Tarja's solo album: My Winter Storm

[Tramz]

It would be truly messed up if she winds up touring and making efforts here into the states on her solo work, and you all know why. Besides, America-at-large couldn't get behind her voice when she was with Nightwish, what makes anyone think they will get behind it now? It would take one enormous, sustained campaign to convince a populace weened on the worst sort of music to accept her style.

Either way, even if you accept that it's possible for American pop culture audiences to accept her (which i don't), it still comes across as very shocking to see an advertisement for her album on tv, even a second tier cable network that is geared for those with a taste for things international and video gaming, like G4 (translation: a lot of Japanese shows and entertainment).

 

[Stingray11214]

The question is, what venue will pay her price? Places like BB Kings turned their noses up at Circle II Circle, and they have a FAR stronger pedigree than Tarja (Zak Stevens was in Savatage and TSO). If Marcelo thinks that Tarja will be playing in places other than Don Hill's or the Bowery Ballroom, he is truly f-ing delusional That is UNLESS she opens up for someone like Bjork or Sia, which I would not put it past Universal to do this. If he demands a headline slot for her, he is nuts.

 

[St Enigma]

I think this is the main point:

...to see an advertisement for her album on tv, even a second tier cable network that is geared for those with a taste for things international and video gaming, like G4 (translation: a lot of Japanese shows and entertainment).

Fontana Distribution obviously have segmented the target audiences for Tarja and I can see them aiming at the intellectual clusters who already know that there is prolific cultural life outside the US borders producing great forms of art, too.

Referring to the abovementioned, I won't expect Tarja ever even considering to book the usual trail of metal venues for a tour in the USA. She made it clear back in late 2004 that she will not step her foot in the worst of them again. Another thing, she isn't pushing her music under the metal umbrella at all.
She might well find an interesting mix of followers from diverse music styles with her current crossover style. USA is a huge market and the most difficult task is to reach and connect the potential listeners scattered around the country.
I can imagine her playing at "sohisticated" theaterlike venues where the audience stay seated clapping their hands as to show their level of enthusiasm, rather than headbanging their brains out in the pit.
Most of her "warm-up concerts" last December atound Europe took place in such venues. She loves to add a "touch of class" in her shows, you see, she is a classical singer after all
.

 

[Iced Dog]

as well as back office services

mmm, sounds kinky

the intellectual clusters who already know that there is prolific cultural life outside the US borders producing great forms of art, too.

 

[IrishEnkeli]

I love My Winter Storm. Tarja never stated it was going to be one style of music nor did she ever say she was going to be an opera singer. I reply to stingray's first post and yet again his facts are not right. Her next album which comes out in 2009 will be even heavier according to Tarja and more of her own song writing will be on it.

My Winter Storm Forum

 

[Allfader]

I liked the album. I'm not a Tarjaholic at all I prefer to hear her on Nightwish, but her album it's not bad...not outstanding but not bad.

I think she needs a better songwriter cause there is some filler material on MWS but her vocal performance is superb, flawless. being this her first 'metal' solo album, it's fairly good.

The last Nightwish album has great musical moments but the female vocals are not my cup of tea. I mean, she's not a bad singer, but her 'poppest' style it's not the best for the Nightwish music IMO.

If Tarja can write better music or she can pick up a better songwriter, she'll do it big.

MWS score: 8.5/10

 

[C.]

^I definitely agree about the songwriting part, there are several tracks on MWS that could have easily been tossed aside or used as bonus tracks.

 

[IrishEnkeli]

The Seer EP comes out December 1st. I have already pre-ordered my copy. The Seer ft. Doro sounds interesting...You can hear previews and see album cover here: http://metalmarketing.org/spinefarm/ecards/tarja/tarja.html

 

[Stingray11214]

She needs a real songwriter. What's worse is that she claimed she wrote many of the songs herself. At least she has someone to blame for the hideous songwriting. Look, she has to go to the NW stuff live because her own stuff is REALLY below par. Other than Ciarán's Well, the CD just is not there. Now, had she gone the classical or Bjork route, she would be flying high on her own. Had she had the songwriting talent to go her own way, she would be fine. It will be a minor miracle if Universal does not drop her, at least from Fontana, if not altogether. She has to figure out where she wants to go for her career. Bouncing from this genre to that genre in one CD hurts.

