I'm not comparing, but look at "Pet Sounds". In 1966, it was the first album sales disappointment from the Beach Boys. Part of the reason is that Capitol didn't get it, didn't promote it, and issued a best-of shortly thereafter. And the LP became a classic anyway.
The point is, once you're known as a "pop" artist, it is next to impossible to be taken seriously as an "artist" in the strictest sense. The general public are not discerning enough. There needs to be a media hype machine behind any kind of real change. Reprise/WB knew that about Green Day, who hadn't exactly burned up the charts the last few years, and got them the complete package. They had it all, hotshot producer(Rob Cavallo), and the cooperation of critics and magazines coast-to-coast. This is not to take away from the obvious quality of the album! What I'm saying is that albums don't sell themselves.
The bottom line is that somehow, A&M stopped believing in the album, if they ever did at all. Industry types say crud like "I don't hear a single" or "I don't hear the material". No matter what, there was a feeble attempt at promotion. Even in towns where VC was selling out, the CD was not readily available. This makes no sense to me.
Real fans of music will seek out Harmonium. IMHO there are not solid albums like that falling out of the sky. Some people are attracted to something with a drama around it, like Sony's refusal to release Fiona Apple's album. I know that I had more of an interest in seeing what all the fuss was about. Let's hope for the best. Maybe the next album will rekindle interest in all things Vanessa.
Dan/NS
