Sarah and Nettwerk

[Miguel]

At least she gave us an album in between the huge "writer's block", she didn't just not release anything for those years.

True. And let's not forget, she also gave us almost half an album worth of new songs since Wintersong

Ordinary Miracle (non-written)
Wintersong
U Want Me 2
DGUOU
One Dream

[chadwick]

i enjoyed LOI and it gave me a few gems. i'm glad she gave us the bonus DVD with the acoustic performances.

the only thing that disappointed me was that it was not heavily promoted... now i know she toured shortly after its release and is still doing so but there has not been much promotion aside from that... i was hoping to have some more official live sessions available for purchase, a second music video, or other goodies. maybe we'll get a live DVD/CD after touring ends... that would be fun. it seems we got more with "afterglow" even close to 2 years after its release.

i think sarah will make the same type of music even if she went with indie... her style has changed some between records but nothing too drastic... especially with the last three proper records. however, maybe the creative forces will be working overtime if she goes indie and maybe we don't have to wait so long!

[Kaleysuncle]

i enjoyed LOI and it gave me a few gems. i'm glad she gave us the bonus DVD with the acoustic performances.

the only thing that disappointed me was that it was not heavily promoted... now i know she toured shortly after its release and is still doing so but there has not been much promotion aside from that... i was hoping to have some more official live sessions available for purchase, a second music video, or other goodies. maybe we'll get a live DVD/CD after touring ends... that would be fun. it seems we got more with "afterglow" even close to 2 years after its release.

i think sarah will make the same type of music even if she went with indie... her style has changed some between records but nothing too drastic... especially with the last three proper records. however, maybe the creative forces will be working overtime if she goes indie and maybe we don't have to wait so long!

Not making a video for Forgiveness was a HUGE mistake. I don't know what they were thinking. Maybe a "live" video will be released for it to go along with the dvd?

I think Afterglow was way more hyped up since it was her first album after her first long break. She did disappear. With LoI and the last few years, she did release material and made appearences at award shows, benefits, etc...

[sarahfan4life]

i enjoyed LOI and it gave me a few gems. i'm glad she gave us the bonus DVD with the acoustic performances.

the only thing that disappointed me was that it was not heavily promoted... now i know she toured shortly after its release and is still doing so but there has not been much promotion aside from that... i was hoping to have some more official live sessions available for purchase, a second music video, or other goodies. maybe we'll get a live DVD/CD after touring ends... that would be fun. it seems we got more with "afterglow" even close to 2 years after its release.

i think sarah will make the same type of music even if she went with indie... her style has changed some between records but nothing too drastic... especially with the last three proper records. however, maybe the creative forces will be working overtime if she goes indie and maybe we don't have to wait so long!

Not making a video for Forgiveness was a HUGE mistake. I don't know what they were thinking. Maybe a "live" video will be released for it to go along with the dvd?

I think Afterglow was way more hyped up since it was her first album after her first long break. She did disappear. With LoI and the last few years, she did release material and made appearences at award shows, benefits, etc...

i always wanted to say this.... dont some of you think that one of the biggest mistakes was releasing Loving You is Easy as the lead single... firstly i believe alot of fans were expecting a break up song and secondly its a new direction for sarah so it should have been released maybe as the third single or something, i like the song but i think Awakenings being a dark rockier song and a fan favourite of the album should have been released as the first single with an awesome wicked video like u want me 2 which did quite well on the charts

[Jessel]

i always wanted to say this.... dont some of you think that one of the biggest mistakes was releasing Loving You is Easy as the lead single... firstly i believe alot of fans were expecting a break up song and secondly its a new direction for sarah so it should have been released maybe as the third single or something...

LOL, I HATED that song from the moment I heard a live recording before the release of LOI. It's one big plagiaristic cliché though it's also a grower, it's like her new Ice Cream. But the thing is, our Sarah is not a 'celebrity' in the flashy and most vulgar Hollywood sense. I don't think she'd dare capitalize on the Ash breakup just to boost record sales. I believe she intended to release LYIE (as the first single) from the start and it makes sense since if I'm not mistaken, it's the first new song she performed live prior to the release of LOI. From what I can tell, Sarah is at the point of her career where she is writing solely for herself; she's becoming less and less interested in making a soundtrack for the personal lives of her fans lol!

