The Other Side Of The Mirror Appreciation Thread

sorcerer999 · #1 02-24-2015, 04:33 PM

I scoured all the previous threads, but couldn't find an "OSOTM" appreciation thread.

I really want to discuss this album because for some reason I've been listening to it NONSTOP since the beginning of the year, after I decided to take a break from 24KG. I don't know what prompted me to do so, but one day I was just in the mood to listen to "Alice", which was never one of my favorites. Well after listening to the whole album that day, and continuing to do so a few times a week since then, "Alice" is now one of my favorites. As is "Ghosts", "Cry Wolf" and "Fire Burning" which I never really enjoyed in the past. I would even venture to say, in my opinion, that "Fire Burning" is one of the MOST pretentious songs she's ever written, but for some reason I'm feeling it right now.

I'm feeling ALL of them actually, and really starting to enjoy this album as a whole entity for the first time. Ever since it came out in 1989, I just picked out my absolute favorites ("Rooms", "Long Way", "Ooh My Love" and "Doing The Best...") and pretty much ignored the rest. Probably due to the fact that, for the first time EVER, Stevie's music had wandered into the "Adult Contemporary" category...and I was 13 years old and still very much into Pop, Rock and Soul, and would eventually graduate to Grunge and Alternative just a few short years later. This album didn't speak to me at that time in the way it does now in 2015. Strange.

I posted on some other forum that I thought this is the ONE Stevie album that sounds the most "dated", because even "Wild Heart" and "Rock A Little" still carry textures that have been recaptured in current popular and indie music. Because of that fact, I think most fans (at least a lot of them that I've discussed this album with) consider this one of their least favorite albums. However there are sooooooo many great songs to be found here, and I have a feeling, years and years after Stevie has left us, that THIS album will be a "cult favorite" among generations to come...Like it never seems to be given its due praise among the ranks of her earlier and later solo efforts. It seems to be stuck in the middle and in more of a "time warp" than all the others. Am I making any sense, whatsoever?

I apologize if I am just recycling an "old topic", but since we've been talking a lot lately about TISL, IYD and 24KG, I wanted to read everyone's opinions about this album as well.

Rod~A~Little · #2 02-24-2015, 06:02 PM

So glad you posted this thread my friend. This was the first time I ever saw Stevie live on this tour. I saw her in Birmingham and this album holds a special place for me.

I've noticed a lot of criticism for TOSOTM, but I've always felt it did not get the credit it deserved.
Some REALLY great songs like Rooms On Fire, Long Way To Go, Ooh My Love, Doing The Best I Can, and Whole Lotta Trouble.

There are some very dark moments on this album that reflect Stevie's life at that time. I appreciate the depths of despair and frustration on Doing The Best That I Can and Alice, with the issues of her drug problems.
I've noticed many people detest Cry Wolf, but it's always been one of my faves as well. It reminds me of Heart's "Nobody Home."

The only negative thing I can say is the photo they used for the cover. She is in an odd squatting position looking like what the hell is she doing. haha

Dated or not, the album is one of my faves of Stevie's...always has been and always will be. Going to listen to it right now as a matter of fact with a glass or two of wine! Cheers!

On Ice · #3 02-24-2015, 09:12 PM

A couple of things stand out for me circa 1989 when the album was released: Rooms on Fire generated a ton of radio interest, even an "alt-rock" station in Toronto, 102.1 now the Edge, was playing it and they would comment along the lines "the latest from Stevie Nicks, yes her and we're loving the song". Secondly, I ran into a couple of casual fans who'd bought the record and expressed disappointment, expecting the bar to be set with Rooms, but not quite making it, too many songs to skip. Lastly, there was the tour, which she was in fine voice and had some pretty funky costumes, and I think about 6 songs from the album, which she seemed excited to play. On a personal note, Rooms On Fire is one of my all time favs and if not, her second or third best single behind Edge of Seventeen and Stand Back. The album falls apart after Ooh My Love and is spotty until Doing the Best I Can (which would have made a nice closer tune without the Cash cover, which comes off rather cheesy).

