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]

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! :nod:

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]

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)

[DauphineMarie]

The only two songs I really don't care for on Street Angel are Destiny and Unconditional Love... Destiny is far too country sounding, and the rhythm sounds weird to me? Considering the Wild Heart demo is one of my very favourite Stevie performances, I don't like it. And Unconditional Love is ruined by the chorus, in my opinion. Other than that, the rest of the album is quite good, even Jane which is beautiful and usually makes me cry but makes others cry for other reasons... ;) 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.

[BlueLight]

I very much like many of the songs on SA; my main gripes lie with (a) Stevie's vocals, which in my view are among the worst in her career; and (b) the production, which for the most part is just dismal. :sorry:

[sorcerer999]

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.

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.

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.

[Artemis]

Everything about Street Angel just seems... dull. The album cover is hideous and uninspired, the lyrics are dull, the music is boring, the vocals are quite lifeless... Where are the epic moments? There are peaks and troughs on every Stevie album, but with Street Angel the "peaks" wouldn't even be an album highlight on most of her albums (OSOTM, I'm side-eyeing you here...) and the bad points are... really incredibly bad.

Blue Denim and Greta are the only songs on Street Angel that I enjoy listening to. Listen To The Rain and Kick It are okay, but still wildly bland. It's such a lost opportunity, especially as her vocals on the SA tour are amazeballs.

[UndoingTheLaces]

Album covers always add to or detract from an album experience to me. Which is sad everything is about downloads now and you really miss out on some wonderful photography or art work. But the SA album cover was so un-Stevie with all that pink, and the matte finish and nothing going on. I saw some outtakes of other shoots around that time which would have really enhanced the look and feel of it.

I loved Greta and a few others when it first came out but it wasn't until Enchanted that I really started listening to the songs from SA. Then I was really surprised to find that there were actually much better mixes on the actual album. Blue Denim had a bunch of different versions and there are a few that are way better than the one on Enchanted. And I've recently fallen in love with the TimeSpace version of Listen To The Rain, which has so much more oomph than the SA version. So if you gather up all the various bits of Street Angel there is a lot of great material there. I think it was just that end of the line way of throwing the pieces she did together to just get it out there that hurt it. I grew to love it a lot more in the following years as I put together the missing pieces.

[johnnystorms]

The photography for the tour book by David LaChappelle was stunning!

[sorcerer999]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c4-LIXT7iKs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

In her own words from 1:50 - 5:40. Also interesting is a little snippet at the end regarding a conversation she had with Don Was, and a little pep talk he gave her about her reticence to record another album after "Street Angel" (kind of like the Tom Petty conversation she would have a year later) where she says, "I'm real excited for what's to come, because I'm SO NOT excited about what JUST went by."

[iamnotafraid]

Best words to describe it. Blah, lethargic and uninspired.
The album cover matched the music inside.

[Macfan4life]

I LOVE Street Angel and it ranks towards the top of my favorite Stevie solo albums. As others have pointed out Stevie hates the album and thank you to sorcerer who posted the off the record interview that documents the dislike of this album from Stevie. I believe there is a promo in that clip before a commercial that says something like "its almost Christmas but Stevie does not want you to buy and put her latest copy of Street Angel in your stocking." Others have already mentioned the many reasons.....album started with Klonopin then the painful rehab, her weight, and the poor record sales. But most important was her fight with the producer. The release of the album was delayed because of the rehab. When Stevie got out she was able to put the finishing touches on the album. But the producer threw down the law and they butted heads big time. I cant recall if this stuff is on that off the record segment. In a nutshell Stevie claims the producer kept her from changing vocals and other stuff on the record.
Now why do I love this record. I just love how diverse we all are. I can only laugh at some (in a good way) when I read someone hates Street Angel but loves Rock A Little. That stuff blows my mind but its a good thing we all have different tastes, likes and dislikes. Stevie says she is most disappointed with her vocals on this album and I think her vocals are strong and good.

The album starts off with Blue Denim which is a solid song. I like the extended intro version better but its a great song. Loved to hear songs still about Lindsey after all those years. Greta is a fantastic song with amazing lyrics. The drum beat is very catchy and she has a great vocal range in the song. Street Angel is ok. Bringing David Crosby in to sing back up on the song was very very cool! Docklands is a good song, not sure why everyone freaks out over the word laundromat. Listen to the Rain is one of the highlights for me and a real rocker. Stevie is on fire. Destiny is great and adds diversity to the album. Unconditional Love is the low point in this album. Not sure why it was picked to start the second side. Thousand Days or Mirror Mirror (which were b sides for the singles) SHOULD have taken its place. Love is like a River is another rocker and highlight. Rose Garden is a gem and it was one of the highlights of the Enchanted tour. Maybe love will change your mind is so catchy and I LOVE this song. I usually hate the songs that Stevie sings that she did not write. But this song is from the heart and Stevie translates this from the heart feeling very well. It almost sounds like she wrote it. It would be a tough song to sing but she nails it. I don't think she did a great job on Dylan's Just like a woman. Its a b side IMHO. But brining in Dylan to play harmonica... so freakin cool! Kick it is a dud IMHO. Jane is ok. When I first heart the song I thought it was about Jane Petty from Edge of 17 LOL.

Long story short........if you could add Thousand Days and Mirror Mirror that both almost made the album and dropped Unconditional Love and Kick it ... it would be stellar. But even still its my 4th most favorite Stevie solo album. Her writing is excellent. Her voice is strong and could hit ranges for the last time. Trouble came out 7 years later and her voice got flat. And the album rocks. Its part rock, part country and part pop. I love it. It sounds like Stevie is supposed to sound.... part rock, country, pop.

As someone pointed out....her performances on the Street Angel tour were amazing. She hit high notes and really performed well. I just wish people would give this album a second chance.


The lyrics really show what Stevie is going through during this period if you read between the lines (pardon the pun)

You're a frontliner (former management company) You put it all on the line
You've been everywhere and you live in dark shadows (that's the Stevie life)
Your consistent...hey that's good (IMHO that sounds like a sarcastic quip from a record person)
There's no Beauty and the Beast here (IMHO that is another quip from a record person... could mean there is no type song here)

If you listen and dig a little deep I think you can appreciate this album a little more.

