomes more of a chore for me, and an album should never be that.

OOTC is still the top with me.

Mick

I don't have Lindsey's first two albums, so I can't really comment on them, but I do have OOTC and I really like it. Never got Under The Skin because I listened to a preview of the songs & just did not like the way he sounded. I do have GOS & SWS. Right now I prefer GOS. Not really sure why I can't get into SWS more, but right now I can't. ITA though about OOTC; that has to be my favorite, too.

Lee

[Cammie]

Lindsey wrote from his heart and his head...
as he said...this work is personal for his life now!
OOTC was a musical comfort for me when my husband
died...but I moved on with my life as Lindsey has!!!
I so agree with what Regina has written! Just Perfect!
The miracle is/ Lindsey producing/ 3 kids/ and 6 cd's!

[Nico]

Originally Posted by Cammie

Lindsey wrote from his heart and his head...
as he said...this work is personal for his life now!
OOTC was a musical comfort for me when my husband
died...but I moved on with my life as Lindsey has!!!
I so agree with what Regina has written! Just Perfect!
The miracle is/ Lindsey producing/ 3 kids/ and 6 cd's!

What a lovely post! Cammie, you seem like a very genuine and sweet LB fan. I'm glad you were able to rise from such a difficult loss. Thanks for sharing.