Initial Feelings On IYD

[Artemis]

Will contain spoilers, obviously.

I didn't want to clog up the Rolling Stone thread with this, so I figured a new thread could be funky. Anyone can feel free to post their thoughts on the album here. I'll start!

At first, I wanted to listen to the track and then type what I thought. Halfway through, I realised that was a stupid idea as I’d be too busy focusing on the next song, so about the time of New Orleans, I just started writing down what I thought of each song. So if you noticed that there’s a sudden shift in writing style, that’ll be why!

Secret Love; what can I say? I really like this song. Mainly for the guitar, and the fact her voice sounds really really good on it. It’s a nice, gentle way to open the album. It shouldn’t turn people off, and it should make them want more. I think it works quite nicely as an album opener; whilst not an epic like Bella Donna, Wild Heart or Trouble In Shangri-La, it works. The guitar is really atmospheric and sets the tone for the rest of the album, imo.

For What It’s Worth; I love the country-tinged guitar throughout the song, her voice sounds really good in this one, and I love it when she sings with herself; it’s used to a great effect here; she hasn’t sang this well for a long time.

In Your Dreams; Picking up the tempo here, it’s not what I expected from the title track. When I think of Stevie + Dreams, I think mid-tempo, I think yearning, I think romantic. This is totally different to what I expected, but in a good way. I have no idea why this isn’t the first single, it’s instantly catchy and infectious, with a great guitar beat that makes you want to move along. Some really gorgeous lyrics here too.

Wide Sargasso Sea; I love the start of the song, just Stevie and the guitar before it really starts kicking off. I’m loving the repeated “even though they were so in love / they drew a line in the sand just because” and “the only thing they did together / was to make love” possibly the most sexually direct Stevie’s ever been in any of her songs? I don’t know, but I love it. I love the whole haunting breakdown part that we heard in the sizzle reel; it works so well with the song, and serves as a really effective way to close the last half of the song, the ending on “that kiss” is particularly stunning.

New Orleans; after the intensity of Wide Sargasso Sea, this one slows down the tempo, and it’s really pretty in its simplicity. It’s nice to hear Stevie and the girls sing together (which, for me, is the first time on the album you can really hear Sharon and Lori since Secret Love). Some gorgeous high notes from Stevie on this song, showing that she hasn’t lost that fabulous falsetto. I love how the instrumental starts off really quiet, and gets louder as the song progresses, making the real focus all on Stevie and her voice. The chorus is so typically Stevie, I love it. I’ll be singing this all night, I can tell you now.

Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream); this song, I was really worried about. Lady From The Mountains is my favourite Stevie demo of all time, and I was worried she wouldn’t do it justice. I’m very happy to say that she couldn’t have done it any better. Her vocal is really good throughout, she owns her voice; she knows exactly which notes she can and can’t sing, and rather than attempt something she can’t, she sticks to what she can and owns it. A very dramatic song, I love the updates to the lyrics of Lady From The Mountains; they flow really well, it doesn’t feel like she’s lifted the demo and slapped it into the middle of a song. It’s brilliant.

Annabel Lee; Wow that piano is really pretty. Loving the whole build-up to the song. I’m full of nothing but praise for Stevie’s vocals on this album, and although Annabel Lee wouldn’t have sounded out of place, vocally, on TISL, it has a strength and conviction to it. I don’t know how much of the lyrics are Poe, and which lyrics Stevie/Dave/Glen wrote, but they’re really pretty. Stevie recycles lyrics a lot on this album; but this isn’t a detriment to her ability at all, I love the recycling, it isn’t extensive enough to be a carbon copy, but it’s enough to make it very “Stevieish”. I love the use of the “bright eyes” lyric here. And that violin (?) instrumental break was really pretty. It gets pretty funky around the 4 minute mark, totally changing the mood of the song, but in a really clever way. I like this song a hell of a lot more than I thought I would! All those little “WHY did she pick THIS demo” thoughts have been well and truly banished now.

