Customer Reviews

Change of Heart

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not the most significant or memorable work of the former Raspberry's career, but a tuneful, melodic outing that may sound better 22 years after the fact. Traces of disco and other late 70's production influences but, in the end, a satisfying (if not somewhat short) outing.

The remastering is revelatory. If you like this artist, grab this import while you can. History will show that these Japanese issues are produced in *very* limited quantities. If you enjoyed this record, you'll love the digital sound.

For those who need their music to be deep and thought provoking, then maybe this album isn't for you. For those who just want good melodic pop songs that crawl inside your head, then this is definitely for you. I play it from beginning to end without skipping a song. Also contains Deperate Fools which ranks among my all-time Carmen favorites. Unlike most other solo material, there is a hint of disco in a few of the songs. In my opinion, 8 of these songs are B+ with the final cut an A+.

Track Listings
Side One
1. Desperate Fools Overature
2. Haven't We Come Along Way
3. End of the World
4. Heaven Can Wait
5. Baby I Need Your Lovin'
Side Two
1. Change of Heart
2. Hey Deanie
3. Someday
4. Desperate Fools

I'm going to be a little hard on this album. I just got "Change Of Heart" on a two-fer one CD with Eric's "Boat's Against The Current". The difference between these two albums are quite clear and remind me why I haven't played this album in many years. "Boat's" seems like a real labor of love. Really good songs, simple but very effective orchestration, all in all one of Eric's best efforts (and he has had many). "Change of Heart" sounds like "time to make another album, ho hum". Too much over-production and real lack of heart. Of course these were the old days when a artist or band was expected to get out new product every year or sometimes two a year. Today artists and bands put out CD's once every three or four years. Still, I am a devoted Eric Carmen fan and it is nice that these albums were out again on CD at a reasonable price. Two more pieces of vinyl to retire to the closet.
When giving this album a rating,I am rating it against all other Eric Carmen albums. I see several four star ratings here for "Change". If this is a four star album, what do you give "Boat's Against The Current" or "Winter Dreams" (I Was Born To Love You)??? Those are four star (maybe five star albums). "Change of Heart" is not in this catagory.

I grew enamored with Eric Carmen's music, drawn in by not only the many honest, complicated emotions of his first two solo albums (especially Boats Against The Current) but also by the occasionally hard-hitting pop of The Raspberries. I got away from Carmen's work for a long time, but recently have been relistening to the old LP's and gave Change of Heart a spin. After hearing it again, I was surprised at three things. First, most songs seemed half-baked, with the chorus on most making a quick appearance and then repeating endlessly. These are short songs, devoid of development and any compositional reach. Second, the production seemed both overdone and timid at the same time. Overdone in the all-star backing musicians (Danny Kortchmar! Leland Sklar! Nigel Olsson! Burton Cummings! Jeff Porcaro!) playing very simple stuff. Overdone in the too-thick orchestration. Timid like the hand claps and piano glissandos on "Hey Deanie" and other examples throughout the album. Finally, I was surprised by the brevity. Only 8 tunes, with a syrupy orchestral variation on the title track. Again, underlining the overall theme of an uninspired, tired work.

When this originally came out I was still young enough to not be able to connect Eric Carmen with the Raspberries, so I didn't know enough to be disappointed at the lack of punch this album has. (I know. Quit living in the past, but when the past is as good as his was, the standard is raised.) 20+ years later, I still can't bring myself to dislike this except for one small thing, that being "Hey, Deanie". Hearing it from Shaun Cassidy was bad enough, but realizing that Eric wrote it was like a kick in the lower region. Why he decided to publicize this fact by putting it on this album is beyond me. Of the other songs "Change Of Heart", "Someday", "Desperate Fools" and the fitting cover "Baby, I Need Your Loving" are still very good even today, and if they decided to release it domestically, I'd line up with checkbook in hand. Like the rest of his albums from 1975 to 1980, this one is a solid effort. (Anything after 1980, buy cheap if you absolutely have to and keep a bucket handy.)