Lost/Forgotten Album #157

[Jon]

I had something all ready to go for this week's pick and was going to take a break from vacation just to post and then disappear again for awhile. 

As I made a guest appearance this morning, I noticed that Rjhog had posted an album from '93, and it dawned on me that this is the first weekend of a new month which means I am forced to post something from 20 years ago. Therefore, my plan to post something from a Danish band has to be on hold for another week.

I do have a list of albums from '93 and decided this was the one I wanted to post. I could have went with a more obscure band, but really like this album and thought it would fit in quite nicely with what Rjhog posted, Pat Benatar's "Gravity's Rainbow".

The first track I heard from this album was "Black On Black II". A bit surprising since it wasn't a ballad plus it didn't sound like anything from their previous three albums. It sounded like they were getting back to their hard rock sound which was quite ok in my book.

I really have nothing bad to say about their mega selling 80's albums, but they sounded like a product of the 80's back then, and definitely sound that way now. Those three albums don't really appeal to me due to that production sound plus they didn't really have too much kick in regards to the actual music. They basically became a corporate/MTV band and, even though it did reviatalize their career, it was a step back from their 70's output. 

Then came this album. 

1993, change in music direction, etc., etc. We all know what was going on then. Of course albums like this fell to the wayside even though it signified to me that Heart was changing course. Sure, there was the now obligatory attempt at a hit single, "Will You Be There (In The Morning)", but the rest of the album is a mix of hard rock and mellow songs. Not mellow in the 80's sense, but mellow in the 70's sense. 

A big difference frm the previous few albums is that Ann & Nancy wrote a majority of the songs with the two exceptions "Ring Them Bells" which was written by Bob Dylan (and features Layne Staley on vocals) and the aforementioned "Will You Be There (In The Morning)", written by Mutt Lange. 

In my book, this is one hell of a nice "comeback"!

Desire Walks On

1. Desire
2. Black On Black
3. Back To Avalon
4. The Woman In Me
5. Rage
6. In Walks The Night
7. My Crazy Head
8. Ring Them Bells
9. Will You Be There (In The Morning)
10. Voodoo Doll
11. Anything Is Possible
12. Avalon (Reprise)
13. Desire Walks On

Availability: OOP, but you can find it for around $4 for the domestic version or around $8 for an import version that has a couple bonus tracks.

     

[TageRyche]

I loved this album when it came out. I have no problems with their 80's albums either. It's been the last couple of albums they've released that have been less than satisfactory.

[Scandal 2000]

I have always liked Heart (and their 80's stuff is among my favorites) and this was a really good album. Unfortunately, there more recent works like Tageryche stated have become very hit and miss.

[Scott]

Heart had been great up through this album.  Which is a solid rock and roll album...  But i have to agree with Tage, itsa after this that the output become less that stellar...

This is in my collection and gets attention every so often, more than some of the other Heart releases I own...  My favorite Heart release?  Glad you asked...  Passionworks, so underrated and so solid...

[Jon]

I like Passionworks and Private Audition, yet most other people do not. That's why they changed their sound and sold, well, tons. I posted PA awhile ago, but it no longer works due to File Factory screwing us. 

[RJhog (Admin)]

I just bought this album recently.  You are all correct, it's a fine piece of work.  It reminds me of the debut in that it creates a real atmosphere, at least the first nine songs do.  

I could do without tracks 10-12.  Therefore, if they cut those, this would be a fantastic 10 track album.  As it stands, it's a good 13 track album.

Nice post.