[TheSquirrel]

I absolutely hate LYIE. My view is that it's her trying to convince herself and everyone else she's hap hap happy. I think she craves the attention as much as any egocentric rock star. I think she tries to pretend she's just a "normal" person, which for me is complete bullshit. I don't believe it, and more importantly, I don't believe for one moment she believes it. I do think she wanted the album to be good just to show everyone she can still cut it. For me the positive thing is the break with Nettwerk. It may be that she's holding back some of her best for when she goes indie. But truth is I don't expect to see her anywhere near her best again. Since Miguel is usually right, and I am usually wrong, you can all expect her next album to be so good it knocks FTE down to an also ran. Just as long as Miguel is predicting the next album to be stunning.

I have looked at the artist now and in the past six years and have compared that to the artist of fifteen years ago. Obviously people change, but for me I don't like or trust what I see and hear nowadays.

[Quincy]

"Sarah is at the point of her career where she is writing solely for herself; she's becoming less and less interested in making a soundtrack for the personal lives of her fans lol!"
I'm not sure I understand that Jessel. You have to think of the broader picture if your selling yourself, your music, or indeed, any consumer product. Writing for SMcL isn't really an option. If that's what the record buying public want then you've cracked it, but you have to be sure on that.

"Obviously people change, but for me I don't like or trust what I see and hear nowadays."
In my case Squirrel, this applies to just about everybody and everything in my life. This is probably why I'm a die hard cynic.
I think she is "Normal", (Or as normal as you can get in the arts industry!) especially for someone in the public gaze as she is, I don't there's too much pretence there. Compare her to some and she's positively a living saint. As for the break with Nettwerk, it depends on just how much pressure is on her to " Tow the party line". Is she being coerced to push out songs that she feels are "inappropriate" for her?? I suspect that there is more than a little truth in that.
As we have all suggested people change in 20 years plus and so do companies. From reading various articles I don't think Terry McBride is the easiest person to work under and can be a bit of a control freak (If I'm wrong Terry I do apologise).

Finally, I don't think FTE is too worried about being toppled, but I sincerely hope I'm wrong on that (Again!!)

Q

[TheSquirrel]

[quote="Quincy
As for the break with Nettwerk, it depends on just how much pressure is on her to " Tow the party line". Is she being coerced to push out songs that she feels are "inappropriate" for her?? I suspect that there is more than a little truth in that.
As we have all suggested people change in 20 years plus and so do companies. From reading various articles I don't think Terry McBride is the easiest person to work under and can be a bit of a control freak (If I'm wrong Terry I do apologise).

Finally, I don't think FTE is too worried about being toppled, but I sincerely hope I'm wrong on that (Again!!)
Q[/quote]

I agree with a lot of that. I thought she was treated abominably in the early days when they toured her to exhaustion, but just like other stars who followed that dream, she did what she was told. I don't blame her large breaks either, it's just I hate all the crap in the middle bits where she has nothing to say and no new material except for one song or a cover song, and it's charity charity to keep her in the limelight. I hate that. I have never trusted that sort of stuff. The problem with superstars is they are great with charity and the big picture because they are so egocentric they are incappable of holding down a relationship due to the me me me me attitude. They are a race apart. Great with impersonal stuff like charities, big events and playing to a crowd, but totally inadequate at personal stuff. Looks like both McBride and McLachlan are control freaks. Only difference is McLachlan is the mechanic and McBride is the oily rag. She doesn't need him or Nettwerk. I'm delighted to see her get shot of him (or maybe she should have shot him).

[Miguel]

I don't find anything wrong with LYIE.

I listened back to the first live version and I can't believe Sarah doesn't play it like that anymore. She's too gentle on the piano, whereas it sounded like she was hitting every key with force, then

[Jessel]

I think she craves the attention as much as any egocentric rock star.

...it's just I hate all the crap in the middle bits where she has nothing to say and no new material except for one song or a cover song, and it's charity charity to keep her in the limelight. I hate that. I have never trusted that sort of stuff.

I agree with you Squirrel on a lot of things. Do I think Sarah enjoys the spotlight? Of course she does! Nearly everyone who's ever performed live on the stage craves the limelight. True, a lot of celebs focus on charity when they don't have something new to offer at the moment to keep them in the radar. But in my humble opinion, it matters little whether celebs are sincere or not. It's one of Madonna's favorite pastimes and mind you, this woman's hypocrisy is legendary. Though I have mixed feelings about people who don't walk their talk, they're still sending out a very powerful message and continue to inspire thousands, maybe even millions. Inasmuch as I find Gaga's music/persona to be bland, derivative and fake, I still give her props for creating an atmosphere where it is okay to be different. Basically, she's motivating the new generation to be more open-minded and accepting of others. Sometimes the end DO justify the means...