Fixing Street Angel

[petep9000]

I always think that the version of 'Blue Denim' which made it to the SA album is so so much better than the version which was included on the 'Enchanted' box set. That BD is dull, whereas the album version is so full of life and sound. Plus, lots of organ which I think really compliments Stevie's sound and brings back to the days of 'Bella Donna'. I would imagine this is one of the SA tracks that was re-engineered after Stevie got better and decided to try to rescue SA. But what else was fixed? Does anyone have any SA 'before' tracks for comparison to the 'after' album tracks?

[vivfox]

Docklands was way better in its demo form as was Listen To The Rain.

[Travis]

Blue Denim – I agree that the CD version is better than the version that is on the Enchanted Boxed Set. The one on the boxed sets sounds like an adult contemporary version.

Listen To the Rain – I too like the demo version better than what is on the CD. She sounds like a female Bon Jovi on the CD. It’s like she is trying too hard to sound tough as opposed to just singing in her normal voice, and I cringe still when I hear it.

Street Angel – I don’t mind the version on the Boxed Set but I do prefer the CD version because of the guitar (that’s missing from the boxed set version). I think it adds to the song.

Rose Garden – Now I do think I prefer the one on the boxed set over the CD version mainly because the vocals are clearer.

Destiny – Never cared for the song so neither version does much for me.

Maybe Love – The demo that was floating around a few years ago, the one that opens with the drum sticks, that version is excellent. It’s more a singer/songwriter version as opposed to the more poppy version on the CD, which I don’t mind either.

Jane – Now I’m remembering, the other version of this that I heard (I guess the one that Daniel had posted on his site) was another great version. I think it was more piano driven; it’s been a while since I’ve heard it.

[JazmenFlowers]

the Greta demo pwns the SA version.

[Phoenix]

The SINGLE version of Blue Denim rocks even more than the album version. AND Inspiration should have been on the album, instead of just being a B-side, and import track.

[gldstwmn]

The Street Angel Master Mixes CD is a good counterpoint to what was acutally released. For the most part, I prefer it to the finished product especially Maybe Love. I'm sure there is a link to it in one of the demo threads somewhere.

[petep9000]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

The SINGLE version of Blue Denim rocks even more than the album version. AND Inspiration should have been on the album, instead of just being a B-side, and import track.

Yes! I had the 'cassingle' of this (I think I was one of the last people in the US to buy cassette singles), and I remember the guitar just lept out of the speakers. I thought it was cool, and I kinda/sorta liked the cassette artwork where Stevie was in the big black hat.

[drzubritsky]

I am one of the minority that actually kind of likes SA and thinks it is underrated (or at a minimum does not deserve the bashing it gets from Stevie and most of the fans). I agree with the OP that the SA version of "Blue Denim" is better than the Enchanted version.

But as far as "fixing" it, I don't really see any easy fixes. Certainly omitting a few of the weaker tracks ("Unconditional Love", "Just Like A Woman") and replacing them with some of the better songs that were cut during this era would help (e.g. "Inspiration", maybe "Thousand Days"). It would have been kind of cool to have her acoustic "It's Late" on there, but I believe that was cut the following year.

The real "unfixable" problem with SA is that the arrangements and production were very out-of-step with the times in 1994. For SA, Stevie reverted back to the 70s L.A. rock-style arrangements that had served her so well on BD and WH...not an unreasonable decision, but one that ultimately proved commercially disastrous as well as sealing her image at the time as something of a has-been.

Ironically, new female artists were blossoming around the time of SA (1993-1995 ish), with artists and bands like Sheryl Crow, The Cranberries, Alanis Morrissette, Natalie Merchant, etc. releasing music with a distinctly female perspective and which sounded up-to-date without being overly trendy. It would have been great to hear the production styles of some of these artists applied to the better SA material. While I don't think that would have turned SA into a major hit, it may have kept Stevie somewhat "in the game" as far as being a relevant female artist.

Despite being outdated at the time, I think the production on SA has actually held up BETTER than some of Stevie's other albums, particularly RAL, TOSOTM and the new cuts on Timespace.

[markolas]

Originally Posted by drzubritsky

The real "unfixable" problem with SA is that the arrangements and production were very out-of-step with the times in 1994.

I agree, altho I always thought it sounded very '80s - '80s music is hip now, but in 1994 it absolutely was not.

It's been a long time since I heard the Enchanted SA tracks, but I remember liking the Enchanted version of Street Angel better than the original album version, if not the others as well. The tracks she included on Enchanted are really the only ones that are objectively any good, IMO - most of the other songs are just cringe-worthy - lyrically, vocally, and musically.