Soldier’s Angel; the intro really reminds me of Have No Heart; I wonder if that’s where she got the inspiration from. She doesn’t try to sing “well” on this one. If you get me. Instead she uses the unique sound her voice has developed to add to the mood of the song; and its super effective. The Lindsey harmony in the chorus is brilliant too. Possibly the most “serious” song Stevie’s ever written, the lyrics are both beautiful and haunting. Only Stevie Nicks can get away with singing “Camelot” too! I love how it gets so intense, before winding down to just her and Lindsey singing for the last half-minute or so. I’m loving the Battle of the Dragon lyric too, very effective. All my worries about this song; when I saw the poem, I thought it would be the next Stevie piano ballad and take “beautiful” into “sickeningly sweet” levels; all these worries are, thankfully, unfounded, and it’s really an atmospheric song.

Everybody Loves You; the intro music is really awesome. It’s like Gold Dust Woman meets Turkish Bazaar. Totally different to anything she’s ever done, yet still so totally Stevie. I sorta wish the strings (at least I think they’re strings) were more pronounced in the chorus; like they were in the demo. Although, I think the chorus is one of the most immediate on this album. Ooh, lyrics recycled from Not Make Believe; very nice, I love that song and I think I can love this one too. WOAH. When this song steps up, it REALLY steps up. Hello strings. Wow. This song is incredible. For those of you who were worried this song would be adult-contemporary-trash... you don’t have to worry about that at all. It’s so much more than that. Based on the snippet we’ve had forever, I always thought this would be a sweet little Stevie love song, so very wrong, but never have I been so deliciously happy to be so.

Ghosts Are Gone; that opening riff is an instant classic, I can tell. It’s like a modern day Rhiannon, with Rhiannon taking steroids. She’s not dancing around in a forest anymore! Love the passion in her voice on this one, and some gorgeous harmonization with Sharon and Lori. Recycling from Angel here; and it’s totally worthy to be Angel’s sequel. Stevie wailing over a guitar at the end? Hell yes. It really reminds me of the Rhiannon exorcisms from back in the day, minus all the drugs. This song shows why Stevie is the Queen of Rock and Roll; it’s an instant classic rock song, in my opinion. I really want to see her tackle this one live; I think it could be a show stopper.

You May Be The One; slowing things down a notch after Ghosts Are Gone. It sounds like a song a cabaret singer would sing, I mean that in a good way. It sounds pretty timeless. Very Stevie sounding lyrics, might possibly be the closest thing to filler on the album. It’s a very lovely song, and she sounds fantastic on it (and lots of Sharon and Lori, always a plus), but it doesn’t really inspire me as much as the others have done. The guitar is really nice throughout, and her voice is really impressive. The ending hits me as really effective.

Italian Summer; WOW! This song hits you straight away. Such a huge contrast from the dream-like You May Be The One, some gorgeous strings. (I’m a fan of strings). Gorgeous lyrics from Stevie here, I think it may be her most romantic song ever. It’s “epic” on the same level of Beauty and the Beast; but, I don’t think it has that same self-indulgence that Beauty and the Beast is sometimes accused of. Some fabulous long sustained notes from Stevie here. I’m liking the breakdown with Sharon and Lori doing the ahhhs in front of the orchestra, it’s quite pretty. Stevie’s singing is really good here; she’s using her voice to a fantastic level; singing softly when necessary, and using power when she needs to. I loved the ending, although, they could have slowed down the last two lines; it felt a teeny bit rushed, but that looooong sustained note was totally worth it.

Cheaper Than Free; while I’ve always quite liked this song, mainly cause I think it’s adorable, it works so much better in the context of the album. After the dramatic, powerful and all-round showstopper that is Italian Summer, it works wonderfully to wrap the album up. I believe someone on the forum described it as having a “post-sex cigarette” and that is pretty much the perfect way to sum it up.

All in all, it’s a bloody brilliant album. She’s finally using her voice to its full potential. Whilst sometimes on TISL she sounded strained, and some of her longer notes were unpleasant, and she sounded overly-nasal, she doesn’t have that problem on this album. She’s able to switch from crooning like a baby to belting out effortlessly. Even when she’s belting, she doesn’t sound strained; she sounds confident and assured. I think there’s something for every Stevie fan in this album. The lyrics are gorgeous and the music is fabulous; and she hasn’t sounded this good on record since Silver Springs on The Dance.