If the high quality of the Rooms track had been weaved throughout , OSTOM would have been a real winner of an album, but Kenny G and Rupert Hine overall, were not a good fit for the Stevie vibe that was needed.

Certainly a vast improvement over Rock a Little, but too many so-so songs drag it down.

tabruns · #4 02-24-2015, 10:45 PM

When I first heard "Rooms On Fire" on the radio I thought to myself, "Wow! Nicks sounds focused again!" I was really excited, and I loved the song.

I picked up the album and liked the album cover a lot. I liked the mirror imaged album title, and the logo they did for her name. I got the concept what with a song called "Alice" on the album.

When I listened to it I thought it was much more focused than RAL had been. Besides "Rooms On Fire" I thought "Long Way To Go", "Ghosts", "Ooh My Love", "Alice", "Doing the Best I Can", and "Whole Lotta Trouble" were all good. "Two Kinds of Love" I liked, but it sounded REALLY Adult Contemporary. There wasn't a song on the album that I didn't like, although "I Still Miss Someone" sounded out of place. Much of OSOTM is fairly dark and mystical, so that countryish hiccup just sounded odd.

I thought the fact that OSOTM returned Nicks to the album Top 10 was a sign that people heard it and thought that yes she'd refocused after RAL. But then "Rooms On Fire" stalled at #16 - when I first heard it I was certain it would go Top 10. And unlike her previous albums, there weren't 2nd and 3rd Top 40 hits off the album.....that *could* be accounted for by wrong single choices. "Two Kinds of Love" sounds way too AC, and "Long Way To Go", even though a decent song, is a bit too pedestrian-sounding of a rock song. I think maybe "Ooh My Love" and "Whole Lotta Trouble" would have been better 2nd and 3rd singles choices.

But the singles not doing as well showed the inevitable "meh, you're not the IT thing anymore" attitude that comes from pop and rock radio. When "Sometimes It's A Bitch" failed to make the Top 50 when her hits album came out, that sealed the deal that radio was pretty much "over" her.

PenguinHead · #5 02-24-2015, 10:46 PM

The Rock A Little album was such a marked difference in style from her two previous albums. The Other Side of the Mirror album seemed more like a return to form. I suppose, in hindsight, it was the difference between cocaine and klonopin.

I witnessed a vast contrast in her demeanor and vocals from the shows I attended on those respective tours. The Rock A Little show: hyper and messy. The Mirror/Whole Lot of Trouble show: controlled and listless, yet I was happy she performed a decent amount of new songs (I got to see Juliet performed before it was dropped from the set).

Now that I'm more aware of the context/back story in which both albums were made, I can appreciate Rock A Little a little more. The Other Side of the Mirror had more of an instant appeal to me. Some of her other albums rank higher on my list, but that album references a particular side of Stevie.

The Juggler · #6 02-25-2015, 03:19 PM

The album is very solid but doesn't hit the high's of her previous three albums for me.

Saying that, the album picks up at the end and everything from Alice on is amazing. However I think Two Kinds Of Love, Fire Burning and Cry Wolf are pretty bad.

PenguinHead · #7 02-25-2015, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Juggler

The album is very solid but doesn't hit the high's of her previous three albums for me.

Saying that, the album picks up at the end and everything from Alice on is amazing. However I think Two Kinds Of Love, Fire Burning and Cry Wolf are pretty bad.

It is surprising that Two Kinds of Love was issued as a single. I did hear it on the radio at the time. I liked the song then, but it has not aged well, as it is among the dreck that wallows around in some of her writing and song choices. Fire Burning and Cry Wolf are good examples.

Still, when I play her albums now, I don't mind those odd songs at all. They don't assault my ears, and they are a part of the album. They are well executed despite being miscalculations. I don't over-analyze them anymore.

sorcerer999 · #8 02-26-2015, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

Fire Burning and Cry Wolf are good examples.