BTW, at least I am being kind. AllMusic Guide ripped her a new one: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gvfpxzthldke

To be fair, the other reviews:
Billboard: http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/content_display/reviews/albums/e3ie4bd24ee9875ae56ea2719b0c3b5e1e6
About.com: http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/fr/tarjamywinterst.htm
Metal Circus (Spanish): http://www.themetalcircus.com/review.php?id=2130
Metal Invader: http://www.metal-invader.com/db/reviews-4504.html
Metal Symphony (Spanish): http://www.metalsymphony.com/index.php?name=Reviews&req=showcontent&id=987
PopMatters: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/tarja-my-winter-storm
Sea of Tranquility: http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=6373

FYI: The most favorable reviews came from the Spanish language sites. Metal Invader is down right now.

 

[IrishEnkeli]

CORRECTION she said she co-wrote the songs meaning she helped. That does not mean SHE WROTE THEM herself nor did she claim to and jumping from genre to genre isn't wrong. Many bands do it now because they see that it sells within different music listeners.

 

[Stingray11214]

INCORRECT! She originally claimed that she was writing the music and lyrics. The only way I found out that she was not telling the truth was AllMusic guide.

 

[Teleute]

I'd hardly say AllMusic ripped her a new one; its a fair review with both positives and negatives noted. And what is the "Bjork" route? lol... no one can be Bjork but Bjork.

 

[Stingray11214]

I'd hardly say AllMusic ripped her a new one; its a fair review with both positives and negatives noted. And what is the "Bjork" route? lol... no one can be Bjork but Bjork.

What I meant by the Bjork route is more of a Scandinavian type Pop-rock. I'd call 1 1/2 stars being ripped a new one.

 

[Teleute]

ahh gotcha.

 

[St Enigma]

Considering Tarja hasn't ever before written a single piece of music it's quite normal she was pointed to work with a bunch of pros by the label. Do you think Universal would risk a huge sum of money on anyone without previous songwriting work, not even demos to show even if s/he was the best vocalist of the world? Other matter was that they chose to produce a "smooth" album which would appeal to the widest possible audience in the genre. On "My Winter Storm" the sound is kind of dull or damped down, imo, meaning that the sharpest edges have been ground off.

I have bootlegs of six full shows on DVD. (3 of 2007 of whic one is the official download from her website last winter and 3 very recent shows about a month ago) Her live shows are much "harder" by the sound. Sometimes it's like another band playing. (Heh, come to think about it, it actually is!) If you can find any of those bootlegs you could see and hear the difference. Maybe on the next CD she will get more liberties from the label and have more edge on the sound like she does live.

 

[Allfader]

I have bootlegs of six full shows on DVD. (3 of 2007 of whic one is the official download from her website last winter and 3 very recent shows about a month ago) Her live shows are much "harder" by the sound. Sometimes it's like another band playing. (Heh, come to think about it, it actually is!) If you can find any of those bootlegs you could see and hear the difference. Maybe on the next CD she will get more liberties from the label and have more edge on the sound like she does live.

Definitively Tarja live is another thing, the music and her own voice sounds more powerful.

 

[C.]

So "The Seer" is going to be released as a single after all? Now there is one bonus track that I wish was on the actual album, I would gladly chuck "Ciaran's Well" or "Calling Grace" from the album to have had that one on there instead.

And a duet with Doro, at that? Sounds very interesting indeed...

 

[AngelsFallFirst]

I liked it.
Far too many fillers though.
My little pheonix is just wow.
I'm hoping the next one will be better, I'll be happy if it's the same standard but if it's any worse I'll be gutted.

 

[C.]

I agree, "My Little Phoenix" is probably, for me, one of the strongest tracks on the album (that and "Oasis"). I think one annoying factor about it are the little "intro" tracks that really don't need to be intro tracks, they could have been part of the song as a whole. It's especially annoying if you have the album on random mode and start to hear the intro track but then it cuts off to something else instead of playing the next song.

 

[SheisMySin]

I really wanted to like My Winter Storm, but this albun is atrocious. I walk alone is a good song, but that's it. The rest is sub par music and songwriting with great vocals. What really gets me is the use of metal in this. I mean....why leave Nightwish if you're just going to start up a new band that plays the same style (and on a much worse level)? It doesn't make sense.

I don't buy any more of her stuff...it's just not that good. Don't like the guitar sounds either.