‘The Other Side of the Mirror’- likes and dislikes (what are yours?)

[greendaze5]

This album seems to get mixed reviews. Share your thoughts! Mine are below:

LIKES :thumbsup: :

- ‘Rooms on Fire’, ‘2 Kinds of Love’, ‘Ooh My Love’, ‘Doing The Best I Can’, ‘Real Tears’

- Great video for ‘Rooms’

- The Alice in Wonderland theme

- The cool mini hologram that came with the Brit release (and the bigger one you can order separately)

- Stevie gets her 1st hit single in Europe with ‘Rooms’

- nice tour book

- Stevie yelling at the security guards for roughing up her fans at one of the 1989 shows (“Don’t f*ck with my people, or I’m gonna get real f*ckin' angry!!!!”

- Nice covers for the '2 Kinds of Love' and 'Whole Lotta Trouble' singles


DISLIKES :distress: :

- ‘Cry Wolf’ (yawn - boring and not written by Stevie) ,’ Fire Burning’ (never liked this one), ‘Juliet’ (whassup with the talk-singing?!), ‘I Still Miss Someone’ (the Dolly Parton version is WAY better)

- Stevie’s ugly stage clothes for this tour (the hats, bustiers, platform sneakers, shoulder pads, etc.)

- Her klonopin addiction at this time (as seen in her zombie state of mind while on stage)

- No video for ‘2 Kinds of Love’

- To me, this album signaled the beginning of her career slump at the end of the 1980’s (when her 2 singles after ‘Rooms’ didn’t chart)

- Don't like the covers for the whole album, or for the 'Rooms' single.


Roland :)

[tilthefirefades]

Love:
Two Kinds of Love
Long Way To Go
Alice
Ooh My Love

Like:
Rooms on Fire
Whole Lotta Trouble
Doing The Best I Can

Dislike:
Fire Burning
Ghosts
Juliet
I Still Miss Someone

[chiliD]

Once "Rooms On Fire" ends, I take out the CD...nothing else on the album is worth listening to. Should've just bought the CD single.

[louielouie2000]

I like the general style of this album very much... sans the addition of Kenny G. Also, the Bob Dylan cover is horrific and uncalled for :laugh:.

[fringed n fab]

I think I like Long Way To Go the most off this album. I listen to Rooms On Fire and DTBIC and even give Fire Burning a spin every once in awhile but don't listen to much else. And I do NOT like her hair and look on the cover. She looked so much better in the ROF video and shoot. So pretty. And I still want that red sparkle skirt she wore in the Rooms On Fire Top of the Pops performance. Another amazing outfit we never saw again.

[Sanne2]

Too much saxophone!

[iamnotafraid]

I like many of the songs.

I dislike the way Stevie's voice was recorded.

[DashingDan]

I liked many of the melodies (to me, this record's only true strength).
I disliked many of the lyrics.
I liked many of the layered vocals and harmonies.
I disliked the sound of the lead vocals.
I like Rooms on Fire for the lyrics.
I disliked Rooms on Fire for the singing.
I liked Bruce Hornsby's playing.
I hated the curly-haired soprano-sax-dude's playing.
I liked that it was recorded quickly.
I hated the victim-mentality of the record.

[chiliD]

I like the general style of this album very much... sans the addition of Kenny G. Also, the Bob Dylan cover is horrific and uncalled for :laugh:.

Dylan cover? :shrug: Think you're mistaking this for Street Angel...there's no Dylan cover on OSOTM, Louie. Although, she DID cover Johnny Cash on this one.

[markolas]

There are a lot of bad songs (lyrically) on this, but I enjoy the cheesy '80s keyboards quite a bit.

Likes:

- Rooms on Fire
- Ooh My Love
(the above are really the only two *good* songs on the album)

- Whole Lotta Trouble
- Alice
- Juliet

Dislikes:

- Two Kinds of Love (seriously atrocious)

Don't Mind:

- I Still Miss Someone
- Long Way to Go
- Ghosts

Could Take or Leave:

- Cry Wolf
- Fire Burning
- Doing the Best That I Can

[Jondalar]

Likes
Rooms on Fire, Juliet, Ooh My Love (decent)

Don't Mind
Alice (the song meanders but it's different, still not very good)

Dislikes
Everything else!

Despises
Two Kinds of Love, and what she did to Cry Wolf

Threw the album in the trash after 3 listens back in 1989. Was soooo disappointed

[TerraRhiannon]

I like the mood of this album! & even though a lot of people don't like her voice in this album, I really enjoy it :angel:

Like:
Rooms on Fire
Whole Lotta Trouble ..when my Mom said I have a bad attitude I would sing this song to her.
Doing The Best I Can
Ooh My Love
Cry Wolf
alice
Juliet
Ghosts

Not a huge fan of:
Two Kinds of Love
I Still Miss Somone
Fire Burning

[louielouie2000]

Dylan cover? :shrug: Think you're mistaking this for Street Angel...there's no Dylan cover on OSOTM, Louie. Although, she DID cover Johnny Cash on this one.

Dear God, my brain farts are getting the better of me lately :o. Can Alzheimers set in before 30?! :laugh:

My feelings are unchanged... I Still Miss Someone would NOT be missed by me! :p

[Maxd9]

Like:

Rooms on Fire
Long Way to Go (I prefer the Extended Remix though)
Ooh My Love
Alice
Juliet
Doing the Best I Can

I also like the cover image, and I LOVE the font. It's so faux-Gothic!


For me, TOSOTM isn't Stevie's worst album, but I think it is the patchiest and it doesn't seem to work as a coherent whole.
Having said that, I have a massive emotional connection to this album for a few reasons. (Doing the Best I Can was the first song I listened to after losing my virginity! :shocked: Yeah, it was that bad.)