[Jondalar]

Initial feeling is that In Your Dreams should had been the first single. This is either the best or second best album of her solo career. Suprised that soo many songs have change ups and morph into something else. Makes the album extremely varied and extremely interesting. Suprised at how much I like Stevie's aged voice on this album. Her voice sounds right for this. I just love this album.

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Initial feeling is that In Your Dreams should had been the first single. This is either the best or second best album of her solo career. Suprised that soo many songs have change ups and morph into something else. Makes the album extremely varied and extremely interesting. Suprised at how much I like Stevie's aged voice on this album. Her voice sounds right for this. I just love this album.

Yes,I was wondering if her voice would sound too ragged or hoarse but it's SO good throughout! I'm so pleased

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Yes,I was wondering if her voice would sound too ragged or hoarse but it's SO good throughout! I'm so pleased

I think her voice does sound weathered on this album, but I think it sounds RIGHT! It really works.

[Christopher]

Overall this is a great record. There lyrics are very touching and the music is classic and has just the perfect flourishes to enhance the feel of the songs. Stevie's voice is weathered, but Glen & Dave use it to great effect, especially on some of the climax's of the songs like Annabel Lee, Moonlight, Wide Sargasso Sea & Ghosts Are Gone. I also love Stevie's soft voice put to great use on FWIW and New Orleans. No doubt in my mind they should have released "In Your Dreams" as the 1st single. And yes, this record blows TISL out of the water. It sounds more authentically like Stevie. The only song at this point that I can say may be a clunker is Soldier's Angel, but it could be it simply needs to grow on me, it just sounds so rough and stark against the other's.

Initial Standouts: For What It's Worth, New Orleans (I'm stoked & surprised how good this one is), In Your Dreams, Moonlight, Annabel Lee, Everybody Loves You, Italian Summer & Ghosts Are Gone.

[Bandon]

Originally Posted by Christopher

Overall this is a great record. There lyrics are very touching and the music is classic and has just the perfect flourishes to enhance the feel of the songs. Stevie's voice is weathered, but Glen & Dave use it to great effect, especially on some of the climax's of the songs like Annabel Lee, Moonlight, Wide Sargasso Sea & Ghosts Are Gone. I also love Stevie's soft voice put to great use on FWIW and New Orleans. No doubt in my mind they should have released "In Your Dreams" as the 1st single. And yes, this record blows TISL out of the water. It sounds more authentically like Stevie. The only song at this point that I can say may be a clunker is Soldier's Angel, but it could be it simply needs to grow on me, it just sounds so rough and stark against the other's.

Initial Standouts: For What It's Worth, New Orleans (I'm stoked & surprised how good this one is), In Your Dreams, Moonlight, Annabel Lee, Everybody Loves You, Italian Summer & Ghosts Are Gone.

I agree. I was hoping for more especially because Lindsey is on it.

[Fleetwoodmark]

I think the album is stellar. I also have the feeling that these songs will be timeless and will take on a new identity in years to come (Something that sadly not the case for most of TISL)

For What it's Worth - What a song - happy but sad at the same time - incredible.

[tabruns]

I haven't listened to the entire album yet, I'm about 8 songs in, but I had to react:

I'm so in love with this album so far. I'm convinced it's her best work ever....yes, I think it tops Bella Donna.

"Secret Love" is a nice little pop song and good intro song and it is amazing that it's actually the weakest (relatively speaking.....there is no really weak track among the first 8) of the first 8 tracks.

I can definitely see why people are calling out "For What It's Worth" and "In Your Dreams". These are great songs.

For myself though the next five songs are *incredible*. "Wide Sargasso Sea" and "Annabel Lee" are wonderful songs and I think the sizzle reel, as good as it was, didn't accurately capture how amazing these songs are. In years past "New Orleans" would have been a Fleetwood Mac hit single. It totally has that sound. "Soldier's Angel" is intense and spooky and again amazing.

And then there's "Moonlight". I may have a new "favorite Nicks song ever"....this song is so awesome.

I'm not being very articulate at all right now but I'm just so excited about this album that I had to post something. I'll do better later.

