New Album not til Spring 2011

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by [QUOTE

HejiraNYC

For all the bashing of WB/Reprise, I can't really say that they didn't push TISL as far as it could go. Like you said, there were a couple of gorgeous, high-budget videos that were in pretty heavy rotation on VH1 at the time. Stevie was also the VH1 Artist of the Month and people who pre-ordered were able to stream the album in advance of the release date. They created some hot remixes of POTU and pushed them at the clubs. Stevie also hit the talk show circuit hard and was also given some made-up award at a made-up award ceremony just to get the advanced buzz going. Not to mention all of the print ads and the printed press, etc. At the end of the day, I think TISL did about as well as it could. I think it would have been one thing if Stevie had spent the years leading up to TISL really trying to reconnect with her audience as a solo act. But she didn't. As I mentioned before, she has done a piss-poor job of curating a fanbase, which is compounded by the fact that she doesn't crank out a new album every few years. It had been seven long years since her last album, and it would have been unrealistic for everyone to automatically assume that she could pick up right where she left off and start selling platinum albums again. Undoubtedly, TISL had some great songs on it, but at the end of the day, I do not think it was for the masses. And sadly, I think it's going to be even tougher today, and again it's 100% her own fault. You can't go 10 years without releasing new material and expect everything to be the way it was. Ask Kate Bush about how her last album sold. Peter Gabriel too.[/QUOTE]


I agree with you^^
TISL was heavily promoted, many magazine interviews and mentions, ads galore, VH1 Artist of the Month and Hear it 1st campaign to buy early, Many TV appearances & beautiful music video's that were played heavily on VH1 AND the tour! But I agree with most here, the critical 1st single was totally miscalculated, They needed to pick a song that was more upbeat and eased into the summer vibe better. I alway's thought Love Changes sounded fresh when I 1st heard it. It was a groovy song with a great hook, great vocal and great potential for a single that would grab new listeners. Also agree that Fall From Grace could have been a contender for 1st release as well. But Warners/Reprise elected to go the safe route and release the hauntingly familiar sounds of Planets & the tame & tepid Everyday, albeit solid album tracks, However they don't rise to the occasion and grab your attention unless your already a fan. Furthermore since they opted to go the Adult Contemporary route in Everyday, why not release the infinitely better song I Miss You or the tantalizing and colorful Bombay Sapphires. Plus I believe that the delay's on this record probably more than any other really hurt her. Stevie should have kept riding the crest that was still high from The Dance, and had the record out sometime between the summer to fall of 1999, or at least a year earlier than the May 2001 release date. And in hindsight if Stevie had not pulled the TISL version of Thrown Down(big mistake) prominently featuring Lindsey on lead harmony and guitar - it would have been TISL's best bet for 1st single choice & hit song as well as a bit of a novelty to have Lindsey distinctly featured on a Stevie Nicks solo record, in the same tradition of her other highwaymen; Tom Petty, Don Henley & Prince.

Now had Warner's done the same promotion with SYW that they did on TISL, with Thrown Down or Destiny Rules as the 1st single with beautiful video's and such, I think SYW would have been a bigger success by about double, easily going platinum.

All in all, I have a strong intuitive feeling the new record is going to be robust and diverse while still sounding cohesive & really "wow" some of us long time, half glass full, somewhat jaded ones, who think we know what's best for Stevie at this point, and have held on cause we believe she has another great record in her. But barring the chance of unpredictable spectral star shower's sprinkling above with sky's on fire, along with brilliant effervescent energy emanating from Stevie's presence during TV interviews & Stage performances (think Bella Donna through Wild Heart interviews & concerts) This new record will probably generate respectable critical attention, if not the most stellar of her career, and finally satiate her core believer's, but who will also continue to bitch that they picked the wrong 1st & 2nd singles, & marketing choice's, amid dissatisfying record sales (to each standards), hammering out all the could of, would of...told you so's, like this CD should be released in Mid-Oct. if it is indeed completed by then. It makes logical sense to let the interested public & fans get to know the songs 6 months before Lily hit's the road and does not get a crippling case of the willies about performing a lot of new material. However I do get the feeling that this Italian Summer song is going to be a lead contender for 1st single by the soundbites of the descriptions dropped so far (esp. David Wild calling it one of her Top 3 songs ever!!, and he's a big fan) It sounds like it could be a perfect choice for a spring/summer rendezvous romance single to kick off the record. But I must admit... I'm somewhat stifled by it's title, Hope I can get past it when I hear how brilliant the song ends up being. "To be continued, it's too much Stevie baby".