[LiquidDiamonds]

Likes

Rooms and Fire
Long Way to Go
Ooh my love (only like this one sometimes)

Dislikes

Everything Else.

[sorcerer999]

Is this album overproduced? Yes! Does it reek of that late 80's Adult Contemporary sound? Totally! Is it my favorite Stevie Record? Hell no! However, it IS a Stevie record, so of course I've listened to each track a million times. The breakdown for me is...

PERFECT - "Rooms On Fire", "Ooh My Love" & "Doing The Best I Can (Escape From Berlin)"

GREAT - "Long Way To Go" & "Juliet"

JUST OKAY - "Two Kinds Of Love" , "Fire Burning" & "Ghosts"

BLEHHH - Everything else...

I was soooo irritated that they chose "Whole Lotta Trouble" as a single. I thought OML or DTBIC would've been better choices in my opinion.

All in all, it's got some good Stevie songs, and I pull it out and listen to it occasionally...but I have to really be in the mood. It's not like BD, WH or TISL, which I could listen to all the time.

[bluefox4000]

I cannot see 1 positive thing about this album.....just bad.:shrug:

Mick

[Meowi]

Alice, Rooms and thats about it.
To be honest with you - I havent even listened to the whole thing :laugh:

[APerfectLie]

Likes:
-Rooms on Fire
-Long Way To Go
-Ooh My Love
-Ghosts
-Whole Lotta Trouble
-Fire Burning
-Alice
-Juliet
-Doing The Best I Can
-I love the cover photo despite her clown makeup
-I also love the vibe of the album when I am in a fantasy kind of mood

Dislikes:
-Cry Wolf
-I Still Miss Someone
-Sometimes, I just cannot listen to this album if I am not in the mood.

[DestinyRules]

Likes:

"Long Way To Go" (my favorite song on that album BY FAR!!!!); "Doing The Best I Can (Escape From Berlin)"; "Rooms On Fire"; "Whole Lotta Trouble"

Dislikes:

"Two Kinds Of Love" (her voice and Bruce Hornsby's do NOT work well together); "I Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes)"; "Ooh My Love"; "Alice"; "Ghosts".

[Jondalar]

I cannot see 1 positive thing about this album.....just bad.:shrug:

Mick

I think this album hurt her reputation more than any other album. I agree. Street Angel is bad and blah. But this album reached lower depths. It hurt her career.

[AliceLover]

I think this album hurt her reputation more than any other album. I agree. Street Angel is bad and blah. But this album reached lower depths. It hurt her career.

How did it hurt her career? She had a successful single and video in the US, plus her first #1 hit in Europe. This was the only album she toured in Europe for...theres a reason for that people. Lots of people b*tch that she doesn't tour Europe. It is because OSOTM was the only album that did anything in Europe. :shrug:

[mitzo]

Great: Long Way to Go, Ooh My Love, Whole Lotta Trouble, Doing the Best that I Can, I Still Miss Someone (am I the only one who loves this reggae-inspired little treat?)

Good: Alice, Juliet

Junk: The rest, especially the actively disliked Rooms on Fire (a dull draggy pointless poorly arranged throwaway), Ghosts, Two Kinds of Love. Fire Burning and Cry Wolf are just forgettable songs and performances but not hatables.

[Nikolaj]

I like it all. Standouts for me are 'Doing The Best That I Can' - 'Long Way To Go'-
'Ghosts'- 'Juliet'- 'Ooh My Love' and wait for it...'Cry Wolf'- SN's version helped me through a bad time, and I knew the Laura Branigan version of 'Cry Wolf' but SN nailed it for me. I love her vocal on it.
'If you start to stumble, if you start to crack, if you're feeling humble, don't look back'-- Stevie sings those words like someone who was living them at the time, I love it.
I think the whole album is about recovery from bad love affairs and bad decisions, maybe some bad drugs, and it sure all felt very real in 1989- maybe the album is about surviving the '80s. It wasn't easy to. And ending it with 'I Still Miss Someone' was an inspired choice, imo. After everything, it came down to that.
Emotionally, the album makes a lot of sense, if you happen to have been messed up! I think the lyrics throughout the cd are still among the best of her solo career.

[gypsy4life]

Rooms On Fire was a huge part of my young life!!

PLUS....I might be in the minority here, but, I love the sassy feel of Whole Lotta Trouble!

[Artemis]

Love:
Rooms on Fire
Long Way To Go
Whole Lotta Trouble
Ghosts

Like:
Doing The Best I Can

Hate:
All the other songs.
Her hair on the album cover. I like the dress, and everything else. But. The hair makes me criiinge.

[David]

Just about everything is a big 'dislike' for me, when it comes to OSOTM. Sorry. It was such a profound change, it really was a let down. :eek:

Well, let's see .... I like the songs on the album, I guess .... for the most part .... good stuff ....

But I do not like the sound of her singing, I don't like the sound of her harmonizing, & I do not like the orchestrations or the way the album was engineered.

[Jondalar]

How did it hurt her career? She had a successful single and video in the US, plus her first #1 hit in Europe. This was the only album she toured in Europe for...theres a reason for that people. Lots of people b*tch that she doesn't tour Europe. It is because OSOTM was the only album that did anything in Europe. :shrug:

Rooms on Fire, for some reason, was a hit in Europe. The album did not do that great. It hurt her career becuase it recieved horrible reviews and sat on the used shelves for months. People bought it and then sold it back as quickly as possible. She sounded terrible, the synth production did not work and the songs were not strong at all. She truely became the Goat Voice on this album and it sounded as if she was spoiled rock star who wasn't really trying.