[starshine]

Album covers always add to or detract from an album experience to me. Which is sad everything is about downloads now and you really miss out on some wonderful photography or art work. But the SA album cover was so un-Stevie with all that pink, and the matte finish and nothing going on. I saw some outtakes of other shoots around that time which would have really enhanced the look and feel of it.

I loved Greta and a few others when it first came out but it wasn't until Enchanted that I really started listening to the songs from SA. Then I was really surprised to find that there were actually much better mixes on the actual album. Blue Denim had a bunch of different versions and there are a few that are way better than the one on Enchanted. And I've recently fallen in love with the TimeSpace version of Listen To The Rain, which has so much more oomph than the SA version. So if you gather up all the various bits of Street Angel there is a lot of great material there. I think it was just that end of the line way of throwing the pieces she did together to just get it out there that hurt it. I grew to love it a lot more in the following years as I put together the missing pieces.I couldn't agree with you more esp. about the LP outtake photos. There are so many better one's that could've been chosen. I so LOVE the TS version of Listen to the Rain. The lyrics just everything was much better with that version. She changed the lyrics up on the SA version ugh. I'd heard that other version so much that when the official SA version came out I so didn't like it because it wasn't the version I'd loved so much. Stevie rocked the tour though. It was my first solo concert of hers and she was awesome really. So I may not have loved the LP but I loved the tour that's for sure!! Some of the outtake songs are much better than the version we did get. I loved hearing outtakes etc. from all her solo lp's. Sometimes I like those better than the official released versions.:D

[greendaze5]

I think Stevie dismissed the album after the critics and public did.

Stevie did some radio interview right when the album came out, and she was very upbeat and positive about it, and even singing along with the tracks. Her enthusiasm seemed very genuine.

She later commented how she had to promote an album she didn't like in the first place and put on a brave face, but I get that idea that that was simply said in retrospect. Had 'SA' been better received, she would never had said such a thing.

[StreetAngel86]

it is AWESOME.
end of story.

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

[TheWILDheart]

Blue Denim had a bunch of different versions and there are a few that are way better than the one on Enchanted

Agreed! The single remixes of both "Blue Demin" and "Maybe Love" are so much better than the album version. Heavier drums on both and the guitar doesn't get lost in the mix.

The stuff on SA that I love, I really love. But the stuff that's bad is awful. I made myself an edited playlist that I thoroughly enjoy listening to:

1. Blue Denim (single remix)
2. Greta
3. Street Angel (album version - love that roaring guitar)
4. Listen To The Rain
5. Destiny
6. Love Is Like A River
7. Rose Garden
8. Inspiration
9. Maybe Love (single remix)
10. Kick It
11. God's Garden

[PenguinHead]

Had 'SA' been better received, she would never had said such a thing.

No matter if the album was well received, her genuine distaste for it would remain the same.
Between the negative experience of working with a producer she didn't get along with, her disappointment of the production, and her subsequent efforts to fix it, she really just wanted to put it all behind her.

[SpyNote]

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. :woohoo:


Blue Denim
Thousand Days
Mirror Mirror
Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind
Greta
Listen to the Rain
Unconditional Love (original version)
Destiny
Rose Garden
Love Is Like a River
Kick It
Jane (original version)

[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]

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.

:eek::shocked::confused::distress:

[DauphineMarie]

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.

I can honestly say I have never, EVER, listened to Inspiration until just 30 seconds ago, and it was so cringeworthy I had to stop it the second it made it to the chorus... Worse than Unconditional Love by a LONG shot... :distress: Sorry though, to each their own. Many people dislike God's Garden, which personally never fails to make me cry tears of joy and sorrow, and is the most gorgeous song ever... Even though she didn't write it, to me it just screams Robin.

[He's So Unusual]

It's not all bad. It's just monotonous and uninspired. The tracks Kick It, Blue Denim, Rose Garden and Love Is Like a River are the jewels in amongst the many beige turds. I detest Jane, Unconditional Love, Destiny and Docklands with a passion. They offend me. God's Garden and Mirror, Mirror should have been included. I can’t believe the latter was overlooked. Stevie's vocals are on fire. The album artwork is as dull as 90% of the album. The only song I would love to hear live is Kick It.

[Jondalar]

I can honestly say I have never, EVER, listened to Inspiration until just 30 seconds ago, and it was so cringeworthy I had to stop it the second it made it to the chorus... Worse than Unconditional Love by a LONG shot... :distress: Sorry though, to each their own. Many people dislike God's Garden, which personally never fails to make me cry tears of joy and sorrow, and is the most gorgeous song ever... Even though she didn't write it, to me it just screams Robin.

Well so you never listened to it.

[Jondalar]

It's not all bad. It's just monotonous and uninspired. The tracks Kick It, Blue Denim, Rose Garden and Love Is Like a River are the jewels in amongst the many beige turds. I detest Jane, Unconditional Love, Destiny and Docklands with a passion. They offend me. God's Garden and Mirror, Mirror should have been included. I can’t believe the latter was overlooked. Stevie's vocals are on fire. The album artwork is as dull as 90% of the album. The only song I would love to hear live is Kick It.

Blue Denim isn't even a song. It's a guitar lick with a chorus.

[Jondalar]

Oh and Greta seems like a ripoff of Betty Davis Eyes.

[aleuzzi]

No matter what she or critics think of the album, it contains one of her single best songs--the opener, Blue Denim. When I first heard it, I was genuinely excited and even shocked that she not only had the old fire in her belly but that she had somehow known what to do with it in ways she had not before. The song is one of her best.

The rest of the album is merely unexceptional, which is still better than the worst albums by many recording artists.

[KarmaContestant]

No, it's not that bad.

Honestly, while I don't care for Listen to the Rain, Unconditional Love, or Maybe Love, they're not awful songs. The rest of the album I quite like, with my favorites being Street Angel, Docklands, Greta, Rose Garden and Destiny.

