Disco de Heart: “Red Velvet Car”

For those of you that are big HEART fans I would like to let you know that this CD rocks. Also 2 extra brand new songs not listed on the description of this CD can be found if you buy this CD at "TARGET" since the band made a special deal with the retailer it looks like. $9.99 gets you 2 extra songs worth the money.

Since many folks have written reviews detailing the strengths (and perceived weaknesses) of each song on "Red Velvet Car", I just want to contribute my opinion of the "feel" of the new album. It is a kind of deja-vu: at once, fresh, progressive and still thoroughly familiar to me. The "musicality" of the songs is wonderful; while I have always loved Heart's barer or even acoustic performances, the lush mix of varied instruments on RVC make it almost caress the listener with rich, complex layers of sound. Additionally, the guitar-heaviness of many of the tracks is so reminiscent of the "classic" Heart sound, and it brings back fond memories while presenting the new material.

It seems that Ann and Nancy have been able to elegantly update their sound without sacrificing its core brilliance. I must admit that while I have been an avid Heart fan since the 70's, I didn't connect with their last effort, "Jupiter's Darling", in the same way I have with this new album, but I feel that it definitely deserves another listen. Thank you, Heart, for a fantastic new album. Rock on, ladies...

I stayed up late to download the entire album, after seeing Heart bring the house down at Sandia! I am loving the new music!

This CD doesn't hit me between the eyes like some of their 80's songs did, but the more I listen to it, the more I think some of this material may have more staying power. Songs like 'Safronia's Mark' and the beautiful 'In the Cool' are very well-crafted. And there are several others, but I won't analyze them track by track. Ann's live delivery of 'In the Cool" was one of the highlights of their Albuquerque concert a few days ago, and the live rendition of 'WTF' could melt the paint off walls. That said, this CD doesn't rock as hard as many of their past works, but that's OK. They've been there, done that, and have moved on to a more introspective, simpler sound; because of that, many of these songs sound more sincere, more personally felt than some of their past recordings. And yes, they still kick butt live. I've enjoyed all of their different styles of music since the seventies and as long as they are touring, I will pay to see them perform and probably enjoy the hell out of it.

Many unfair things have been said about Heart over the years and, in the end, it comes down to the music. That's it. Personal attacks are made by small-minded people. Ann Wilson has a true God-given talent in her amazing pipes and I consider her to be a very beautiful woman, always has been. If her voice reflects her soul, then everything else is just icing on the cake, and I know that many others feel the same way. The Wilson sisters ROCK.

If you are a big Heart fan, this is more than worth the $8 street price it is selling for. Ann, Nancy and this version of the band (yet another one) do sound great.

This album is OK but not as good as Jupiter's Darling. It rocks but lacks songs that measure up to Heart mega-hits. Also there are no fantastic covers like the ones on recent Heart releases.

And once again Heart music production and output seems confused: producer and band dujour.

Remember Jupiter's Darling? It was released in June 2004 about 2 years after they were touring and playing 4 GREAT new songs that they were saying would be on the upcoming new album. Ann ended one concert saying "let's go make a record". Two years later when Jupiter finally came out, the 4 new songs were gone as was the GREAT version of the band that had been playing them. To add to the confusion, Heart released a 2 year old Alive In Seattle DVD at the same time as Jupiter. That DVD is the only place you can see and hear the former version of the band and the 4 new songs that had disappeared.

Red Velvet Car's release does seem far less bizarre than Jupiter's, but still...... Red Velvet Car was released 8/31/10 with 10 tracks. Then up pops Red Velvet Car Deluxe Edition. It seems to be exactly the same as the first CD but with 2 more tracks and a street price of about twice as much. Say what!! Why not just one good 12 track CD?

Wouldn't the world of music be a far, far more exciting place if Heart's music plans and production even came a little close to matching their enormous talent. I know I'd get chills from what they should be capable of producing, with less seemingly constant change.