Customer Reviews

Shot Through the Heart

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With a recording career that has spanned four decades, JenniferWarnes is one of the best kept secrets in contemporary music. Alwaysthe critic's darling, she manages to break into the mainstream for bright but brief periods. Shoot Through The Heart has an overall late-seventies Southern California atmosphere. Her selection of folk and country-rock tunes is flawless. I dislike comparing the CD to the work of Linda Ronstadt, but the similarities are impossible to miss. Certainly, Warnes is no Ronstadt imitator, but like many projects coming out of Southern California during this period, Shot Through The Heart is imprinted with the musical traits of Andrew Gold and Kenny Edwards. Often operating on the fringes of popular music (with the likes of shadowy artists such as Leonard Cohen), Jennifer's voice is that of a purist: precise, detailed and forceful. The CD opens with the light rocker title cut. After a long search, I discovered that the pleasant vocal harmony is provided by a folkie named Penny Nichols. Although never upstaging Warnes, her voice is a handsome counterpart. Warnes moves with elegance through an admirable assortment of folk (I Know A Heartache When I See One, Sign On The Window) and contemporary standards (Hard Times Come Again No More). Placed between the up-tempo compositions are several qualified heartbreakers. Warnes' composition `You Remember Me' bleeds loneliness. The longing in her voice is touching in `I'm Restless.' Shot Through The Heart is uplifting, moody and contains more than enough moments going straight to the heart.

Technical Note: My BMG CD from Germany has an overall sparkling sound quality (Jennifer Warnes' voice is precise), but contains minor flaws (tracks 4, 6 and 8). These abrupt tape "hiccups" are noticeable during critical headphone evaluation, but I doubt that they would be recognized in most listening situations.

Totally singable is the best way to describe this CD...over twenty years old, it is still a 5 star winner one never tires of. The one song to get airplay from this album back in the early eighties, " I Kknow A Heartache When I See One" is good, in fact better than good, but actually pales when compared to most of the tracks.Jennifer's voice and style are folksy-easy listening without ever, ever, being boring, she has a spark that makes you want to just hit repeat on the disc player and let it run all day. She sings a great variety here, from Bob Dylan's "Sign on the Window" to Stephan Foster, and includes her own powerful writing as well. I have already worn out two albums of this recording before I found the disc here. It is absolutely a must have! You will not be disappointed!

Jennifer Warnes has had an unusual career. Tremendous success performing duets (Joe Cocker and Bill Medley), very little success as a solo artist. Her music can be a little "quirky", but what original artist isn't. If you like strong female vocalists (like early Ronstadt, Bonoff, Nicolette Larson, Sarah McLachlan, etc.) you will like Jennifer Warnes. I would start with this album or her new album "The Well" although her other albums "Famous Blue Raincoat" and "The Hunter" are also good. This is one of my favorite female singer albums. It's right up there with Carole King "Tapestry" ("Tapestry" is more soulful), Sarah McLachlan's "Surfacing", Karla Bonoff's first two albums or early Ronstadt albums. Buy this album, you won't regret it.

Thanks to BMG for releasing this wonderful lost treasure. Jennifer's album won my heart in 1979 and I'm so happy that it is finally available on cd. The selections include songs by Jesse Winchester, Bob Dylan and of course Jennifer's own compositions. Except for two of Jennifer's compositions, "I'm Restless" and "Frankie in the Rain", she is more playful on this album than her later recordings. The two heartfelt songs, "I'm Restless" and "Frankie in the Rain", go straight to the place in your heart where you hide your pain and sorrow and hope. Like all of Jennifer's music, her beautiful voice and harmonies make this cd pure listening pleasure . I'm sure that you won't ever be sorry for adding "Shot Through the Heart" to your collection. In fact, if you're anything like me, this cd will stay in your cd player along with "Best of Jennifer Warnes", "Famous Blue Raincoat" and "The Hunter". Again, thank you BMG and, above all, thank you Jennifer!

If you love "Famous Blue Raincoat" and "The Hunter," you will want to own "Shot Through the Heart," one of the best albums of the late seventies. Jennifer Warnes is in top form here. The perfect pitch, the unmmistakable phrasing, the voice that can go anywhere--all are on full display in "Shot Through the Heart," Warnes' second album for Arista. Other recording artists--Jann Arden, Reba McIntire, Jo Dee Messina--have mined this ablum for their own projects, but no one has come close to rendering the emotional fullness of the original. It's a genuinely superb CD and deserves to stay in print for a long time to come.

WOW - I love this album and the CD just makes it perfect again - no warping or noise from all my playing. This woman has the voice of an angel - emotional, smoky, heart-wrending. I know the conventional songs that were reviewed but my favorite has always been You Remember Me. I would love to turn on the radio and find that the Dixie Chicks discovered this stellar album and did an homage to Jennifer. But, mostly, I wish I was still hearing Jennifer on the airwaves as often as in the late 70's.

You move my heart with your gift!

I lost my vinyl version of "Shot Through the Heart"in my divorce in 1990. Although it was nearly played through,it wastruly my most-played recording. Imagine then, when, in 1999, I was able to secure a copy of this import. To hear "Don't Make Me Over" and "Hard Times Come Again No More" after ten years was almost a religious experience. Jennifer is, with her quirks, tics, and vibrato, the most interesting singer of all my favorite female vocalists, with such emotional range and depth (and humor) that she knows no equal. While I share with other reviewers disappointment at a few tape transfer glitches in this import, to have Jennifer back in my speakers is truly a delight. When, oh when, Jennifer, will you issue something new?

I bought "Shot Through The Heart" when it was first released on vinyl. My favorite cut is "I Know A Heartache When I See One" but I also like "Don't Make Me Over" and "When The Feeling Comes Around". When I hear Jennifer on the radio it's either "Right Time Of The Night" or "Up Where We Belong" with Joe Cocker. I really thought "I Know A Heartache When I See One" would help her reach stardom.Unfortunately,she hasn't received the acclaim she deserves. If you're a Jennifer fan,you should have this in your collection. If you've never heard Jennifer,give this one a listen.

I'm a longtime Jennifer Warnes fan, and I love "Shot Through the Heart," but don't ignore some of the other reviewers' comments about flawed sound on certain tracks. That's not to say you shouldn't get the CD, but fans of the original LP will notice inferior sound on several tracks. It's too bad BMG couldn't have done a better job.

I'm sure this must be the very best female vocal track I have ever heard. Even better perhaps than Bonnie Raitts 'Blowing Away' I would even foresake favourite tracks by Jackson Browne and Bob Dylan to have these two in my Desert Island eight Disc collection.
...superb....