Heart Returns With New Album
September 5, 2010 by Andrew Watt
Filed under Around The World
Before Heart turned kinda cheesy in the 80’s they were a truly great rock n’ roll band. Albums like Dreamboat Annie, Little Queen, Dog and Butterfly, Private Audition and Bebe le Strange were full of great hard rock songs, stunning ballads and Ann Wilson surely was one of the best female rock singers to ever grace the stage and to be committed to vinyl.
A series of big hits with formulaic ballads tarnished their reputation (but not their bank balance) but I’ve always maintained a belief that lurking behind the power ballads was a great colloboration waiting to return to centre stage.
If the early comments are any indication the new Heart album may just fulfil the wishes of long term fans.
Red Velvet Car is said to be the most personal and powerful work yet for Ann and Nancy Wilson.
It’s just been released in the US and Europe and the album was produced by Ben Mink, who has collaborated with Rush in the past and produced albums for Barenakes Ladies, among others.
For their first new album since 2004′s Jupiter’s Darling, the sisters took an acoustic approach to a collection of songs inspired by the world around them, arranged for an assortment of strings including guitar, mandolin, dobro, banjo, fiddle, viola, cello and autoharp, all played by Nancy Wilson and the album’s producer, Grammy winner Ben Mink.
Nine of the album’s songs were written for, and appear for the first time on Red Velvet Car. The album’s closer, Sand, is a newly recorded version of a song originally written and recorded by the Lovemongers, Ann and Nancy’s 1990′s acoustic side project.
Red Velvet Car marks the return of Heart to the Sony Music Entertainment family. Heart’s last Sony-related release was 1983′s Passionworks on Epic Records.
“It feels good to have Sony Music holding our new baby. It’s sort of like coming home, since we worked with them on Little Queen, Dog and Butterfly, Bebe le Strange, Private Audition and Passionworks, among others,” said Ann Wilson. “We’re excited about taking it on the road. A fresh sound with all the original Heart magic.”
“This album feels so right for the times,” said Nancy Wilson. “We can’t wait to share this one with the world!”
Heart has been performing songs from Red Velvet Car, as well as classics from the band’s repertoire, during shows at selected Lilith Fair dates and in headline concerts across the U.S. and Canada from July through September.
Track listing:
1. There You Go
2. WTF
3. Red Velvet Car
4. Queen City
5. Hey You
6. Wheels
7. Safronia’s Mark
8. Death Valley
9. Sunflower
10. Sand
11. Bootful of Beer (bonus edition)
12. Closer to the Sun (bonus edition)
What’s with all the “were truly great”, “were full of great hard rock songs”, “Ann Wilson was one of the best female rock singers” crap?
They are still Truly Great and Full of Great Hard Rock Songs and Ann Wilson IS THE BEST FEMALE ROCK SING…ER… OF ALL TIME!
Hmmm…the reviewer seems to think Heart’s mid-eighties “comeback” was cheesy, when in fact, it was quite powerful. For all of two albums. Then they sank back, for whatever reasons, to the level of their late seventies/early eighties albums ala Passionworks and Private Audition. And what happened with those albums? They’d lost the original band, for the most part. It’s obvious.
That said, as someone who LOVES the Wilson sisters and has seen them multiple times, I *do* dearly hope this album is what it’s hyped up to be. Haven’t heard it yet, and to be honest, I’m a bit reluctant to buy a potential one-listener…but I’d go see them live anytime, anywhere…
Those intelligent, mature, creative, fascinating (nay, compelling) musician-artists deserve nothing but respect & appreciation. “Potential one-listener”? Chalk that up to your short attention span… From Dreamboat Annie to Jupiters’ Darling, I discover something new with every listen; just like I do with Beethoven V… That’s because I listen to what flowed from the hearts & minds of these brilliant people with attentive expectation! The 80′s??? NO patronizing condescention! They were the one good musical thing to survive it and brought us quality, valid MUSIC ! I, along with many others, are truly grateful that they are still trustingly going to that muse, seeing what it has to say, and reporting back to all of us! Since 1977; a wonderful, lasting, bedrock part of who I am as a person & musician! They are #’s 1-10 of my dream dinner party / stranded on a desert island & I consider meeting them (would be) one of my life’s most fulfilling accomplishments! Hurry now, “The Bachelor” is on…
Even with the so called cheesy 80s stuff they are still the best. With their powerful vocals and romantic lyrics makes you feel like you’re totally in love – but not quite sure who with.
Heart is one of the all-time great rock n roll bands of our time. Amazing longevity and talent.
Andrew, wake up and smell the Velvet! The 80′s was full of cheese. Ann and Nancy dressed up, teased their hair, shot some videos and cranked out some huge ballads… and had mega record sales. If your wishes have not been fulfilled (as a fan) resort to delving back to any previous record released and recorded by Heart. Or better yet, get out to a show.
I always have and will continue to worship these two Goddesses of Rock! Knowing they have this new album out proves they are timeless and belong up with the rest of thr heirarchy of the Rock N Roll Immortals!