Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating ****

Two years after Heart brought out Red Velvet Car, Ann and Nancy Wilson have once again teamed up with Ben Mink and come up with an album of distinction. For those that only remember Heart as producing hard rock ballads during the 1980’s and know nothing of their early albums such as Little Queen or Dreamboat Annie, before you listen to Fanatic, check out the early recordings, see how rich and full Ann Wilson’s voice was and then compare. For as Red Velvet Car showed, the two sisters are back and sounding as good as they did before they sold out to the 80’s corporate mainstream.

Although the 80’s widened their appeal and the harder edge suited the times; once those casual fans went away in search of something new, Heart were left bereft as many other groups were at the time. After the incredible amount of hits, including Alone, What About Love and These Dreams dried up, the band began to die and not even 1993’s Desire Walks on could save the band from entering a seemingly terminal and final obscurity. Even though 2004’s Jupiter’s Darling was in parts well received critically, it didn’t do anything to bring back the huge popularity the band had enjoyed.

By teaming up with Ben Mink, Ann and Nancy Wilson have found someone who really and truly gets the two women of Folk/Rock and like Red Velvet Car, Fanatic doesn’t just play well, it shows what the band really should have been during the turbulent 90’s. If only other bands had seen what was coming at the end of the 1990’s, the sea-change in music appreciation, there may have been a case for the older bands to re-invent themselves or go back to an earlier time and keep their hard-core fans who had always supported their music and cause.

It might be 20 years too late but by following on faithfully the direction that the band has laid down with Ben Mink along for the ride the songs on this album, including the sensational Pennsylvania and the quite brutal imagery of Dear Old America, it seems as though the two Grande Dames of American Folk/Rock have still got plenty to offer and so much more music to sing.

Ian D. Hall