Actually, I am disappointed, but if other people like it, that's great. I'm not going to try and change their mind... also, good on the people who are willing to admit that they don't like it and give their opinion... it's gutsy because on these boards, I've noticed that if you do, then pepole have a go at you. If you like the album, then no-one else's personal opinion should matter all that much to you, because YOU enjoy it ... so why get angry at someone who doesn't enjoy it? If you feel you must tell them that you disagree and why, then fair enough, but why argue and attack, rather than discuss? I don't get it.
Personally, I don't like the album because it's missing what Vanessa called the "goth" element that was woven into the demos, BNN, Harmonium (especially so), and other B-sides and live tracks. That's what I truly love about Vanessa's music. If that's not what makes you a fan of Vanessa than you may find nothing to complain about with H&T... but that's what attracted me to her music in the first place. I was never a fan of ATM, but when I borrowed BNN from a friend I loved Wanted, Twilight, Paint it Black, Sway, etc. and became a fan that way. That side of Vanessa seems to be absent in H&T.
You have to remember though, she wrote her first CD when she was just a teenager in a hardcore ballet school. She was at a really low place in her life and had to release it somehow. She was only a child.
Vanessa is approaching 30 now; her inspiration is coming from new experiences and emotions that comes with things we go through as we get older. Her lyrics are maturing because she has too, and we're lucky enough to have her sharing that with us. 
She couldn't keep that gothy kind of style forever, it'd be weird if she was still singing when she was 40 about those kind of things. :lol:
ps) i'm not calling her old or anything...i'm just trying to get the point across that she's matured :-)
I get your point, but I don't agree with it. Obviously you're right that she's got older and therfore is writing about different things. However, as for not being able to keep the "gothy kind of style" forever, I think that maybe personally she didn't continue with it, but "gothy style" isn't just a phase that "children" go through. Sure, it can be, but it can also be a part of a person's personality and individual nature that is completely valid (and not "weird"), whether they are 14 or 40 or whatever age. Also, it is completely valid for me to feel disppointed that that "gothy kind of style" is missing from the new album.
You're right, being goth is in your personality, rather than a phase.
I can see how you must be disappointed also because, overall, it's really a matter of anyone's music tastes.
Personally, I think that she honed that darkness for All Is Well and Morning Sting. They sound like songs she might have put, to me atleast, on BNN, given the opportunity.
Goth is just a so called style of music, and supposively a form of expression as a result. You can be any age or any type of personality and still decide to make "Goth" style music. Amy Lee has said that she and her band are not sad but actually enjoy making sad and dark music, at which time she had a smile on her face. (not a direct quote)
I'm not going to go into why I think VC made the album sound the way she did, but perhaps it has to do with a dichotomy. All these bad things happened to her but in the end she was able to conquer them and find happiness...or something....the songs have some terrible dark lyrics but the music itself is upbeat.
Maybe VC should send us a message and tell us herself so people like me aren't temped to over intellectualize everything like I usually do.
