ONE YEAR of "24 Karat Gold"!!!

[sorcerer999]

Exactly one year ago, I was lucky enough to receive the vinyl deluxe edition of "24KG" in the mail a couple of days earlier than the September 30th release date. I remember being at work and checking the delivery status and seeing that it was scheduled to be delivered by UPS sometime that day. I got home at 5:30pm and it still hadn't arrived. You better believe I made a huge pitcher of iced tea and sat on the porch with a book, waiting with baited breath for the UPS guy, who didn't show up until almost 7pm!

One year later and this album still makes me very happy. I still strongly believe that there really weren't any radio friendly/radio "single worthy" tracks on this album (with the exception of "24 Karat Gold" the song) and maintain that it's an album with "no era" because it evokes "ALL ERAS" of Stevie's career. This is the one album, for me personally, that is meant to be listened to from start to finish as one indivisible and congruent collection. Although, I will say that the six songs I originally plucked as my personal favorites on that first listen...
24 Karat Gold
If You Were My Love
Belle Fleur
All The Beautiful Worlds
Watch Chain
Hard Advice

...are basically STILL my favorites off the album and have found their way into all my musical mixes, playlists, etc, respectively.

The two songs I initially loathed - "Blue Water" and "She Loves Him Still" have really grown on me over this past year, which makes me happy. I guess, as somebody said on another thread awhile back, you could call these two songs the "slow burns" for me. It really took me quite awhile to appreciate them.

Most of the rest of the songs I also truly enjoy "within the context of the album as a whole entity" (as discussed in a previous thread). So I'm relieved, and a tad shocked, that there aren't any songs off this album that I truly hate or have an urge to "skip".

I also look as this album as the "soundtrack" to my remodeling, repainting and redecorating project that I did on my home this past year. From October 2014 to this past July (yeah, it took awhile) I would pick a room, choose a paint color (or colors), put on my headphones and play "24KG" on repeat until I was finished. It's a great album to have on in the background. It makes monotonous work not so boring, singing along.

I haven't listened to the album or any of the individual songs in about three months since the beginning of July, but I played it all the way through today because of the "year anniversary". It is still holding up for me. Although I am putting it to rest once again to make room for several new albums that were just released or are soon to be released later this year from some of my other favorite artists.

I was thrilled with this record when it first came out and I'm still thrilled with it today! I must say I'm so glad she recorded it and that we finally have some of these songs that have been on our "wish lists" for decades! "24 Karat Gold" was a fabulous addition to her catalog. I really hope she is proud of it! I know there are a lot of you on here who are detractors and have let certain "production issues", however minimal, hamper your enjoyment of this record. I'm so glad it doesn't hamper mine!

Okay. Your turn! How is "24 Karat Gold" holding up for you after one year?

[pryderi]

It still plays in my car. I love it. I had to make another one for my car because the first one played out. Only I omitted "I Don't Care". Shame on me!

[mitzo]

I love the album and still listen regularly. Her best since the 80's. I prefer the regular album without having to sit through the rather trying Twisted and Watch Chain. I also skip the disappointing Hard Advice and I Don't Care mostly. But the album is pure Stevie and gives me a lot of what I love from her, which has been muted in the recent era of her solo career. A sweet box of confections and I really hope she gives us at least one more.

[Jondalar]

Love the album without having myself to force myself to. It's the real deal. Her best since the very early 80s. I still play it. Hope she makes another one.

[sorcerer999]

Originally Posted by mitzo

I really hope she gives us at least one more.

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Hope she makes another one.

Ditto! I think the "vault concept" warrants at least one more effort...but not a third. In my opinion, a SFTV part 2 should be used to "clean house" with the rest of the stellar demos yet to see a proper release. A third record would just be pushing it. She should make a SFTV part 2 (after recording with Fleetwood Mac of course) and then get back to making records with fresh (or at least freshER) material.

Sorry to get off topic.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by sorcerer999

Ditto! I think the "vault concept" warrants at least one more effort...but not a third. In my opinion, a SFTV part 2 should be used to "clean house" with the rest of the stellar demos yet to see a proper release. A third record would just be pushing it. She should make a SFTV part 2 (after recording with Fleetwood Mac of course) and then get back to making records with fresh (or at least freshER) material.

Sorry to get off topic.

Well there is one thing people forget to recognize; everything she has done since the low of Street Angel has been a step up from the previous effort. Street Angel < Trouble in Shangri La < Say You Will < In Your Dreams < 24 K arat Gold

She keeps improving with each release. She is ending her career on very good terms. I seriously doubt the next project will be a dud. In fact, if it follows her trend, it will probably be an improvement on 24k, which means it's going to be great!

[pattyfan]

It's still the only solo Stevie CD after BD and WH that I like and/or love all the way through. I listen to it a lot. I never thought I'd say that again about a Stevie solo CD, so I guess sometimes good things really do come to those who wait.

