Jupiters Darling

Heart | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 22, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sovereign Artists
• ASIN: B000244GFY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (161 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,934 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing to Prove Yet Prove It They Do, September 20, 2004

By 

WrtnWrd "Hankman" (Northridge, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jupiters Darling (Audio CD)

Their glory days long behind them, Heart has nothing left to prove on Jupiter's Darling, their first release of new material in 11 years. And damn it if they don't remind us all over again of what a solid rock band they can be. Ann and Nancy Wilson's Led Zeppelin jones having been tickled in their side project as the Lovemongers must have unleashed their inner-Page/Plant, because they're writing and raging as they haven't since their debut. When they get folksy here it's Led Zep III and not Dog & Butterfly, when they rock its classic in all the best ways, and there isn't a ballad anywhere near as obsequious as "Alone". Proving one more time that chicks rock, and proving anew that old chicks rock, too.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heart has given us their very best!, March 25, 2006

By 

Andy Agree "jackrabbit79" (Omaha, NE) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jupiters Darling (Audio CD)

Jupiter's Darling plasters a grin on my face every time I hear it. Of the 16 tracks, each and every one of them is strong, and many are absolute killers. I thought Ann and Nancy Wilson had given us their best in 1977 with Little Queen - and that was good enough. Now three decades later they've topped themselves. Barracuda, Love Alive and Dream of the Archer still form an unbeatable suite for this band, but songs just as good are here too. Heart had some overhyped stylistic resemblance to Led Zeppelin in their early days, but here it is more pronounced than ever. In fact, with Jupiter they fully pay off their artistic debt to Page, Plant & Co., delivering a performance that those masters would have been proud of if they'd done it themselves, both in the metal and acoustic realms. On "I'm Fine" Ann quite deliberately, and appealingly, goes over the line into outright humorous imitation. Ann's singing tears the roof right off the barn when she wants it to, astounding after all these years, and Nancy has never sung sweeter. The many pleasures of this album are magnified by the fact that it comes as such a surprise. If Ann and Nancy ever had any doubts, they can now sleep at night knowing they have truly met their full potential. Unless they have even bigger surprises in the works!

34 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jupiter's Darlings return with a purer rock sound, June 30, 2004

By 

Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jupiters Darling (Audio CD)

The title Jupiter's Darling derives from the story of a temptress who is a siren for powerful warmongering men. Stands to reason, as Ann and Nancy Wilson fronted the Lovemongers, and they are Jupiters' Darlings. But the info of a new Heart album coming out was a pleasant news--thank you, Eric Andrews. In looking at the cover, with the Heart logo from Dreamboat Annie and Magazine reinstated, I expected it to be a return to their classic stuff. Well, call it Dreamboat Annie and Little Queen coupled with some rock theatrics from the Brigade era, but with a churning sound akin to their greatest influence, Led Zeppelin. In other words, it's more pure rock, so don't expect any Ron Nevison-era synths.

The churning heavy blues-rock "Vainglorious" features the title in a lyric, and is a throwback to Led Zeppelin's "Living Loving Maid," and their own "Tall Dark Handsome Stranger" and "Devil's Delight"; in fact that song title is included in the lyrics.

The opening quiet guitar riffs at the beginning of the blues rock of "Make Me" recall that on "Crazy On You," while that of the verses and chorus is like "Black On Black" tempered by a "Crazy On You" instrumentation and tempo, while "Oldest Story In The World" features crunchy Led Zep power chords.

The mystery of life's equations is demonstrated in "Things," a folksy acoustic number with sung by Nancy with echoes of Led Zep's "Over The Hills and Far Away," followed by the mid-paced "Perfect Goodbye" which fits on Desire Walks On sans the synths. The title involves a simple farewell, no crying, no fighting, but where one becomes just another face in the file.

The dreamy flutes in the ballad "Enough" recall idyllic material like "Love Alive" and "Dreamboat Annie (Reprise)." A blast from the past indeed and a favourite here. Quite a contrast from the crunchy Soundgarden chords and riffs on the mid-paced "Move On."

With its Little Queen-era mandolins, the haunting "I Need The Rain" sung by Nancy is a favourite, where the rain is needed to hide one's tears: "let me stay dark and safe/and this crazy rain is my last escape."

With pounding drums and chords "I Give Up" is the only song involving longtime collaborator Sue Ennis. Not one of her best, considering previous work, but somewhat derivative, given a chorus melody like Meredith Brooks' "B--ch": "I give up, I give in..."

The loud Soundgarden power chords in "Vainglorious" recalls "Tall Dark Handsome Stranger" from Brigade, but without the horns. The mandolins return in "No Other Love" before the dolorous cello joins shift to the power ballad intensity.

A mingling of acoustic guitar, a steady quiet drumbeat a la Zep's "Ramble On" and vocals by Nancy yield "Led To One", while bluesy and Mideastern inflections characterize the mid-paced "Down the Nile."

That's followed by the Primus-like frantic alternative-tinged "I'm Fine," famous words people say before they have a breakdown, in this case a premillennial one, with references to the election of 2000, "chad confetti stuff", Y2K, and WW3.

The quiet acoustic guitar "Lost Angel" is a return to "Dog & Butterfly" ballad at the start, though it upshifts to fiert electric and bluesy rock mode. One of my favourites here. It calls for the title character to come and counterract the "coming fight." "Love bring your birds, bring your feathers of peace," sings Ann. One of my favourites. It ends with the quiet acoustic ditty "Hello Moonglow," benefiting from harmonies from both Wilsons.

Vocally, Ann and Nancy, the only original members of the group on this album, are as strong as ever, though the lighter lilting qualities of Nancy's voice, who sings lead on a record five songs per album, have receded slightly. They have retained Mike Inez, their bassist from Alive In Seattle for Jupiter's Darling. And strong support comes from guitarist Chris Bartock, who contributes on many songs. Yes, indeed, les soeurs Wilson still know how to rock.