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#121
10-07-2014, 04:02 AM
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I love "Carousel" very much. It was one of her mum's favourites before she died, so it doesn't matter that it isn't one of her vault songs.
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#122
10-07-2014, 01:02 PM
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For me, I love the contrast of this Twisted with the other. And I like the soothing, sultry voice Stevie uses, with the background singers. Although she's singing about tumultuous crazy people wrapped up in a storm, fueled by demons, the vocal is almost like a lullabye, belying (and somehow multiplying) the passion.
I think Blue Water is perfection. And then you just have the songs that you can imagine in concert, bouncing, catchy, infectuous: Starshine, The Dealer, 24 Karat Gold, Watch Chain. I don't like I Don't Care, but it needs to be in her next set anyway, as the new rocker and it will be just as good as FFG or GAG in that spot. All The Beautiful Worlds nails it with that "don't give that to her, give that to me" part especially. I feel that Belle Fleur, Mabel Normand, Lady, If You Were My Love and Hard Advice are mediocre. But they add their own texture and variety to the album, as a whole, while falling short individually in my ears. She Loves Him Still is perfect as the closer. Even if I re-sequenced the whole thing, I would always leave that one at the end. I feel that Carousel is above average, yet I would rather have a less symmetrical Stevie demo in place of this song. This is not the worse song on the album, but it is the first one I would drop. Cathouse Blues is light. Fun, but forgettable. Michele
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#123
10-07-2014, 03:03 PM
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Ok I can finally write a full review after listening the CD on very loud very clear speakers, and that made a big difference in at least 3 songs.
Starshine wow what a perfect opening song. I've loved this song for weeks as a stand alone track but it sounds even better as the launch point for this incredible album. 10/10 The Dealer nothing's changed from the single release. No matter what the sound system or volume. Mediocre unreleased song turned mediocre song. Still enjoyable and no means a skipper but nothing special 7/10 Mable Normand Holy f**in s**t, this has gone from favorite song on the album to maybe favorite solo song EVER. Realistically top 5 for sure. I never get when you guys all say a song brings you to tears. But driving home from best buy and having this song come on in the car, I couldn't help but think never did I think stevie could release a song like this in 2014. These are stevie nicks lyrics. Not straight forward words sprinkled all over this century. Cryptic sh*t like your in exhile, so I'll write a book and call it beloved exhile. And sure these words are from 1985, but they come alive in the delivery from 2014 which ironically sounds like the delivery is coming straight from the stage in red rocks Colorado in 1986. So to wrap this up hearing this song come out of my car made me start to mildly tear up. First time ever.15/10 Blue Water my 25 minute ride home from best buy to my house includes about 6 to 7 minutes along the niagara river. Without planning this at all, this song comes on during that stretch. Danm right that effected my enjoyment of the song. This demo was never a favorite of mine so I had no investment in that like many of you. I like this song a lot within the album, and I think it's gonna be better during different settings. Like I said looking at actual blue water helps. 7.5/10 Cathouse Blues this song had no business ever being released  and it should've been a bonus track or buried in In a soundtrack (stevie should've spoke up when they made that Garfield movie, that she had the perfect song for the soundtrack!) again might not always skip it, but this is the first song I'd kick off the album even if there's maybe 2 others I enjoy less. 6.5/1024karat Gold Again like Starshine I've loved this song for weeks, but also within the whole album and hearing it clearer have taken it to another level. This is actually one of two demos that were actually on my initial wish list, and they omitted much of what I loved in the demo, most importantly the here comes the cold chill line. And I can't stand how the first two times she says 24 karat gold there's that weird pause instead of sticking with you like my 24 karat gold chain of chains sung fast. But all that aside I love this as much if not much more then the demo. They kept the most important element, the haunting blue lamp like piano. And the added instruments and production make it sound the most like the studio Rhiannon since we'll Rhiannon. And this song properly carries the title of being the title song to a stevie nicks album. Her title songs are typically one of the most well loved and typically epic song on the album yet somehow never performed live  In Your Dreams is a great song don't get me wrong, but it seriously strayed from the title song standard of TISL Wild Heart and Rock a Little. 