Those Johns' penned b-sides are another story. Inspiration is -ok- but that God's Garden is awful, IMO.

[PenguinHead]

Blue Denim
Thousand Days
Mirror Mirror
Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind
Greta
Listen to the Rain
Unconditional Love (original version)
Destiny
Rose Garden
Love Is Like a River
Kick It
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...

[David]

Is Street Angel really that bad?

I don't think it's any worse than any of her other albums.

[jjfabbsy]

I think the stripped down remixes from the "Enchanted" box set are the best versions of the key tracks from "Street Angel"....the title track is hauntingly beautiful in it's spare, simple form.

[iamnotafraid]

I don't think it's any worse than any of her other albums.

You rascal.

[svnwndrs]

This album has grown on me a lot since I became a diehard fan 15 years ago. I personally love it. It is very straightforward and not as "mystical/magical" as her other albums. My favorites are "Greta", "Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind" (good choice for a single), and "Kick It". Stevie went back to basics with a rootsy sound since it was the '90's after all. Despite her personal struggles with addiction, Glyn Johns, her weight, her waning popularity and the poor record sales, I think it's pretty strong. I really don't see much that is "bad" about it. Like everyone else has pointed out, there are some not-so-great tracks, but that's sort of expected with any album. I also agree that the album art and the cover could have been better, and edgier considering some of the photo outtakes that were taken between 1992-1994. Especially the ones from the photo shoot with David LaChapelle... Those were great! Stevie standing on a hooka pipe while holding an umbrella! Awesome!

[michelej1]

Those were great! Stevie standing on a hooka pipe while holding an umbrella! Awesome!

Holding an umbrella and floating upward.

Michele

[UndoingTheLaces]

I think the stripped down remixes from the "Enchanted" box set are the best versions of the key tracks from "Street Angel"....the title track is hauntingly beautiful in it's spare, simple form.

I got to know Rose Garden from Enchanted. I went through a short anti-Stevie phase in the 90's when I was trying to be all punk, goth and alternative and snubbing my nose at anything played on mainstream radio. So Street Angle had a short shelf life in my world. But when Enchanted came out I made a great mix tape from it and when she did Rose Garden at her show in Pittsburgh (which was after my punk/goth/alt phase) I literally started to cry because it seemed like such a beautifully sad song. I honestly didn't realize I had totally different mixes on my Street Angel CD until just a few years ago when everyone here was talking about it. Anyway, when I finally did hear the Street Angel version I was disappointed. There is something so raw and emotional about that song and the single organ chord that rises up just as she sings "...all these things but a small gold band... on my finger... on my left hand" just drives the point home about how she gave it all up in search of something better that was never going to come. And all the flowery guitar work in the SA version distracts from it.

Laurie Anderson has a song from her Strange Angels album called the dream before that's just her singing to a very simple keyboard melody and I heard her say in an interview that she had recorded layers and layers of music and sound for that song but her producer stripped everything away and just left her voice and the keyboard. And it worked so well. Sometimes in music less is more. And I do really like Rose Garden in it's stripped down form much better.

[iamnotafraid]

Laurie Anderson has a song from her Strange Angels album...

And I do really like Rose Garden in it's stripped down form much better.

Strange Angels is the one Laurie Anderson album I own.

If I had to save one song from Street Angel it would be Rose Garden.

[The Juggler]

There's a million problems with the album.

1) Stevie was at a career low point at the time and thus has a "stigma" attached to it, mainly from Stevie herself.

2) The album design was rotten. Album covers are the first thing you see, and if you see a pasty, white mess with a bad font, it doesn't give a good first impression.

3) The only two good decent tracks on the album - Listen To The Rain & Love Is Like A River, are clouded behind uninspired production and lazy vocals.

4) The rest of the songs are not up to scratch. Blue Denim would have been called a lazy album track if it were on any other album, yet here it's called a highlight because it's somewhat singable.

5) The lyrics are poor on the album. It stands to reason that the only two good songs on it (IMO) are over 10 years old. I think the only song Stevie wrote by herself for the album in the years preceding it's release was the title track. The rest were co-writes, or were old tracks that wouldn't have had a look in elsewhere.

Although, honestly I do think Stevie (and thus the fans) bashing it has led to a lasting impact on the fans. "If Stevie says it's bad, then it's bad and we have to hate it." It is a bad and uninspired album, but maybe if I hadn't read about the stigma surrounding it, would I know any different? I don't know.

[SisterNightroad]

I knew the album before the stigma associated with it and didn't like it very much anyway. I didn't even particularly dislike it, it's just "meh". Actually it's pleasurable to listen (but Jane) but I don't find anything to really like about it so I just don't listen to it.

I think the problem is that it is the only album in which Stevie doesn't seem like Stevie, like one of those things a person does when she or he is really depressed. Some people starts tango lessons, Stevie did Street Angel.

[AnthonyMI]

Street Angel and Time were ALWAYS in the discount bins with the sawed corners back in 1997 The Dance era. They were commercial and critical flops that the record company and record stores could NOT get rid of quickly enough.

And yes, SA is pretty terrible. It has SOME moments, but mostly she just sounds like a bloated Konked out zombie that smoked too many cigarettes.

NOW... the cut songs, like Mirror Mirror, and Thousand Days. THOSE were actually good. I wonder what the difference was?

[BLY]

There's a million problems with the album.

1) Stevie was at a career low point at the time and thus has a "stigma" attached to it, mainly from Stevie herself.

2) The album design was rotten. Album covers are the first thing you see, and if you see a pasty, white mess with a bad font, it doesn't give a good first impression.

3) The only two good decent tracks on the album - Listen To The Rain & Love Is Like A River, are clouded behind uninspired production and lazy vocals.

4) The rest of the songs are not up to scratch. Blue Denim would have been called a lazy album track if it were on any other album, yet here it's called a highlight because it's somewhat singable.

5) The lyrics are poor on the album. It stands to reason that the only two good songs on it (IMO) are over 10 years old. I think the only song Stevie wrote by herself for the album in the years preceding it's release was the title track. The rest were co-writes, or were old tracks that wouldn't have had a look in elsewhere.

