24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault

"24 Karat Gold ~ Songs From the Vault" is a newly recorded album by Stevie Nicks, however if you didn't know better you would easily think this was a long lost album from Stevie. Going back to 2010 when Stevie was working on her "In Your Dreams" album she discovered one her lost demos, "Secret Love", on YouTube. She reworked that track for that album. Jump ahead a few years and she discovered lots more of her lost demos on YouTube and with a few weeks this past spring, she and producer Dave Stewart headed down to Nashville to rework these tracks.As a long time fan, I've had these demos in my collection for years, when I heard what her plan was, I was skeptical. This isn't the first time she's reworked old demos, but the results haven't always been great. Listen to her original demo for "Smile At You", then check out the watered down released version on Fleetwood Mac's "Say You Will". Would she be able to recapture the magic in these original demos, or would the suffer the same fate of "Smile At You" where too much time has passed and the inspiration behind the song is long forgotten. Another concern was her voice, it's aged a lot since the recording of the demos. The answer is not only do these songs come to life, but in nearly every case, outshine the demos.Among the highlights, the album kicks off with "Starshine", this is a fun rocker that is a great album opener and would also be a killer opening song on stage. If you're familiar with the demo, you'll hear how she really recaptured the feel of 1980 and the recording of the "Bella Donna" album right down to the organ solo."Mabel Normand" is one of her more rare demos, the song tells the tale of the long forgotten actress but here Stevie compares her own life to that of Mabel. The song dates back to the "Rock A Little" era and like "Thousand Days" or "Mirror Mirror" it has an almost rambling feel to the lyric, that's not a bad thing.The album's title "24 Karat Gold" was a demo that I could never quite get into, the version here though shines. From the opening lone bass riff, which rolls into a drum beat, the song just comes to life.One of my favorites from the album, "Belle Fleur" is another of the demos that I never got into, but once again, Stevie has transformed the song into a gem. The first minute of the song here is just a chugging drum beat that hooks you just before the song has it's proper start. I also like the banjo heard throughout the song."All The Beautiful Worlds" is a great song period. It's got a haunting tone that has a very definite late 70's/early 80's feel to it. Again here Stevie's vocals sound as strong and vibrant as they did in the 80's. With Sharon and Lori providing their background vocals, the song is classic Stevie."Lady" was known for years among fans as "Knocking On Doors". Stevie wrote this back in the late 60's when she and Lindsey were trying to get noticed. Her voice has aged to perfection here. Just Stevie and a piano, that's all this song needs.With "I Don't Care" Stevie rocks out. The music track was written by Tom Petty guitarist Mike Campbell and Waddy Wachtel. It's got a swampy bluesy feel, a very different sound for Stevie. Stevie has said the end of the song lyrically was made up on the spot, honestly the whole song lyrically sounds improvised, but it works."Watch Chain" written about Mick Fleetwood in the late 70's has retained much of the feel of the original demo. I've always liked this one and yet again, Stevie's vocals have somehow transported back to the 70's."Hard Advice" is the sister song to 2001's "That Made Me Stronger", two songs written about the same conversation. In this case a conversation Stevie had with Tom Petty. This is a beautiful track."Carousel" is a Vanessa Carlton song that Stevie did not write, however it's included here because it was one of Stevie's late mother's favorites."Blue Water" is something of holy grail song among fans, written by Stevie with Sharon Celani back in the late 70's. I never cared for the demo, but once again the song has come alive here. She's helped out on this one with Lady Antebellum."Cathouse Blues" was always something of a oddball among Stevie's demos. As with "I Don't Care" Stevie musically is trading new ground here, the song is given a jazzy treatment along with dixieland horns. Yes, it works."The Dealer" has long been one of my favorites, one can assume it was one of Stevie's favorites as well, as she has recorded several demos of this. This version is slowed down a bit from the 1970's demo, and some of the excitement from the original demo is missing. However if you've never heard the demo, then there is much to like here.Closing out the album is "She Loves Him Still", another track she's attempted a few times. Some don't like the woodwind on this, I think it fits the song. Years have passed since she wrote this and she has moved on from whatever inspired her, but yet she sings it as if it was inspired just yesterday.Stevie said recently that she couldn't write these songs today. She's right, she's moved on and grown since these songs were written, in some ways these are really very simple songs. In every way though these are classic Stevie songs. This is very much the most pure Stevie album we've ever gotten. Many of these songs probably wouldn't have been hits during the time they were written and that's probably why they were left behind. Looking back on these songs now, the heartbreak that inspired them has healed and now the songs are allowed to shine.In some ways this doesn't feel like a new album at all, it seems almost like a greatest hits album. At the same time it IS a new album filled with classic Stevie moments.

"24 Karat Gold" is a unique album in that most of the songs contained were written between the late 60's and 80's (two songs were written in the 90's and "Carousel," originally by Vanessa Carlton, now dedicated to Stevie's mother who recently passed away). They have been newly recorded but still hold the classic Stevie Nicks sound. This album is as close to the sound of "Bella Donna" and "The Wild Heart" that she has gotten since their releases in the 1980's. The entirety of the album has a light touch from a production standpoint. Most songs are simply produced and hold the same qualities that their demos posses (demos that have been lingering about and made their way to Youtube in recent years). The title track "24 Karat Gold" is Stevie at her best with it's moody sound and catchy melodies. It would sit next to any of Stevie or Fleetwood Mac's hits beautifully. Lady Antebellum joins in on "Blue Water," a dusky blues-infused track with sweet harmonies. "Belle Fleur" kicks it up a notch with a surprisingly danceable introduction and a sweet chorus in which Stevie invites "Will you dance with me, baby?" Quintessential 80's song, "All The Beautiful Worlds," complete with synthesizer, will have you wondering when it was recorded due to the impressive vocal performance that is reminiscent of her "Rock A Little" voice. Overall, Stevie sounds great. There are many glorious vocal moment that display her appealingly gravely voice. The songs are so sonically varied that there should be something for just about anyone, including casual fans. Gold, indeed.

I just got this cd. It’s great. This one I did have of Stevie Nick’s. She is the greatest . To my book. I have been listening to Stevie music ever since. I was young and growing up in the 70”s. Stevie music has helped me get though some tough teenage years. She is powerful and her songs go though my heart snd soul. I hope to see her in person someday. I love her songs with Fleetwood Mac. The song Sara touch my soul. It’s just beautiful. And with that said . I named my first child after that song Sara. Yes I did . The song makes Feel close to my girl. No matter how far away she may be. Thank you Stevie!🌙

This album is great! So many lost treasures just sitting in Stevie's "dark gothic trunk of lost songs" that could have easily been yet another bunch of hits way back when. But now, we get to hear them all at once on this new album! Any Stevie Nicks fan will LOVE this!Now, just one annoying thing about this seller... The CD arrived quickly. No problem at all with delivery. But they put a bunch of stickers on the liner notes front and back pages that were very difficult to remove, and left sticky residue when they were gone. I had to use a razor blade to get as much as I did.That's not all. They also stuck a clear plastic sticker across the entire non-playing side of the CD itself so they could put more advertising on the ring around the center hole of the CD. It also required a razor to remove - and also left sticky residue.To some, this is no big deal. They would just leave the stickers. To me, it's unacceptable. I don't like my CDs or liner notes defaced. If you are the same, look for this CD from another seller.