Quote:
Originally Posted by TheWILDheart
I both agree and disagree MASSIVELY with this.
Stevie's songs on SYW, I thought, were fantastic and some of the best she's ever written - "Destiny Rules", "Thrown Down", "Illume" and "Everybody Finds Out" were classic Stevie, but sounded modern and fresh.
However, infinitely better than TISL? I couldn't disagree more. TISL, for me, has always been perfection of the highest order.
Stevie's post-2000 output has been far more consistent and solid than anything she did between 1984 and 1996, reminisent of her 1974 - 1983 years.
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I know this is sidetracking the thread a bit, but we seem to often go down this path about solo vs Fm Stevie quality. I firmly feel that the big difference between TISL and SYW is consistency of quality. TISL to me has several stellar moments surrounded by wastelands of yuckiness, whereas on SYW she is consistently strong.
My opinion is that even though Lindsey drives her nuts, he is able to build miracles out of her material that other producers do not - he draws out strong vocal performances and capitalizes on the hooks and atmosphere of her poetry and melodies in ways others have not. I think solo, some of the real weaknesses of her songs and vocal stylings are allowed to hang out in your face, whereas with FM the strengths of the songs and vocals are highlighted.
Sorry to sidetrack. But this opinion is a basis of the sorrow and frustration many of us feel when we hear Stevie being negative about recording with FM - we fear that we will never get the great songs and performances anymore, just Dave Stewart co-written pop, or a dog's breakfast of mediocrity with other producers.
There are only a few years left to craft another "Sara" or "Gypsy" or "Seven Wonders" or "Silver Springs" or "Thrown Down."