Although, honestly I do think Stevie (and thus the fans) bashing it has led to a lasting impact on the fans. "If Stevie says it's bad, then it's bad and we have to hate it." It is a bad and uninspired album, but maybe if I hadn't read about the stigma surrounding it, would I know any different? I don't know.




It is all a matter of opinion and personal taste.....my least favorite tracks on this disc is Love is Like a River and Listen to the Rain...so go figure!

[nicole21290]

I THINK this is the place I should post it. Got a message on Tumblr from Joe and apparently I'm now Hermes...

Hey Nicole, would you mind telling James on the ledge that many songs such as "Desiree", "Blue Denim", "Twisted", "Maybe Love" and other songs charted in Canada! thanks!

[AnthonyMI]

I THINK this is the place I should post it. Got a message on Tumblr from Joe and apparently I'm now Hermes...

Hey Nicole, would you mind telling James on the ledge that many songs such as "Desiree", "Blue Denim", "Twisted", "Maybe Love" and other songs charted in Canada! thanks!

Everyone knows Canadians do not have the best taste when it comes to music. I mean... they gave us Anne Murray and Celine Dion. I rest my case.

[lilyfee]

I'm listening to Street Angel all the way through for the first time on Youtube right now, inspired by this thread. I've avoided it for a very long time due to all the hate it's received on fansites and from Stevie herself... I guess I didn't want to hear the zonked out Stevie and bad lyrics and production that everyone talked about.

Now I could be listening to different versions of the songs than are actually on the album, but it's way better than I expected it to be! I think it sounds more like Buckingham Nicks era Stevie, in the simplicity and feel of the songs. Not unlike her exactly, just unlike the majority of her oeuvre. Blue Denim, Street Angel and Just Like a Woman really stick out to me. I even like Docklands... The laundromat part, yeah, it's cringeworthy, but the song as a whole has a nice groove... I like it.

Kick It, on the other hand... :distress:

For the most part I am wowed by her vocals. I think technically the Rock A Little vocals are her worst (although I love RAL to pieces). Her voice seems healthy and in its prime on Street Angel, IMHO. She seems to strain a lot for some notes, but overall not awful by a long shot.

Maybe it's just because I had such low expectations but this album is a million times better than I expected based on everyone's comments about it. I can't believe I never gave it a chance!

[pattyfan]

I hate all of the non-Stevie penned songs on this CD. And I guess I'm sticking my neck out here but Kick It is on my very best of Stevie Nicks home burned CD. :) And I don't hate Jane, though I wonder what Ms. Goodall thinks about it, assuming someone told her about it.

Kevin

[mitzo]

I hate all of the non-Stevie penned songs on this CD. And I guess I'm sticking my neck out here but Kick It is on my very best of Stevie Nicks home burned CD. :) And I don't hate Jane, though I wonder what Ms. Goodall thinks about it, assuming someone told her about it.

Kevin

Kick It is also my only salvaged track from this album, and I am also quite comfortable with Jane. They both show hints of Stevie, whereas the rest of the album is so... I dunno, just disappointing and ...annoying, and smells of desperation and boredom. I remain puzzled and a bit unsettled as to why anyone would want to listen to even the Ledge forum faves Rose Garden or Blue Denim or Love is Like a River, but hey, whatever.

[Macfan4life]

Kick It is also my only salvaged track from this album, and I am also quite comfortable with Jane. They both show hints of Stevie, whereas the rest of the album is so... I dunno, just disappointing and ...annoying, and smells of desperation and boredom. I remain puzzled and a bit unsettled as to why anyone would want to listen to even the Ledge forum faves Rose Garden or Blue Denim or Love is Like a River, but hey, whatever.
They say opposites attract so we must be perfect for eachother :)
Listen to the Rain is the best track on Street Angel IMHO and Kick it is one of the worst Stevie songs ever recorded IMHO :eek:

[Hawkeye]

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.


Got to agree with Jondalar on this very polarizing inspiration debate. I have just listened to,it for the first time and have Listened 3 timed already. I think it would be Better then every song on street angel except the title song and love us like a river.


And I don't see how anyone could listen to inspiration and unconditional love back to back and ever think UL is better. Atmospheric is a great adjective to use. Even if both have somewhat lousy vocals the music in the background of inspiration is better then anything on street angel and OSOTM combined.

[Hawkeye]

So yeah If street angle consisted of:

1. Blue Denim
2. Greta
3. Street Amgel
4. Docklands
5. Thousand Days
6. Inspiration
7. Love a Like a River
8. Rose Garden
9. Mirror Mirror
10.Kick Out
11. Destiny

That's better then Bella Donna to me!

[The Juggler]

It is all a matter of opinion and personal taste.....my least favorite tracks on this disc is Love is Like a River and Listen to the Rain...so go figure!

Which is why I said "in my opinion" :xoxo:

[SpyNote]

Kick It is also my only salvaged track from this album, and I am also quite comfortable with Jane. They both show hints of Stevie, whereas the rest of the album is so...

I think I've gushed about Kick It about a thousand times. The people who've been here a while should, rightfully, roll their eyes now. :laugh: But I will gush about it yet again, this time for the newbies.

Kick It all about personal sacrifice. Letting go of the things that you thought were important, things that you thought represented the meaning of love, things that you seemed to love more than life itself. But you're prepared to surrender and kick it. In the context of Stevie's life at the time, drugs were obviously the big habit to kick. I love how addiction is compared to "a strange kind love affair."

The rest of the song is about the relationship between the bird and the prince statue (Oscar Wilde's The Little Prince), but it ties in perfectly with the illusions of love, beauty, and status.

