Fan Reviews of Heroes and Thieves

[NolitaFairytale]

Nolita Fairytale – The only reason I skip this song (if I do) is because I have listened to it so much. I loved it when I first heard the small clip and I still love it. It is simply beautiful, and I love how, for lack of a better term, frank Vanessa is with the lyrics. At times I guess I wish she had made it a little bit more self-explorative, but I guess the straight forwardness is what makes it. (9.5/10)

Hands On Me – Before hearing the studio version, I read it had a drum beat, and I was so unsure of how it would sound. When I did hear it, I was amazed! I love the drum beat, and this song is wonderful. The “2, 3,” at the start is just the icing on the cake for me! (9.5/10)

Spring Street – It is beautiful. The lyrics explaining how she was let go from her mother, to grow, meet a lover and let her own daughter go is just beautiful. I don’t share the opinion that the “nah nah nah’s,” are annoying to be honest. This is a great song. (9/10)

My Best – It is simple. So simple. In a good way of course. I love the vibe the song gives off. (9/10)

Come Undone – How do I explain this song? Well, the intro just goes on for too long, but other than that, I LOVE IT! It is one of the best songs on the album! Loving the little things V adds in like the claps, and I love the outro. Yup yup. (10/10)

The One – I think Stevie is like a goddess lol, she is great and all, and I don’t mind Stevie’s vocals, but the song wouldn’t of missed them that much if they were gone :$. I fell in love with the song since I first heard it, and I don’t skip it, but it isn’t a favourite as I thought it’d be. (8.5/10)

Heroes & Thieves – LOVE! It is love, lol. I love the violins and everything, and the tone of her voice, it is great. (9.5/10)

This Time – My least favourite track on the album. Sometimes I listen, other times I skip it. I don’t hate it, but I don’t really care for it. This will be the only album I skip (out of dislike) if I skip any. (7/10)

Fools Like Me – I was so shocked when I first heard this! With the whistling and everything, but I do like it. I love the emotion you can hear in V’s voice throughout. Another fantastic song. (9/10)

Home – Home. Home. Home. I loved it when I heard it live. I loved it more on the album!!! The outro is amazing! I mean it sounds so awesome! I love Vanessa singing in a high tone, and she does that here! Definitively deserving a (10/10)

More than this – Perhaps my favourite song on the album. I don’t really have one, it is tied first though! The choir coming in is pure genius, and I love how it climaxes! And of course V singing high = . LOL. (10/10!)

[superscientific]

I think the album is solid as a whole.  I wish for V's sake that she would have made one pop song (I know Lolita Fairytale was that shot but I don't think it had the impact it should of) to really regain her momentum as an artist but I respect her in the same aspect.........  She did keep her focus and really gave me what I wanted to hear as a long time fan.  I was really scared that being on THE INC would really ruin her music and did not want a Ja Rule Remix.  :lol:  The production is pretty good but I have to agree Stevie's Vocals sound like ass on The One.  It is really unfortunate that she doesn't really get the respect she deserves because I thought Harmonium was a pretty strong effort and had a few singles that really could of made it.  I hope this album doesn't go that way but unfortuantely her material on this album limits her sales for I don't see a huge single coming off this album.  Regardless I enjoyed it and am not dissapointed.

Danny  :lol:

[VanessaPiana]

If I could rate this album from 1-5, I would definitely give it a 1 [or maybe less].

1. The vocals are bad. Just TERRIBLE. It makes me wanna cry b/c V sound MUCH better than what she did on HAT. The only song she actually sang in tune was Lolita Fairytale. The rest of the album was a total vocal botch-up. I don't know what Vannie is trying to prove by singing dull, boring, flat, monotonous vocals on HAT.

2. The lyrics are even more juvie on HAT than on BNN. V claims to have grown and matured more as an artist and a person, but to me her lyrics don't reflect this claim; instead they're a stark contradiction to her declaration. Moreover, this album is even more uninspired than her previous ones.

3. The sound is even more Indie [and the piano old-sounding] than HARMONIUM.

4. On the set [for HAT] for AOL the vocals were so bad [and the sound so low] that I couldn't get into her performances; I only looked at a few minutes [in all] of the songs she played on set. Only then will my faith be restored when she actually does Sessions@AOL and actually SINGS the songs on HAT.

[abredli]

Spring Street and The One are both produced by Linda Perry, right?

Loved This Time live, but it is just sooooooooooooo incredibly slow on the album version.

The one is produced by Stephan Jenkins..
This time is lindas crap prod..

[abredli]

I wanna know who produced it. My guess is Irv..

hands on my is produced by Stephan Jenkins..(Harmonium)

[Pyro]

I've finally gotten to listen to it. My cd hasn't arrived in the mail yet, but I got tired of waiting and being left out.

I love it! Vanessa doesn't disappoint! Here are my initial thoughts.

Nolita Fairytale - I've loved this song since I first heard it and I think it makes an awesome introduction to the album. It really sets the upbeat, reflective tone.

