Originally Posted by
RanRan79
I think all four of the Howe tracks were very good, although for the longest time I only played "Stoney End". It took awhile for the others to grow on me. I do agree that "Stoney" would've made a great single, but I fear it would have alienated her r&b audience as it sounds to my ears as pure pop. That early period was important to ensure that she had everyone on board as fans. As an album track it, along with "Time", would've made great additions. I've stated my opinion about the debut album before, that to me the album has a dark tone to it. Somber might be a way I would describe it. With "Stoney" and "Time" replacing "You're All I Need" on side 1 and "Tomorrow" or, probably even better, "Keep An Eye" on side 2, I think the album would've balanced out a bit better.
I also agree about "Can't It Wait Until Tomorrow". It is possibly the weakest song on the album and I rarely listen to it. I wish Val had given Diana the arrangement that Valerie used for herself. It would've been a highlight for the album, no doubt.
Regarding EIE, I'm not really hearing how "Stoney" or "Time" fits in with the vibe of that album. The only songs I might consider poppy sounding is "Long and Winding" and the title track, and I might be pushing it with the title track. But I would never categorize most of the tracks as pop.
"These Things" I think may have done as well as "Reach Out and Touch" did. I could hear it in the top 10 r&b, top 20 pop like "Reach". But it never would've been as memorable and long lasting as "Reach Out and Touch", and certainly would not have repeated the success of it's soundalike in "Someday We'll Be Together". It's also a song I feel, once again, could've used some punching up in the track. It's not doing enough. The melody is great, the lyrics very good, Diana sounds nice, the Johnny Bristol addition feels familiar, but it still feels like not enough. The Velvelettes deserved a major hit with their version. Diana's not so much.
Bookmarks