So glad Stevie didn't kick this song off the album! :woohoo:

[johnnystorms]

i think Street Angel, much like Behind the Mask, primarily suffered from lack-luster production. I recall the pre-release press on both records touting them (BtM, SA) as "returns to roots" type albums. (Rumours in the case of BtM, BD, in the case of SA). the early 90s were a time of incredible inventiveness and change within the music industry. Yet, they decided to produce/market/ sell them as "throwbacks".
I don't think many of the songs on either record are BAD, they were just lacking in deft, modern, inventive production. Grunge was bubbling up, hip hop was exploding, dance music (disco) was coming back, but they tried to re-capture the late 70's. early 80's sound of their heyday.
The tracks Patrick Leonard produced on The Chain box-set were incredible.
The biggest reason for both discs failure was the production
(and both records had DREADFUL cover art)
Behind the Mask had high-gloss, expensive look, but didn't show the band, and Street Angel just looked cheap!

[iamnotafraid]

i think Street Angel, much like Behind the Mask, primarily suffered from lack-luster production.

I don't think many of the songs on either record are BAD, they were just lacking in deft, modern, inventive production.

The biggest reason for both discs failure was the production

Behind the Mask had high-gloss, expensive look, but didn't show the band, and Street Angel just looked cheap!

I don't think any amount of modern inventive production could
have saved Street Angel.

How can you produce something good from an artist that was
in the physical and mental shape she was in from the mid-80's
to the mid-90's?

The fiasco that was Red Rocks led us right to The Other Side Of The
Mirror. If those two projects weren't warning enough, she then releases
Timespace which is supposed to be a best of album. Best of what I might
ask?

Then she releases the worst solo album of her career. And to make matters
even worse she appears on Letterman and Leno almost unrecognizable. It
would have been better for her to have shelved Street Angel and have taken
that time to get healthy, so to speak.

Drugs, obesity and age were the perfect storm for her downward
spiral. Though difficult, two out of three of those things are controllable.

[johnnystorms]

I don't think any amount of modern inventive production could
have saved Street Angel.

How can you produce something good from an artist that was
in the physical and mental shape she was in from the mid-80's
to the mid-90's?

The fiasco that was Red Rocks led us right to The Other Side Of The
Mirror. If those two projects weren't warning enough, she then releases
Timespace which is supposed to be a best of album. Best of what I might
ask?

Then she releases the worst solo album of her career. And to make matters
even worse she appears on Letterman and Leno almost unrecognizable. It
would have been better for her to have shelved Street Angel and have taken
that time to get healthy, so to speak.

Drugs, obesity and age were the perfect storm for her downward
spiral. Though difficult, two out of three of those things are controllable.

God forbid anyone go through a rough patch in her life! age is uncontrollable, addiction is one of the most difficult ILLNESSES to overcome, and I would hardly consider her "obese". She packed on some pounds, but was far from "obese" . Pass me your judgemental cup, I want a sip of your perfection.

[SisterNightroad]

I don't think any amount of modern inventive production could
have saved Street Angel.

How can you produce something good from an artist that was
in the physical and mental shape she was in from the mid-80's
to the mid-90's?

The fiasco that was Red Rocks led us right to The Other Side Of The
Mirror. If those two projects weren't warning enough, she then releases
Timespace which is supposed to be a best of album. Best of what I might
ask?

Then she releases the worst solo album of her career. And to make matters
even worse she appears on Letterman and Leno almost unrecognizable. It
would have been better for her to have shelved Street Angel and have taken
that time to get healthy, so to speak.

Drugs, obesity and age were the perfect storm for her downward
spiral. Though difficult, two out of three of those things are controllable.

God, I don't know why men are always so judgemental first and foremost about a woman's appearance. Is beauty or thinnes the only thermometer with which you measure success or desirabilty?
Her appearances on Leno and Letterman were GREAT and her performance was just FIERY on both occasions. 90s fashion wasn't the most elegant but she pulled it off well, but her voice during the tour was again almost at the top.
As you said she was unhealthy but not because she was fat, it's the complete opposite. It was a moment in her life in which she was still recovering from a consuming addiction, the Epstein Barr disease and probably depression, I'd say that was the main problem and that also led her to gain weight, not the weight itself.

[SpyNote]

God, I don't know why men are always so judgemental first and foremost about a woman's appearance. Is beauty or thinnes the only thermometer with which you measure success or desirabilty?

It's because women are objectified in our society (and many others). Those sexist attitudes creep in early in life. For men, appearance is paramount in a mate. Women will play out that role because it's expected. (That why straight women and gay men often get along so well because they can identify with each other when it comes to dating.) I think as most men get older and lonelier, they rise above these attitudes and realize that the quality of the relationship far exceeds the value they place on physical attractiveness.

I don't think Stevie was ever obese. Some fans and her Stevie herself were not happy with the extra weight, but I never thought it was unattractive. If anything, she had curves with her more voluptuous figure!

[SisterNightroad]

It's because women are objectified in our society (and many others). Those sexist attitudes creep in early in life. For men, appearance is paramount in a mate. Women will play out that role because it's expected. (That why straight women and gay men often get along so well because they can identify with each other when it comes to dating.) I think as most men get older and lonelier, they rise above these attitudes and realize that the quality of the relationship far exceeds the value they place on physical attractiveness.

I don't think Stevie was ever obese. Some fans and her Stevie herself were not happy with the extra weight, but I never thought it was unattractive. If anything, she had curves with her more voluptuous figure!
I've just noticed that the initial sexist post was done by the resident Troll of this forum, I think we got conned...

However I don't know if Stevie was obese at the time, I'm not a doctor; it could possibly be as I remember she said she weighed 185 lbs and she's 5 feet 1 inch tall but I don't think this changes things much.

[tabruns]

Street Angel is the only really sub-par album Nicks has done. It consists of outtakes from previous albums, the performances are drab, and you can see the effect of Klonopin in that lack of creative energy or fire.

I have to agree with others that "Blue Denim" only stands out because the rest of the album is sub-standard. "Maybe Love" is actually very AC catchy, but for someone who is primarily known as a rocker, that's kind of a kiss of death.

At the time of initial release it was cited by some as a "back to roots" album because it cursorily sounded similar to Bella Donna production-wise, but the quality of the material was WAY below previous Nicks albums.

[iamnotafraid]

I don't think any amount of modern inventive production could
have saved Street Angel.

