The Other Side of the Mirror | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 30, 1989[1] | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 56:10 | |||
Label | Modern | |||
Producer | Rupert Hine | |||
Stevie Nicks chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Other Side of the Mirror | ||||
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The Other Side of the Mirror is the fourth solo studio album by American singer and songwriter Stevie Nicks. Released on May 30, 1989, through the Modern Records label, the album was recorded in California, New York, and Buckinghamshire in England, and is loosely based around the theme of Lewis Carroll's novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865).
The album was a commercial success. It reached No. 10 on the US Billboard 200, propelled by the hit single "Rooms on Fire" (US No. 16), and achieved Platinum status for selling in excess of one million units. The album reached No. 3 in the United Kingdom and was certified Gold there for sales in excess of 100,000 units.[4] The Other Side of the Mirror is Nicks' highest charting album to date in various European countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Following the huge success of Fleetwood Mac's album Tango in the Night (1987) in the United Kingdom, The Other Side of the Mirror became Nicks' highest-charting solo album there, reaching No. 3 and spawning her first UK Top 40 hit with "Rooms on Fire" (reaching No. 16), which Nicks performed on the BBC show Top of the Pops. The album was certified gold in the United Kingdom for sales in excess of 100,000 copies. Her first, and so far only, solo tour of the United Kingdom and Europe (including Sweden, France and the Netherlands), followed the album. There was also a US tour, though Nicks has famously since commented that she has no recollection of the tours due to her increasing dependency on the prescribed tranquilizer Klonopin at that time.
In the United States, "Two Kinds of Love" was released as a single, featuring vocals by Bruce Hornsby and an instrumental interlude by Kenny G, which became Nicks' first single to fail to chart, missing both the Billboard and Cash Box charts. However, "Long Way to Go" gained substantial airplay, making Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, and it also made the Top 75 on the UK Singles Chart, as did "Whole Lotta Trouble". Promotional music videos were shot for "Rooms on Fire" and "Whole Lotta Trouble". The former was released with two slightly different edits, while the "Whole Lotta Trouble" video was shot during the American leg of Nicks' tour at the Summit Arena in Houston, Texas.
An earlier, instrumental version of the song "Juliet" (titled "Book of Miracles") was released by Fleetwood Mac in 1987 as the B-side to "Seven Wonders", while “Ooh My Love” was demoed for Tango in the Night but was ultimately shelved. The song "Cry Wolf" was originally recorded by American singer Laura Branigan for her fifth studio album Touch (1987).
Modern Records also released a special long-form interview video on the making of the album, titled "Reflections from the Other Side of the Mirror", which contained newly filmed material shot by Herbert Worthington III.[5] However, it was limited to a worldwide release of 10,000 albums and only 500 VHS releases.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [6] |
Chicago Tribune | [7] |
Deseret News | (Positive)[8] |
Hi-Fi News & Record Review | A:2[9] |
Los Angeles Times | [10] |
People | (Mixed)[11] |
Record Mirror | [12] |
Rolling Stone | [13] |
Duncan Holland, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week, praised the album. He wrote: "This is a remarkably strong record from the single, "Rooms on Fire", to the 11 other tracks on show. Some rather overworked "Alice in Wonderland" imagery aside, this is excellent stuff, floating, melodic, twisting and turning."[14] Pete Clark of Hi-Fi News & Record Review also found some warm words. He considered that this work is destined "for those evenings when you just have to leave your brain at the door, there are worse things that can ooze into your ears."[9]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Rooms on Fire" |
| 4:35 |
2. | "Long Way to Go" |
| 4:06 |
3. | "Two Kinds of Love" (with Bruce Hornsby) |
| 4:46 |
4. | "Ooh My Love" |
| 5:02 |
5. | "Ghosts" |
| 4:54 |
6. | "Whole Lotta Trouble" |
| 4:58 |
7. | "Fire Burning" |
| 3:16 |
8. | "Cry Wolf" | Jude Johnstone | 4:12 |
9. | "Alice" |
| 5:50 |
10. | "Juliet" | Nicks | 4:55 |
11. | "Doing the Best I Can (Escape from Berlin)" | Nicks | 5:36 |
12. | "I Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes)" |
| 4:08 |
Total length: | 56:06 |
Musicians
Production
Studios
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia | — | 100,000[26] |
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[28] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Setlist: