Trouble in Shangri-La better than IYD and 24KG?

[wheart]

Originally Posted by teedeerocks

I totally agree with you about 24 karat.It was rushed and it sounds rushed.I didn't even buy it which is unheard of for me.I've listened to it many times,but I'm just not feelin' it.Having said that,I do love Lady,The Dealer, and Belle Fleur.With the exception of a few songs,I totally love TISL and IYD.But then she came out with the IYD documentary and showed her bossy,self-important personality and, well,I guess that's another thread........

well she is bossy and self important, I'll give you that! See, the "rushed" quality that you don't like in 24K is just what I do like...but to me it just sounds more spontaneous and free flow than her previous two, very manicured albums. Neither approach is bad, just different. 24K reminds me of The Wild Heart in it's live, organic feel. Her vocals , in particular, sound very spontaneous and "free", probably largely due in part to the fact that she was singing live along with the band. She even admitted she tried a little bit harder because she was performing for them, in a way. I think Stevie needs that sort of live inspiration to really get her going.

[jcalzaretta]

I loved most of TISL when it came out. The songs I loved then I still love now. The problem is the stuff I don't like (TFFT, It's Only Love, Love Is, Love Changes.).

I loved IYD when it came out and still do. Love that whole record. I can go without GAG mostly though.

I loved and still love 24 Karat Gold. I think that is the best of the three by far and will hold up better than others.

[Johnny Stew]

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by wheart

See, the "rushed" quality that you don't like in 24K is just what I do like...but to me it just sounds more spontaneous and free flow than her previous two, very manicured albums. Neither approach is bad, just different. 24K reminds me of The Wild Heart in it's live, organic feel. Her vocals , in particular, sound very spontaneous and "free", probably largely due in part to the fact that she was singing live along with the band. She even admitted she tried a little bit harder because she was performing for them, in a way. I think Stevie needs that sort of live inspiration to really get her going.

This touches on why I have such a duality of feelings regarding 24k. On one hand the individual songs benefit hugely from the more raw sound- they haven't been polished and overproduced to the point where they don't have teeth. I like the fact you get a much clearer look at who Stevie is through this back to basics, mostly unfiltered style. It's not Stevie through a lense- it's just Stevie, as she is. Because of that, this album will remain timeless because of it's lack of contemporary sonic gimmicks.

On the other hand, this is 24k's biggest weakness, too. The individual songs are fantastic for the most part- incredibly strong. But what is the common thread that binds them together into a cohesive effort? The songs and styles are just all over the place, making 24k seem more like a botched mix tape than a fully fleshed out album.

[tabruns]

I don't think so. I think the album's theme is stated right in the subtitle "songs from the vault". That's what combines them into an album.

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

The songs and styles are just all over the place, making 24k seem more like a botched mix tape than a fully fleshed out album.

That sounds like an accurate description of...Tusk!
Perhaps this is Stevie's Tusk album. It might take a long span of time and perspective to appreciate its place of significance in the context of her solo career.

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by jcalzaretta

I loved IYD when it came out and still do. Love that whole record. I can go without GAG mostly though.

I love the album too, but Ghosts Are Gone is a sore spot. The song is good, but the arrangement is just too over-bearing. The heavy, grating guitar riff wrecks it. A more subtle approach would make the song much more appealing.

[sorcerer999]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

That sounds like an accurate description of...Tusk!

I too am of the opinion that the subtitle of "Songs From The Vault" excuses the project of any responsibility to have a common thread running throughout...but in actuality, I'd venture to say that the thread actually IS the fact that all these tunes come from different eras...and for me that makes 24KG one of the most original and unique concepts that any artist has released.

I mean, I can't think of any other artist who has taken demos from the past 40+ years of their career and rerecorded them as a brand new project. Sure there have been a lot of artists that release their original demos, outtakes and B-sides from past endeavors, but never an entire project of rerecorded demos.