[markolas]

I've been playing Moonlight & Annabel Lee over & over. I'll have to listen to the whole thing several more times to take it all in, but my first impression is that it's up there w/ Bella Donna and Rock a Little.

[Thrown_Down]

I love it all, but I find the lyrics of 'New Orleans' to be a bit blah, whilst I can't get into 'Soldier's Angel'. I don't think I ever really like Stevie's 'current issue' songs - Jane, Desert Angel, and now New Orleans and Soldier's Angel. Maybe they'll grow on me.

[sorcerer999]

Great idea for a thread! I'm also very interested to hear what everyone's initial reaction to the album is upon first listen. We should do another thread in a month or two after we've all settled into the record and have had time to pick our favorites, etc.

After I saw that the album was posted on Rollingstone.com, I immediately made up some lame excuse as to why I wasn't feeling well and told my boss I needed to go home. Is that bad? That was an hour and a half ago. I just got finished listening to the whole thing. Here are my thoughts.
Secret Love - Although we've heard it for the past three months, I still enjoy it and think it's a fine little song. Not my favorite, but totally solid. Not sure if I would have opened the album with it, but whatever.
For What It's Worth - Another good song. LOVE THE INTRO! It's got a very bittersweet sentiment to it that I appreciate. Her voice sounds great here!
In Your Dreams - I love it! I could hear Tom Petty covering this. The harmony breakdown is awesome and the production of the entire song is flawless!
Wide Sargasso Sea - I'm not too sure about this one. Hmmm. Might need to listen to it over and over. I do like the outro, though!
New Orleans - A little too "cheese ball" for my tastes. The Ann Rice line was a bit much for me.
Moonlight - OH MY FREAKING GOD! WOOOOOOOOOOW!!! Exceeded ALL my expectations! I got goosebumps when that familiar piano riff from the demo started up. Her voice is exquisite and this very well might be my favorite song off the record. I really enjoy the new chorus and lyrics as well!
Annabel Lee - Better than I thought it was going to be. That minuet bridge that Dave came up with was really cool. It's okay I guess.
Soldier's Angel - Another great song. I love the simplicity of just the electric guitar, kick drum and vocals! Kind of reminds me of a lighter version of Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road".
Everybody Loves You - LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! The music, lyrics, EVERYTHING! Even the inclusion of some of the lyrics to "Not Make Believe" was a nice touch.
Ghosts Are Gone - The jury is still out on this one for me. The musicality and structure of this song have been done a million times before by many other artists. I didn't find anything special here upon my first listen.
You May Be The One - This song is EXACTLY what I'm going through with my ex-boyfriend right now, and she's saying everything I'm feeling. I really needed a song like this in my life at this time. I'M DEFINITELY FEELING IT!
Italian Summer - So atmospheric and descriptive! She really does paint a clear picture with this song. The key changes and string arrangement is incredible! Another song that gave me goosebumps! Love it!
Cheaper Than Free - My opinion still hasn't changed. Hate it! What a crappy song to end a very good album!

I'm going to go listen to it again now!

[ButterCookie]

I wasn't going to listen to it. Not gonna lie I didn't expect to like it. Instead I love it.

Like, LOVE it. I'm actually going to buy the CD and listen to it rather than not buy it at all or let it sit on a shelf. It's wonderful and is definitely easily better than even Bella Donna IMO.

[daniellaaarisen]

I'm in love.

[sorcerer999]

Originally Posted by daniellaaarisen

I'm in love.

Dani, I'm dying to hear your initial reaction to each song!

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by ButterCookie

I wasn't going to listen to it. Not gonna lie I didn't expect to like it. Instead I love it.

Like, LOVE it. I'm actually going to buy the CD and listen to it rather than not buy it at all or let it sit on a shelf. It's wonderful and is definitely easily better than even Bella Donna IMO.

I've listened to it like 5x's, and I have to agree, I'd put it right next to Bella Donna, maybe even higher because it has so much more diversity and sophistication while still retaining a rootsy feel. It sounds like an instant classic to my ears. I'm digging every song cept' Soldier's Angel, I keep skipping that one, but that'll probably change once I wear out all the others.