Review
These SACD releases by Audio Fidelity become like an old-fashioned weekend high you look forward to. You know you are going to be in hard rock heaven listening to quality sounds. Now here’s another one: the classic rock album Magazine by Heart.
“Heartless” begins the experience and it sounds perfect coming out of the speakers, with its funky stomp and piercing chorus sung by amazing vocalist Ann Wilson (goes without saying, doesn’t it?). The ‘high’ doesn’t disappoint. “Devil Delight” continues the feeling with its bluesy swagger and swaying guitars (which wonderfully go from eerie to playful within seconds). “Just the Wine” is a classy ballad (and, in many ways, preferable to the ’80s Heart ballads) where Ann once again injects goosebumps.
The coming down part comes fast with “Without You.” I understand it has been ruined forever by the popular Mariah Carey version which is why I probably can’t stomach it. It registers as schmaltzy even with quality coming from Ann’s voice.
The title song “Magazine” picks it up a bit with its lively ’70s rock feel (great guitar ala Nancy Wilson) and the live blues joint kick of “Mother Earth Blues” but from then on it’s just not the same as the opening songs. You never recapture that high. Really, the album earns its price in the first three songs and if you go for the purchase it’s even more critical you go with the SACD release. You just won’t get this if you downloaded those songs via a iTunes digital download.
Label: Audio Fidelity
