I'm Sorry but I Don't Love IYD (Yet)

[louielouie2000]

I was none too amused by the country flair at first either. The songs that sound solidly country or country-tinged are numerous:

For What It's Worth
In Your Dreams
Ghosts Are Gone
You May Be The One
Cheaper Than Free

You could almost lump in:

New Orleans
Annabel Lee

Moonlight is the only stereotypical Stevie track. But now that I've heard the album at least a dozen times, I think the overall country-tinged sound just works. The album is very earthy and literal. This is not Other Side Of The Mirror. Stevie is singing about wars, natural disasters, death, loss of enchantment, etc. This is the first truly straightforward album Stevie has ever put out. I think that's why the folksy sound just works for it. You just can't sing about New Orleans or Walter Reed and put it to synth . This is almost her little modern day protest album... done only the way Stevie Nicks would do a protest album. I think Stevie did a very smart thing with this record. The state of the world is total crap right now: wars, recession, nasty politics, etc. If she put out a dreamy, synthy album she would be lampooned and be derided as hopelessly out of touch. Instead, she put out an earthy, lyrically honest, approachable record. I think it was just plain smart, in my opinion. On top of that, when viewed as an entire work vs song to song, it's an excellent album.