The Other Side Of The Mirror - A Re-Evaluation?

Artemis · #1 05-03-2011, 10:13 PM

I know there are members on this board who adore this album, and then there are others who loathe it, with some calling it the album which hurt Stevie Nicks' credibility the most. Critics absolutely mauled it, from what I've read around the album.

Yet, is it just me, or does it seem to be gaining something of a cult status recently? I've noticed in quite a few reviews for In Your Dreams, they've mentioned Mirror - and how unappreciated and under-rated it is.

I still don't quite... get The Other Side Of The Mirror, but, I'm quite interested on people's thoughts on why it's being seen as an under-rated album all of a sudden

PenguinHead · #2 05-03-2011, 10:22 PM

The funny thing is, I was really disappointed (at the time) with Rock A Little. When The Other Side of the Mirror was released, I was really happy because I thought the writing was so much better. All these years later, I like all of her albums all the same -- not for what I wanted/expected them to be, but just for what they are - warts and all.

tabruns · #3 05-03-2011, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artemis

I know there are members on this board who adore this album, and then there are others who loathe it, with some calling it the album which hurt Stevie Nicks' credibility the most. Critics absolutely mauled it, from what I've read around the album.

Yet, is it just me, or does it seem to be gaining something of a cult status recently? I've noticed in quite a few reviews for In Your Dreams, they've mentioned Mirror - and how unappreciated and under-rated it is.

I still don't quite... get The Other Side Of The Mirror, but, I'm quite interested on people's thoughts on why it's being seen as an under-rated album all of a sudden

Well from what I recall the album actually got a *better* review (from Rolling Stone at least) than The Wild Heart and Rock A Little. I can't really say what the metacritic rating would have been....I don't think it existed back then. I know the album did hit #10, which was an improvement over Rock A Little chart-wise.

As for people hating it, I think that's due to a number of factors:
1. Rupert Hines production just puts some people off. I think this is largely the source of the complaints about the album being muddy or murky.
2. Initially the album only went Gold whereas the previous three had all gone Platinum, and I find that many people react to sales figures. "Oh it only went gold so it must not be as good as I thought". I see albums get re-assessed that way all the time.
3. Singles-wise the album didn't do as well as previous releases. No top 10 hit on Billboard, and no other top 40 single besides "Rooms On Fire".

Factors relating to it's being re-evaluated since:
1. It's since gone Platinum, making it seem more "equal" with the previous 3 albums
2. Some critics cite particular songs as being under-rated. A critic reviewing Enchanted called "Ooh My Love" a 'gem'.
3. Some critics cite the album as being under-rated like the recent Rolling Stone review
4. AllMusic is an interesting source for seeing how albums are reconsidered years later. For example Bella Donna initially got 3 stars, now it has 4 1/2. The Wild Heart initially got 2 stars, now it's 4 stars. Rock A Little initially got 1 1/2 stars now it's got 3 stars. The Other Side of the Mirror originally got 2 1/2 stars (like I said, it originally got rated higher than The Wild Heart and Rock A Little) but now is at 3 stars.

**mylittledemon** · #4 05-03-2011, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artemis

Yet, is it just me, or does it seem to be gaining something of a cult status recently?

Nope, nope... Just you.

tabruns · #5 05-03-2011, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

The funny thing is, I was really disappointed (at the time) with Rock A Little. When The Other Side of the Mirror was released, I was really happy because I thought the writing was so much better. All these years later, I like all of her albums all the same -- not for what I wanted/expected them to be, but just for what they are - warts and all.

I felt exactly this way. I thought The Other Side of the Mirror was an improvement.

Jondalar · #6 05-03-2011, 10:27 PM

it was garbage then and still belongs in the dump pile

jeffd8382 · #7 05-03-2011, 10:28 PM

When I started getting into Stevie as a solo artist shortly after really delving into Fleetwood Mac's albums, OSOTM was the first album I bought on CD (the 2nd overall... Wild Heart I bought on cassette tape). I was 15 when The Dance came about, and despite having to listen to my sister's FM Greatest Hits tape and having songs like "Little Lies" & "Everywhere" ingrained in my memory from when I was little, I didn't become a fan until that reunion tour and album came out. I wasn't fond of Stevie's voice actually at first (except for on "Gypsy"), and thought I only really liked Christine's songs.... but this soon changed lol! If you can believe it, at first I liked OSOTM better than Wild Heart... to my ears, her voice/singing style and the A/C production had a maturity about it that was very appealing to me. It still is really. I loved "Rooms On Fire" & "Long Way To Go" instantly... and there wasn't a song on the album I disliked (save for maybe "I Still Miss Someone"). Over time, her other solo albums became favorites as well... particularly The Wild Heart & Rock A Little. You could say OSOTM probably was responsible for making me a Stevie Nicks fan. I have seen Louie refer to the album as a "concept album" on here... and I would agree in that there definitely is an overall cohesive sound that ties the album together nicely.