Nicks lost fans with Rock a Little. It was overproduced and there were only 5 really good songs on it. This album was supposed to be a comeback of sorts. Instead, it was a disaster. I don't think she should of released this album. That was really bad judgement. It showed just how bad Stevie could be, instead of showing what she could do.

[holidayroad]

I love Rooms On Fire.
I like Two Kinds Of Love, Whole Lotta Trouble, Long Way To Go,Ooh My Love and Ghosts.
Alice, Juliet, and Cry Wolf are okay.
The more I hear it, the more I don't like Fire Burning.
I can't stand I Still Miss Someone or Doing the Best That I Can (Escape From Berlin)

[Matthew]

I love almost everything about this album and this era.
It was so magic, nice pop-rock songs. It was recorded in Europe, she toured Europe the only time this tour. It was great setlist on this tour too. And her style in the late 80´s.... it´s known that I love that. The song Rooms on Fire is great, also the video. And the video for Whole Lotta Trouble and that video live version is amazing too. It was really something very different, and nice!

[jannieC]

I was really unimpressed with this CD when it came out. But as usual, many of the songs have grown on me over time. I loved Doing the Best I Can from the start. Rooms on Fire, not so much then but moreso now (and I do love the video). Whole Lotta Trouble is fun now (Have mercy!) ; hated it then.

[TerraRhiannon]

The video for 'Rooms On Fire' is smokin' Hot. She is smokin' hot, Like OMG.:eek: I can't decide what video I like better - Seven Wonders or Rooms On Fire. :)

[Jondalar]

What does RAL have to do with OSOTM? Two different worlds.

OSOTM was supposed to be a comeback from RAL. Instead, it was even worse.

[Richard B]

Likes
Rooms On Fire
Alice
Long Way To Go
Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes)
Ooh My Love
Doing The Best That I Can (Escape From Berlin)
Fire Burning

Dislike
Cry Wolf
Rooms On Fire US Single photo---so scary.

For songs unmentioned, they are just OK.

I do love the back cover image!
http://rockalittle.com/nicksfix049s.jpg

[iamnotafraid]

I can't decide what video I like better - Seven Wonders or Rooms On Fire. :)

^
They are both very good.
I Like Seven Wonders more
than Rooms On Fire, but
neither beat If Anyone Falls.

[silvasprings]

The Other Side Of The Mirror is Stevie's mood album, the one you can only listen to when your in that soft and adult contemporary mood, If you ever are :shrug:

I really like:

Rooms On Fire
Long Way To Go
Ooh My Love
Ghosts
Whole Lotta Trouble
Alice
Doing The Best That I Can (Escape From Berlin)

Juliet and Fire Burning are ok

The rest could have been left on the shelf.

I want to know why Love Don't Fail Me Now and Dial The Number didn't end up on this album? They would have been much better than the two covers!!!

[vivfox]

I didn't realize RAL was considered a failure and that she lost fans during that period. :shrug:


She lost a lot of fans because of the RAL Tour, not the album. Bad reviews followed her all across America in 1986. I saw 5 RAL shows. One was excellent, the others were embarrasing.

[Jondalar]

I didn't realize RAL was considered a failure and that she lost fans during that period. :shrug:

I suspect TOSOTM marks the real beginning of a departure period for some of her fans, though she probably picked more up again post 1997.

Ral was an overproduced failure. You tell she was disintegrating. All her albums, seem to have sold half of the previous ones, except for TISL. Hopefully, she is on the up curve.

[starshine]

OSOTM was supposed to be a comeback from RAL. Instead, it was even worse.Well to me RAL is worse than Mirror. I like Mirror more than I like RAL.....I guess part of me will always love Mirror because this is when I started collecting Stevie/Mac stuff......so for me it was a big LP.....I think I did already have BD/WH/RAL before I got Mirror. Sure its different than the other LP's but I was more disappointed with RAL than Mirror. I think RAL is a very disconnected LP because of all the different producers /with all the stops and starts of the LP....its disjointed at least with Mirror she had one producer and maybe all don't like Mr Rupert Hine....at least to me its more cohesive an LP/CD than was RAL.....could they (RAL/Mirror) both be better.....sure (same for SA/TISL etc.....I'm sure we could all change all the solo lp's.......anyway)......some maybe minor changes others major changes. I think if RAL was MM LP that it started out with Jimmy Iovine it would've been much much better and more cohesive......but it is what it is. Now what I do love of Mirror is: Long Way To Go/Room's On Fire/Ghosts/Doing The Best That I Can/Whole Lotta Trouble/Cry Wolf/Ooh My Love/Fire Burning/Alice........OK songs......Juliet/Two Kinds Of Love/ Miss Someone ....isn't too bad....not sure about the carnivel music they used.....other than that I can live with this cd. I love LWTG when I'm mad and just want to scream. I've cried so many times when listening to Doing The Best That I Can......they are close to my heart.....I guess we are drawn to songs that have meaning to us in each of our lives.....some speak to us more than others.......I do agree that the LP cover photo could've been a better picture though. I do like the back picture as well. I also don't like the ROF single sleeve photo.....I'm sure Stevie had tons of outtakes thats why its a shame something else couldn't have been picked?? Guess we could say that about all the solo LP covers. I like the outtakes to TISL and the RAL that what was used...same for SA I haven't seen enough for BD or WH but well I do love WH the 3 Stevie's is cool ....and some of those outtakes are nice too.....I love the Blue Lamp pics I'd love more of those pictures to be released......its just a crime we don' t see more of them.....IMO anyway....but I can say that about the songs as well.......Anyway, just some thoughts........I have many thoughts......:shrug::D

[MissLadyLoki]

On this album, once I get past Rooms on Fire and Long Way to Go, I wanna burn it. I absolutely hate that album.

