Heart - Heart Presents A Lovemongers' Christmas

Year of Release: 2004
Label: Sovereign Records
Catalog Number:
Format: CD
Total Time: 42:29:00

What a year Heart is having! They had three titles from their back catalog remastered and released prior to unveiling their newest masterpiece Jupiters Darling, which received rave reviews and brought them back into the limelight once again. I believe what we are having here is a Heart renaissance. They never went away; the Wilson sisters just needed some time to regroup to get back to what worked best for them. Man, is it ever working now!

Nancy and Ann Wilson are a one-two punch that is hard to match once again on Heart Presents A Lovemongers? Christmas. These sibling rockers have made their mark since the 70s. From "Magic Man" to "Ave Maria," it certainly seems as though the girls have come full circle with their career. They both can sing like angels and play instruments like it was their very purpose in life, but they always have been passionate about their work.

Originally released in 1998, it is now available with two additional tracks, "Mary" and "Let's Stay In." With the recent rebirth of their music, I believe this CD will find its way into many collections for the holiday season, and for years to come. This is not your token Christmas album; it is a work with depth and variety rarely found in a seasonal recording. It is literally soaked in the heartfelt emotional sincerity of Ann and Nancy Wilson. Both sisters are in stunning voice and the music is simply extraordinary. Nancy creates lush soundscapes of folk-rock with her guitar for Ann to take full advantage of and her vocals take a ride on the velvety soft clouds of musical bliss.

They even go in a jazz direction, something I have never heard from them, on "Let?s Stay In," and it is wonderful. "Here Is Christmas" is quite moving and "Ave Maria" is just beautiful, a real slice of heaven to be sure. The entire album is solid from start to finish.

This is one of the best Christmas albums to come out from the world of rock in a long time. It will definitely be on my favorites list for several plays during the Christmas season every year from now on.

Tracklisting:
Here Is Christmas (4:12) / Christmas Waits (3:08) / Mary (4:50) / How Beautiful (5:29) / William and Rose (3:56) / Let's Stay In (3:27) / Balulalow James (1:19) / Ave Maria (4:51) / The Last Noel Cox (4:23) / It's Christmas Time (3:38) / Oh Holy Night (3:19) / Bring a Torch (1:57)

Musicians:
Ann Wilson - vocals, guitar
Nancy Wilson - vocals, guitar, mandolin
Frank Cox - bass
Sue Ennis - guitar
Ben Smith - drums
Craig Bartock - guitar (3, 6)

Discography:
Dreamboat Annie (1976)
Little Queen (1977)
Magazine (1978)
Dog & Butterfly (1978)
Bebe Le Strange (1980)
Heart Greatest Hits: Live (1980)
Heart (1981)
Private Audition (1982)
Passionworks (1983)
Heart (1985)
Bad Animals (1987)
With Love From (1988)
Brigade (1990/1991*)
Rock the House Live! (1991)
Desire Walks On (1993)
The Road Home (1995)
Definitive Collection (1995)
Greatest Hits (1997)
These Dreams: Heart's Greatest Hits (1997)
Greatest Hits (1998)
Simply The Best (2000)
Greatest Hits: 1985-1995 (2000)
Heart Presents A Lovemonger's Christmas (1998/2001/2004)
Ballads: Greatest Hits (2001)
Definitive Collection (2002) single disc
Essential Heart (2002)
Alive In Seattle (2003)
Jupiter's Darling (2004)
The Collection (2005)
Love Alive (2005)
Love Songs (2006)
Dreamboat Annie Live (2007)
Red Velvet Car (2010)
Night At Sky Church (2010)

Heart (VHS) (1986)
The Road Home (VHS/DVD) (1995)
Alive In Seattle (DVD) (2003)

*deluxe CD package

Genre: Rock

Origin US

Added: January 1st 2005
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.heart-music.com
Hits: 2745
Language: english