"Bella Donna"/"Wild Heart" Deluxe Sets - Reviews and Opinions

[KarmaContestant]

The Bella Donna outtakes CD.

Some highlights:

How Still My Love. So this thing starts out sort of scratchy and and then about halfway through an intensity came into the song that took me by surprise. I can imagine that, if given a longer solo tour, How Still My Love might have evolved into something like this on stage, with an extended vampy ending.

Leather And Lace. Well color me surprised! This was amazing and refreshing. The uptempo on the first chorus was a nice touch! Another A+

Bella Donna. I didn't listen to but a few moments of this when it was previewed a couple weeks back. Tonight, I found that sweet spot in the room where the very best sound is between the speakers, and closed my eyes. This is lovely, and while not complex, demonstrates Stevie's ability to draw you in - you just wanna hear what she's gonna say - so you gotta be still and listen carefully.

Gold And Braid. I loved this version. It is familiar to me from the master reels (the Orson Welles reference in the beginning). Great alternate lyrical improvs, and Stevie's vocals are fierce. There's a story here I love, about two shadowed people who meet in a sliver of light, and at thier darkest moments, when all the light is gone, there is lightning. Someone from another life. "In a dream I said to you that I'd always loved you."

The Dealer. Hmm. I love this one: https://youtu.be/Beug6tu82Tc And this one: https://youtu.be/888-uMCYzzQ