[jannieC]

I didn't realize RAL was considered a failure and that she lost fans during that period. :shrug:

I suspect TOSOTM marks the real beginning of a departure period for some of her fans, though she probably picked more up again post 1997.
I *loved* RAL, album and tour.

[GoldDustOrphan]

The Rock a Little album was not a failure. Vivfox is correct. Despite the fact that the RAL tour was very successful saleswise, her performances were uneven and at one point, she looked terrible.

OSOTM has one great pop song (Rooms on Fire) and a handful of decent tracks (Juliet, Ooh My Love, etc) and a couple of awful tracks (Cry Wolf, I Still Miss Someone). The production was molasses heavy and her choice of collaborators made me think she was still getting high. Rupert Hine, Kenny G & Bruce Hornsby? Awful.

I saw several of her OSTOM shows. Both of her shows in Mansfield, Mass. were fantastic, at least v0cally. Beauty & the Beast was magnificent.

The album cover was awful, as was the photo used for the Rooms single.

Cool Stevie fact: Rooms on Fire was the #2 on Billboard's 1989 Year-End chart of the top 50 Rock songs. Stevie was the only woman in the top 50.

[daniellaaarisen]

I've never listened to this album the whole way through. I can't stomach it.

[LukeA]

I've never listened to this album the whole way through. I can't stomach it.

Ditto.

There are several songs on this record I wouldn't be able to hum even if my life depended on it. Then again, that puts me in the same boat as Stevie, so pretty good company, eh? :thumbsup:

[APerfectLie]

Ral was an overproduced failure. You tell she was disintegrating. All her albums, seem to have sold half of the previous ones, except for TISL. Hopefully, she is on the up curve.

Bella Donna has sold over 4 million. Wild Heart and RAL have sold over 2 million each. TISL? 648,000. More sales than Street Angel, but not much when you consider The Other Side of The Mirror and Timespace both sold over a million copies each.

[CreepingDeath]

Love:

Rooms on Fire
Long Way To Go
Doing the Best I Can (Escape From Berlin)
Ooh My Love
Ghosts
Alice
Juliet

Just ok:

Two Kinds of Love
Cry Wolf
Fire Burning
Whole Lotta Trouble (could have done without the brass section)
I Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes)

[Nikolaj]

A big SN fan who can't get through an SN album even once? How do you know you can't "stomach" it if you haven't heard all of it? If it makes sense to you (both), that's what matters. It's not that I intend to or love to be combative or seek validation- for those who think it sucks, they should think that, based on their own opinions, whether they fully know the work or not! Honest. But if you have never gotten through it even once, your opinions aren't of the full album, as you haven't heard it. That's cool. If I couldn't get past track 3 or 4, I wouldn't want to keep listening, either.
'Doing The Best That I Can' is nearly at the end, and it's well-loved by many. And also not, by others.
The passage in 'Ghosts' about the past that you live in and the future you are frightened of... blows me totally away, I think it's brilliant. It's great writing.
I'm coming to think that happy, satisfied people hate TOSOTM because they can't relate to it. Maybe it takes a certain kind of ability to relate to devastation that makes others appreciate it.
But certainly, it is not liked by many; and well-liked by less, who seem to like it a lot.
It also can be it's a lousy album. Having actually heard it, many times, I think it has a lot of greatness in it.

[vivfox]

I've never listened to this album the whole way through. I can't stomach it.


Coming from YOU, this statement totally dumbfounds me.

[Jondalar]

Bella Donna has sold over 4 million. Wild Heart and RAL have sold over 2 million each. TISL? 648,000. More sales than Street Angel, but not much when you consider The Other Side of The Mirror and Timespace both sold over a million copies each.

Timespace and The Other Side of the Mirror only went platinum after The Dance. Street Angel only went gold after The Dance.

[jannieC]

Coming from YOU, this statement totally dumbfounds me.

I remember having trouble listening to it all the way through when it was released.

[fringed n fab]

Timespace and The Other Side of the Mirror only went platinum after The Dance. Street Angel only went gold after The Dance.

She didn't even like it for reasons some of us can understand. I loved the tour though even though I'm glad she's dropped the long instrumental feel to some of her solo sets in recent years. The musicians sound better today.

[chiliD]

A big SN fan who can't get through an SN album even once? How do you know you can't "stomach" it if you haven't heard all of it? If it makes sense to you (both), that's what matters. It's not that I intend to or love to be combative or seek validation- for those who think it sucks, they should think that, based on their own opinions, whether they fully know the work or not! Honest. But if you have never gotten through it even once, your opinions aren't of the full album, as you haven't heard it. That's cool. If I couldn't get past track 3 or 4, I wouldn't want to keep listening, either.
'Doing The Best That I Can' is nearly at the end, and it's well-loved by many. And also not, by others.
The passage in 'Ghosts' about the past that you live in and the future you are frightened of... blows me totally away, I think it's brilliant. It's great writing.
I'm coming to think that happy, satisfied people hate TOSOTM because they can't relate to it. Maybe it takes a certain kind of ability to relate to devastation that makes others appreciate it.
But certainly, it is not liked by many; and well-liked by less, who seem to like it a lot.
It also can be it's a lousy album. Having actually heard it, many times, I think it has a lot of greatness in it.

Unfortunately, I've "gotten through it" more times than I can count. (Come to think of it, it's about time for me to do my annual TOSOTM play through). The result is always the same. (and that is taking into account of my mental state and the type of "self-medication" I'm using at the moment....and the worst listen-through is when I'm "totally unmedicated")

I'm ready to hit the "eject" button when "Rooms On Fire" ends...but I tell myself "no, you HAVE to listen to it all the way through, since something may sway your opinion". Uh, no. Same feeling about the album regardless.