24 KG can stand shoulder to shoulder with those 10/10Hard Advice can't say I can compare this to anything she's ever done. Can't put my finger on what makes this sound unique. IT just makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside especially during the chorus. But it's just average to sort of good until the 3 minute mark, then it becomes really good to great. love the way she sings the line " and reminds me" 9/10 Lady the later 2 singles really made me not ever look back at this song . But this song sounds SOOO good as the centerpiece of the album. Perfect breather before the next 3 very heavy songs. And calling it a breather almost seems unfair, because it's pretty heavy itself just in another way. Pretty much all of the singles which were already great songs sound so much better within the context of the album. Except the dealer, on its own or in a group, it's all the same 9/10 I Don't Care like I previously said it bothers me how little love Stevie's modern day rockers get. And this song has been no exception. And although I like it a lot I can see peoples criticisms in ghosts are gone. It sounds very "heh look at me, I'm 63 and can still rock" with the very in your face opening that continues thru the whole song. And the vocal is kind of lousy other then the climax at about the 3 50 mark. But I hate to quote lindsey, but I don't care seems far more organic. And much much more melodic and sophisticated. Like was said many times, this sounds like led zeppelin. I love the many musical changes. And the whole 6 minutes is enjoyable. I find the last 2 minutes of ghosts are gone to be useless. And where as ghosts has that awesome 20 second moment, I couldn't tell you where IDCs climax is. The whole song is a continuous great vocal.10/10 All the Beautiful Worlds the other demos actually on my wish list. And like many have said this song needed 0 changes and that's basically what they did. Perfection. Especially that vocal on the last minute of the song. And then the last growl in the last 5 seconds  This released version reminds me so much more of How Still My love then the outtake . 10/10Belle Fleur This song benefitted from the better speakers and volume then any other song, especially on the intro. This is now top 5 at least. Such a catchy yet rocking and adventurish song 10/10 If You Were My Love I keep waiting for the lines... Moment to moment yeah yeah moment to moment everyone EVERY one must remain faithful. But no she just keeps repeating the most boring parts of the And don't still me she can't pull that off. She does it all over this album. I'd say she does all over just all the beautiful worlds. I do love the vocal and its one of the top 5 "moments" on the album when Sh sings the words "at allll" like she's slowly fading away as the faint electic guitar kicks in. That alone kicks this 2 points from a 6 to a 8/10 carousel as previously stated, I LOVE This song. It takes that warm and fuzzy factor from Hard Advice to another level, ironically a scale I didn't have to invent until this albums release But it's such a perfect song. It's like I'm in a dream where it's dark and I'm in the forest somewhere. And then that violin kicks in and the song goes to another level. And please ledges, like the song or don't like the song, but please don't give the lame excuse of " ooooh Sh didn't write it, it's a lesser song." I doubt Linda ronstandts fans say that about half of her songs. 10/10She Loves Him Still we'll like I've previously said I could never ever finish this song all the way to the end. I consider this demo to be the worst pieces of garbage I've ever heard stevie sing. But I've made it thru this released version 3 times  I don't love it by any means, but it's a good closer and I love the flute solo. Was that part from goodby baby in the demos?7/10
__________________
Never Dance with the Devil He Will Burn You Down
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#124
10-07-2014, 03:36 PM
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I finally listened to the deluxe version of 24 Karat Gold last night, after limiting myself to just snippets of released songs for the past few weeks.
