:: Heart - Red Velvet Car

Heart

Despite maintaining a heavy presence out on the road, and taking time out with solo projects, it’s been a long six years since Seattle based rock outfit Heart released something new in terms of studio material. But after what seems like an eternity, the Wilson sisters (Vocalist Ann Wilson and vocalist/guitarist Nancy Wilson) have finally put together a follow up to their critically acclaimed ‘Jupiters Darling’ release from 2004 in the form of their thirteenth effort ‘Red Velvet Car’. Despite its acoustic framework, the opening track ‘There You Go’ is an absolutely rocking effort, with Ric Markmann’s heavy bass work, the subtle string work and the Wilson sisters’ stunning vocal harmonies all coming together to create a powerful sound. The plugged in ‘WTF’ is a heavier anthem that manages to provide Ann with plenty of room to prove she’s still got what it takes to deliver on the vocal front after some thirty years belting it out for the band. Elsewhere, the darker blues edged and moody title track ‘Red Velvet Car’ is easily one of the strongest tracks from Heart in years. The semi-autobiographical ‘Queen City’ (a tribute to their home city Seattle) is the kind of a mid-paced acoustic rocker that’s characteristic of Heart’s earlier classic efforts, while the simple country/pop magnificence of ‘Hey You’ and ‘Sunflower’ showcase the depth and beauty of Nancy’s song writing and vocals. The harder edged ‘Wheels’ and ‘Death Valley’ helps steer the album towards the heavier side of the band’s sound without losing any of the dynamics of the acoustic guitars that are evident throughout the album, while a folk edge is evident within ‘Saffronia’s Mark’, without compromising on the heavier edge of the former tracks. Interestingly enough, ‘Red Velvet Car’ also includes fan favourite ‘Sand’, which is a re-recording of the song that originally appeared on the Wilson sister’s side project The Lovemongers’ one and only album ‘Whirlygig’ from 1997. As an added bonus, the Australian version of ‘Red Velvet Car’ comes with two additional bonus tracks. ‘Bootful Of Beer’ is a laid back rocker with some interesting string arrangements, but ‘Closer To The Sun’ is an absolute stunning acoustic piece, and definitely a track worthy of closing out the album. The length between releases may be getting a little longer these days, but unlike a lot of acts, the wait between Heart releases is definitely worth it. ‘Jupiters Darling’ may have had many claiming Heart’s return to form, but after ‘Red Velvet Car’, many might claim Heart have managed to produce a classic to rival their earlier releases.