How can you produce something good from an artist that was
in the physical and mental shape she was in from the mid-80's
to the mid-90's?

The fiasco that was Red Rocks led us right to The Other Side Of The
Mirror. If those two projects weren't warning enough, she then releases
Timespace which is supposed to be a best of album. Best of what I might
ask?

Then she releases the worst solo album of her career. And to make matters
even worse she appears on Letterman and Leno almost unrecognizable. It
would have been better for her to have shelved Street Angel and have taken
that time to get healthy, so to speak.

Drugs, obesity and age were the perfect storm for her downward
spiral. Though difficult, two out of three of those things are controllable.

I stand by every word.

SisterNightroad,
How is this trolling? I'm guessing you did read the title of this thread?
I don't see anything sexist about what I said. The only thing you've been
conned about is if you believe each one of my post are jokes or trolling.

Spynote,
I'm not sure there's an exact number of pounds one has to be to
be considered obese. But from my point of view she definitely
was during this time period. If you think her curves and more
voluptuous figure made her more attractive, then we just disagree.
But from the curtains she was wearing on Timespace and durring
the Street Angel period, I'd say even Stevie would disagree with you.
And it would be a lie for me to say women aren't judged by their
appearance.

Johnnystorms
"Pass my your judgmental cup, I want a sip of your perfection"
Yeah I know that was a dig at me, but I still like that line.

p.s. SisterNightroad
If you think she was "GREAT" on Leno and Letterman - I can't help you.

[SisterNightroad]

I stand by every word.

SisterNightroad,
How is this trolling? I'm guessing you did read the title of this thread?
I don't see anything sexist about what I said. The only thing you've been
conned about is if you believe each one of my post are jokes or trolling.

Spynote,
I'm not sure there's an exact number of pounds one has to be to
be considered obese. But from my point of view she definitely
was during this time period. If you think her curves and more
voluptuous figure made her more attractive, then we just disagree.
But from the curtains she was wearing on Timespace and durring
the Street Angel period, I'd say even Stevie would disagree with you.
And it would be a lie for me to say women aren't judged by their
appearance.

Johnnystorms
"Pass my your judgmental cup, I want a sip of your perfection"
Yeah I know that was a dig at me, but I still like that line.

p.s. SisterNightroad
If you think she was "GREAT" on Leno and Letterman - I can't help you.
I was giving you the benefit of the doubt but it seems I was wrong.
What seems sexist in your post is:
And to make matters
even worse she appears on Letterman and Leno almost unrecognizable. It
would have been better for her to have shelved Street Angel and have taken
that time to get healthy, so to speak.
By what you said it seems that you are implying that her appearances on TV were flops because she was fat. Not because she sang badly but because she wasn't pretty and thin.
Now, here I say in my opinion she sang well. If you don't like her voice during these two performances, then you shouldn't like much even her voice during The Dance because she sang pretty similarly well.
Also I'd like to point out that music history is full of singers that are both great singers and overweight.
Also this is at least insensitive:
Drugs, obesity and age were the perfect storm for her downward
spiral. Though difficult, two out of three of those things are controllable.
Such a delicate and dangerous theme should arise pity, compassion and understanding, not judgement and scorning.
It doesn't work like this, it's controllable but what does it mean? Addiction is a deep psychological problem you can't fix it like a cold. Addictive personality is a way of living, you have to learn how to live with it without putting yourself in dangerous behaviours.
Also I'd like to say that a woman in her 40s isn't old.
The general meaning of your post seemed that a singer should be getting back in shape before having to be seen in public.

[Jondalar]

Docklands is actually the best song on the album but contains one of the worse vocals of Stevie's career. She makes the song unlistenable. It's like a goat taking a vibrator up the butt. It's horrendous and an total embarrassment.

[iamnotafraid]

1. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt but it seems I was wrong.

2. What seems sexist in your post is:
By what you said it seems that you are implying that her appearances on TV were flops because she was fat. Not because she sang badly but because she wasn't pretty and thin.

3. Also I'd like to point out that music history is full of singers that are both great singers and overweight.

4. Such a delicate and dangerous theme should arise pity, compassion and understanding, not judgement and scorning.

5. It doesn't work like this, it's controllable but what does it mean? Addiction is a deep psychological problem...

6. Also I'd like to say that a woman in her 40s isn't old.

7. The general meaning of your post seemed that a singer should be getting back in shape before having to be seen in public.

1. The benefit of a doubt? By calling me a Troll?

2. Those television appearances did nothing to help her image. And it's more
than weight. She seemed very fragile, which I imagine she was.

3. You're right there are many singers that are good and also overweight. And
most that hang around long enough end up overweight. Which is sad, be it man
or woman.

4. I've had great compassion for her. During that time period I would have
preferred her to take care of herself instead of releasing new music to us fans.
The only "fan" mail I've ever written, was to her. And I think it was after seeing
her during that time I was very concerned. I was afraid she was going to pull an
Elvis on me. It was basically me asking her to take care of herself and not
worry about us fans. That her health was more important than her music. It was
nice, polite and the most heartfelt letter I've sent someone that I didn't personally
know. You'll have to forgive me for making this so personal. I just wanted her to
be well.

5. I never said addiction was easy to beat. But she let it cheat her out of a decade
or so of her life. I still think it affects her songwriting abilities till this day.

6. A woman in her forties is very old for a music career. Same for a man. Check
the Billboard Charts. There are a few exceptions, but not many.

7. If she wanted to protect her image she should have stayed away from the public
until she was better. The combination of her physical image and her less than stellar
musical output put her legacy at risk.

Maybe I'm being harsh, but I believe I'm speaking the truth.

[SisterNightroad]

I'll say just this then I'll stop because else we'll go too far.

At the beginning I thought you were purposely trying to arise a heated discussion through harsh words because your point of view to me seemed excessively narrow but now I see you were well-meaning.

