OMG Stevie wrote a new song with Dave Stewart!!!!

[SapphireSister]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Ugh... doesn't Mike Campbell have to be somewhere else? Rehearsing for the upcoming Heartbreakers tour maybe? I. cannot. stand. Mike. Campbell. I seriously cannot think of any song co-written by Mike Campbell that I love- he is absolutely the worst collaborator with Stevie. Remember, he is partially responsible for such dubious gems like "Fire Burning," "Greta," "Freedom," "Whole Lotta Trouble," and the piece de resistance "Desert Angel," . With a track record like that, you know there is no reason to believe they are up to anything good if he is around. Mike, stay the eff away! Please!!!

I am so not a fan of Fire Burning, Greta, Freedom, and WLT but I adore Desert Angel. So that's 4 out of 5 I don't like that he contributed to. I am open though to hearing more songs he may do with her as long as they don't sound like those 4.

[SapphireSister]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Am I the only person who really likes Desert Angel!?

Oh no. I really love Desert Angel and it holds such an important message. In other words, it's not about rainbows and fairies, only angels (but the military kind lol). Very powerful song and you can tell she really means what she's trying to communicate to our armed forces.

[tilthefirefades]

Is anyone else wondering what happened to that tribute album that Michelle Branch was working with Stevie on??

[APerfectLie]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Ugh... doesn't Mike Campbell have to be somewhere else? Rehearsing for the upcoming Heartbreakers tour maybe? I. cannot. stand. Mike. Campbell. I seriously cannot think of any song co-written by Mike Campbell that I love- he is absolutely the worst collaborator with Stevie. Remember, he is partially responsible for such dubious gems like "Fire Burning," "Greta," "Freedom," "Whole Lotta Trouble," and the piece de resistance "Desert Angel," . With a track record like that, you know there is no reason to believe they are up to anything good if he is around. Mike, stay the eff away! Please!!!

I love Greta, WLT, and Desert Angel! As for Freedom and Fire Burning, they are okay. So I am kinda iffy about them working together. I think it has the potential to be awesome, but he apparently can also be lackluster at the same time. so i guess we shall see

[SandyMac]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Am I the only person who really likes Desert Angel!?

No. I love this song. I do not know why there is such distaste for this song. It has Stevie written all over it in terms of style. The imagery of the lyrics, the passion of the song, it gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it.

[SapphireSister]

Originally Posted by SandyMac

No. I love this song. I do not know why there is such distaste for this song. It has Stevie written all over it in terms of style. The imagery of the lyrics, the passion of the song, it gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it.

Me too! "Operation DESERT STORM!"
I just don't get the distaste either. I mean, don't people appreciate that a famous rock star is paying tribute to our heroes? I think it's awesome of her. I guess people just don't like the music .

[Phil]

I adore Desert Angel and upon hearing Timespace for the first time, welcomed it as a major respite in view of the other new songs on that collection. Sometimes It's A Bitch and Love's A Hard Game To Play were truly terrible, asserting her as some washed-up rock chick but Desert Angel paid homage to the Stevie of old, yet sounded contemporary as well. I also like that the lyric is not overly literal as opposed to say a dog of a song like Jane.
As for the other Mike Campbell collaborations, I like them all except for Whole Lotta Trouble. I'm keen for Stevie to work with any of the Heartbreakers in any capacity.
Also, did I miss something or did Dave's tweet actually state that Stevie and Mike were writing together? I assumed he was just laying down a guitar part during the recording process. They were in the studio weren't they?

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by SapphireSister

Me too! "Operation DESERT STORM!"
I just don't get the distaste either. I mean, don't people appreciate that a famous rock star is paying tribute to our heroes? I think it's awesome of her. I guess people just don't like the music .

Same here... I think it's beautiful musically, and I love the whole message of the song too. Closest Stevie's ever gotten to being political musically... and she did it in a very classy, very Stevie way. It's all fantastic imagery in my opinion... probably the last song she wrote using that kind of imagery and allusion until Illume 10 years later. I love how in both songs she's sort of sending her opinion of beauty and reassurance to those who have been victims of hate. I don't see what's to dislike about either of these songs... they make you think, they're beautiful, and have a transportive quality. All of this is why I started listening to Stevie in the first place!

[mikebise]

"Greta"
"Desert Angel"
"Freedom"
"You Like Me"
"The Dance"
"My Heart"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Whole Lotta Trouble"
"Ghosts"
"Blue Denim"!!!!!!!