Other than the opening track, it's guano.

[Jondalar]

She didn't even like it for reasons some of us can understand. I loved the tour though even though I'm glad she's dropped the long instrumental feel to some of her solo sets in recent years. The musicians sound better today.

That Street Angel tour was a suprise. Her career tanked and I was expecting much. I saw her at the Ohio State Fair, and it was the best I've ever heard heard her. She sang Talk to Me and Rooms on Fire. Talk to Me sounded just like it did on the record. Great vocal. That was a great concert. She was really trying.

[chiliD]

, it's guano.

hahahaahahahahahahahaahah:laugh:

Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week. Don't forget to tip your server. :D

[DavidMn]

Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week. Don't forget to tip your server. :DYou know, the last time you ventured into this forum, I think Washington was still persident!:laugh:

[chiliD]

You know, the last time you ventured into this forum, I think Washington was still persident!:laugh:

Denzel??? :shrug:

[fringed n fab]

That Street Angel tour was a suprise. Her career tanked and I was expecting much. I saw her at the Ohio State Fair, and it was the best I've ever heard heard her. She sang Talk to Me and Rooms on Fire. Talk to Me sounded just like it did on the record. Great vocal. That was a great concert. She was really trying.

I was there all day and at the show too! And I remember (me, my sister, and her bf at the time) as we sat down we started chatting to this blond girl sitting next to us who came totally decked out in Stevie wear, long black shawl and all, and as the lights clicked off and the show started, as soon as that girl saw Stevie take the stage she came up out of her chair and started dancing and chanting in trance and she scooted off and we never saw her again lol. But yeah, awesome show that night and I loved the backdrop on that tour. I remember my sis' bf saying Stevie had badass hair. He was a fan but it was his first show ever seeing her. Fun, fun night! :)

[michelej1]

A big SN fan who can't get through an SN album even once? How do you know you can't "stomach" it if you haven't heard all of it? If it makes sense to you (both), that's what matters. It's not that I intend to or love to be combative or seek validation- for those who think it sucks, they should think that, based on their own opinions, whether they fully know the work or not! Honest. But if you have never gotten through it even once, your opinions aren't of the full album, as you haven't heard it.

True. In fact, on vinyl in particular I used to find that the tracks that resonated with me the most were often the closing ones. I think they sequenced it that way.

Moreover, opinions can change. So, not only do I listen all the way through, but sometimes I've had a change of heart about songs (or in the case of TISL, an entire album) because I listened several times to something I didn't much like the first time around.

Michele

[tilthefirefades]

Opinions can definitely change. I thought that RAL was the worst thing ever, and I had listened to it many times all the way through. Just recently however, it has become one of my favorites! On the same token, I used to love WH, but slowly over this past year I have started to detest it :shrug:

[baboles]

This album seems to get mixed reviews. Share your thoughts! Mine are below:

LIKES :thumbsup: :

- ‘Rooms on Fire’, ‘2 Kinds of Love’, ‘Ooh My Love’, ‘Doing The Best I Can’, ‘Real Tears’

- Great video for ‘Rooms’

- The Alice in Wonderland theme

- The cool mini hologram that came with the Brit release (and the bigger one you can order separately)

- Stevie gets her 1st hit single in Europe with ‘Rooms’

- nice tour book

- Stevie yelling at the security guards for roughing up her fans at one of the 1989 shows (“Don’t f*ck with my people, or I’m gonna get real f*ckin' angry!!!!”

- Nice covers for the '2 Kinds of Love' and 'Whole Lotta Trouble' singles


DISLIKES :distress: :

- ‘Cry Wolf’ (yawn - boring and not written by Stevie) ,’ Fire Burning’ (never liked this one), ‘Juliet’ (whassup with the talk-singing?!), ‘I Still Miss Someone’ (the Dolly Parton version is WAY better)

- Stevie’s ugly stage clothes for this tour (the hats, bustiers, platform sneakers, shoulder pads, etc.)

- Her klonopin addiction at this time (as seen in her zombie state of mind while on stage)

- No video for ‘2 Kinds of Love’

- To me, this album signaled the beginning of her career slump at the end of the 1980’s (when her 2 singles after ‘Rooms’ didn’t chart)

- Don't like the covers for the whole album, or for the 'Rooms' single.


Roland :)

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head! I love "Alice" especially! I really have to be in a special mood to listen to this record. Sometimes, TOSOTM can be a really magical album, but it has more weak moments than strong ones.

[starshine]

Is it possible to post without using so many ellipses? I would seriously read your posts because they seem to have a lot of thought, but the constant dot dot dot makes them exhausting to read.So SORRY I didn't know I was offending anyone before. NO one has said anything about it anymore. I'll stop it than.:confused:

[DashingDan]

So SORRY I didn't know I was offending anyone before. NO one has said anything about it anymore. I'll stop it than.:confused:

I don't think you're offending anyone. It's just very difficult to read. Please, post away!

[starshine]

& for pete 9000/I don't think you're offending anyone. It's just very difficult to read. Please, post away! Well I've been typing this way for yrs now and this is the first I've ever heard it before. I didn't think anyone read my comments anyway. They always seem to be over looked. At least IMO. I'm sorry. Everyone has different ways of expressing themselves I only did the (...) to mean that theres 'always' more to say its a never ending 'statement. I've stopped doing it but out of 'habit' it could happen again. So if it does and I don't catch myself before hand I'm very sorry. I didn't think it was hard to read. I don't like alot of the flash pictures that people have had over the yrs but never said anything. There maybe alot I don't like but I'm not out to offend anyone. It is what it is. Plus my name is Sue not David. Its at the end of my posts in case you need to know my name.

[vivfox]

Well I've been typing this way for yrs now and this is the first I've ever heard it before.

