Heart
Passionworks

THE REVIEW

The '80s were challenging for those who surfed through the '70s, only a few managed to navigate without too much trouble, riding the synthetic wave and the teased hair. In 1982, Heart released a decent album, "Private Audition," but it was still firmly rooted in the previous decade. It did not receive positive reviews despite a great deal of success. In 1983, the Wilson sisters decided to change their approach to enter the '80s mainstream. The result is "Passionworks," an album that winks at AOR but doesn't fully embrace its sounds. Ann and Nancy are still a bit hesitant, but this doesn't discourage them from boldly introducing the Simmons into their sound. That muffled percussion sound dominates much of the work; the songs are well-constructed and sometimes exceptional, like the opening of side B with "Allies" (though not written by them), the start with "How Can I Refuse", or the ride of "Blue Guitar", with "Love Mistake" sung more delicately by Nancy. Steve Porcaro and David Paich collaborate; it’s not bad, after all, and flows pleasantly. However, these Heart, caught before the mid-decade breakthrough that would make them MTV stars, cannot quite reach those of the '70s. There’s a lot of skill and adaptability, little poetry, but unfortunately, the ephemeral decade par excellence also gave us albums with reduced specific weight.