The "Rock A Little" album discussion podcast

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I thought the discussion was great and entertaining! I really hope, Jeremy, that you will do the same treatment for FM albums, too.

My thoughts about RAL: I love Talk to Me and was surprised at the general apathy towards it by the panelists. It’s one of her highest charting hits, it was nominated for a Grammy, and she sang the heck out of it! And she looked beautiful in the video, and she wore dresses that weren’t just black, for God’s sake LOL! I don’t care whether she wrote the song or not, she gave it an incredible vocal and that’s what’s important, not who wrote it.

I’ve always said that RAL seemed to be Stevie’s attempt to lighten up. Her best friend died, she got divorced, she was on drugs, and BD and TWH were fairly dark albums, all of which probably contributed to, maybe subconsciously, her attempt to make a poppier, brighter album. And if she wanted a brighter album, it made sense she would go to other songwriters- after all, this is the woman who wrote Rhiannon, Nothing Ever Changes, Gold Dust Woman, and Sisters of the Moon, all pretty dark songs. Talk to Me, If I Were You, Some Become Strangers were all very optimistic. I just think RAL was Stevie’s attempt to go for a brighter sound and maybe went in that direction too far.

All of us fans are diverse and like different aspects of their career. I can only speak for myself and I agree with the panel who saw RAL unfold in real time. I became a Stevie/Mac fan because of her incredible poetry and writing that was put into song. Many of those songs because huge hits. Being that she had a cool voice was just the icing on the cake. After waiting 2 years for the intense song writer and anticipation of an album called Rock A Little, many of us fans were so disappointed. Any artist could have performed Talk To Me just like Everyday. Sappy pop songs. I remember even the reviews of Rock A Little that were very positive called out 2 oddballs: Talk to Me and Rock A Little. There was nothing "Stevie" about this song. It would not be a song that she would write either. I don't consider her work "dark" as you describe. Stevie once got pissed at Tom Petty for calling Stevie a pop artist. She said she ran across the other side of the room when he said it. This album Stevie fully embraced the current funky pop. But the sad part is IMHO the brilliant songs like I Sing For The Things are ruined by fake programmed bass. It takes the sincerity away from the song. I totally got when the one panelist praised HAEWAFY and the opening piano but once it went to the electronic keyboard, the song loses its passion and sincerity. This is why I said I totally appreciated this panel because we see this album in similar terms. There are those younger than us that work they way back in the material and only view songs as songs and don't see how the artistry changed. Chart numbers dont do anything for songs that dont hold up. Every day I can find Edge of 17 on the radio somewhere and it only went to #12. You NEVER hear I Cant Wait on the radio and rarely hear Talk To Me. While Bella Donna sales keep going, RAL sales are not really on the rise.
Having said all that, I also agree with the panels "What could have been" statements. Some of her RAL leftovers were written by her and even in their bloated 80s trashy sound they are far superior to most everything on the album. I like artistry that Stevie definitely had the talent for her songs. But its truly amazing she survived this era. I really dont think she really cared what she was doing. She did not even promote the album, ran away to Australia instead of promoting it, ditched her RAL tour rehearsals, and could not even do a simple music video. Remember it was NOT her that decided she needed help. Her management had an intervention and forced her to go. Its funny but scary the things that were pointed out in the Red Rocks video like Jennifer Congo's facial reactions and Dennis Dunston trying to get her on stage. She was in no state to be recording and touring. IMHO its no wonder we ended up with crappy songs. And yes, I sort of think Talk To Me is a crappy song. Because she managed to get through a vocal on probably the simplest pop song to sing should not really be praised. It has the simplest lyrics and is not that complicated.