I didn't think anyone read my comments anyway.

They always seem to be over looked. I don't like alot of the flash pictures that people have had over the yrs but never said anything.



I always read what you write. I was only bothered when you used to always write, "missed oppurtunities."

What are flash pictures? Do you mean gif's?

One more thing-and I say this to be helpful, not critical-everytime you write the word than, it should be then, and everytime you write then, it should be than. I've noticed this in your writing for a long time now.

I like to learn from my mistakes. I am always teachable, if you or anyone else thinks I need help in the writing dept. I recently helped another Ledgie decipher the difference between the words affect and effect.

[mitzo]

Vivfox who is that in the Calvin Klein skivvies and why hasn't he taken just one more step out of the water. Huh?

[vivfox]

Vivfox who is that in the Calvin Klein skivvies and why hasn't he taken just one more step out of the water. Huh?


His name is Keston Karter and this is his Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/kestonkarter

[jannieC]

I recently helped another Ledgie decipher the difference between the words affect and effect.

This is my weakness. I usually just say "impact" instead. :o I have always struggled with this one and it's gotten worse because I now usually see the word "affect" with the stress being on the first syllable or a noun (i.e. "flat affect").

I'd like to think I'm fairly well spoken. A friend of mine recently corrected me grammatically and I was so appalled. Apparently, if you begin a sentence with, "If it..." you should use the word "WERE" instead of "WAS." Example, "If it were up to me, I would be a millionaire." I had no idea! :shocked: There's no telling how times I have said "If it was up to me..."

Starshine, the ellipses were hard to read for me too and I really appreciate your effort in writing differently. You have some wonderful things to say. I don't know <i>why</i> it was hard to read, but it was. :xoxo:

[PenguinHead]

Is it possible to post without using so many ellipses? I would seriously read your posts because they seem to have a lot of thought, but the constant dot dot dot makes them exhausting to read.

I've adressed that issue with her in past posts. She makes interesting points and has great perspective and knowledge . Unfortunately her "style" of presentation/train of thought is insanely unreadable and unwelcoming.

[PenguinHead]

Opinions can definitely change. I thought that RAL was the worst thing ever, and I had listened to it many times all the way through. Just recently however, it has become one of my favorites! On the same token, I used to love WH, but slowly over this past year I have started to detest it :shrug:

Isn't it funny how that happens? I was confused and had some disdain for Rock a Little when it first came out. When The Other Side of the Mirror came out, I felt relief that she was a bit back to center. I thought the songs were better written.

It's interesting to see how some people lothe The Other Side of the Mirror album, while others like it. Oddly, that speaks well of her artistry: that she can be so polorizing as to have such a disparate impact. That is what great artists seek; what they don't want is indifference.

I guess I'm more forgiving in how I view her albums/songs now. I favor/value different ones at different times. Somewhat similar to people -- even though they may flawed and hard to deal with, I find something to appreciate in them.

[baboles]

I just pulled this album out tonight while I was exercising. I looked at the cover and noticed how beautiful it really was. Probably my second favorite album cover from her.

I decided to play it while working out and despite the lack of enthusiasm in Stevie's voice, the album really does have some magical moments.

"Rooms On Fire" is simply beautiful with it's heartfelt and enchanting lyrics.It gives off such a wonderful atmosphere.

Favorite Line: This entire verse..."She had trusted many/And then there would be someone who would enter into her presence/That she could sense for miles/She dreamed of her wanton luxury/And she laughed and she cried...and she tried to taunt him/And he hated to be separated/From that picture...No..."

"Long Way To Go" is a pretty solid rocker.

Favorite Line: "High in my life...obsessive was my love."

"Two Kinds of Love" can get a little annoying at times. I have to be in the mood for it.

Favorite Line: "Well I talked to my famous friend last night/My third day up...well, his second nighter."

"Ooh My Love" is pure magic! Such beautiful imagery!

Favorite Line: "Hey, hey, baby...No one can take you away from me...no...no one..."

"Ghosts" is well...well...I always skip it. zzzzzzzz

"Whole Lotta Trouble" tries to be a solid rock tune, but in fails miserably. That whole changing your mind every minute/second/minute/second/second/minute really gets old.

"Fire Burning" has its moments. I hate the cheesy opening when she randomly sings "Burning..." but enjoy it when she gets to "So cry for me...take a little time...and then stop/It's just something that you cannot see...so stop!" and I also enjoy "I will...you know/So I take it to the limit."

"Cry Wolf" is another one I always skip. :(

"Alice" is a favorite of mine! The only thing I don't like is the very beginning when you hear her go "Oooooooooooh". Everything else is magic!

Favorite Line: THE ENTIRE SONG!

"Juliet" is ok for the most part. The "wild" version she did for the Tango sessions was MUCH better!

Favorite Line: This entire verse..."Turn to the blue crystal mirror...well as always it is truthful/Oh, well you see it in the reflection of the real blue lamp/Well tie the connection...get some ribbons and some bows...get back out on the road/
But when they were good...they were really good...really good stranger."

"Doing the Best That I Can" is dark, lovely, mysterious, and another highlight for me. The piano version on youtube is way better though. I love all the lyrics for this one.

"I Still Miss Someone" is another one I skip.

[Dodfather]

Lots of people b*tch that she doesn't tour Europe. It is because OSOTM was the only album that did anything in Europe. :shrug:

Sorry, I have to take up this point. Yes, this is the only album of hers that sold substantially in Europe but that doesn't mean she shouldn't tour here any more. Perhaps if she put a bit of work into places other than the US or Australasia her sales figures would improve. Older fans would maybe not buy the new album unless they were going to see her live - which the would definitely do because they know her older stuff. She simply has not kept her profile or momentum up anywhere other than the US (which in itself hasn't been done to any great degree).