Over time, I actually became somewhat a fan of Rupert Hine's songwriting and production on both his own solo projects and on material he has worked on for other artists... this album and Tina Turner's "I Might Have Been Queen" are responsible for this lol!

Songs that remain absolute classics for me to this day: "Rooms On Fire", "Long Way To Go", "Two Kinds Of Love" (I've always loved the verse melody), "Ooh My Love", "Ghosts", and "Alice"

AliceLover · #8 05-03-2011, 10:29 PM

Still..my favorite Stevie album. Love it! I was shocked when RS called it an underrated gem in their recent review of IYD.

It, is, after all one of Stevie's favorite albums!

tbaker3 · #9 05-03-2011, 10:34 PM

I have always liked TOSOTM. I feel like it is absolutely an adult themed album, which was a departure from all her things solo or with FM. It was the first time she had showed some major growth in her musical style. I think the departure from her normal "airy fairy" stuff really turned a lot of fans off. But if artists don't grow, then they aren't really artists at all, are they?

tabruns · #10 05-03-2011, 10:34 PM

"Rooms On Fire" is one of my favorite Nicks solo songs.

For the rest of the album I really like these songs: "Ooh My Love", "Ghosts", "Alice", "Doing The Best I Can", "Juliet", "Two Kinds Of Love"

These are decent songs: "Whole Lotta Trouble", "Long Way To Go"

I like these songs but I don't think they fit on the album: "Cry Wolf", "Fire Burning", "I Still Miss Someone"

For my playlist I take those 3 songs off and replace them with "Mirror Mirror" and the piano version of "Sorcerer". I think doing that makes it a better 'black magic' album.

tabruns · #11 05-03-2011, 11:03 PM

Here's a bit of a critical re-evaluation: http://blogcritics.org/music/article...cks-the-other/

He makes some points that mirror things I've said before: Her voice is much better than on Rock A Little, and "Cry Wolf" and "I Still Miss Someone" are nice but they don't fit the album.

LittleSpacey · #12 05-03-2011, 11:10 PM

I have always loved that cd. I was a rep for Warner when it came out and I loved doing the displays with the promo materials from that album. I love the songs, more than RAL, actually, and several of them are in my "Stevie" folder in my ipod. I was really shocked when I first found the Ledge and realized how many people despise the album. My whole family loves it.

Japhry · #13 05-03-2011, 11:15 PM

I Love TOSOTM as much now as I did as a 16 year old when it came out. I was and still am entranced by Rooms On Fire. There is a real pulsating darkness to the album that yes...reflects Stevie's heartache and state of mind at the time, that I myself can NOW relate to with age. As far as Rupert Hine's prodution....in 1988-89....the sound was good....most songs had a cohesive album sound....there were obvious clunkers as on most any album....."I still miss someone"...seemed very out of place, as did Fire Burning and I wasn't a big fan of Cry Wolf.
I adore Long Way to Go...Ooh My Love....Rooms on Fire, Alice and Juliet. I did not then understand Doing the Best That I can but as I got older I felt the pain of that song too. Whole Lotta Trouble would probably sound better with Stevie's voice Now than it did in her exhausted 1989 voice....

ahafan02 · #14 05-03-2011, 11:17 PM

There are some great tracks on TOSOTM like "Rooms on Fire", "Ooh My Love" (which should have been a single)", "Alice", "Doing the Best That I Can" and "Whole Lotta Trouble" (although the Chris Lord Alge Remix is much better than the LP Version)....the rest is overproduced crap....

LittleSpacey · #15 05-03-2011, 11:21 PM

Wha? Chris Lord A remixed wha?? I'm interested now. I will never get over Alice. One of my favorite songs of all time. It's epic.