From: owner-harbinger-digest@smoe.org (harbinger-digest) To: harbinger-digest@smoe.org Subject: harbinger-digest V5 #78 Reply-To: harbinger@smoe.org Sender: owner-harbinger-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-harbinger-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk harbinger-digest Wednesday, April 26 2000 Volume 05 : Number 078 HARBINGER DIGEST To post, mail harbinger@smoe.org To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe harbinger-digest To get list info file, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: info harbinger-digest Today's Subjects: ---------------- (harbinger) AMEN resurrection or RIP? Part I [steven.stewart@nokia.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 11:07:06 +0300 From: steven.stewart@nokia.com Subject: (harbinger) AMEN resurrection or RIP? Part I Forgive me. I had too much time on my hands this weekend, so I wrote WAY too much about the topic of AMEN's future. I'll break the post up in parts. kenn's original post got my thinking and now rambling. Hope you stick around for the ride and comment...both if you agree or disagree... THE GENERAL PUBLIC HASN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM AMEN. Is AMEN. a commercial flop because it isn't a good album, because it was mismarketed or both? I think a lot of the comments on this list are really interesting because we are seeing it as fans who own the album and judging it as a whole, not just by the success of the singles. (There are tons of successful albums with two or three hit songs, but the rest of the album is a lemon. But the album is still considered a success.) I always forget that the normal record buying public has probably not even heard the album to judge if it is good or bad. They have their ideas about Paula's image (along with the negatives of Lilith burnout, the short shelf life of a popular TV show theme ("I'll Be Here for You (FRIENDS)" or "Searching my Soul (ALLY MCBEAL)" anyone?), armpit hair sidebar). Not to mention that COWBOYS was not a typical Paula song and it along with IDWTW were horribly overplayed while FEELING LOVE and ME were almost ignored. AMEN didn't necessarily flop because it was awful...it flopped because people weren't able to hear anything from it to judge if it was awful or not. (Though the icy reviews didn't help people want to search it out.) I don't think it is as cohesive and satisfying as HARBINGER or THIS FIRE; but I would almost have rather had it flop after three singles failed to take off rather than have it flop just because no one heard it. At least that way, I'd feel that the album got a fair chance. TARNISHED IMAGE AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION Paula had a lot of obstacles to overcome with the release of the new album. A lot of high expectations after her Grammy win and being the first female nominated for producer. And a lot of industry people who wanted her to fall flat on her face because they thought she came across as arrogant and cocky and wanted her to be humbled. (Her snappish remarks about EW being cowardly after it airbrushed the pit hair probably didn't win her many fans from a magazine that in the past had been a big supporter.) Sadly, I think she's been humbled enough with this release. Hopefully she will use all of those highs and lows to create some great music for the next album. ODD CHOICES FOR SINGLE DESIGNS By the way, I saw the video for ME again last night and had forgotten how gorgeous Paula is That video is visually stunning. With that said, I was personally really put off by the presentation of the European single for IBIL (If you haven't seen it, the top half is a live shot of Paula's head in profile which is a little off focus and makes her jaw look bigger than Jay Leno's. VERY unflattering and has nothing to do with the feel of the song.) The lower half is black with puffy 60's lettering in pink of I BELIEVE IN LOVE. Maybe trying to copy the Austin Powers logo feel, but not pulling it off because of a complete lack of humour or irony in the picture. Weird. The American single was better, but not great. Again, Paula really took some AMAZING shots for this album (My favorite is the Angel for Pearl. Striking.) The shot they chose for the US single made Paula look almost mannish in my opinion. The background was cool, but I thought she looked hard and clunky. I would have chosen the laughing AMEN picture under the tree to go with the feel of the song...she's alone, but still believes. I never saw the video for IBIL. Was it a winner, a stinker, or ok, but forgetable? Anyone? MUSIC STYLE MAKEOVER I adore IBIL. Great song. Love the idea of an alt soul singer like LENNOX and G MICHAEL. White kid singing with passion in an R&B mode. I also thought it was smart to do an about face from the Lilith angry girls with guitars mode. But the change made her start from scratch. I first heard Paula on Alt Pop radio with Ordinary. Alt Pop probably didn't know what to do with a sexy slice of the LOVE BOAT that Paula served up with IBIL. Doesn't really go with the other acts. Now with BE SOMEBODY aching to be legit R&B...R&B probably won't touch it because Paula isn't yet accepted on urban radio that I know of. It sure isn't Alternative. And Top 40 is fickle. Though IBIL was the strongest song to lead with, I personally would have gone with PEARL which would have fit on both Alt Pop and Top 40...lyrically challenging, aching, and intimate, close enough to her past hits to please everyone, but different enough to keep people interested. Then I would have followed with IBIL as Paula Cole for those who don't like Paula Cole and push her fans into her new direction instead of the shock of something so unexpected. I think both radio and fans needed a song to bridge the gap to follow Paula in her new direction. IBIL was just too radical a change. MUSICAL CLIMATE I really appreciated the comments someone wrote about Alanis. I am a fan of her stuff and think she is a good songwriter. It is interesting to see that even the enormous acts are having a hard time following up their albums. JUNKIE and UNPLUGGED sold in the millions, but they are still considered disappointments and the shine on Alanis's star is fading. She is no longer the IT girl. Unfortunately, it feels like the media and public are chewing up and spitting out artists at an incredible rate. How many artists from even six years ago are still doing well? Followups from Jewel, Fiona Apple, Indigo Girls, George Michael, U2, Missy Elliott, Puff Daddy, and more have all performed much lower than expected. Do I think Brittney and the Backstreet Boys prevent Paula from being successful with AMEN. No. Whatever you say about the rest of AMEN, IBIL should have been a monster hit that would compliment the current teen bands music and sound right at home on Y2K radio formats. But, with the feeling that people are tired of the Lilith trend (women singer/songwriters) and looking for the next trend (teen divas and boy bands), program directors could be passing on anything associated with Lilith. I have a hard time accepting that mindless shutout because a hit song is a hit song. If people want it, the advertisers are happy. But I did appreciate that extra insight about a possible snub because of the way the distribution happened. What is funny is that I heard IBIL on the radio when I vacationed in America at Christmas, in a few stores, and a few times on Finnish radio. So why the shutout? Oh, well. Be afraid...Part II coming... - ------------------------------ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe harbinger Btw, if you are an AOL subscriber the above instruction will work for your EVERY time. Digest, further unsub and problems FAQ at: http://www.netaxs.com/~jgreshes/lists/harbinger.html ------------------------------ End of harbinger-digest V5 #78 ******************************