It would be interesting to compare the sales of her solo records in Australia and New Zealand, where she consistently tours, to all of Europe where she never bothers any more. I bet that the European sales figures would be far more substantial. Of course this could be because Europe is just larger (!) but even so, they would be better, and yet she still refuses to tour anywhere in Europe at all?! Come on Stevie - reward your fans with some live dates. Before people jump up and down, I'm not just meaning the UK.

As for The Other Side Of The Mirror, I really like the album if I'm in the right mood. Favourites include Rooms On Fire, Long Way To Go, Alice, Juliet. Quite like Fire Burning and Cry Wolf too. Whole Lotta Trouble is good but odd - it doesn't sound like anything else on the record with that brass section etc.

Not so keen on Two Kinds Of Love (BAD single choice) which is a shame because I love Bruce Hornsby but in my opinion it just doesn't work. Why oh why did she work with Kenny G?! No Stevie, no! By far the worst song on there though is I Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes). I think it could well be the worst song she has ever officially released (yes, worse than Jane!) which is a real shame because we know Stevie can sing country and I love it when she does, but she just hasn't done it as well as she did on Bella Donna. The 80s production on this Cash tune though, just no.

[starshine]

I've adressed that issue with her in past posts. She makes interesting points and has great perspective and knowledge . Unfortunately her "style" of presentation/train of thought is insanely unreadable and unwelcoming.I'm very very very sorry that my so called 'style' of writing has bothered so many people here. Maybe my posts aren't needed anymore. Maybe I'll just read more than post.

[TerraRhiannon]

I'm very very very sorry that my so called 'style' of writing has bothered so many people here. Maybe my posts aren't needed anymore. Maybe I'll just read more than post.

I read your posts! Don't worry, it didn't really bother me that much. I thought it was funny you used that many dots, but it's all good

[CreepingDeath]

I read your posts! Don't worry, it didn't really bother me that much. I thought it was funny you used that many dots, but it's all good

It doesn't really bother me, either. :shrug:

[johnnystorms]

Sorry, I have to take up this point. Yes, this is the only album of hers that sold substantially in Europe but that doesn't mean she shouldn't tour here any more. Perhaps if she put a bit of work into places other than the US or Australasia her sales figures would improve. Older fans would maybe not buy the new album unless they were going to see her live - which the would definitely do because they know her older stuff. She simply has not kept her profile or momentum up anywhere other than the US (which in itself hasn't been done to any great degree).

It would be interesting to compare the sales of her solo records in Australia and New Zealand, where she consistently tours, to all of Europe where she never bothers any more. I bet that the European sales figures would be far more substantial. Of course this could be because Europe is just larger (!) but even so, they would be better, and yet she still refuses to tour anywhere in Europe at all?! Come on Stevie - reward your fans with some live dates. Before people jump up and down, I'm not just meaning the UK.

As for The Other Side Of The Mirror, I really like the album if I'm in the right mood. Favourites include Rooms On Fire, Long Way To Go, Alice, Juliet. Quite like Fire Burning and Cry Wolf too. Whole Lotta Trouble is good but odd - it doesn't sound like anything else on the record with that brass section etc.

Not so keen on Two Kinds Of Love (BAD single choice) which is a shame because I love Bruce Hornsby but in my opinion it just doesn't work. Why oh why did she work with Kenny G?! No Stevie, no! By far the worst song on there though is I Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes). I think it could well be the worst song she has ever officially released (yes, worse than Jane!) which is a real shame because we know Stevie can sing country and I love it when she does, but she just hasn't done it as well as she did on Bella Donna. The 80s production on this Cash tune though, just no.
i hate to introduce a political comment to the Ledge, but maybe she doesn;t tour Europe because of the tax rate. if nothing else, Stevie's management knows how to watch her money!

[Dodfather]

Not too political, no, but I just don't buy that as a reason. One - Stevie is minted! Let's not kid ourselves. Two - isn't it that if you spend less than 30 days in one country, not one continent, that you have the lower tax rate? So she could easily do a European tour of less than a month. I could be wrong but I'm sure that's how it works.

[amberlemegan]

Since I haven't listened to the whole album I don't think I really have an opinion on that, but I can talk about the songs I've heard and the cover.

I'm probably one of the few who actually like the cover, well beside the makeup. I'm not a fan of that. Someone posted a picture thats on the back. I really like that one. I like it better than the cover, but I still like the cover.

So Songs...
Rooms On Fire- Love the song. Love the video. One of my favorite songs.
Long Way To Go- It's an okay song I've got to be in the right mood to listen to it
Two Kinds Of Love-I enjoy this one sometimes, but I usually skip it.
Ooh My Love- Love this song. I don't know why but I love the There was a light that lighted the way line. I really like the way it sounds
Ghosts- I also love this song I really connect to it, but ignore the husband line..
Whole Lotta Trouble- Once again another song I enjoy. I love the video for this song that's on Crystal Visions
Fire Burning- It's okay
Alice- I like Alice a lot. I could be because of the whole Alice in Wonderland thing.
Juliet- I like this song sometimes. Another one I have to be in the mood for.

I haven't heard Cry Wolf, Doing The Best I Can, and I Still Miss Someone so I don't have an opinion on them


I'm very very very sorry that my so called 'style' of writing has bothered so many people here. Maybe my posts aren't needed anymore. Maybe I'll just read more than post.

The way you write doesn't bother me at all and I read all your posts so keep on posting :)

[sorcerer999]

I'm very very very sorry that my so called 'style' of writing has bothered so many people here. Maybe my posts aren't needed anymore. Maybe I'll just read more than post.