Hands on Me - I was surprised by the production of this one. It's the same song as it was, but different somehow. I like the song; it's good, but I'm not sure how I feel about this final version. I don't particularly like when the strings slide from note to note during the bridge, but at other points in the song it's not as bad. And I'm not sure the constant drum beat suits it.

Spring Street - This song is alright. The "Na na"s are a little dull, but not quite bad. Doesn't really grab me. I think the song has a very unique sound though.

My Best - I like this one a lot! It's very cute and would make for a good single I think.

Come Undone - This song is pretty good. But I really don't understand the opening. It doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the song and I think it would have been more concise without it. I still like it a lot though. "The only one I come undone for is you" is pretty catchy. Another potential single. And the clapping makes it feel cozy and intimate.

The One - This turned out pretty good! This was always one of her sweetest songs. I had heard lots of comments about Stevie Nick's vocals, but I didn't think they were bad or mismatched. It added another layer and something new to the song. And it's cool to have her and V sing together. The piano part at the end of the verses (i.e. "And you think my time's for free / in all the ways you say to me / sweet versions of let's wait and see") isn't as compelling as it used to be but the orchestrations throughout the song kinda make up for it.

Heroes and Thieves - Love it! I loved the acoustic versions we've heard were great, but this takes it even further. I'm very pleased with the production of this one. The strings are beautiful and Vanessa's vocals are really pretty. It's very worthy of titling the album.

This Time - UGH! I've never really cared for this song and it's just as underwhelming now. And too slow as well. I guess it's supposed to be some kind of power ballad now. This song particularly bugs me as I would much rather have had Best Behavior instead of this. However, bland for V is still good.

Fools Like Me - This song is really good. I could totally see this as a single as well.

Home - So pretty! A very sweet, calm song. This one probably showcases her piano skill the most on this album. I love the solo at the end. It comes off very heartfelt.

More Than This - Awesome song! Great end to the album! It's very pretty, powerful, and has inspirational lyrics as far as I can tell. I haven't listened to them that closely yet. The chorus adds a lot too.

I don't really like the synthesized bits of the album, like the electronic instruments and the overlays of V singing w/ herself. But everything else is awesome. While it's easier for me to describe the things I don't like, there were a bunch of things about this album I really love. There are so many great melodies on this album. It was very good to hear a lot of them for the first time. I'm not quite sure how I would compare it to her other albums yet. They're all good and they're all different IMO. I only hope her next one comes out very soon (relatively).

[Rick]

I'm so glad I did a search on this instead of starting a new topic. I should've done one of these awhile ago. But here's my point of view as of now...

1) Nolita Fairytale
This song was a good choice for the first single however I think another song could've been a better choice for mainstream success. This song is really catchy and the percussion in the beginning is amazing. I just love this song, the vocals, piano, the insight into where V has been all these years. This song is one thing that'll be repeated forever by me...it is catchy. And I use this word for a lot of things, but this song...will always be catchy.
Rating: 9.5/10

2) Hands On Me
This song in my opinion is one of the best she's written. However the song on the album sounds incredibly over produced. The bongos and the little background vocals where she's all, "away." The song would've sounded better if it was just a piano/vocal. However, this song is...I will say it...catchy and will be a great song as a second single.
Rating: 8.5/10

3) Spring Street
Most people say this is the worst song on the album, in my honest opinion, this is one of the greatest songs I've heard Vanessa sing. However it goes on for quite a long time, which I of course enjoy, however it wouldn't do so well as a mainstream track. Maybe if it was shortened. I'm in love with this song and it's very reminiscent of A Beatles' song I've heard before.
Rating: 9/10

4) My Best
At the moment this is the most played song in my library. There's something about this song that's so wrong that it's right. V's definitely giving us her best in this song. The beginning really...I dunno I don't like it but other than that, the song just is awesome. Simply awesome. And there's nothing else I can really use to describe it other than...catchy.
Rating: 9.5/10

5) Come Undone
This song is great. Minus this intro and outro this song would be awesomer. Yesh, awesomer. The song itself is very poetic in the way it is written and you really need to listen to this song a lot to decipher the meanings it has. I like it and all, but the whole clapping, intro, and outro should be removed. The vocals also could've used a bit of polishing in the parts where she's belting but it's a good song overall. Great song, great tune.
Rating: 7.5/10

6) The One
Stevie's vocals contribute so much to the song. I love the whole reminiscing on old times and spooky effects the beginning intro vocal thing has. I love the lyrics. Possibly the best she's written other than More Than This. Piano sounds great and so do the vocals.
Rating: 8/10

7) Heroes & Thieves
So catchy and recorded exactly as it should be. That's really all I have to say about it.
Rating: 10/10

