Ms Stephanie Lynn Nicks' first Greatest Hits album came with the very famous Fleetwood Mac which fared very well... so how did her own sole Greatest Hits album do? Did Stevie's solo work stand against that which she has created with the band?
Indeed it did. Already proven with the success of Bella Donna in 1981, which went platinum five times, TimeSpace:The Best Of Stevie Nicks proved that the rock poet can do just as well on her own. Even though it didn't sell as many copies as Nicks' previous solo albums, it still achieved platinum status. The selection of tracks on the album only further prove what an enduring talented Nicks is.
There are four stand out tracks on the album-Sometimes It's A Bitch (written by Jon Bon Jovi), Stand Back, Rooms On Fire and the one and only Edge Of Seventeen. It's the lyrics of Sometimes It's A Bitch combined with Stevie's unique vocals that turn it into something extra special. Stevie herself once said that after reading the lyrics, she felt that he (Bon Jovi) had somehow gone back in time and written about her life in the past. Stand Back, written on Stevie's wedding day (a very short lived marriage) comes from The Wild Heart album (1983) is a true 80s tune with those great synthesizers (done by Prince) and the pounding drum beats. Stevie's voice soars over the music and you can hear the passion in every word.
Rooms On Fire, from The Other Side Of The Mirror (1989) is maybe not as strong musically as the other three songs I have mentioned but it definitely has the most catchy chours, the one that you would find yourself struggling to get out of your head! And finally, the great Edge Of Seventeen. Having reviewed the Bella Donna album (which this track first appeared on) all I can say is that this song has to be Stevie's best ever solo work. Nominated for a Grammy award, it is the song that Stevie is most associated with when anyone thinks of her solo career.
There are other great tracks on this album as well, including Beauty And The Beast and Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You. The latter, from Rock A Little (1985), was written for Joe Walsh of The Eagles and is a soft, beautiful piece. Beauty And The Beast , taken from The Wild Heart, is musically (soft, gentle) along the same lines as Has Anyone... except what wins me over in this track is the heart wrenching cry in the middle of the song jsut before sweeping violins come in over her voice... It is so wonderful and you can really feel the emotion here.
Other great tracks to listen to are I Can't Wait, Stop Draggin My Heart Around (a duet with Tom Petty), and Leather and Lace (another duet, this time with Don Henley of The Eagles). Overall a fine album and a must have for any Stevie Nicks fan and indeed any Fleetwood Mac one.
Recommended Tracks:
1. Sometimes It's A Bitch
2. Stop Draggin My Heart Around
5. Stand Back
6. Beauty And The Beast
8. Rooms On Fire
10. Edge Of Seventeen
12. I Can't Wait
