Tarja's solo album: My Winter Storm

[C.]

^Absolutely, you hit the nail on the head. This is the main reason why I have not been able to get as much into the album as I'd like.

Granted, earlier this year, when the album was still new, I listened to it a lot and found I liked it more than I did on the first few listens, but it still hasn't "broken through" for me and really become an album that I find myself turning to time and again (like the old Nightwish albums). And I think the reason is because it is just so reminiscent of Nightwish, and why do a copy of it when (supposedly) she had such a problem doing actual Nightwish stuff? One of the most annoying examples of this is "Ciaran's Well", if that song wasn't a blatant attempt to win over those Nightwish fans who were sitting on the fence, then I don't know what is. I don't know who the guy is that she's got singing, but especially at the end of "Poison", he sounds like he's trying so hard to sound like Marco. For me it just fell short of the mark because for years as Nightwish fans, we have heard about Tarja's desire to go solo and do other things outside of Nightwish or what she was known for with them, and all it sounds like is a generic continuation of just that.

Funny, Tarja said in an interview once (from Wishmaster or Century Child era, can't remember which): "I don't want to be 35 years old and still singing metal songs." With an album like MWS, it doesn't seem like she's doing much to avoid that very fate.

I still think Tarja's one of the most awesome female voices around (metal or otherwise), and while I can't forsee if or when I'll ever buy any of her solo material, I do hope that her next solo album is more evolved and that she will take more chances, and try to step outside of the "ex-singer of Nightwish" box.

 

[Stingray11214]

^Absolutely, you hit the nail on the head. This is the main reason why I have not been able to get as much into the album as I'd like.

Granted, earlier this year, when the album was still new, I listened to it a lot and found I liked it more than I did on the first few listens, but it still hasn't "broken through" for me and really become an album that I find myself turning to time and again (like the old Nightwish albums). And I think the reason is because it is just so reminiscent of Nightwish, and why do a copy of it when (supposedly) she had such a problem doing actual Nightwish stuff? One of the most annoying examples of this is "Ciaran's Well", if that song wasn't a blatant attempt to win over those Nightwish fans who were sitting on the fence, then I don't know what is. I don't know who the guy is that she's got singing, but especially at the end of "Poison", he sounds like he's trying so hard to sound like Marco. For me it just fell short of the mark because for years as Nightwish fans, we have heard about Tarja's desire to go solo and do other things outside of Nightwish or what she was known for with them, and all it sounds like is a generic continuation of just that.

Funny, Tarja said in an interview once (from Wishmaster or Century Child era, can't remember which): "I don't want to be 35 years old and still singing metal songs." With an album like MWS, it doesn't seem like she's doing much to avoid that very fate.

I still think Tarja's one of the most awesome female voices around (metal or otherwise), and while I can't forsee if or when I'll ever buy any of her solo material, I do hope that her next solo album is more evolved and that she will take more chances, and try to step outside of the "ex-singer of Nightwish" box.

The reason why she is singing and arranging metal songs is because Tarja's husband has convinced her that she WAS Nightwish. Look, people have left the metal community do etch nice careers for themselves in other genres. For example: Lee Aaron was as metal as metal can be in the early-eighties. Now, she is one of Canada's most accomplished singers in swing and big band with JUNO awards up the ying-yang. ANd, she jumped DIRECTLY from metal into Swing music.

I think the CD needed some real direction. She was all over the place with no cohesion. The song writing is poor. The arrangements are meh. My own personal views aside, had she gone the ScandiPop route in the Bjork mode, Tarja would be (sadly)waving bye-bye to the boys and probably put them on the ropes. Now, people are seeing right through her. Tuomas made her, period.

 

[C.]

Yeah, I can see where many people think that after an album like MWS.

It's not so much that I dislike the album, I don't, I think it's pretty good. But for me, I wanted to hear more out of Tarja's voice when she finally went solo. I mean, being a Nightwish fan for as long as I've been, who can remember back to the days when Tarja was in the band and every day it seemed like there was a rumor that she was leaving Nightwish to go solo? So obviously knowing for all this time that someday it would happen (even if not knowing the capacity in which it finally did), safe to say I expected a bit more. I wanted to hear the more classical angle like on the Scandinavian Nights stuff. I don't mind that she's going so much in the Nightwish direction on her first solo album, that's somewhat to be expected of an artist who goes solo on their first album. But I don't know how much I'll be following Tarja's endeavors if this continues on to the next album. I would just like to see more variety. I'd like to see what other things Tarja can do with her voice.

Then again, it's practically an open secret that Marcelo's "guidance" has pretty much kept her from reaching that potential.

 

[seraph7]

Has anyone heard 'Enough'? I'm wondering what her new stuff sounds like and whether it has improved somewhat.

 

[C.]

No, I thought this stuff was on the "Seer" EP but I guess not.

 

[AngelsFallFirst]

 

[C.]

I can't watch YouTube videos, my computer is old and it will freeze if I try.

I'll just have to wait to see if I can find the songs somewhere.

 

[Arroyo]

I thought the album was outstanding. A few of the songs got boring quicker than others though, and the beginning of Ciaran's Well with the scream always startles the crap out me! Even though I've listened to it countless times, it always manages to scare me. The rest of the song is great though. My favorite track was a tie between Sing for Me and My Little Phoenix.

All in all, I found it a very nice investment for one's CD collection. I listen to it alot.

 

[C.]

LOL, yeah, that scream is annoying.

 

[AngelsFallFirst]

I'm really excited about her coming to England, her new setlist looks pretty amazing, I'm not going to complain about the amount of Nightwish on it but I really hope she does grow out of their shadow. I know she'll always be known as "the ex nightwish singer" (ugh hmv actually have her filed under "Tarja - Ex Nightwish") but still, I hope her solo career strengthens, I hate the amount of criticism MWS recieved.

 

[C.]

^Yeah, I regret having to miss her when she played in the States. It was just a bad time for me financially (still is). Usually I have better luck catching tours towards the end of the year, when I can cash in my birthday/Christmas money.