I personally love the above songs Stevie's done with MC!!!!

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by mikebise

"Greta"
"Desert Angel"
"Freedom"
"You Like Me"
"The Dance"
"My Heart"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Whole Lotta Trouble"
"Ghosts"
"Blue Denim"!!!!!!!

I personally love the above songs Stevie's done with MC!!!!

Same here... I especially love Blue Denim... one of her strongest solo songs, IMO. I don't care if people dislike Street Angel... there was some really decent, straight forward, back to basics rock on that album that I truly enjoy!

[HejiraNYC]

There's no denying that "Desert Angel" came from a very earnest and sincere place; Mama loves her boys (and girls) in uniform. But good intentions do not necessarily make good songs. Take "Jane," for example. It's a loving ode to a strong, courageous woman... but it's sooo bad. Maybe it's the very pedestrian/perfunctory music. Or maybe it's the cringe-worthy lyrics like "...the forgotten chimpanzee." Well, in my opinion, "Desert Angel" is chock-full of forgotten chimpanzees! "In a place the Indians call... Paradise Valley!" wins the HejiraNYC Hall of Cheese Lifetime Achievement Award. And, yes, I will admit that "Operation Desert Shield" always reminded me of a feminine hygiene product!

A seven-minute trainwreck like "Desert Angel" makes me sad. It's not only because it's about the pain of war. To me it sounds like someone trying to struggle through creative bankruptcy- writers block, if you will. What I loved about Stevie's great songs is that she was able to convey such deeply emotional stories in a decidedly succinct but powerful way; every word, every phrase had a purpose. Less was more. She also wove elaborate conceits around deceptively simple imagery, using little impressionistic snippets of a dialogue she conducts in her head. The result is that the lyrics were somewhat vague but also very accessible in an emotional way. It's kind of magical, actually. Unfortunately, "Desert Angel" has none of that magic for me. The lyrics are just very literal, very straightforward... and it seems almost as if she was trying to just stuff the song full of flowery filler that doesn't mean anything. There's no mystery there either. And to make matters worse, Mike Campbell contributes a cluttered, dense soundtrack full of all kinds of synthetic pinging and clanging sounds- perhaps an attempt to distract the listener from the maudlin lyrics. Where the lyrics at least attempt to be heavy and urgent, the music sounds like the soundbed of a McDonalds commercial. I'm not sure if the horrible music is necessarily a reflection of Mike's technical musical skills as much as it is a reflection of just having very bad taste. There is a reason why it's TOM PETTY and the Heartbreakers- 'cause Mike needs someone with the talent and the musical ear of Tom Petty in order to be any good at all.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

There's no denying that "Desert Angel" came from a very earnest and sincere place; Mama loves her boys (and girls) in uniform. But good intentions do not necessarily make good songs. Take "Jane," for example. It's a loving ode to a strong, courageous woman... but it's sooo bad. Maybe it's the very pedestrian/perfunctory music. Or maybe it's the cringe-worthy lyrics like "...the forgotten chimpanzee." Well, in my opinion, "Desert Angel" is chock-full of forgotten chimpanzees! "In a place the Indians call... Paradise Valley!" wins the HejiraNYC Hall of Cheese Lifetime Achievement Award. And, yes, I will admit that "Operation Desert Shield" always reminded me of a feminine hygiene product!

A seven-minute trainwreck like "Desert Angel" makes me sad. It's not only because it's about the pain of war. To me it sounds like someone trying to struggle through creative bankruptcy- writers block, if you will. What I loved about Stevie's great songs is that she was able to convey such deeply emotional stories in a decidedly succinct but powerful way; every word, every phrase had a purpose. Less was more. She also wove elaborate conceits around deceptively simple imagery, using little impressionistic snippets of a dialogue she conducts in her head. The result is that the lyrics were somewhat vague but also very accessible in an emotional way. It's kind of magical, actually. Unfortunately, "Desert Angel" has none of that magic for me. The lyrics are just very literal, very straightforward... and it seems almost as if she was trying to just stuff the song full of flowery filler that doesn't mean anything. There's no mystery there either. And to make matters worse, Mike Campbell contributes a cluttered, dense soundtrack full of all kinds of synthetic pinging and clanging sounds- perhaps an attempt to distract the listener from the maudlin lyrics. Where the lyrics at least attempt to be heavy and urgent, the music sounds like the soundbed of a McDonalds commercial. I'm not sure if the horrible music is necessarily a reflection of Mike's technical musical skills as much as it is a reflection of just having very bad taste. There is a reason why it's TOM PETTY and the Heartbreakers- 'cause Mike needs someone with the talent and the musical ear of Tom Petty in order to be any good at all.

