From: owner-harbinger-digest@smoe.org (harbinger-digest) To: harbinger-digest@smoe.org Subject: harbinger-digest V5 #79 Reply-To: harbinger@smoe.org Sender: owner-harbinger-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-harbinger-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk harbinger-digest Friday, April 28 2000 Volume 05 : Number 079 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: ---------------- Re: (harbinger) AMEN resurrection or RIP? Part I [Brian C Subject: Re: (harbinger) AMEN resurrection or RIP? Part I I sent this in a long time ago, but if you want to see the video to IBIL, you can see it at the following URL. You'll need to d'load Windows Media Player http://www.previewtunes.com/default.asp?songid=228 Hopefully this will get the list back in action. It's quiet in here. Bri Bri - --- steven.stewart@nokia.com wrote: > 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. > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online and get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/ - ------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 17:26:25 EDT From: Fumbler310@aol.com Subject: (harbinger) My Paula Website I'd just like to let everyone know that i've expanded my Paula website, and i'm like it if you'd take a look if you have a chance. Currently, the IBIL remixes aren't up, but that will change pretty soon. Let me know what you think! ...becoming the pearl... http://members.aol.com/josiepepe/pearl.html Thanks guys, ~ Steve - ------------------------------ 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 #79 ******************************