The Other Side Of The Mirror

[Macfan4life]

TOSOTM gets little love around here. I love the album especially the first side. Side 2 is where the problem comes IMHO. I agree with the OP that this was such a step up from RAL. I remember driving home in the car listening to the tape. Rooms on Fire followed by Long Way to Go (probably her biggest rocker), then eventually Ooh My Love and Whole Lotta Trouble. It took me awhile to appreciate Two kinds of Love and Ghosts but I love those songs today. Two Kinds of Love is Stevie's lust song as she called it. She rarely writes sexual things and this is as sexual as she gets (Two kinds of Love, one for the way you walk i.e. lust after him). She explained it on Rockline and I totally got it once she explained it. The album is extremely autobiographical about fighting drug addiction, bad relationships and dating rock stars.
Cry Wolf, Alice and I still Miss Someone are total duds IMHO. Stevie had enough material to not need to do Cry Wolf and I still miss someone.
One of my all time favorites is "Doing the best that I can" OMG yes the song is repetitive and almost robotic but that's the feel of the song it can put you in a trance.

Compared to RAL her voice was so much better and it was nice to hear real drums again instead of drum machines and superficial music. Does the album have a little of 80's cheeze? Of course! But nothing like RAL
Not as good as The Wild Heart but at least it was Stevie writing her own songs again compared to RAL.

Now the tour was a total disappointment. Short set, zonked out on stage, and one of my least favorite set list and bands she has toured with. As many reviews said, the opening act The Hooters put on a better show.
OUCH!