I’m sooooo afraid….

[pattyfan]

I was sooooo glad to see this thread. I too am really worried that it's going to suck. I really hope I'm wrong, but I hate Stevie's stuff when it's middle of the road pop that doesn't have any of her stamp to it. I know that I'm in the minority, but I just wish she'd get a really good rock band and make a rock album with little production. Or make a country CD, again with little production. I will be the first one to say I'm wrong if it's great, or even good, but I don't have high hopes.

Kevin

p.s I love Smile at You from SYW!

[Artemis]

The way I think it's gonna go down is Stevie's going to write all the lyrics, and Dave will be writing the music. Because of her comment that she "only knows two or three chords"

Also, definitely agree with the poster who recommended Platinum Weird. Make Believe is a FANTASTIC album.

[APerfectLie]

Originally Posted by Artemis

The way I think it's gonna go down is Stevie's going to write all the lyrics, and Dave will be writing the music. Because of her comment that she "only knows two or three chords"

Also, definitely agree with the poster who recommended Platinum Weird. Make Believe is a FANTASTIC album.

I agree too! One of my favorites!

[studyinscarlet]

All I can think is, 'Reese Witherspoon? Good God! '

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by studyinscarlet

All I can think is, 'Reese Witherspoon? Good God! '

but but but but... she was fabulous in Cruel Intentions

[darklinensuit]

I am not so much concerned with production. At this point I'm numb to decent Stevie tracks being over-produced (like many on TOSOTM, TISL, & SYW) or taken in the wrong direction ("Smile at You" comes to mind). I think Jimmy was the only producer to have found the right balance & I have no great expectation that Dave will be any better or worse than others. Mostly I'm just glad to have new music.

What DOES concern me in the context of a new Stevie album is the tendency to release the wrong songs. ("Two Kinds of Love"? Really?) While I don't care that Stevie tops the charts, I do care that she is respected as a rocker & singer & especially a songwriter who is not resting on her laurels. I do not want to see another "Every Day" released - this being the best recent example of a Stevie track that is not written by her & has comparatively boring lyrics, an unremarkable vocal, & a totally adult contemporary sound. We don't need another woman singer of Stevie's generation making adult contemporary songs like Linda R. & Carly S. For one thing, Stevie's voice can't compete with theirs on that kind of track - her voice is made to rock. This is not to say that Stevie needs to avoid slow songs; a song like RAL, which could have been very adult contemporary, kept a rock edge because of Stevie's killer vocal, and more recently, Stevie's restrained vocal fit the sparse arrangement on "It's Only Love" just perfectly. But slow, plodding, croaky, over-produced songs are not what I want from a Stevie single on the radio.

As far as dave goes, I ask that he gets us better vocals from Stevie than what we got on much of the SYW album. (The start of DR still makes me cringe.) With the right vocal, I suppose that even a lackluster demo like Annabel Lee can be redeemed.

- Jake

[Phil]

I have had high hopes for the Stewart/Nicks collaboration from the moment it was mentioned. I think many of you will be surprised by how hard some of these tracks will rock - you need to remember that Eurythmics didn't only make synthersized pop and Dave's solo recordings from the 1990's definitely leaned towards harder-edged rock. I just remembered that he also produced The Ramones in the mid 1980's so there's another reference point for you.
My only concerns are that Stevie's lyrics are up to par ("Italian Summer" and the New Orleans song have me a little worried) and that she doesn't let us down vocally. Dave has a knack of producing high quality vocals from artists but a lot of this will rest on Stevie's shoulders and whether she wants to reach for the outer limits or not.
PS Darklinensuit, have you heard Carly Simon's vocals lately? I love her dearly, but her voice is all but gone I'm afraid - just check out either of her last two albums for proof of this. On the other hand, Linda Ronstadt can still control her voice like no other - she truly is magnificent.

[Zanobbi]

Originally Posted by pattyfan

...but I hate Stevie's stuff when it's middle of the road pop that doesn't have any of her stamp to it. I know that I'm in the minority, but I just wish she'd get a really good rock band and make a rock album with little production...

I think you're NOT in the minority. Stevie is at her best when she's a feisty rocker.

Originally Posted by darklinensuit

...I do not want to see another "Every Day" released - this being the best recent example of a Stevie track that is not written by her & has comparatively boring lyrics, an unremarkable vocal, & a totally adult contemporary sound. We don't need another woman singer of Stevie's generation making adult contemporary songs like Linda R. & Carly S.