There's nothing wrong with Stevie showing herself imperfect in public and it's not fair to expect she should hide like she should be ashamed of herself. She may have seemed fragile, but she was finally clean at the time, and that was something that hadn't happened since the start of her music career; during all the previous years of her carrer even if she looked better she was in truth in a much worse state. We have too great expectations towards people regarding these matters.
Compassion is also understanding the motives of others and I think Stevie had the right to work if she wanted. Singing is Stevie's work and for her is very important, we shouldn't forget it. Even if she was tired and depressed probably she wanted to keep doing the job that she loves so much because it helped her going on.

[iamnotafraid]

I'll say just this then I'll stop because else we'll go too far.

At the beginning I thought you were purposely trying to arise a heated discussion through harsh words because your point of view to me seemed excessively narrow but now I see you were well-meaning.

There's nothing wrong with Stevie showing herself imperfect in public...

It's just a message board, so we're not going too far. At least I don't
think so. And I don't mind a heated discussion. I think it makes for
a more interesting place to be. Not just for you and I, but for everyone.

Stevie, like most stars gets judged unfairly sometimes. I think the
more beautiful or talented an artist is the more harshly they're going
to be scrutinized. I guess the farther they have to fall.

I take breaks from The Ledge from time to time for various reasons.
But I've never been away because I was mad at someone here. I just
don't take it seriously I guess. The one exception being a Christian
and the beliefs and values that represents. On those type posts I'm
most sincere.

As for others, most would be wise not to take what I write as necessarily
true, although it may be. Barry will most certainly vouch for me on that.

[SisterNightroad]

It's just a message board, so we're not going too far. At least I don't
think so. And I don't mind a heated discussion. I think it makes for
a more interesting place to be. Not just for you and I, but for everyone.

Stevie, like most stars gets judged unfairly sometimes. I think the
more beautiful or talented an artist is the more harshly they're going
to be scrutinized. I guess the farther they have to fall.

I take breaks from The Ledge from time to time for various reasons.
But I've never been away because I was mad at someone here. I just
don't take it seriously I guess. The one exception being a Christian
and the beliefs and values that represents. On those type posts I'm
most sincere.

As for others, most would be wise not to take what I write as necessarily
true, although it may be. Barry will most certainly vouch for me on that.
Yes but we're going waaay off topic.

[johnnystorms]

we know so little about the music industry. perhaps she was contractually obligated to release a record within X number of years between prior release. she certainly made the best of it, in spite of her "weight", klonopin addiction, and age.
she still things her finger-braided hair was fabulous, as do I

[BlueLight]

Here's my current SA-era tracklist:

Sometimes It's A B*tch
Blue Denim (CD single mix)
Street Angel (album mix)
Thousand Days (CD single mix)
Destiny (Enchanted mix)
Mirror, Mirror (1992 version)
Rose Garden (Enchanted mix)
Maybe Love (album mix)
Kick It (album mix)
Listen To The Rain (Timespace outtake)
Twisted (Enchanted demo)
Love's A Hard Game To Play

Perhaps unsurprisingly given that SA is my least favorite Stevie album, very few album tracks made the cut. :sorry:

[Rod~A~Little]

I made my own Street Angel CD with a full release party.
-
Gone is that blah cover photo...I used the sexy vixen photo that I always thought should have been the cover.
-
Here is my new track list.

-Blue Denim
-Kick It (Sounds so much better here than at the end of the CD)
-Mirror Mirror (1992 version)
-Street Angel (Such a haunting song)
-Love Is Like A River
-Thousand Days (Such an awesome song)
-Greta
-Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind (Single Mix)
-Listen To The Rain (Timespace version...way better than the album version)
-Inspiration (I hated this song with a passion when I first heard it, but it has grown on me and now has a certain charm to it)
-Docklands (Also hated this one too, but I overlooked the out of control vibrato and appreciate it for the good song it is)
-Sleeping Angel (Okay, I know this is not a SA era tune, but hey, if she can redo Twisted 3 times then she can redo this one...besides, it sounds so good as a replacement track for Jane...and a great way to end Street Angel with a Sleeping Angel)

:)

[sorcerer999]

-Thousand Days (Such an awesome song):)

It is BEYOND ME how this track (which, IMO is the BEST song to come out of the SA sessions) never made it on the album and was merely relegated to B-Side status! That's the biggest "head scratcher" for me about this era.

It would have made a GREAT single!!! :nod:

[Macfan4life]

It is BEYOND ME how this track (which, IMO is the BEST song to come out of the SA sessions) never made it on the album and was merely relegated to B-Side status! That's the biggest "head scratcher" for me about this era.

It would have made a GREAT single!!! :nod:
I agree
The only theory it did not make the album is maybe the lyrics. It really describes the klonopin era. Maybe Stevie was not ready to tell the world about this yet. The lyrics are very blunt and harsh. The chorus speaks for itself...."it seems like a thousand days since you've been gone."
Just my opinion....and guess

[ahafan02]

Greta and Thousand Days are the best things she recorded during the SA sessions. It's not her best album by far but does have some decent tracks (Maybe Love, Street Angel). I'm probably one of a few that detests Blue Denim. It really sounds generic to me and her version of Just Like A Woman is just a train wreck.

[bombaysaffires]

I agree
The only theory it did not make the album is maybe the lyrics. It really describes the klonopin era. Maybe Stevie was not ready to tell the world about this yet. The lyrics are very blunt and harsh. The chorus speaks for itself...."it seems like a thousand days since you've been gone."
Just my opinion....and guess

actually Thousand Days was about Prince.

[iamnotafraid]

Yes but we're going waaay off topic.

I seem to do that often.

[iamnotafraid]

she still things her finger-braided hair was fabulous, as do I

If you're saying you think her hair looked good on Leno or Letterman
well...

[Rod~A~Little]

Greta and Thousand Days are the best things she recorded during the SA sessions. It's not her best album by far but does have some decent tracks (Maybe Love, Street Angel). I'm probably one of a few that detests Blue Denim. It really sounds generic to me and her version of Just Like A Woman is just a train wreck.

I agree with you on Just Like A Woman. Horrible!...Btw, the outtake "God's Garden" is the ONLY song of Stevie's I've never been able to listen all the way through. It's so slow that it makes Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You sound like a dance track. :laugh:

[Jondalar]

What about the horrible vocal on Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind... She didn't believe in the song... She threw away the vocal... This could of been so much better with some conviction in the song.

