Customer Reviews

Take It to Heart

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

 

 

A nice mix of sounds characterizes this brilliant album which for some reason was ignored by most fans. There are the synth-dominated 'All We Got' and 'Tear It Up' (McDonald meets Scritti Politti), two songs produced by Don Was, one of them the beautiful title track, and then the rest of the lot, mainly performed by Mike and a fierce backing band consisting of the sadly missed Toto drummer Jeff Porcaro, bass player Abe Laboriel, and guitar wizard Mike Landau. These tracks are the backbone of the album, and the guys hit it off wonderfully. The best examples of their skills can be heard on the - by Michael McDonald standards - hard rocking 'Homeboy' with an outstanding guitar solo from Landau, and on the closing track 'You Show Me', on which Stan Getz provides the final touches with his distinctive sax playing. It's a shame this album got neither the recognition nor achieved the success it deserved. It brings back some good memories for me, and I enjoy listening to it just as much as when I first bought it. A classic.

It was going on 5 years since Michael McDonald's last album when "Take It To Heart" was released in May of 1990. McDonald had done some music in the meantime including the big hits "Sweet Freedom" and the Patti LaBelle duet "On My Own", songs that suggested McDonald's future might not be too bright from an artistic standpoint. However, Michael rose to the occasion, delivering a solid, consistently enjoyable album that finds him in peak vocal form, which is saying a lot.

Unsurprisingly, there's very much of a late '80s/ early '90s production sheen, but that said, only on a few songs is there a real attempt at sounding 'up to date'. One of these is the uptempo album-opener "All We Got"--it was remixed by Shep Pettibone, and it's a great, dramatic club-dance song packed with powerful hooks. Another example is the adult contemporary ballad title track--considering that it was co-written by Diane Warren, it's not surprising that it's quite sugary, but it still has some appeal, thanks to McDonald's incredibly soulful vocals on the chorus. Then there's "Tear It Up", one of two tracks here that Michael had no involvement in writing--it's a sugary feel-good tune and the hip-hop beats on it are a bit much, but it's still got enough taste and tunefulness to make it respectable.

The other track Michael didn't have any part in writing is "One Step Away" which is a rather sickly-sweet ballad, but likewise, it's tastefully performed and has effective hooks. The album ends with the engagingly lush and mellow smooth-jazz style "You Show Me"--the lyrics are pretty sappy, but it's still a nice track.


Many of the tracks have an appealingly organic, punchy sound, thanks in no small part to the late Jeff Porcaro's crisp drumming--the minor-keyed ballad "Love Can Break Your Heart" (co-written by Paul Carrack) and the dynamic, tormented "Lonely Talk" are both excellent tracks; and both the ballad "No Amount Of Reason" and the socially conscious "Homeboy" are solid as well, even though ace guitarist Michael Landau does get carried away on this latter track with his metallic guitar soloing. "Get The Word Started", co-written by David Pack (of Ambrosia fame), is a tad sugary, but it's still very nicely funked-up, catchy, and extremely good.

So, "Take It To Heart" isn't a masterpiece, but it's solid--it's one of those albums you can put on and enjoy all the way through and not feel utterly compelled to skip any tracks; even the weakest ones still make for solid background music. You can probably snap this disc up cheap, and it's worth doing so.

I've always liked this album, but I've always wished I liked it more than I do. There are one or two songs on here that I skip over when listening to the CD. (For example, I just can't get into the song Homeboy for some reason.)

Why did I give it over 3 stars then? Because the good songs on here are VERY good songs! My favorites are: Take It To Heart, Tear It Up, and You Show Me. All really great songs!

Actually, there are no truly bad songs on here. Even Homeboy's halfway decent. Michael is my favorite singer, so maybe I'm just too picky and expect too much all the time. I want every song to knock me off my feet, and not every song on here does.

Still, as I said, there are some really great songs on this one. Plus, it's hard to go wrong with Michael's voice. If you're a fan, you're most likely going to like this album.

As many Michael McDonald fans we all have our likes and dislikes about each of his solo CD's. But "Take It To Heart" has a bit of a different twist, read on for the full story..

Me being a die-hard M.McD. fan to the point of aquiring all of his recordings including his many duet and contributing vocals on other artist projects. Even his 1st perfessional recording "God Knows I love My Baby" from 1970 recorded on RCA Records.."sorry I am getting a bit off topic.

