To be honest I'm not sure that this album IS Nessa's best work.. Like don't get angry at me its just my opinion, but the whole reason I loved Nessa in the first place was cause I love Classically based music, and I loved how she was so creative not just with words but rhythms and styles too. All her old stuff, especially the B-sides and many off Harmonium like Papa, were all amazing songs that were so original compared to ANYTHING else out there. She has to be the only performer who can play just her and the piano and still sound complete.
With Heroes and Thieves this isn't the case. It needs the back up vocals, the drums, the orchestral arrangements and the layers. I'm just not sure she has stuck to who she is, or whether she is sacrificing her style for the sake of commercial success? Thats not to say I think that's wrong, its all about different priorities. But If you guys listen to Other Linda Perry songs- many of Christina Aguilera's songs are written by her. You can hear the EXACT same construction techniques. Simple compositional techniques like not straying from a key, sticking to simple triad chords (major or minor) modulation, 1st-5th and 7th chord progressions etc. Very "modern" But NOT avante garde or original. Vanessa's new album is very beautiful in its honesty, and I think it will do well. But only because it's content is aimed for those with a limited musical palette. Notice how it's labelled as "Pop"?
I just feel that creatively, Vanessa showed SO much more variety of styles and ideas in her old stuff! Compare Red Ditty, Papa, A Thousand Miles, Unsung, Prince, Birdie, and Twilight. All very different from each other. But to me, The One, This Time, and Home are all very similar. Don't get me wrong I love her stuff! I just think maybe she gave up on her old stuff because people "didn't like it"
So sad.... 
Anyway just my piece ^_^ Hopefully no one takes offense to this. 8O
And this isn't a dig! I'm just disagreeing with those who think that this is her best album..
Katherine Ann Marie
How do you know all these songs NEED the production to back them up? The only one we've heard live so far that I agree weighs heavily on production to sound complete is "Nolita Fairytale". We've heard This Time, The One, Hands On Me, Home, Heroes and Thieves and Fools Like Me live- and to be honest, with the exception of Hands On Me (imo, bc I like the studio version) I think that all the live versions DO sound complete. I especially like the live versions of Fools Like Me. And that's like half of the album. So idk what you are saying in that respect. We haven't even heard the other songs live, how can we judge?
Because that's five out of eleven songs that I think need the extras. What I'm saying is, you can listen to these songs without instruments, and they sound OK, but take a song like Papa- if that had any other instruments it would be tacky and ruin in. Im not saying they're bad without the extras, Im just saying that unlike her previous work, the extra instruments enhance the songs. And yes we can judge! because the style of all her songs on this album is exactly the same! If you play all her stuff, you'll know this. She never used to include the vocal melody in the piano, but now she does. All the new songs stick to a very regimented chord progression and don't stray very much at all. Yes there is some modulation but apart from that.... There is now in all her new stuff, a definite separation between the right hand piano line and the left. Previously, everything moved as one.
And in regards to Linda Perry- listen to Christina Aguilera's song "Beautiful" "The Voice Within" and even "Hurt" they all have exactly the same rhythm and musical style (composition wise) that "The one" and "This Time" have! you know how its like one note and then the bottom two of the triad or whatever. that sort of constant rhythm. I cant explain it but if you compare them you will know what I mean. Vanessa never used to do that in ANY of her songs! The left hand was usually simple and the right was usually a Second melody to what she sang, so her old stuff you could say was polyphonic, and now its just homophonic.. with the main melody of her voice, mostly imitated by the piano in the right hand, with the bass in the left. Don't get me wrong, Fools Like me is an Awesome song and its probably the most different to the other ones, its just what I've noticed as a stylistic change in her music.
Peace everyone
lol I don't mean to offend!
