Trouble In Shangri-La ()

The cover of Trouble in Shangri-La captures Stevie in the act of walking through a doorway. She seems to be headed toward the sea. In the cd, she states that the sea is a "constant in her life." Stevie's music has become a constant in mine and I approached Trouble in Shangri-La with an expectation of hearing something new and exciting while keeping the basic style that I've come to depend on. It seemed like a monumental expectation but I was not disappointed.

In the 4 years since I've become reaquainted with the work of Stevie Nicks, I have learned to listen to her with my heart. Whatever I am feeling, she's probably already put words to. I can't give long speeches about technical achievements in a recording or specifics about which instrument is doing what at a particular time. All I can say is that Trouble in Shangri-La, from the very first listen, was one of those rare cds that I felt an immediate and complete connection with.

As much of a Stevie fan as I consider myself to be, I can't say that I've felt that way about any of her other solo works (individual songs--yes, but not entire albums). I needed more time to absorb them. There is not one song on TISL I dislike. A few absolutely touch my soul. I Miss You, Love Is and It's Only Love are three that immediately spring to mind. I love the words to Bombay Sapphires and Trouble in Shangri-La. I like the bouncy "pop" feel of Everyday. The old demos (Sorcerer, Planets of the Universe and Candlebright a/k/a Nomad) have held up extremely well and can proudly see the light of day in a legitimate forum (as opposed to the copies of copies of the piano- or guitar-only gems most of us have in our collections). And, in spite of the fact that some things about Stevie "never change," she has managed to achieve a very contemporary sound without compromising the magic that is all her own and has been for the past decades.

Stevie is getting quite a bit of praise for this work and she deserves it. She is a performer who has opened herself up enough as a person to share what is within her and, through that sharing, she connects with her audience. Those of us who "get" her can feel very fortunate to witness this moment in Stevie history. She's worked long and hard for this time and should be very proud.