Album Review: Ann Wilson - Fierce Bliss

Heart are legends, but given when I grew up, the version of the band I remember and care about is the slick 80s version that put out "Alone", "These Dreams", and "What About Love". I know a lot of people hate those days, both because the band wasn't 'rocking' anymore, and because they don't like ballads, but those are some of the most vivid musical memories I have of the 80s. Ann Wilson's voice was a powerhouse in a world of slick pop, and even if I didn't know about Heart's past, and even if I've never spent much time listening to what more people would say are the classic bits of Heart, I have a soft spot for them because of those songs.

We start off with "Greed", which takes us back to the days of 70s rock, for both good and bad. The riff is a dirty little rock number, and Ann's voice still has the power to rattle the speakers, but then you realize there isn't much of a support in there. The basic sound of the song is great, but I'm having trouble finding what 'the song' is. There is hardly anything you could call a chorus, and when the song is done, it feels incomplete and unsatisfying. It was also made a single, which is one of those decisions I don't understand. It hearkens back to the worst aspects of 70s songwriting.

"Black Wing" doesn't have a stronger melody, but the more mystical atmosphere of the song, and the extra room the arrangement gives Ann's voice, works as a counterweight. It's not the kind of number that will become an instant classic or overly memorable, but it's a showcase for her voice that works as an exhibit of talent.

That feeling is the one that permeates the record. These songs, both the originals and the covers, are not songs that will stick with you the way my favorite Heart songs do. This record seems disinterested in moving beyond the loping blues. It moves slowly, and there are times when the album desperately needs some energy to keep it going between Ann's bigger outbursts. There's a cliche about veteran artists making slower and more boring albums that sound their age, and this album is an unfortunate data point in that direction.

The run of songs to open the album can get so sleepy, I almost slept through the fact one of them is called "Fighten For Life". Why the garbled grammar? She clearly sings the word as 'fighting' in the song, so this is another thing I don't get, but I also don't care enough to be more upset. That's not a good sign.

No matter how talented an artist is, they still need great songs to live up to it. Ann Wilson is a legendary singer, and for damn good reason. She still has all that ability, but this album is a poor showcase to remind people of that fact. It's slow, tiresome, and couldn't compete for attention in the 70s, let alone in today's attention starved world. I don't see anyone putting this record on and being won over unless they are already die-hard fans who will love anything Ann does, no matter what.

For everyone else, this is going to be a tough one to sit through.