[twinmatrix]

Inspiration is such a beautiful song.

I love Street Angel. It's such a real, fragile, beautiful album. My favorite songs are Street Angel, Kick It, Destiny, Maybe Love, Blue Denim and Inspiration.

Listening through the album makes me feel close to emotion in a simple way, if that makes sense.

[snroxman]

What about the horrible vocal on Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind... She didn't believe in the song... She threw away the vocal... This could of been so much better with some conviction in the song.

A good point - thanks! I recall at the time thinking about the lack of a music video - in the era of music videos - and how determined that was.

I can also see this being the case on the original version for SA.

I *love* the song - especially the CLA remix . I'd love to hear what CLA could have done with the entire project. "Maybe Love" is always on my greatest hits playlist.

[jbrownsjr]

The songs aren't as bad as I thought previously; however, sometimes it sounds like I"m listening through a tape recorder.

[TheWildHeart67]

Undoingthelaces said: And I've recently fallen in love with the TimeSpace version of Listen To The Rain, which has so much more oomph than the SA version.
I am responding to a 2015 post, quite belated, I know.
But, I am confused. What "TimeSpace version," of "Listen to the rain?" LTTR wasn't on the "Timespace" collection.
LTTR was released in 1994, on "Street Angel," which was a few years AFTER "Timespace" was released.
The only version of LTTR I've ever heard is the SA version. It has never appeared on the "Enchanted" box set or ""Crystal Visions," or any collection that I am aware of.
What was Undoingthelaces referring to?

[bwboy]

I agree with you on Just Like A Woman. Horrible!...Btw, the outtake "God's Garden" is the ONLY song of Stevie's I've never been able to listen all the way through. It's so slow that it makes Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You sound like a dance track. :laugh:

Wait a second- are you referring to the Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You Mega-Mix Shake Your Booty track LOL?!?

I would say skip Street Angel, but I do like a few songs enough that I never got rid of it. My CD has God's Garden and some other extra track on it, and they're both super depressing. I think one of Stevie's greatest weaknesses is writing about current events, as opposed to writing about things she really understands. Songs like Desert Angel, Jane, and Street Angel sound like she's trying too hard and IMO are horrific. Strong word but that's how I see it.

[bwboy]

A good point - thanks! I recall at the time thinking about the lack of a music video - in the era of music videos - and how determined that was.

I can also see this being the case on the original version for SA.

I *love* the song - especially the CLA remix . I'd love to hear what CLA could have done with the entire project. "Maybe Love" is always on my greatest hits playlist.

I recall reading at the time that Blue Denim was supposed to be the first single, and then it was changed to Maybe Love, so that's probably why there was no video, because it wasn't even supposed to be a single.

[bombaysaffires]

It's not all bad. It's just monotonous and uninspired. The tracks Kick It, Blue Denim, Rose Garden and Love Is Like a River are the jewels in amongst the many beige turds. I detest Jane, Unconditional Love, Destiny and Docklands with a passion. They offend me. God's Garden and Mirror, Mirror should have been included. I can’t believe the latter was overlooked. Stevie's vocals are on fire. The album artwork is as dull as 90% of the album. The only song I would love to hear live is Kick It.

Mirror, Mirror was the only genuine resemblance to a fiery Stevie performance out of the lot.

[UndoingTheLaces]

I am responding to a 2015 post, quite belated, I know.
But, I am confused. What "TimeSpace version," of "Listen to the rain?" LTTR wasn't on the "Timespace" collection.
LTTR was released in 1994, on "Street Angel," which was a few years AFTER "Timespace" was released.
The only version of LTTR I've ever heard is the SA version. It has never appeared on the "Enchanted" box set or ""Crystal Visions," or any collection that I am aware of.
What was Undoingthelaces referring to?

It was recorded for TimeSpace but was left off. I honestly don’t know if the bootleg that’s going around is a demo or the actual album track. The quality is about a B so it’s not CD quality but it’s pretty good. I’ll pm you when I get home and send it. There are two official releases. The one from Street Angel and one from the Enchanted box set. There was also a fan mix where those two were mixed together.

[TheWildHeart67]

There are two official releases. The one from Street Angel and one from the Enchanted box set. There was also a fan mix where those two were mixed together.

My "Enchanted" box set does not have "Listen to the rain" on it.

[UndoingTheLaces]

Wait a second- are you referring to the Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You Mega-Mix Shake Your Booty track LOL?!?

I would say skip Street Angel, but I do like a few songs enough that I never got rid of it. My CD has God's Garden and some other extra track on it, and they're both super depressing. I think one of Stevie's greatest weaknesses is writing about current events, as opposed to writing about things she really understands. Songs like Desert Angel, Jane, and Street Angel sound like she's trying too hard and IMO are horrific. Strong word but that's how I see it.

There was a period in the 90’s where they were taking 70’s and 80’s performers and pushing them on AOR (album oriented rock) radio, which was a very watered down, bland form of music aimed at the 40ish crowd who were no longer going out to clubs and supposedly wanted more mellow music from the artists they loved. That’s when we saw Billy Idol in a smoking jacket sitting in front of a fireplace and Rod Stewart doing ballads. When I heard Maybe Love and Unconditional Love I thought oh they’re trying to push Stevie to AOR now. It looked like a dead end street but I’m glad a lot of those artist came back from that. The 90’s were an odd time. Strangely enough I thought the demo of Maybe Love sounds a lot more like a Fleetwood Mac song and should have been the one that made the album.

[UndoingTheLaces]

My "Enchanted" box set does not have "Listen to the rain" on it.

Oh I’m mistaken then. All my music is on my computer now. I must be thinking of a bootleg mix. All I know is that there is an alternate mix if the Street Angel version of the song with a lot more guitar work. The vocal is the same but the music sounds a lot more energetic.

[petep9000]

Street Angel (album and tour) are MUCH better than The Other Side of The Mirror. She sounded and looked less dead. The tour was great.