Greetings,
As much as I love certain people, I hate it when they make me wait. Example. In 2001, Stevie Nicks released a great album called Trouble in Shangri-La and then didn't release anything new for TEN YEARS! Why, Stevie, why?. Okay, to be fair, she did release a live album and a "best of", but those don't really count. And she did do the Say You Will album with Fleetwood Mac, where she wrote about seven of the songs. Still, her Mac songs have always felt different to me than her solo work, and it just wasn't enough. I mean, the reason she broke off from Fleetwood Mac to begin her solo career was mainly because she did not have enough of an outlet for her prolific songwriting. But I will try not to complain too much, because, well, first of all, it's Stevie, and I love her. But also because, finally, in 2011, we did get a new album called In Your Dreams, and it is fantastic.
In Your Dreams is Stevie's seventh studio album, released thirty years after her solo debut Bella Donna. This one was very much a collaborative effort for her and Dave Stewart (the one from the Eurythmics), and, I must say, he did an excellent job. Most of the songs were written by the both of them, but there were also contributions by a couple of others, including Edgar Allan Poe. More on that later. And, to put it bluntly, this album was definitely worth the wait. I think it may be her best work ever, proving that life experience does have some benefits, and it is not only wine that gets better with age. So let me take you through some of the high points.
The album starts strongly with a song called "Secret Love". Stevie had written it in 1976 for Rumours, but it didn't make the cut, much like her beautiful song "Silver Springs". Seriously, were they contractually obligated to only have eleven songs on that album? Because rejecting these two songs seems crazy. Another great track is "Wide Sargasso Sea" which is a song that is based on a movie that was based on a book of the same name. The story is a precursor to the story of Jane Eyre, and when Stevie saw the film, she wrote a long poem about it, something I have done with several movies myself. That poem then morphed into this powerful song, which is so strong and driving it almost overwhelms you. But in a good way.
Speaking of being inspired by other writers, as I mentioned, the song "Annabel Lee" is adapted from the poem by Edgar Allan Poe. It seems odd for someone as lyrically gifted as Stevie Nicks to use someone else's words, but she knows what's good when she hears it. And the end result is phenomenal. She can certainly get inspired by anything or anyone, even Reese Witherspoon. Yes, Ms. Witherspoon dropped by some recording sessions and apparently a random comment she made inspired "Cheaper Than Free", a simple but alluring song that closes the album.
And for those of you who are fans, or stalkers, of Reese's one time co-star Robert Pattinson, there is even a song for you. "Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream)" has a very interesting history. The first and third verses were written by Stevie in the seventies about her relationship with Lindsey Buckingham. But, after she saw Twilight: New Moon, she wrote the second verse and the chorus about the relationship of Bella and Edward. One can certainly see the parallels between the two of them and how they show that some love is everlasting, even through separation. As much as it pains me to admit that. It always pains me to give any kind of compliment to Twilight. Yeah, I need to wrap this up. But, speaking of which, maybe on the next album Stevie makes she can write a song about cheating. She will, obviously, have to go no further than the real lives of some of those Twilight stars for inspiration.
Now I could go on and on about each song on this album. I like all of them, some more than others, but when even my least favorites are really good, that says a lot. Still, I have to give a major nod to the best song here. For years, my favorite Stevie Nicks song has been "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You?" I love the song itself and the story behind it. However, "Italian Summer" could definitely give it a run for its money. I can't even begin to describe how exquisite it is. Everything about it, the music, the arrangement, the lyrics (of course!) are absolutely perfect. There is literally nothing wrong with this song. It is flawless to me, and it is 100% Stevie, destined to become a classic alongside such gems as "Rhiannon" and "Landslide". In case you haven't figured it out, it's my favorite song on the album.
So if you are a fan of Stevie's, you should certainly own this album. If you are not a huge fan but have had your interest peaked by this review, here's a suggestion. Go to You Tube and find a two-part, behind the scenes, mini-documentary by searching Stevie Nicks In Your Dreams. It gives a great insight and a lot of clips of the music, if you want to give it a listen. It will not disappoint and neither does this album.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