Still, when I play her albums now, I don't mind those odd songs at all. They don't assault my ears, and they are a part of the album. They well executed despite being miscalculations. I don't over-analyze them anymore.

^^^ THIS!!! This is totally how I feel about these songs now. Couldn't have said it better!

MikeInNV · #9 02-26-2015, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabruns

I thought the fact that OSOTM returned Nicks to the album Top 10 was a sign that people heard it and thought that yes she'd refocused after RAL. But then "Rooms On Fire" stalled at #16 - when I first heard it I was certain it would go Top 10. And unlike her previous albums, there weren't 2nd and 3rd Top 40 hits off the album.....that *could* be accounted for by wrong single choices. "Two Kinds of Love" sounds way too AC, and "Long Way To Go", even though a decent song, is a bit too pedestrian-sounding of a rock song. I think maybe "Ooh My Love" and "Whole Lotta Trouble" would have been better 2nd and 3rd singles choices.

Not sure where you are, but in the U.S. "Whole Lotta Trouble" WAS the 3rd single.

StreetAngel86 · #10 02-26-2015, 06:38 AM

LOVE TOSOTM

it's a very dark album
under the guise of all the "fairytale" fluff

named my cat after it

the only song that sucks and i skip every time is Blue Eyes ... >>insert puking emoji<<

sorcerer999 · #11 02-26-2015, 02:04 PM

Yep. The record should have ended with "Doing The Best I Can".

"I Still Miss Someone", with it's staccato carousel synth and emotionless vocal, was a misfire. I love the Johnny Cash version, though. It's just a song that shouldn't be covered by anyone else.

louielouie2000 · #12 02-26-2015, 02:23 PM

OSOTM is an album I listen to for a brief stint about once a year- usually for a week at most. The rest of the year, I just can't get into it. But for that week, I just devour it. It's hazy dreaminess during that week is magical- I dig the dark fairytale theme and really feel the escapism from troubled times the album is trying to impart; during the rest of the year it's just frustratingly airy fairy. Something that irks me about this album is it's utter lack of bass (with a few exceptions). If the sound for the entire album was more rounded and full I might be able to get into it more.

StreetAngel86 · #13 02-26-2015, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sorcerer999

Yep. The record should have ended with "Doing The Best I Can".

by far my fave track on the record
not a good idea to listen to the whole album if you're already in a dark place

but sometimes, i totally get in a TOSOTM mood and listen to it endlessly.
it's probably overall my favorite Stevie album but i have to be in the mood.

alice, rooms on fire, dtbic, lwtg are all gold.
Ooh my love, WLT, ghosts, cry wolf, fire burning are all silver

i love Juliet but i prefer the crazy Tango version

Two Kinds of Love i used to be addicted to, can take or leave it now.

Rod~A~Little · #14 02-27-2015, 01:06 PM

Agreed! Probably not the best album to listen to if you're already in a dark place.

Yes, the album should have ended with this song. I always stop at this song and never really listen to Blue Eyes.

Love the funky little groove of Juliet! I didn't know there was a "crazy Tango version." Looks like I'll be on YouTube searching for this one!

DauphineMarie · #15 02-27-2015, 04:14 PM

I got into an OSOTM phase too last year. For some reason, all of the songs just resounded with my soul like I had never experienced before, even the ones that I don't ever normally listen to. Alice is one of my all-time favourite songs now, as well as Ooh My Love and Juliet, is Alice. The darkness of this album is sometimes overwhelming... There is a friendly facade, but underneath is the darkness... You can see it, hear it, and feel it.

To me this is Stevie's only concept album, which creates the feeling of being in a dark old castle surrounded by a dark old forest, trying your hardest to escape the castle. Yes, there are some brighter moments, but for the most part it is just a descent down the grande staircase of this castle trying to find your way back home, back to the other side of the mirror.