An odd one. A new Heart album where much of it isn’t new. What the band have done is dig deep into the catalogue, finding great songs from three almost ignored albums. But it’s not just a case of bringing these up to date, so much as celebrating them.
The likes of Down On Me, Johnny Moon and City’s Burning (which boast subtle lyrical and arrangement changes) prove the albums in question – Bebe Le Strange, Private Audition and Passionworks – should be reassessed as quality records. It’s also clear Ann and Nancy Wilson have carefully chosen these to provide a focused flow.
The title track is a reworking of a bonus song from 2012’s Fanatic, with the guesting James Hetfield lending it extra muscle. And the new songs? Well, Two and Heaven are close to being essential Heart. A fine album that’s more imaginative than reimagining.