Take It To Heart was suppose to be called Lonely Talk and be issued on August of 1989. It also had a bit of a different song line up..It had a song called "Plain Of Jars" and a cover of Stevie Wonders Higher Ground (Which ended up on his 1st GH's) there were also different versons of current tracks that made the offical CD. Just about 3 weeks prior to origonal issue date (Aug 89) Repris/WB's label decided there were not enough singles and so Tear It Up and All We Got were added along with Get The Word started (Not sure exactly what versons were changed, Take It To Heart was recorded and added, which meant some songs and some versons had to go. I myself would've rather have had "Lonely Talk and added "Take It To Heart" and that would've given us a 11 song CD they way Michael saw it. I love Lonely Talk, Love Can Break, Searchin For. Take It, Homeboy. True McD. classics. For those who heard Plain Of, You know what a different song stlye for Mike and those that did not. You were only able to hear it on the B-side of the Take It To Heart Cassette single or the UK CD5 w/ Higer Ground as well. One of the few unissued tunes ever put out by M.McD on a CD single. I do not know why record companies seem to think they know what fans want. If you play TITH tracks 2,3 and 4 and 6-11 and you do have the 2 B sides you will have kind've and idea what lonely talk was suppose to be. Maybe one day a box set of M.McD will be issued and some of those demo's and alt. mixes and session tracks for TITH will see the light of day. I hope you enjoyed this information. Overall TITH is a great CD. It shows of Michael's Faulseto alot. It is a shame the CD did not find it's way to the charts more..... MS

Michael McDonald, as most of us know, is one of the most recognizable voices in pop music. Soulful and soothing, Michael's voice makes listening to any of his releases as easy as sipping on a tropical drink while gazing at a turquoise ocean scape.

"Take it to Heart" is splendidly soulful and subtly streetwise at times. From heartfelt melancholia to unabashed soulful grooves - this recording has got one of the best balances between the two. An easy listen that lends the listener a well-crafted musical pillow to rest upon. This is classic soul-pop with tasteful, classy lyrical content and tons of musical embellishments to soothe even the most savage of listeners' ears.

This is another fine cd by Michael McDonald released in 1990. It's different than most cds because the best songs are from track 3 through track 10 as where many cds have the best songs on track 1 and 2 of the album. Most of the music is great upbeat lite rock with solid beat by Jeff Porcaro of Toto,strong vocals and great keyboards by McDonald and fine guitar rythms by Mike Landau. The first two songs on here are more R&B style than lite rock.The two hit singles were HEART TO HEART and TEAR IT UP,but there several other songs on this cd that I like better. This one is right up there with his first 2 cds. A must have cd for Doobie Brothers and Michael McDonald fans alike.

MMs most rockin', radio-ready, release. Lush production; mature reflections on love/relationships. Typically tasty guitar from Mike Landau (LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART, NO AMOUNT OF REASON) & tight Jeff Porcaro drumming. Favorite track: YOU SHOW ME features a "make your kness weak" sax solo from Stan Getz & is a great example of MM's perceptiveness, sensitivity.

TAKE IT TO HEART is one of Michael McDonald's finest albums, and grossly underrated. By 1990, the former Doobie Brother had garnered legions of fans with that smoky, seductive and instantly recognized voice. This voice is in full force on the 11 tracks here, backed by talented musicians and sparkling arrangements.
All songs are great. My personal faves:
*ALL WE GOT - I can't sit still on this one, and I love the infectious chorus;
*LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART - this song co-written with talented Paul Carrack is another hook-laden gem;
*TAKE IT TO HEART - Michael elevates this Diane Warren hokum with his emotional vocal and spot-on arrangement;
*TEAR IT UP - get out my dancing shoes! Like "All We Got", this has a hook that won't let go;
HOMEBOY - a great rocker, a change of pace for McDonald;
ONE STEP AWAY - a gentle, melodic treat buoyed by MM's smooth delivery.
Overall, a remarkably good CD and a highlight in Mike's illustrious career.

"You show me" has entered into that relm of "perfect human expresions" where men and women/couples claim it as a defining moment of how Love works in the real world. I renamed it "the Garmisch song" because it ministered to me at the apex of the end of a long relationship. MM has the gift of aural healing. Jazz as medicine for the soul.

I ONLY BOUGHT THE ALBUM RECENTLY, NINE YEARS AFTER IT'S RELEASE AND I THOUGHT IT SOUNDED REALLY DISAPPOINTING. FRANKLY, I'M A FAN OF MICHAEL MCDONALD AND I KNOW HE'S CAPABLE OF WRITING GOOD MATERIALS. BUT WHAT HE'S DOING WITH DANCE DJ SHEP PETTIBONE ON THE OPENING TRACK IS BEYOND ME. EVEN THE TITLE TRACK WITH DIANE WARREN BOMBED BIG TIME. I REALLY ENJOYED THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF "I'D BE YOUR ANGEL", "THAT'S WHY", "I CAN LET GO NOW", "SWEET SURRENDER". WHATEVER HAPPENED, MIKE?