Fair enough! Like Lindsey once said of Stevie: she used to write from the inside out. She's been far, far more literal the past 30 years than she was in the '70s. There's nowhere near as much room for personal interpretation with her MTV era -> present recordings as with her early Mac material. My whole long-winded meandering rebuttal to this is you almost bring up a moot point IMO... aren't all the songs she's recorded in at least the past 20 years of a more pedestrian nature than the Stevie we all fell in love with? Or do you still see flecks of gold in the matrix? Personally, when I hear the banal words to this new snippet from Dave Stewart, it's a bit disheartening.

[APerfectLie]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

There's no denying that "Desert Angel" came from a very earnest and sincere place; Mama loves her boys (and girls) in uniform. But good intentions do not necessarily make good songs. Take "Jane," for example. It's a loving ode to a strong, courageous woman... but it's sooo bad. Maybe it's the very pedestrian/perfunctory music. Or maybe it's the cringe-worthy lyrics like "...the forgotten chimpanzee." Well, in my opinion, "Desert Angel" is chock-full of forgotten chimpanzees! "In a place the Indians call... Paradise Valley!" wins the HejiraNYC Hall of Cheese Lifetime Achievement Award. And, yes, I will admit that "Operation Desert Shield" always reminded me of a feminine hygiene product!

A seven-minute trainwreck like "Desert Angel" makes me sad. It's not only because it's about the pain of war. To me it sounds like someone trying to struggle through creative bankruptcy- writers block, if you will. What I loved about Stevie's great songs is that she was able to convey such deeply emotional stories in a decidedly succinct but powerful way; every word, every phrase had a purpose. Less was more. She also wove elaborate conceits around deceptively simple imagery, using little impressionistic snippets of a dialogue she conducts in her head. The result is that the lyrics were somewhat vague but also very accessible in an emotional way. It's kind of magical, actually. Unfortunately, "Desert Angel" has none of that magic for me. The lyrics are just very literal, very straightforward... and it seems almost as if she was trying to just stuff the song full of flowery filler that doesn't mean anything. There's no mystery there either. And to make matters worse, Mike Campbell contributes a cluttered, dense soundtrack full of all kinds of synthetic pinging and clanging sounds- perhaps an attempt to distract the listener from the maudlin lyrics. Where the lyrics at least attempt to be heavy and urgent, the music sounds like the soundbed of a McDonalds commercial. I'm not sure if the horrible music is necessarily a reflection of Mike's technical musical skills as much as it is a reflection of just having very bad taste. There is a reason why it's TOM PETTY and the Heartbreakers- 'cause Mike needs someone with the talent and the musical ear of Tom Petty in order to be any good at all.

Everyones always gotta hate on Jane! I am bound and determined to find one other person on here who likes Jane! I can't be the only one! I agree that songs like Jane and Desert Angel are more literal and straight forward than others, but I think it is nice to have a literal straight forward song sometimes. It is nice to have a deep symbolic emotional connection with a song that is somewhat vague and Stevie gives us that a lot, but being an artist and the poet that she is, she also has a right to make a clear political or personal statement at times. As for Mike Campbell's talent, I really don't know. I will agree that some of his songs with her aren't my favorite. And then there are songs they worked on that I love, like Blue Denim, Imperial Hotel, Desert Angel, Whole Lotta Trouble, and Greta. He also co-wrote Don Henley's Boys of Summer and Heart of the Matter, which I think are two really amazing songs. So I guess this is just one we will have to hide and watch.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by APerfectLie

Everyones always gotta hate on Jane! I am bound and determined to find one other person on here who likes Jane! I can't be the only one!

You might be the only one. Most of us feel that Jane sucks. Jane sucks chimpanzee do do.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by APerfectLie

Everyones always gotta hate on Jane! I am bound and determined to find one other person on here who likes Jane!

I detest Jane, I'm even embarrassed to listen to that one alone! I truly think that's the only of Stevie songs where I feel that way. Mac wise, I'm A Roadrunner and the Derelict from Penguin have that same effect.

That being said, I'll give anything kudos where I feel it's due. I truly do like the first 24 seconds of Jane! It's downright sensuous sounding for those first 24 seconds. Then it just descends into a Hot (Adult Contemporary) monkey-lovin' mess .