[Bella Figura]

that's interesting because I always thought that the overall sadness of Street Angel fit perfectly with that time period of angsty music tho I do agree it was overproduced and overarranged...it should have been more stripped down with less instumentation...

[SpyNote]

Originally Posted by petep9000

Yes! I had the 'cassingle' of this (I think I was one of the last people in the US to buy cassette singles), and I remember the guitar just lept out of the speakers.

The single remix is only available on the U.S. promo CD. I like this version the best because it sounds complete.

Blue Denim (remix)

[Travis]

Originally Posted by SpyNote

The single remix is only available on the U.S. promo CD. I like this version the best because it sounds complete.

Blue Denim (remix)

You are correct Daniel - the remix only surfaced on the CD promo however the video is matched to the remix if I recall. What was the point of it being remixed if they were not going to issue it on the single? Weird.

[SpyNote]

Originally Posted by Travis

You are correct Daniel - the remix only surfaced on the CD promo however the video is matched to the remix if I recall.

Yeah, that's right. The CD has the full remix without the audience.

Originally Posted by Travis

What was the point of it being remixed if they were not going to issue it on the single? Weird.

Single remixes don't always appear on commercial releases. For example, this is often done with Madonna, whose promo catalog includes many commerically unreleased single remixes. Fortunately, iTunes has made more single remixes available to the public.

[skuncles]

I'm such an idiot, I see you posted the link to the Blue Denim remix and my first thought was "Wow, I have to have that!!" Then I stopped and realized, I already have this!! Back in the '90's I had a full time job, and LOT'S of disposable income and bought anything and everything to do with Stevie or Fleetwood Mac, as a result, I have all the promo singles along with tons of other stuff!! How could I forget about this!?!?

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by drzubritsky

I am one of the minority that actually kind of likes SA and thinks it is underrated (or at a minimum does not deserve the bashing it gets from Stevie and most of the fans). I agree with the OP that the SA version of "Blue Denim" is better than the Enchanted version.

But as far as "fixing" it, I don't really see any easy fixes. Certainly omitting a few of the weaker tracks ("Unconditional Love", "Just Like A Woman") and replacing them with some of the better songs that were cut during this era would help (e.g. "Inspiration", maybe "Thousand Days"). It would have been kind of cool to have her acoustic "It's Late" on there, but I believe that was cut the following year.

The real "unfixable" problem with SA is that the arrangements and production were very out-of-step with the times in 1994. For SA, Stevie reverted back to the 70s L.A. rock-style arrangements that had served her so well on BD and WH...not an unreasonable decision, but one that ultimately proved commercially disastrous as well as sealing her image at the time as something of a has-been.

Ironically, new female artists were blossoming around the time of SA (1993-1995 ish), with artists and bands like Sheryl Crow, The Cranberries, Alanis Morrissette, Natalie Merchant, etc. releasing music with a distinctly female perspective and which sounded up-to-date without being overly trendy. It would have been great to hear the production styles of some of these artists applied to the better SA material. While I don't think that would have turned SA into a major hit, it may have kept Stevie somewhat "in the game" as far as being a relevant female artist.

Despite being outdated at the time, I think the production on SA has actually held up BETTER than some of Stevie's other albums, particularly RAL, TOSOTM and the new cuts on Timespace.

This has to be one of the most well thought out critiques of SA I've read! I agree with most everything you said too.

I might have to niggle on a few little issues with you though. I was into Natalie, Sheryl, Alanis, etc when they all first hit the scene. I remember thinking that their sounds were very distinctly retro 70s, especially Sheryl's self titled album. But that's the irony of it all... new artists can find great success and acclaim sounding retro, but if an older artist reverts back to their golden era sound, they're panned.

Overall, I still really like SA despite it's flaws. I hold steady to my belief that it was the right kind of album for Stevie to make at the time. With the advent of grunge, and the general hardening sound of popular music following the '80s, Stevie badly needed to follow up OSOTM with a more back to basics rock album. And that's what SA is to me, despite it's shortcomings. Stevie stripped off her shawls, put away the fairy dust, and brought back out the electric guitars. I rate Blue Denim up there with anything she's ever recorded. I love the hard edged sound of Love Is Like A River, and the whimsy of Greta. SA really is a good little album in my book.

I agree, some tracks should never have seen the light of day, and others should have taken their place. She did some demos of If You Were My Love at the time which would have been GREAT! Thousand Days could have been worked in too . In the end, I think I like the potential SA possessed more than anything. There were some great bones holding the album up, which is why I will always defend it when people bash it.