AMEN

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by Zanobbi

I think you're NOT in the minority. Stevie is at her best when she's a feisty rocker.



AMEN

I definitely agree with Pattyfan and Darklinensuit as well. My biggest fear is we get an album which is full of Everydays and Maybe Love Will Change Your Minds. I'm sure that's exactly why Stevie roped in Mike Campbell into these sessions: because he always brings out the rocker in her. I think she knew she had to have at least a couple up tempo rock songs.

I just don't expect a full on rock album from Stevie at this point in her life, though. She's in her 60s... her peers are drawing Social Security. She's no longer a volatile young woman juggling famous men, hardcore drugs, and clawing out her niche in the music world. She's older, more settled, calmer. Stevie and Fleetwood Mac never did full on rock albums anyway... they were always pop/pop-rock at best.

[TrueFaith77]

Dont' forget that Mick supposedly drums on a good portion of tracks. That actually is the best hope that this could be her best solo album.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by Phil

PS Darklinensuit, have you heard Carly Simon's vocals lately? I love her dearly, but her voice is all but gone I'm afraid - just check out either of her last two albums for proof of this. On the other hand, Linda Ronstadt can still control her voice like no other - she truly is magnificent.

Yeah... Carly's voice... it is not remotely similar to what it was even ten years ago. I wonder what happened? She was still singing like a bird in 2000, but by 2005 her voice dropped an octave and now she can't even sing in tune anymore Nevertheless, I love love loved her 2008 album This Kind of Love, even though she basically sighed through most of it. I jumped at the chance to see her on the Lilith Fair tour this year, but sadly she had to cancel because of a broken foot that happened, um, weeks ago. For some reason I can't help but wonder if it was more likely due to the fact that she simply can no longer sing in concert without embarassing herself, and the broken foot was a convenient out. I've seen/heard/attended some of her recent performances and... . Of course this makes me worry about the state of Stevie's voice since they are similar in age, but the difference is that Stevie has been touring almost incessantly for the past 40 years and she has taken voice lessons and exercises her voice. Accordingly Stevie's voice has held up. By contrast, Carly pretty much stopped touring after 1981 and has only done concerts sporadically (but then again, she has recorded/released twice as many albums!). As the old saying goes, you use it or lose it!

As for Stevie's new album, I am fully anticipating a very highly polished "sterile" sound not unlike Lindsey's last couple of albums. I think anybody expecting Bella Donna 2 will be highly disappointed; without Roy Bittan and Benmont Tench on board, it would be impossible. I suspect it will sound like John Shanks' work on TISL- big, full, atmospheric... but with more acoustic guitar and strings. Musically I think we should expect soaring, majestic choruses featuring lots of high, wailing vocals from Mama herself- even if it means having to tweak things electronically. I would also not rule out the possibility of some R&B elements- something Mama has never done, even though she flirted with the possibility (Dallas Austin, Rodney Jerkins). And there will also be at least one semi-acoustic number ala "It's Only Love" (something he has done on a number of Eurythmics records). Given the degree of collaboration, I think this will be Stevie's most consistent album; however, it will also be the least Stevie album since so much of the songwriting and production has been given over to others. If anything, in the ten years after her last solo album, I would be most disappointed if she stagnated or didn't evolve in any way. Change is good! As long as she can put out an album and proudly sign her name to it, I am happy with it.

[SapphireSister]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I would also not rule out the possibility of some R&B elements- something Mama has never done, even though she flirted with the possibility (Dallas Austin, Rodney Jerkins).

That's why I love Rock a Little (the song) and Bombay Sapphires so much. To me they are her closest thing to R&B which I love. Even HSML has a hint of it.

[KarmaContestant]

Stevie working with Dave Stewart is a godsend, I think. It could be worse.

It was Stevie working with Rupert Hine that was the true horror.

In the end, I think every fan *secretly in their heart* really wants an album full of Sara, Gypsy and Edge of Seventeen sound-alikes. This is never going to happen, and it surprises me how quick to judge most of us are when it comes to the songs, the lyrics, the cover photos...for an album that hasn't even been given a release date.