Kevin

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by pattyfan

It's still the only solo Stevie CD after BD and WH that I like and/or love all the way through. I listen to it a lot. I never thought I'd say that again about a Stevie solo CD, so I guess sometimes good things really do come to those who wait.

Kevin

I agree that is on par with her 1st two releases. It feels like her long lost album.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by mitzo

I love the album and still listen regularly. Her best since the 80's. I prefer the regular album without having to sit through the rather trying Twisted and Watch Chain. I also skip the disappointing Hard Advice and I Don't Care mostly. But the album is pure Stevie and gives me a lot of what I love from her, which has been muted in the recent era of her solo career. A sweet box of infections and I really hope she gives us at least one more.

I Don't Care bothers me too. Steller production accompanied by juvenile lyrics. Her lyrics almost ruin the track. Horrible writing. When this landed on Facebook, people gave it bad reviews because of her teenage lyrics. But the production is super!

[SisterNightroad]

I still love the record, it's been a while since I last listened to it because I wanted to have a pause to hear it again with fresher ears, and maybe the first anniversary is the perfect date.
I still have the same opinion as when I first bought the CD; it's one of her best works and a good album in the old fashioned way, taken as a whole and I still enjoy sitting and listening to it from start to finish.
However I changed my mind on a few songs with time:

1) I don't care, that initially was one of the songs that hooked me up because it showed a Stevie's rock side brought back to life, has receded to be just a catchy song that I appreciate "within the context of the album as a whole entity". The instrumental is gourgeous but the fun and carefree lyrics haven't left a lasting trace on me.

2) The songs chosen for release, Lady, Starshine, 24K Gold and The dealer have dulled a bit overtime with repetitive listenings. I still enjoy them greatly but they're not the reason why I listen to this album.

3) Blue water has really grown on me, I haven't really expected that. Also Belle Fleur was a slow burn but I didn't initially resist it as much as the previous.

[Aussie W/Heart]

SFTV ranks in the Top 3 in my books, i only removed from my car stereo about 4 weeks ago..
Favorite songs
24 Karat Gold
Mable Normand
ATBW
Belle Fleur
Lady
Yeah i also love the production of I Don't Care, the words are way too repetitive.

She has so many other gems that need to go on SFTV Volume 2, which WILL include hopefully
Julia
At The Fair
FOTBR
Chanel Chanel
I Call You Missing
Something Exquisite
Baby Doll
Space Needle
TPGITW

[sadmabelnormand]

I finally got it on vinyl yesterday, a fitting tribute as the album's first birthday is here! Re-listening to it all the way through, the only songs that I listen to "within the context of the album as a whole entity" are I Don't Care and Lady. Lady is a beautiful song, but the song basically repeats itself twice. And I Don't Care has a great instrumental, but the lyrics are a tad bland.

My top 5 songs have to be (In no particular order)-
Hard Advice
She Loves Him Still
Starshine
Mabel Normand
Cathouse Blues

[AnthonyMI]

Im anxious to hear the updated newly recorded duet with Kenny G for Tragedy of Ones own Soul or Lilly Girl or whatever it was called before he stole it and turned it into Forever In Love.

[Jondalar]

Love the album, but I do have some criticisms.

1. The lyrics to I Don't Care suck.
2. I like Hard Advice alot but she almost ruins it with stupid lyrics at the end that make the song uncoverable by other artists who could turn that song into a hit.
3. The Dealer is a great song but her vocal could of been better. There were a few moments during the initial listening of the song where I cringed.
4. Lady goes on to long.
5. She needs to tie herself, her friends and Mabel Normand together within the song. It's not a song, just a rant with stellar production. She could of written a more coherent song.

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Love the album, but I do have some criticisms.

1. The lyrics to I Don't Care suck.
2. I like Hard Advice alot but she almost ruins it with stupid lyrics at the end that make the song uncoverable by other artists who could turn that song into a hit.
3. The Dealer is a great song but her vocal could of been better. There were a few moments during the initial listening of the song where I cringed.
4. Lady goes on to long.
5. She needs to tie herself, her friends and Mabel Normand together within the song. It's not a song, just a rant with stellar production. She could of written a more coherent song.

Your observations are interesting.

I agree that the lyrics of I Don't Care are unfortunately pedestrian and cliche. The song doesn't live up to its intended expectation.

I don't mind Hard Advice. It's a very "Stevie" song in terms of its peculiarity. A lot of Stevie songs are "uncoverable." That's not such a bad thing.

For sure, Lady does drone on too long. A bit of editing would have helped. The same verse and chorus drags on repetitively one too many times.

I feel that Mabel Normand is a significant stand out number in her body of work. It's more than a song -- it's an art piece. It's a rare instance of Stevie stepping outside of her staid musical conventions.

It's deceptively coherent. The middle "change sides" passage serves to distinguish two sides of the of the narrative. In a sing/talk manner she tells a story in her unique impressionistic way. Then she reiterates it in a heightened state of panicked urgency.

It's an artistic statement that challenges the listener, and takes no prisoners.