Heart-Dreamboat Annie Live

My first instinct, upon receiving Dreamboat Annie Live for review, was to dig through my record collection and give the original Dreamboat Annie a spin. Released in 1976 by Canada's Mushroom Records, Dreamboat Annieis a great album and a must have for any rock enthusiast. Heart, at that time, was a group of musicians who clearly loved rock-n-roll, and their debut album has influences from just about every seminal rock band that came along before it, while at the same time being totally fresh and original. The songs from that record, like "Magic Man", "Crazy on You" and "Dreamboat Annie", have been FM radio staples for more than thirty years, and I have never grown tired of hearing them when they receive air-play.At the center of Heart there has always been Ann and Nancy Wilson. Ann Wilson's vocals, which range from a feline sexiness to the power of a wailing air-raid siren, have been the unmistakable trademark of the band, while Nancy Wilson's guitar playing ranges from catchy, guitar hero riffery to an artistry that bares the influence of prog bands like Yes.

On Dreamboat Annie Live (recorded on April 17, 2007 at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, CA), the very capable Craig Bartock fills in for original Heart guitarist Roger Fisher, and Ben Smith takes Michael Derosier's seat behind the drums. The band, along with a list of guest musicians which includes a string section from Sweden, do a remarkable job of capturing the energy and musicianship of the original album, and the music sounds just as fresh and relevant as it did back in '76.

I enjoyed seeing Nancy Wilson get down and dirty on the guitar the way she does during this performance. Her stage presence is remarkably similar to Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, but without the glazed-over eyes. She and Bartock trade riffs during "Magic Man", with Bartock flawlessly recreating Roger Fisher's memorable guitar embellishments, and Nancy manages the rhythm and acoustical parts of songs like "Crazy on You" and the many incarnations of "Dreamboat Annie".

Ann's voice still has the power and range that it did back in the day, only now it has a more bluesy sound, faintly reminiscent of Janis Joplin. Her performance is well grounded, she is connected to each word she is singing, and it is clear that she is having a really good time doing her thing on stage. In fact, everyone on the stage seems to be enjoying themselves while laboring to recreate the essence of the original album.

"White Lightning and Wine" is a straight-up jam, and apparently this is the first time Heart has played it since it was released. The track has great guitar and bass interplay blended with a steady, pounding beat. "Sing Child Sing" is re-arranged with the string section playing the guitar part. The final result is quite good; the sisters display some of their virtuosity with Ann performing a fiery flute solo and Nancy blowing a mean harp for her part.

The band does a great job on Led Zeppelin song "Black Dog" during the encore. I don't think anyone living today can scream out the verses in a manner equal to the way Ann Wilson does on this rendition. The musical arrangement of this track has the power of an early live Zeppelin performance, but the lyrics have been altered slightly to suit a female vocalist. In addition to two Led Zeppelin tracks, the encore includes music of Heart influences Pink Floyd and The Who, as well as "Mistral Wind" from Heart's 1978 album.

Interspersed with the performance, the DVD includes two mini-documentaries with the sisters giving insight on the early days of Heart, and the creation of Dreamboat Annie. You too can learn the secret of why there are three versions of the title song on the record. Also featured is a bonus glimpse into the world of a Heartmonger, or dedicated Heart fan, and a photo gallery spanning the early career of the band, including one photo where the Wilson sisters enjoy bottled water with Zeppelin front man Robert Plant.

© MuzikReviews.com

October 17, 2007 - Chad Adams

Heart:

Ann Wilson: vocals, flute, percussion, megaphone

Nancy Wilson: guitars, vocals, mandolin, harmonica

Ben Smith: drums, percussion, tympani

Craig Bartock: guitars, banjo, backing vocals

Debbie Shair: keyboards

Ric Markmann: bass, didgeridoo

Additional Musicians:

Darien Sahanaja: vocals, percussion, SFX, string conductor, string scoring and vocal arrangements

Jeffrey Foskett: vocals

Libby Torrance: vocals

The Stockholm Strings:

Malin-My Nilsson: violin

Andreas Forsman: violin

Erik Holm: viola

Nora Roll: viola

Anna Landberg Dager: cello

Lena Bergstrom: cello

Tracks:

01.Magic Man

02.Dreamboat Annie (Fantasy Child)

03.Crazy On You

04.Soul Of The Sea

05.Dreamboat Annie

06.White Lightning And Wine

07.(Love Me Like Music) I'll Be Your Song

08.Sing Child

09.How Deep It Goes
10.Dreamboat Annie (Reprise)

11.Mistral Wind

12.Goodbye Blue Sky

13.Black Dog

14.Misty Mountain Hop

15.Love, Reign O'er Me