Personally, I love to bitch and complain and discriminate and worry about all of the various 'what-ifs', but I really feel that at this time in her life, after this many years of working - we should all be grateful for any music she chooses to give us. So what if it's Annabel Lee - I'd rather have an album with some crappy songs I don't like, and a few that I'll love forever instead of no album at all, and I guess it really surprises me that any fan would feel otherwise.

No matter who produces, there are bound to be a few outstanding tracks - it's STEVIE after all. Even the rotten-lazy synth-pop album The Other Side of the Mirror has it's gems. This one will too regardless of who is orchestrating behind the scenes.

[SapphireSister]

I wrote a whole "what if" thing in the Dave thread like a month ago. Here it is:
"Ok guys so I haven't said a lot in regards to this new project which I know is rare for me but I finally just figured out why - I'm scared ****less! I know this sounds a little weird and I know I'm on the other side of the mirror (thanks Louie) but you see this is the first time since I became a Chiffonhead (2002) that Stevie has put out a solo album. Now I know she had new material on SYW but a)it was an FM album and b)I had only been hardcore for a year at that point. So much has changed since then - the tours, the Ledge, the Stevie friends, the music, Stevie Nicks 101 classes over and over. You get my point. So here are my fears: What if I don't connect with any of the new material? I know everything she's put out so well by now and have a relationship with those songs but what if I'm just not feeling it? Next, what if by some chance she does have a huge hit and goes mainstream again and we lose the Stevie we have now? What if she releases a demo I love and I hate what she's done to it? What if this is her "farewelll" solo album and she's retiring after this? Ok so I'm full of what if's and could go on and on and I know none of these things are likely to happen but my conclusion - as much as I can't wait for this album I hate change!"

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by SapphireSister

I wrote a whole "what if" thing in the Dave thread like a month ago. Here it is:
"Ok guys so I haven't said a lot in regards to this new project which I know is rare for me but I finally just figured out why - I'm scared ****less! I know this sounds a little weird and I know I'm on the other side of the mirror (thanks Louie) but you see this is the first time since I became a Chiffonhead (2002) that Stevie has put out a solo album. Now I know she had new material on SYW but a)it was an FM album and b)I had only been hardcore for a year at that point. So much has changed since then - the tours, the Ledge, the Stevie friends, the music, Stevie Nicks 101 classes over and over. You get my point. So here are my fears: What if I don't connect with any of the new material? I know everything she's put out so well by now and have a relationship with those songs but what if I'm just not feeling it? Next, what if by some chance she does have a huge hit and goes mainstream again and we lose the Stevie we have now? What if she releases a demo I love and I hate what she's done to it? What if this is her "farewelll" solo album and she's retiring after this? Ok so I'm full of what if's and could go on and on and I know none of these things are likely to happen but my conclusion - as much as I can't wait for this album I hate change!"

You know I meant "you're on the other side of the mirror" as a term of endearment and an utterly high compliment, right?

And I can totally relate to everything you just said. I've been following Stevie since '93, so I've seen some of the very worst and some of the very best of her material when it was brand new. I think like Carrie said recently, no matter how much Stevie can drive us all mad, give bad performances, release crappy songs, etc we all seem to stick around because she's just plain interesting to follow. She says one thing, does the opposite. She never fulfills promises; yet occasionally shocks us by performing songs we never thought we'd hear live, or records an old demo we've been waiting decades to hear in a completed form. She says she'll never perform again, then she's back on stage the next year. She can say the most shallow, vapid, utterly clueless crap in the world... and then in the next sentence say something so profound that it's shakes you to your core. You just never know with her, she's so unpredictable. I think that's what keeps us all coming back.

I think you totally nailed it though when you said you're scared to death of not liking her new material. I'm very nervous about it as well. I think we all are, that's why we're constantly posting our fears and criticisms, even though we haven't heard one stitch of the new material. Thinking back to when TISL was released, it was much the same story around here. Many didn't know what to think of Stevie working with the likes of Dallas Austin (because she pined for a more R&B feel), then Sheryl Crow, the album being delayed, delayed, delayed. But when it finally emerged, I know at least my fears were quelled. TISL was a very, very solid album, and very much in touch with the times (unlike her last album, Street Angel, which was anything but in touch with the times).

Anyway, to wrap up this overly long rambling: moral of the story is- regardless if Stevie hands us treasure or a turd with the new album, we'll all still be here... critiquing, hashing it out, same as always! Sad, ain't it?!?