This Time
The worst track on the album. Not that it's bad, it's just not meeting the standards of all the other songs. This song in my honest opinion, and I'll be brutally honest, this song has the weakest vocals. The vocals seem so struggled and the timing is really off. V should've re-recorded the vocals and sharpened up the timing. It's a bit over-produced and I think this song could've been a whole lot better.
Rating: 6/10

9) Fools Like Me
At first I hated this song but after listening to this song I gathered a big liking for it. It has a great sound and it's produced very well. The arrangement is beautiful and the vocals are so clear and well recorded. This song has major single potential and the little things that Stephen does in this song like the background vocals and whistling...send a shiver down my spine. I love this song. It's awesome.
Rating: 10/10

10) Home
The greatest song ever. This has such a nice melody and has such a nice beat. Again, another song recorded exactly as it should. My favorite next to My Best and if the outro is cutoff it could have major single potential. It flows so nicely with Fools Like Me. Very similar to There She Goes by SixPence None The Richer. I love it.
Rating: 10/10

11) More Than This
Such a fabulous song and has a great message. The lyrics are so poetic and this song...is awesome. Yes, I don't have much to say about More Than This...it just takes my breath away.
Rating: 10/10

That's all.

[iluvvanessa]

I'd give this album a 10/10 the vocals are fantastic and I really find the lyrics to be inspiring, i love V and all of her songs. They are just beautifully written and are even better with her voice and piano playing.

[Butz]

I'm so glad I did a search on this instead of starting a new topic. I should've done one of these awhile ago. But here's my point of view as of now...

1) Nolita Fairytale
This song was a good choice for the first single however I think another song could've been a better choice for mainstream success. This song is really catchy and the percussion in the beginning is amazing. I just love this song, the vocals, piano, the insight into where V has been all these years. This song is one thing that'll be repeated forever by me...it is catchy. And I use this word for a lot of things, but this song...will always be catchy.
Rating: 9.5/10

2) Hands On Me
This song in my opinion is one of the best she's written. However the song on the album sounds incredibly over produced. The bongos and the little background vocals where she's all, "away." The song would've sounded better if it was just a piano/vocal. However, this song is...I will say it...catchy and will be a great song as a second single.
Rating: 8.5/10

3) Spring Street
Most people say this is the worst song on the album, in my honest opinion, this is one of the greatest songs I've heard Vanessa sing. However it goes on for quite a long time, which I of course enjoy, however it wouldn't do so well as a mainstream track. Maybe if it was shortened. I'm in love with this song and it's very reminiscent of A Beatles' song I've heard before.
Rating: 9/10

4) My Best
At the moment this is the most played song in my library. There's something about this song that's so wrong that it's right. V's definitely giving us her best in this song. The beginning really...I dunno I don't like it but other than that, the song just is awesome. Simply awesome. And there's nothing else I can really use to describe it other than...catchy.
Rating: 9.5/10

5) Come Undone
This song is great. Minus this intro and outro this song would be awesomer. Yesh, awesomer. The song itself is very poetic in the way it is written and you really need to listen to this song a lot to decipher the meanings it has. I like it and all, but the whole clapping, intro, and outro should be removed. The vocals also could've used a bit of polishing in the parts where she's belting but it's a good song overall. Great song, great tune.
Rating: 7.5/10

6) The One
Stevie's vocals contribute so much to the song. I love the whole reminiscing on old times and spooky effects the beginning intro vocal thing has. I love the lyrics. Possibly the best she's written other than More Than This. Piano sounds great and so do the vocals.
Rating: 8/10

7) Heroes & Thieves
So catchy and recorded exactly as it should be. That's really all I have to say about it.
Rating: 10/10

This Time
The worst track on the album. Not that it's bad, it's just not meeting the standards of all the other songs. This song in my honest opinion, and I'll be brutally honest, this song has the weakest vocals. The vocals seem so struggled and the timing is really off. V should've re-recorded the vocals and sharpened up the timing. It's a bit over-produced and I think this song could've been a whole lot better.
Rating: 6/10

9) Fools Like Me
At first I hated this song but after listening to this song I gathered a big liking for it. It has a great sound and it's produced very well. The arrangement is beautiful and the vocals are so clear and well recorded. This song has major single potential and the little things that Stephen does in this song like the background vocals and whistling...send a shiver down my spine. I love this song. It's awesome.
Rating: 10/10

10) Home
The greatest song ever. This has such a nice melody and has such a nice beat. Again, another song recorded exactly as it should. My favorite next to My Best and if the outro is cutoff it could have major single potential. It flows so nicely with Fools Like Me. Very similar to There She Goes by SixPence None The Richer. I love it.
Rating: 10/10

11) More Than This
Such a fabulous song and has a great message. The lyrics are so poetic and this song...is awesome. Yes, I don't have much to say about More Than This...it just takes my breath away.
Rating: 10/10

That's all.

Great review. It's what most of us think.
the "away" in HOM, is actually her saying "hey". Listen more closely, it's "hey". And it kinda ruins the song a tiny bit. It's really unnescesary, but my love for the song is big, so i don't care.