I admit I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to Puddles, possibly the least listened of PMJ vocalist, for me.....that being said, I recognise that he brings a different flavour to Scott's PMJ stew.
I'd posted earlier about Scott perhaps enhancing PMJ's live performances w/ more variety of entertainement, something to break the string of, next vocalist up.... a change up in the middle of 3 or 4 consecutive fast balls, in baseball parlance.
(In my above post, I completely forgot the fun that Ariana's act brings to the show, she makes the audience feel like they're part of the show...she provides a bit of what I was talking about... something that increases PMJ's 'must see' value)
There is no doubt that Puddles 'act' is very popular, it enhances a decent vocal.
I agree w/ XAtlantic, I'm encouraged that PMJ/Scott are willing to throw us a change up, combining one of their more 'unique' acts w/ one of their more versatile vocalists in Haley.... sometimes you will come out w/ a 'happy accident'
As an artist, you are not allowing for your full potential if you don't at least, once in a while, go out of your comfort zone, explore your creative boundaries....
which leads me to a thought about what fans, some fans, most fans...fans in general, 'expect' from Haley....
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Haley is an artist in the truest sense, going w/ her instincts, collaborating w/ like minded spirits, her head in the clouds... I've said pretty much from Day one that my genre is "Haley", that is, I trust in her instincts to find her own way, but also will allow her to make what I might perceive as a 'mistake'... even her 'mistakes' I can find something in it that I enjoy, even if it's that she tried something different to see if it "fits"
SMYM was eye opening to me. I was not ready for the fairly significant pushback from fans at what they heard. I'd like to think that I have eclectic taste in music, from ABBA to Anthrax to Tchaidovski to the Dixie Chicks... so I really had no issue and actually do like SMYM.
This appeared to be not the case for many vocal fans. I didn't expect the loud harangue of wailing about SMYM, "It's too poppy" "it's auto tuned" "What is this? "This isn't Haley?" are some of the 'kinder' things I saw posted. I think it was a little eye opening to Haley too.
Maybe part of it was from the fact that fans had contributed to the making of SMYM, so wanted something more to their tastes, the covers they'd heard, than what they heard in SMYM
When we had a chance to speak to Haley at the Hotel Cafe after SMYM had been out for a few weeks, I could tell that she knew of some of the dissatisfaction, but in her true, "que sera sera" form, she rather focussed on what they accomplished, by themselves, with no corporate interference, that she was proud of what she and her friends produced...
So this brings me back to what makes a true artist, someone that is willing to reach beyond what's expected of them, to perhaps find something new to add to their arsenal... a fastball/change up pitcher, after hitting a few batters, discovers he has a pretty decent slider, makes him more effective....
It seems many of Haley's fans are predetermined to want Haley to stay in the 'cover artist of music from yesteryear' box.... They don't want her to spread her wings, follow her instinct and take a leap in a direction to see if she could fly. They would rather her stay in the that comfortable box.
As a fan of Haley, the talent and the "Artist", I want her to explore, I want her to try new things..... The Beatles started off as a blues/pop band that covered old songs early in their careers....then one day, George Harrison took a trip to india, learned how to play the Sitar, a classic Indian instrument, then we have amazing classics like "Norwegian Wood" and "Across the Universe" and "Within you Without you"
When I heard those soundclouds discovered earlier, I actually liked them, but my thought also ran to SMYM... If 'those' Haley fans hated SMYM, surely they'd hate these songs....
It is my hope that when "Better" EP comes out, people will listen to the essence, be excited that Haley is finally stretching her wings, writing HER songs... I'm not saying you HAVE to like the songs, or you're a bad fan if the songs are not what you expected....what I am saying is, as a fan of Haley, understand this is an artist presenting her creation, where her talent and inspiration has taken her, something that she's proud of.
As a fan of Haley, I enjoy watching her evolution, thrill in her accomplishments... I expect that I'll enjoy #BetterEP...but I'm biased, I still think "Listen Up!" was a great album,"no filler" as Harry famously told me, that I put on a T-Shirt. I just hope that people don't react poorly just because they prefer that Haley do an album of Blues/Soul/Rock covers. Hold back your initial reaction to what you hear. Let it sink in.
I'd like to think of myself as an artist, but you know what prevented me from chasing that dream as a youth? I was too chicken sh!t to put myself out there for criticism....
People who make their living as artists, in essence, are putting their 'children' their 'soul' out to be judged by others when they present their creation. Just as you wouldn't want your child to be jeered and insulted, an artists feels every criticism they hear about their work. The more criticism, the less enthusiasm you feel to do what you know is your calling. Then perhaps instead of following your instincts you start creating things that will appease those, who most, don't understand what it is to be an artist...then you are putting out what THEY want to appease the critics (there will always be critics...those who can't do, criticise
), instead of what inspires you to create.
I wish I had Haley's ability to let criticism roll off her back, her ability to look forward and not worry about the past
I love Haley not only because of her voice, her gumption, her empathy, her "joie de vivre"....but also because I recognise her as a TRUE artist...I've said often that she's my Muse, BECAUSE of the artist in her, it has awakened in me the joy of being creative again
She's a young woman w/ eclectic tastes, music now is not the same as music then. Allow Haley to take chances, find her horizons, let Haley and her talent fly... who knows? You may like it
Mad World with Haley and Puddles on PMJ Top Hat on Fleek
