Bebe Le Strange (Exp) [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]

Heart | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 29, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0002CHK40
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,554 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Heart's 1980 #5 smash with the Top 40 hit Even It Up . Bonus tracks: Jackleg Man and Break (live, 1980).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the 80s best, now better than ever!, July 3, 2004

By 

David Kenner (Fort Worth, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bebe Le Strange (Exp) (Audio CD)

The following is what I wrote in 1999 about the original CD issue of this album:
"Although every Heart release after their debut sported several great tracks, bebe le strange was a definite high watermark for the band. The songs give you the feeling that Ann and Nancy (and co-writer Sue Ennis) were getting more personal with their lyrics than ever before. But the album is not as introspective as you would think it would be. Some of the band's funkiest jams are on this album including Strange Night, Rockin' Heaven Down and the incredible title track which is one of rock and rolls great anthems (also a great anthem for women as well!). On the other side of the coin is more sensitive fare such as Sweet Darlin', Pilot and Nancy's great piano workout on Raised on You. Not one subpar track on the entire disc!"
Now Sony has reissued this classic album with much improved sound quality and bonus tracks. I still give this album 5 stars for the content and would be willing to add a star, if I could, for the remastering, which makes it sound better than ever.
One of the bonus tracks is a frantic live take of "Break". It's a good performance but the lead guitar wasn't mic'd very well and is barely audible. The second bonus track is a real bonus! An unreleased Heart track from 1980 called "Jackleg Man". It's a really great hard rocker that at times actually reminds me of Bon Scott era AC/DC. Ann gives a nasty, growling vocal performance on this one, and it's a great addition to this album. I would've thought that some of the songs from the band's 1980 "Greatest Hits/Live" set would have worked well as bonus tracks for this album -- the hit cover of "Tell It Like It Is", the live versions of "Bebe Le Strange" and Zeppelin's "Rock & Roll", or "Hit Single" and "Strange Euphoria" which were left off of the "GH/Live" CD -- but Sony obviously has other plans.
The liner notes are very brief and are reprinted in each of the Heart reissues (the other two being "Little Queen" and "Dog & Butterfly") and the "track by track overview" is just a short line or two for each song that doesn't give a whole lot of information. So don't base your decision to buy this disc on Nancy Wilson's liner notes.
But if you want to hear classic tracks like "Raised On You" and "Sweet Darlin'" sounding better than ever, I can definitely recommend this disc.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Heart's best CD, July 9, 2000

By 

The Pete (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bebe Le Strange (Audio CD)

Although none of the songs here are instant classics like "Magic Man" or "Barracuda", I think this is Heart's best CD simply because it's the most consistent in terms of quality. "Dreamboat Annie" and "Little Queen" both had a lot of filler to balance out the brilliant songs.

Like "Dog & Butterfly", "Bebe le Strange" also has the strength that it shows off the considerable range of the Wilson sisters as writers and performers. There's the title rocker, an A-one hit in "Even it Up", the bluesy "Down on Me", and a trio of softer songs to close out the album: "Raised on You", "Pilot", and "Sweet Darlin" that have great lyrics and are pretty much performed by the Wilson sisters on all instruments. Despite the variety, there isn't one song that sounds out of place. They flow together seamlessly.

If you're new to Heart through the Greatest Hits, I think this is the album to start with because it represents Heart at the height of their power as wild rockers and mystical balladeers.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Raised on Heart, January 2, 2003

By 

"littlequeen23" (Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bebe Le Strange (Audio CD)

Bebe Le Strange is one of the albums that made me a more serious musician. Listening to Nancy Wilson on the song "Raised on you" raised a few questions in my mind. Who is really the masterminds behind the heart sound? Ann and Nancy truly deliver what I want to hear on a record. "Silver Wheels" captivated me the minute I heard it and now that's one of my favorites to play on the guitar. Probably my favorite song off of this record is "Strange Night" which is great to listen to on a road trip. "Sweet Darlin" is Ann Wilson's voice to the max it's really gorgeous. Please if you are into good music..get this CD.