Sweetie, you just keep being yourself and write the way YOU want to write. If people don't like your style, it's THEIR problem, not yours. I'm sorry they made you feel bad about it.

[SapphireSister]

I've been thinking about this for days. I was going to just list the tracks that I like and dislike and go into detail about why but decided to listen to the whole album first and re-asses. My conclusion - the album that we have is sub-par. There are a few notable songs, Alice, ROF, and DTBTIC but other than that it is lifeless. Makes me wanna take a Klonipin.

Now here's the thing, it's not the songs themselves that are so bad, it's the production behind them! If you break down some of Stevie's songs, listen to the demos, and imagine a whole different sound to them they are a great collection of songs (minus I Still Miss Someone). I mean look at Julia and Fire Burning - they suck on the album but if you strip them down and take away the horrible things that were done to them they aren't as bad.

I hate the album cover, reminds me of a circus freak. No style or class, just trash lol.

Oh and Rupert Hine can blow me. Nothing personal but he ruined some songs. I don't know the story behind how he came into the picture or exactly how much he had to do with each song creatively but someone made a horrible decision when they brought him on board. So not a good match for Stevie.

I'd like to just think of Rooms on Fire when I think of this album. That takes some of the pain away...

P.S. - notice how I never blame Stevie for these things? She was just strung out and couldn't make a coherent decision. It was the label's fault!!!

P.P.S. - Rooms on Fire is a masterpiece! I would sell my soul for her to bring it back in to her setlist. :nod:

[mitzo]

Can someone explain why Rooms on Fire is so great? I never liked it, to me it is Stevie's great clunker. Meandering, dull, with an irritating vocal and arrangement.

[David]

Can someone explain why Rooms on Fire is so great? I never liked it, to me it is Stevie's great clunker. Meandering, dull, with an irritating vocal and arrangement.I don't like it either, but I don't think it's meandering. The structure moves distinctly from verse to chorus to verse to chorus to bridge & back to chorus--atypical for our Stevie, as we know. But it's a rotten -- or ill-recorded -- vocal, & the orchestration is unremarkable in every way. Some folks might like the hook of the chorus, but I don't think it's one of Stevie's better hooks -- not by a long shot -- not anything like the coolness & memorableness of choral hooks on "Gold Dust Woman," "Rhiannon," "Crystal," "If I Were You" (one of her best hooks), or "If You Ever Did Believe."

The '89 tour lead-in arrangement -- the synthesizer pedal points & the schmaltz -- was pretty cool. It was so different from the atmosphere of previous Nicks tours.

[DashingDan]

I don't like it either, but I don't think it's meandering. The structure moves distinctly from verse to chorus to verse to chorus to bridge & back to chorus--atypical for our Stevie, as we know. But it's a rotten -- or ill-recorded -- vocal, & the orchestration is unremarkable in every way. Some folks might like the hook of the chorus, but I don't think it's one of Stevie's better hooks -- not by a long shot -- not anything like the coolness & memorableness of choral hooks on "Gold Dust Woman," "Rhiannon," "Crystal," "If I Were You" (one of her best hooks), or "If You Ever Did Believe."

The '89 tour lead-in arrangement -- the synthesizer pedal points & the schmaltz -- was pretty cool. It was so different from the atmosphere of previous Nicks tours.

The song never did much for me either. Never play it, and never enjoy it when it pops up on my shuffle. The lead vocal sounds like a guide vocal waiting to be re-done. I appreciate the verse structure--it's unique for pop, but the vocal could be so much better and the chorus could have been thought through a bit more, both lyrically and melodically. The music is OK, probably better than anything else on the album.

[HejiraNYC]

Not too political, no, but I just don't buy that as a reason. One - Stevie is minted! Let's not kid ourselves. Two - isn't it that if you spend less than 30 days in one country, not one continent, that you have the lower tax rate? So she could easily do a European tour of less than a month. I could be wrong but I'm sure that's how it works.

I think if you are a U.S. citizen, you still more-or-less have to pay U.S. taxes on foreign-earned income plus local taxes. It's definitely a punitive system. I think you only start earning foreign income exclusions when you have actually lived abroad for over a year.

I think the reason why she hasn't toured Europe in an eon is that she doesn't have any strong advocates there. In Australia and Oceania she has Andrew MacManus, who pulled out all the stops to make a solo tour happen down under, including pairing her up with a locally popular opening act (forgot his name). Plus he treated her like royalty at the Melbourne Cup, and it goes without saying that he also managed to match/exceed her lofty nightly guarantee. Who's got Stevie's back in Europe?

[SapphireSister]

Don't have time right now but will explain later today why ROF is such a gem IMO.

[michelej1]

I like the way the vocals match the words. When she sings about the sensation of rooms being on fire whenever her loved one is near, her voice sounds smoky and smoldering. Then, later I suppose I'm influenced by the video, but I think she sounds gauzy and faint, like a (white clouded) memory: present, but too distant to touch.

The vocal has so many parts and the points where it wanders off just help to accentuate the segments that accelerate. For instance the building up to "and she hated to be separated".

The song gives me the feeling of rising passion and falling hope.

I do think it has a magical quality, or maybe there's just magic all around.

Michele

[baboles]

I like the way the vocals match the words. When she sings about the sensation of rooms being on fire whenever her loved one is near, her voice sounds smoky and smoldering. Then, later I suppose I'm influenced by the video, but I think she sounds gauzy and faint, like a (white clouded) memory: present, but too distant to touch.

The vocal has so many parts and the points where it wanders off just help to accentuate the segments that accelerate. For instance the building up to "and she hated to be separated".

The song gives me the feeling of rising passion and falling hope.

I do think it has a magical quality, or maybe there's just magic all around.

Michele

That was probably one of the best explanations I've ever read! I love your wording!