Heart

Brigade

Pretty good, even if the seams were beginning to show by now

Review Score:

(8/10)
The 1980s, at least the latter part of it, was when Heart began experiencing a commercial & creative renaissance. After being dropped by Epic Records in 1983 after the disappointment of PASSIONWORKS, Heart signed to Capitol for their 1985 self-titled album. The results were no less than astonishing, topping the album charts, spawning 4 top 10 hits (not to mention their first #1) & pretty much making Heart cool again.

They repeated the streak on 1987's BAD ANIMALS, proving Heart's comeback was no fluke. But as the 1990s got underway, even Heart's new identity was starting to show signs of wear. Grunge was slowly making itself known & bands that specialized in power ballads (like 1980s Heart) would be wiped off the charts. But before that happened, Heart gave the new formula another try on 1990's BRIGADE.

This album brought Heart 3 more hit singles, even if they were smaller ones now. "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You" just barely missed the top, stalling at #2, but it's still a great song from the pen of producer & future husband of Shania Twain, Mutt Lange. The song caused a bit of controversy with its story of a lurid love affair, but it's still head & shoulders above Lange's other Heart song, "Will You Be There [In The Morning]", which would prove to be Heart's last hit single to date. Also, "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You" remains one of my Uncle Tommy's favorite songs.

"Stranded" is another song from Heart that was a small hit, but deserved to do better. Nancy Wilson's passionate vocal is one of her best & proves that Heart could do the whole power ballad thing that was, in fact, a huge contrast to what they wanted their music to be about. "I Didn't Want To Need You" was BRIGADE's other hit, but this time, it doesn't quite measure up. Coming from the pen of ever-so-versatile songwriter Diane Warren (who's written a song for just about any artist today), the song seems to try too hard to rise above cliche & is a good reason why Heart was initially reluctant to do power ballads in the first place.

Elsewhere, BRIGADE is a hit-and-miss affair with one great song followed by a run-of-the-mill one. The opening "Wild Child" is a good reminder of Heart's roots as balls-to-the-wall (no pun intended) rockers & proof of their Zeppelin influence. "Tall Dark Handsome Stranger" & "Call Of The Wild" (never a fan favorite), on the other hand, are unsuccessful attempts at regaining Heart's rocks. The ballads are somewhat more successful, with "Under The Sky", "Secret" & "I Love You" shining bright. The last three songs show just how good of singers Ann & Nancy Wilson really are. No wonder they later formed their acoustic side project The Lovemongers.

Like most bands from the 1980s that specialized in power ballads, the 1990s saw their audience dwindle away in favor of the "woe-is-me" attitude of alternative. Unfortunately, latecomers to the power ballad trend Heart were among those being given the brushoff. The fact that their material was slipping in quality only furthered the backlash.

After 1994's middling DESIRE WALKS ON, Heart went on a hiatus that continues to this day. Even with no official announcement of breaking up, the Wilson sisters are apparently doing their own things recently. I'm not sure what Ann is up to, but Nancy released an acoustic solo live album in 1999 & is probably enjoying her life as Mrs. Cameron Crowe. So while the chances of Heart returning to the limelight are still unknown, an album like BRIGADE will keep us company until or if they do.

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