Without a doubt, this is one of Stevie's strongest efforts, surpassing Trouble in Shangri-la and, to some extent, In Your Dreams. First of all, there's Stevie's voice. It hasn't sounded this strong and confident and soft and melodic in years. She isn't yelling (save for the last 45 seconds of "Lady"); she's singing....and emoting. "Starshine" is the perfect, upbeat album opener that immediately lets the listener know she's in for a treat. The title track is pure Stevie magic, as is "Belle Fleur," a wondrous and inventive folk-rocker that immediately transports you to 1970s California. "Mabel Normand" is transcendent with its vision of a woman on the edge, and the aforementioned "Lady" is simply divine as a moving piano-driven tearjerker propelled by Stevie's world-weary but wise voice. Other standout tracks for me include "All the Beautiful Worlds," with its lovely call and response from the girls, "Watch Chain," with its funky bass line and vivid lyrics, and the beautiful album closer "She Loves Him Still," with its delicate vocal and goose bump-inducing coda ("And the sands of time like shattering glass go past her/Straight back to the sea..."). There isn't a clunker in the bunch, although to my ears "If You Were My Love" never really goes anywhere; it just kind of meanders along, never reaching any meaningful climax. And "Carousel," though lovely, seems out of place on this disc. This may change, but for me, right now, 24 Karat Gold is Stevie's best solo album of the 2000s. Yes, the songs were written years ago, but she infuses them with the wisdom of her age, the perspective of a woman who has embraced her legacy, and an energy we haven't seen in years. It's a great time to be a Stevie fan. 9 out of 10 for me.
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#125
10-07-2014, 06:54 PM
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i love love looooooooooove her "well I got your demons" line she's the protector but also i get the impression she represents all the crazy too  i didn't feel this with the other versions but this one is like a big ode to Stevie & Lindsey songs song. I listen to it and see The Dance vision playing and then 70s Buckingham/Nicks and then ... I don't even imagine Twister ... I get images of Practical Magic that I haven't even see in full  Quote:
wow 15/10. hell i'd give it 20. i've had the same 4 fave Stevie songs for like 15 years but this is def in the top 5. it might be my 2nd favorite ever ... or third it makes me imagine being an adult in 86 (and not 3) being there at a show but it's 2014 and i need to see this live. i will cry.
__________________
she thought she was out there...but nobody saw...
Last edited by StreetAngel86; 10-07-2014 at 07:00 PM..
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#126
10-07-2014, 07:08 PM
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For me, this is Stevie's most "guitar driven" album. In some places, it rocks A LOT. Although the record has some weak spots, I like it a lot. For being a quickly recorded effort, her production team has done a wonderful job. It doesn't quite beat "In Your Dreams", but it comes mighty close.
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#127
10-07-2014, 08:21 PM
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Michele
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#128
10-07-2014, 08:23 PM
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#129
10-07-2014, 09:25 PM
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#130
10-10-2014, 07:06 AM
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Starshine - A rollicking good time, musically. Starshine. You used to be silver. You used to make me shiver. WTF is Starshine? An icicle? The Petty vibe doesn't save this. And thus the descent into He Said She Said journal reporting begins. Depressing to think that this began before OSOTM. Quotes lifted off the pages, with nary a poetic filter. Good God, these lyrics are nonsense on the first song. Not a good sign.
