Trouble In Shangri-La ()

You'd be forgiven for having little to rejoice about Stevie Nicks live performance of Blue Denim on Letterman six years ago. The charmed enchantress, our arbitrator in this world made of thorns, sounded worse than she looked. Offering a limited vocal range and one that was flat in tone, Im sure pain was felt by artist and fan. Furthermore, it was a good indication of the uninspiring Street Angel release.

Many transformations have occurred in the music world in recent years. Madonna re-invented herself from the material girl to the maternal girl, released Ray of Light and received her first Grammy ever. Similarly, grunge was displaced for Versace as Courtney Love found herself being transferred from the worst to the best dressed list. Nobody could have speculated the trashy and hardly heroine-chic rebel would be nominated for an Oscar.

And so too, the consciously determined Nicks has shed the kilos but more importantly has returned to form with Trouble in Shangri-La and becomes the recipient of a Songwriting Achievement Award. Youd be forgiven for rejoicing at Stevies recent appearance on the Blockbuster Awards.

Despite the numerous producers and guest performances, Trouble in Shangri-La, is Nicks most polished and seamless studio effort since The Wildheart. While all the elements of her traditional singing style are prevalent, they are given a sense of fresh vitality. The air is new but still tainted with the familiar and it definitely smells better. Its stylistically centered on the acoustic guitar and to a lesser extent electronic textural enhancement. Instrumentation and sound mixing further aiding the vitality.

This re-invented sound is what Stevie has needed for a long time and is a grand departure from the tiresome and stale MORE formula so exemplified by the bland Blue Denim.

Fall From Grace easily dispels any assumption that Nicks is too old to rock and roll with dignity and good taste. Its delivered fast and furious but never outside her scope. Echoing the threatening danger of the Red Rocks performance of No Spoken Word it is the albums statement in the same vein as Edge of Seventeen or Stand Back. Nicks knows her limitations and avoids traps that artists like Rod Stewart have suffered. She sticks to what she knows she does best. However, given the rather unchangeable tempo throughout the CD, Fall From Grace seems ill-placed near the end of album. Trouble in Shangri-La doesnt beg for much needed temporal relief but it would have been nice nonetheless. But dont let the constant tempo fool you. There is a good selection of other songs to suggest as highlights.

Planets of the Universe is the first track that essentially offers this new sound. During the bridge, the trance-like electronic keyboards serve the dual purpose of signifying the cosmic design, in addition to, bringing Stevie into the new millennium musically. Nicks offers a solid vocal performance with Everyday that is backed by well-blended harmonies and subtle string orchestration. If you reserve your judgment on this one, a head examination may prove worthwhile.

As the name might suggest, Too Far From Texas is the country-flavoured track which Nicks tackles with easy eloquence. Unlike, Stewart, artists like Linda Rondstadt or Elvis Costello have successfully transcended their niches and expanded into Latino or jazz territories. One suspects Nicks could easily do this with country. Lyrically speaking, the transition would be smoother than the best pick-up line youve ever heard - the pining of partners and places elsewhere being so entirely compatible.

Ironically, That Made Me Stronger is the weakest song and lacks the direction which is rightly deserves. The electronic enhancement does little to support the already pale melodic structure. The song pays homage to Tom Petty who, when asked if he would help her write this album, appropriately turned her down and forced her to confront herself. As one might hope, the initial lack of confidence is invisible with this latest effort. This being further cause for celebration. The often unsure Nicks is more confident than ever.