Disco de Heart: “Passionworks”

By 1983, Heart had primarily been remembered as one of the few rock bands led by women, in fact two, Ann & Nancy Wilson. But it had been three years since they had a huge hit, and even that was with a cover of Aaron Neville's "Tell It Like It Is". While PASSIONWORKS, their last album for Epic Records, was devoid of any hits, it's still an album that is unworthy of its bad reputation. PASSIONWORKS shows the Wilson sisters as sexy, seductive yet not submissive females, while their previous albums had them projecting a rougher exterior. This departure didn't win them any new fans or keep their old ones, as the single "How Can I Refuse" failed to crack the top 40. But while audiences may have "refused" to buy the new Heart, PASSIONWORKS still contained some underrated favorites in rockers like "Ambush", "[Beat By] Jealousy", and "Love Mistake". The one song that should have been released was "Allies", a rousing power ballad typical of the era, but not stereotypical. And no wonder, it was written by Jonathan Cain of Journey. The only truly embarassing song on here is "Johnny Moon", which sounds like the soundtrack to a very bad teen movie from the '80s. It's a good thing this has remained unnoticed. In some ways, PASSIONWORKS was an album that didn't have much thought into it. After all, it was the last album under their contract with Epic. But it showed that Heart may have just needed to cool off before re-thinking their approach, and eventually revive their career with their self-titled 1985 album that would bring them more success than they saw in their '70s days.

I have always LOVED this album since I first bought it when it came out. Anne's voice is awesome and the music is as well. I saw this tour and thought it was great! I have NEVER understood why this album didn't do well? They rock throughout rather it's a heavy guitar sound on "Sleep Alone" or arena anthem harmonious sound of "Allies"....this is a MUST for ANY Heart fan who hasn't heard it!!

I don't know why this album isn't platinum three times over by now. This is by far my favorite Heart album of all time. The material that Ann and Nancy for this disc is some of their best, it blows away their previous release `Private Audition' by leaps and bounds. For some odd reason this album just seems to be forgotten or unheard of. Any Heart fan not familiar with it will be both presently surprised by the songs and shocked that they are not being performed live by the Heart Sisters today. For a breakdown....

How can I Refuse. - A great opener to a great album. Very upbeat tempo and Ann gets you ready for the rest of the album.

Blue Guitar - As a guitar player myself, this has always been a favorite of mine. Just put all your faith in six strings. This and Foreigner's `Juke Box Hero' are the greatest tributes to rocks MVP, the electric guitar.

Johny Moon - OK I admit, this is my least favorite song on the album. I don't particularly like it. It's too slow, too moody, and very strange. I know of other fans who dig this. But I never got it. Some ghost like guy walking through walls is subject matter that Heart should leave to someone else.

Sleep Alone - OK we're back on track here. Ann sounds awesome as always.

Together Now - A great harmony during the chorus. Ann and Nancy always sounded spectacular together as a duet. This song highlights them.

Allies - Does anything sound better than Ann and a piano? Ann Wilson's voice has such a range of emotions she brings out while singing. Ann is one of the greatest female singers of all time and `Allies' is one of the highlights of her career.

Beat by Jealousy - Another great song that's fits in well with the feel of this album. With the exception of `Johny Moon', every song on this album fits together like a puzzle. I always thought Ann and Nancy were going through a very emotional time to write songs like this.

Heavy Heart - A beautiful and somber number. Great chorus and some of the best lyrics on the album.

Love Mistake - The crown jewel of this album. If you thought Nancy sounded beautiful on Heart's `These Dreams', you'll be blown away by this number. This song should have been a number one smash hit. Nancy sounds so sweet and vulnerable on this. I'd love to see her sing this live

Language of Love - Again Ann and Nancy producing a great harmony here for the chorus.

Ambush - A bit of a rocker to close the album out. Not as fast as `Kick it Out', but a strong number just the same. Ann sounds frisky and sly on this one, very sexy.

Heart's 8th album titled "Passionworks" was released in August of 1983. Today, this album is viewed by many fans as a "transition album". Having fired Steve Fossen and Michael Derosier after the "Private Audition" album sessions, the Wilson sisters regrouped, hiring Mark Andes on bass and Denny Carmassi on drums respectively. This lineup (including Howard Leese on keyboards and lead guitar) would go on to achieve great success from the mid eighties into the early nineties. However, at the time of Passionworks' release, the band's record label (Epic) viewed the album as a do or die effort given the lackluster sales of "Private Audition" and subsequent personnel changes.

Despite wonderful production helmed by Keith Olsen (famous for his work with Fleetwod Mac) and solid material mostly written by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, and longtime friend and collaborator Sue Ennis, the album barely made the Top 40 album charts (it peaked at 39) and Heart was dropped from the Epic label.

This album, in my opinion, is far better than most of Heart's highly regarded releases "Heart", "Bad Animals", and "Brigade". An album doesn't necessarily have to have commercial success to make it good, high sales don't change the quality of the material. This album has, to quote Ann Wilson, "the soul-center" of Heart's previous heyday while making the adjustments in style to fit into the confusing and skewed music scene of the early eighties.

'How Can I Refuse', the album's first song and single (44 on Billboard's Hot 100) plants a strong foot starting off the album with a heavy guitar groove and drum beat. A sort of "story song" telling of a woman desperate for her lover's touch. Excellent guitar work and vocal performances should have pushed this song up higher on the charts.

'Blue Guitar', another story song, speaks of a young girl in a struggling band that hits the bigtime. The hectic pace and lonely nights force her to seek solace with her "man", a blue guitar.

'Johnny Moon' is not really a story song, but has an interesting story behind it. Originally recorded under the title 'Feels' for the "Dog & Butterfly" sessions, the song's lyrics were scrapped and the arrangement was slightly changed for it's resurrection on Passionworks. 'Feels' did end up seeing the light of day however, being released on the remastered version of "Dog & Butterfly" in 2004 as a bonus track. Both versions are so well done it's hard to choose a favorite.

'Sleep Alone' is another hard-rocker. A sassy, cheeky tale of a woman yearning to reaquaint herself with a one night stand. To quote the song, "Alone in his car/ You think of his name/ Took part of you with him/ It won't be the same/...You dream all day, climb the walls all night/ No satisfaction till he makes it right."

'Together Now' was released as the b-side to the album's second single...

'Allies'. A beautiful ballad written by Jonathan Cain of the band Journey. Only reaching 83 on the charts, it's obvious Epic had given up on promoting the album or it's singles, because this song had "hit" written all over it.

'(Beat By) Jealousy' is a solid song on the album, but not one of my true favorites.

'Heavy Heart' is a story of love lost and the turmoil inside that follows with trying to "get back in the game".

'Love Mistake' is inarguably the best song written and performed by Nancy Wilson. The first few lilting bars of the song always give me goosebumps. I assume the "K.C." the song refers to is longtime male friend of the band Kelly Curtis. The song is Nancy's consolation to a friend on a broken relationship, letting him know she'll always be there for him. An excellent accoustic version of this song appears on Nancy's solo album, 1999's "Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop".

'Language Of Love' shows Ann's frustration to write a steamy letter to her lover and how to get the words just right.

'Ambush' is about a "too cool for his own good", player type of guy getting the roles reversed on him and being pursued by a strong, seductive woman. A kind of opposite of 'How Can I Refuse' in a roundabout way. A fitting end to a truly superb and classic Heart album, at least to me.

If you are a Heart fan, you should not neglect having this one in you collection. It was not one of their most popular works, however it has some great hits and some songs that are familiar to the nostalgia conscious. ("I haven't heard that one in a LONG time!") It will surely make you smile.