If You Were My Love - This diminished key thing always works for Stevie. But here it sounds oddly off key. The dissonance is as much a melody issue as it is the awkward phrasing. If this album had a theme it would be awkward phrasing. The chorus is actually memorable and catchy in its sadness. The crosses to bear harmony is a highlight of the album. There is a lullaby quality here that is somewhat sweet. Mabel Normand - A verse and refrain desperately looking for a chorus or a chainsaw to cut out all the superfluous lyrics. Note: Just because you wrote a song about a raging drug addict while in the throes of being a raging drug addict yourself does not mean the song was good. Was that maybe supposed to be the point? You will write sh%%ty songs about other drug addicts while you are addicted to drugs and you will think they are great. They weren't. They aren't. Here's mine! Don't do drugs! That is the only possible level on which this song could work. Twisted - A THIRD version? Why? It barely merited one. Redundant. What's next, revisiting Jane? It didn't work the first two times. This is better, granted. The vocal is whispery dynamite. The song just isn't worth doing 3 times. 24k Gold - Fateful minor chord classic Stevie. I really love the melody of this. This song has all the elements of a gem. Then it falls short. Missing a bridge? Missing a resolution. It reminds me of Straight Back and Sable on Blonde. However, Sable on Blonde has that spectacular climax. That makes it a finished song. Which this is not. It is a dreamy pretty meditation on a vague theme, just not a finished product. Two measures of words ending in wailing A note before the solo would have rendered this a legendary song. But as it stands it is all just lovely foreplay with no orgasm. No thanks. Belle Fleur - Great intro that should have stayed in the arrangement throughout. But these are two half finished musical pieces that have nothing to do with each other. I have no idea what the hell this song is about. I doubt anyone else does either. A bunch of chicks in her El Contento house in the backyard partying wishing there were some dudes? Then they dance in a circle and get high and wish a bunch of guys would show up magically? That's all I can make of it. Interesting visual I suppose, but not really a song. All these pretty drunk flowers needing stamens. Seriously? Somewhere Joni is shaking her head in shame and disbelief. One imagines this party just erupted into busting out primitive 70's sex toys and more coke. Maybe I just decoded it, but it ain't pretty. Is this genius or a splattered flowery mess? I haven't the first idea. But to a gay dude it sounds kind of horrifying. ATBW - Where is the thumping bass drum? The urgency? The drama, sex and drive are all but sucked out of this due to slow pacing. It isn't terrible, but it could have been great. The girls are in fine form on this. Lori is so good. The bridge is still herky jerky though, and that should have been fixed. Too bad, that. There are more soft vocals from Stevie, and those are nice. This is one of the only demos here I really loved, and it isn't nearly as good as the original. If I could speed this up it might be way better. But there is no fixing that off kilter bridge. Lady - Kind of gorgeous in parts. This is a masterpiece that is too long by one minute and one repeat. I do love the high notes. But I have to admit that they shouldn't go on so long. That trumpety sharp tone physically hurts my ears. I am thrilled to hear her hit those notes, but a little of them goes a long way in this song. I never thought I would say it, but more than two counts and those notes are shrill. Shrill as a tinny assed 90's car alarm. That, my friends, is producer problem. She is hitting the notes, but it comes off as screaming in tune. I can't bear to listen to the last 45 seconds again. Ever again. And that is a shame. I Don't Care - I Don't. I Do. Where am I? Who the hell are you? Why is this music a bad version of one of Heart's Led Zeppelin rip offs? Why do I sound like a schizophrenic stalker date from hell? Where is a lyric editor when you need them? Ooh baby, no one cares. And this is crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Watch Chain - Thumpy lurching and clunky. Just as bottom heavy and stumbling as the demo. The one thing about this song that is catchy is the phrase Watch Devil. Throwaway. Hard Advice - This has some great lyrical lines that are marred by bad amateur slide guitar (the only band missteps I noticed), and even more stumbling lyric rhythms. No one can get away with this crap but Stevie. These guitar lead lines are really amateurish. Mind bogglingly bad. But I do like how the bridge basically slams into the end. That's a new twist. I think this is a fairly successful song in spite of all the abundant BS of it. Best of all, it gives us a great new line to toss off at friends. Don't buy that doll, bitch. Mark my words, some NOTS girls are gonna be tossing that one out next year. Jazmen Flowers, where are you when I need you? Carousel - This a sweet and magical song. It is a bright, shimmery blanket that floats into the air like a miracle from beyond. This sound evokes a wonderful fairyland that makes me think of the technicolor backdrop at the end of the Gypsy video. It makes me see vibrant pastels, multicolored moving clouds, flying silvery fringes, and slow motion explosions of iridescent glitter. The vocals are heavenly and seamlessly blended. These voices beat