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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid, But Not As Inspired As Nick's Previous Works, 14 Oct 2003
ROCK A LITTLE tends to take a beating from critics as a purely commercial effort--and there is some truth in that statement. But the problem with the album isn't so much Stevie Nicks as it is producer Jimmy Iovine. Iovine did a stunning job of showcasing Nicks' unique talents on her solo debut BELLA DONNA and its follow up THE WILD HEART, but with ROCK A LITTLE he seems unable to find any consistently effective way in which to present her. Consequently, most cuts from this album reek of excessive synthesizer, as if Iovine is trying to bury Nicks under layers of sound. Not surprisingly, it would be the last time he would act as her producer.That aside, 1985 was not a particularly good year for Stevie Nicks herself, who endured a host of emotional upheavals and began to drift into serious drug use. And it shows a bit in her material. At her best, she can still fuse a series of remarkable images with her half-velvet, half-sandpaper voice--"I Sing For The Things" is a particularly good example and a very fine piece. But few of the selections here have the same memorable combination of voice, lyric, and music that graced her previous work. But all of this is much less grim than it may sound: even with these problems running against it, ROCK A LITTLE is a solid album, and at its best it shows Stevie Nicks at her best. The opening "I Can't Wait" is a roundhouse punch, "I Sing for the Things" is classic Nicks poetry, "Talk To Me" is a neglected pop classic, and "Has Any One Ever Written Anything For You" may be a bit spotty in lyrics but it has the emotional charge that only Nicks at her best can convey. As for the rest, they aren't bad, they aren't clunkers--they're just not Nicks quite at the top of her form. This isn't the album I would use to introduce Stevie Nicks to a new listener--it pulls in too many directions without finding a center. But it is nonetheless a good album, one that really only falls short in comparison to Nicks' previous work. Recommended. GFT, Amazon Reviewer
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A powerful, moving, nothing short of exquisite album, 28 Sep 2003
Stevie Nicks had two impressive hits from this 1985 solo album, I Can't Wait and Talk to Me, both of which combined to make me a Stevie Nicks fan. For whatever reason, I've never followed Fleetwood Mac that closely, but clearly Stevie can hold her own with or without the other members of the band. Rock a Little really is an incredibly good album, featuring terrific songs ranging from great mid-80s rock and roll to tender ballads made all the more poignant by Stevie's unique voice; you might think her voice is too rough to really score hits emotionally, but it actually conveys a mournful, highly effective sound to the ballads that fit her style. As great as I Can't Wait and Talk to Me are, they may not be the most impressive rock tracks on the album. Sister Honey packs a heck of a punch, but Imperial Hotel takes Nicks' frenetic energy to an almost impossibly high level; if you want to hear what 80s rock could really do, these songs are definitely worth your time. The majority of the album consists of rock ballads such as Some Become Strangers, The Nightmare, No Spoken Word, and the especially impressive If I Were You; these are classic tracks that sound as good today as they did in 1985. Finally, Stevie gives voice to some truly touching slow keyboard-based ballads. I Sing For the Things is a beautiful song about the things money can't buy, namely love. The album's closing track, though, is simply amazing. Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You delves to the deepest of emotional levels, giving voice to the type of love that can change and save a person's life. The only track here I don't particularly love is the title track, yet even this unusual song can work magic on your ears and soul after several close listens. I can't say whether or not this album is the best of Stevie Nicks' career, but I can hardly imagine how she could have topped it. Rock a Little is simply an exquisite album from an artist who doesn't seem to get enough credit for her great individual talent.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
stevies best album...ever!!!, 28 Jan 2007
from the opening rock soundspace of "i cant wait" till the closing piona vocal of "has anyone ever written anything for you" this album never disappoints! i could never understand why some people said this album sounded disjointed?? to me it is perfect!
every song has a feel a mood and as with all stevies best they paint a picture....
"i cant wait"...desperate stevie wanting it now... full of sexual frustration... its stand back number 2!!! "rock a little" has stevies telling the quiet girl to get out there and live a little. "sister honey" as i see it..but what do i know... is stevie telling the man who is leaving to think twice about what hes loosing.
"i sing for the things" is stevie telling the story of unrequited love! "imperial hotel" to me is about ladies of the night!!! "some becomes strangers" is stevie doing the break up song.. about how you feel when the big romance is over!
"talk to me" has stevie being the shoulder to cry on.."the nightmare" i think is about being trapped in a relationship and being scared to leave.
"if i were you" is my favourite stevie song of all time...i interpret it as the first flush of new love "no spoken word" i see as stevie sing about a one night stand and wanting more than that..."has anyone ever written.." is just too beautiful to explain
i would recommend anyone to buy this album and..MARVEL at miss nicks at her best lyrically and vocally!
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