THE POWERFUL, ENDURING PRESENCE OF STEVIE NICKS

STEVIE NICKS

The Soundstage Sessions (Reprise)
US release date: 31 March 2009
UK release date: 30 March 2009

By Christian John Wikane
PopMatters Contributing Editor

I miss new albums by Stevie Nicks. Tearing the plastic off a Stevie Nicks record that contains completely unknown material is a thrill that listeners have only truly experienced six times since her 1981 solo debut, Bella Donna. Compilations occasionally fill those long gaps with a new song here and there, but they do not summon the same charge as a whole set of songs that Nicks is introducing for the first time.

Scanning the track list of The Soundstage Sessions, portions of a concert Nicks recorded in October 2007 for the PBS Soundstage program, there are eight titles familiar to anyone with a cursory knowledge of Nicks or Fleetwood Mac, plus a cover of “Crash” by Dave Matthews Band and Bonnie Raitt’s “Circle Dance”, which Nicks sings with Vanessa Carlton (a misstep). How does it all add up?

First, irrespective of current record sales, Nicks has every reason to record a new album. She has a wealth of material and her voice remains a uniquely expressive instrument. Whatever the record label prognosticators may argue, there is a demand for a Stevie Nicks album that doesn’t include “Stand Back” or “Landslide” for the umpteenth time. The Soundstage Sessions has both but, to its credit, it also includes gems like “How Still My Love” and “Fall From Grace”, songs that have not yet been tossed into the compilation spin cycle. Disregarding the missed opportunity of a new Stevie Nicks album, The Soundstage Sessions is mostly satisfying. Nicks sounds damn good on all of these tracks, even if the world did not necessarily need another version of “Landslide”.

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FLEETWOOD MAC HIGH PRIESTESS STEVIE NICKS

April 23rd, 2009

Stevie Nicks - (Reprise/Warner)

Hour.ca

The Soundstage Sessions

by: Bugs Burnett

Fleetwood Mac high priestess Stevie Nicks always brought a folk and country sensibility to her rock'n'roll, and this 10-track selection of some of her best and biggest, recorded live in Chicago for her 2007 PBS Soundstage performance, includes Sara, Landslide, Rhiannon and a speedy hard-rocking version of Stand Back. Her vocals are quite good - Stevie still hits all the high notes - especially on the sweeping ballad Beauty and the Beast, complete with string section.

NICKS STILL HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT ON KILLER LIVE SHOW

Stevie Nicks “The Soundstage Sessions” and “Live in Chicago”

By Valerie Hill
The Current Writer

LUSH BEAUTIFULLY ORCHESTRATED PROJECT

Stevie Nicks - "The Soundstage Sessions" Review

Rivetingriffs.com

More than any other female vocalist, when I was in my teenage and university years, Stevie Nicks impacted my life, so imagine the tremendous adrenaline rush which I experienced when Nicks’ new CD The Soundstage Sessions arrived in the mail. Stevie Nicks’ familiar vibrato is still omni present, on this lush, beautifully orchestrated project, on which she penned all, but two of the ten tunes, the exceptions being the second track, Dave Matthews’, “Crash Into Me,” and the seventh track, Bonnie Raitt’s, “Circle Dance.” Some of the songs are older and more familiar, others less so.

The album opens with the hard hitting rock tune, “Stand Back,” before moving into a mellow, acoustic cover of, “Crash Into Me,” featuring the splendid guitar work of Waddy Wachtel, who also acted as the Musical Director for The Soundstage Sessions.

Full Review