her and the girls. This gives THE TRIO a run for their money. What a lovely interlude. It unfolds in a sparkly swirling majestic confection that sounds like a theremin. It is my favorite song on the record by far. I just listened to it 7 times in a row. I will never tire of it. I love it that much. Breathtakingly pretty. Probably the most stunningly beautiful thing Stevie has recorded in her career. This makes the entire record worth it. The Dealer isn't the bar of the album, this is. It should have been the single. Genius. Epic. These are glorious harmonies that make a grown Sparky weep. Blue Water - I never liked the demo and I don't like this much either. It always struck me as some pretty harmonies on a song about nothing. Stevie stared at the ocean while she was stoned and lonely and wrote a song. So what? That's supposed to be remarkable? This plays as a bad toss away 70's filler song. It sounds like a Little River Band reject. Or Smiling Islands part 2. This is a stoned 70's dawn in Marina Del Rey that should have been forgotten. Cathouse Blues - One of my favorite demos. Granted, it is a novelty song. But I like this Dixieland swamp saloon thing. This is exactly what the song was supposed to be. I like Stevie trying on different styles, and the added little musical vamp at the end and the chorus repeat is fun. They went out on a limb with this and it works. I picture her draped over a well worn piano in a smoky Gunsmoke bar wearing a black and red Miss Kitty Merry Widow singing this without a mic. Or as Joanie from Deadwood. This is evocative and daring. That cartoon cats interview is BS. This is a song that should be sung by a whore or a madam in the faded grandeur of a broken down saloon. Some girl a little worn down by the rigors of time but still firmly grasping her beauty with a fierce grip. Like Jessica Lange playing a juke joint hooker. Perfectly realized song. The Dealer - The best written song on here. The closest thing to a great song this collection contains. If the other songs were this complete this record could have been something else. This could have been the 4th best song on Bella Donna. And a hit in 1981. Another classic phrase is gifted to us. Katherine DeLongpre, I would like you to meet Ida Runaway. You will both live on in infamy. She Loves Him Still - Another fingerpicking minor chord dirge? With more lyric clunks? And He Said She Said? With Celtic flourishes? Kill me now. Self pity masturbatory swill. What does it sound like to make love to your own grief? Here's your answer. Hallmark would reject this for being too syrupy. This probably embarrasses Taylor Swift. The last thing anyone on earth needs is another song that could be seen as a Lindsey regret wallow. This never should have made it out of the vault. And it renders any Hard Advice as falling on deaf ears. A humiliating note to end on. DOA. Translation for the less literate is Dead On Arrival. ------------------------------------ Ultimately there aren't that many good songs on this record. The careful, sometimes perfect production and often career defining vocals can't salvage subpar material. Let's face it. These songs weren't used before for very good reasons. It wasn't a matter of room. Many of them are in Gate and Garden, Love Is Like A River, or The Nightmare territory. The majority of them are melodically uninteresting, thematically unrealized, or just plain unfinished. If these songs had all been given the songwriting revitalization we saw with Moonlight, this release would be all around historic. But it is a heartening collection to me nonetheless. The Packaging, Polaroids, and overall Art Direction are great. Mostly this proves to me that Stevie is still capable of busting out historically great vocals. All she needs is the right songs to soar. These are not them. But she does have them in her or at her disposal. Carousel is a deathbed song for me. It doesn't matter to me that she didn't write it. That one song is a career defining recording and it shows she still has good taste and a great ear. It was worth listening to the other crap to hear that one. With Stevie, a guy has to take what he can get and wait. Thankfully she is nothing if not prolific. I have faith that greater things are yet to come. .
__________________
======================================== All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others.
Last edited by sparky; 10-10-2014 at 07:18 AM..
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#132
10-10-2014, 08:05 AM
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#135
10-10-2014, 08:26 AM
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To each his own opinion, but I really didn't expect the polarization in the reviews of 24K. To these relic ears of a life long Stevie fan, the album is spectacular, filled with those moments that remind me why I've stuck with Stevie through thick and thin. She has delivered in spades, easily some of her best work. But heck, even back in the day she was described by some as the "mooncalf she's always been" for those fab 5 tunes on Tusk, so go figure. Granted, she is held to a higher standard due to her famous stature but her oft-criticized vocal performances undergo a different level of scrutiny than say a Mick Jagger (who is really a character rock singer than a technically competent vocalist). I'm just going to enjoy these stellar performances and play it loud and often.
__________________
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