YOURZ
Heart is definitely a 'I like their old stuff better than their new stuff' band for me. Barracuda, Magic Man and Crazy On You were the tracks that impressed my friends and I back when these songs were first released. That the band was led by two spunky girls who *gasp* played rock guitar like boys made this band all the more exciting.
I am not, however, a fan of their ballads. Long, over-earnest looks into the camera, soft lighting and schmaltzy backings just make me gag. This is not a good look on me at the best of times. I think one of my workmates thought I was trying to swallow my tongue.
Thankfully technology enables me to skip over those transgressions quickly, so my gagging was limited to noise and a little spittle on the keyboard. This collection doesn't concentrate too much on that period of their career, thankfully. Instead, it reminded me of how good some of their other rockin' tracks are, like Heartless, Bebe Le Strange and Even It Up - top stuff. And their live cover of Zeppelin's Rock And Roll is just magic, man. (Mine says: can't believe you wrote that)
VERDICT: TURN IT UP
MINE
Led Zeppelin for chicks. Ann Wilson's vocals just thrill me every time, but I have to admit I've never owned the band on flat black plastic. In fact, my recent rediscovering of the band came about because of a movie, The Virgin Suicides. Which I could rave about night and day but I'll leave that for another time.
Anyway, as I recall the soundtrack to the prom is Magic Man, which has been a favourite song for ever, and prompted me to first go out and buy the film soundtrack, and then to buy this Greatest Hits CD. Which, dammit, I don't listen to often enough. There's dreamy ballady stuff and even - goodness, is that a banjo on Dreamboat Annie?
There's a bunch of live stuff and it wraps up with a lovely version of Rock And Roll. I turned this up to 11 (actually 26 on the car stereo) and had a ball.
VERDICT: TURN IT UP (wish I could approximate the opening riff to Barracuda but you get the drift)
For more information: http://www.heart-music.com/
I dabbled with the Hearts around their 'Animals' period and never really knew their early stuff, but instinct tells me that you're probably right about it being the better era. I mean, those videos - all big hair and prowling felines - blimey!
ReplyDeleteDon't listen to them much these days. I wonder why?
And as to banjos - always reminds me of the magnificent Morecambe and Wise 'Grieg Piano Concerto' sketch when Eric sidles up to Andre Previn at the start and goes,'In the second movement....not too heavy on the banjos'
Cracks me up every time. Now that is magic.
MO- thank you for the banjos heads-up. Will search out M&W on YouTube for that!
ReplyDeleteBut you might want to give Heart a re-spin, for old times' sake. I know you like the laydeez....
Cheers
Mine