TheWhalerfan
Lovus My Avatarus
General Info
First release: April, 1977
Second release: April 22, 1978
Recorded: 1975-76
Partially re-recorded and re-mixed: 1978
Genre: Hard rock
Label: Mushroom, Capitol
Producer: Mike Flicker
The Band
Ann Wilson: vocals, guitar, keyboards, violin, flute
Nancy Wilson: vocals, guitar, piano
Michael DeRosier: drums
Roger Fisher: guitar, steel guitar
Steve Fossen: bass guitar, percussion
Howard Leese: guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, vocals
Track List
Side one
"Heartless" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 5:02
"Devil Delight" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 5:00
"Just the Wine" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 4:16
"Without You" (Ham, Evans) – 4:42
Side two
"Magazine" (A. Wilson, N. Wilson) – 6:22
"Here Song" (A. Wilson) – 1:34
"Mother Earth Blues" (Live) (Chapman, Simkin, Dixon) – 5:59
"I've Got the Music in Me" (Live) (Boshell) – 6:18
Magazine was an album that was troubled from the very start. Born in the midst of a battle with their label Mushroom, it was given an unauthorized release in 1977 against the wishes of the band, and pulled off the shelves after a court battle. Re-recorded and properly finished, it was again offered in 1978. Despite the issues that plagued this album, it contains some of Heart's best songs and should not to be ignored by any fan.
Heartless - Another classic rock radio favorite, Heartless is a great example of a "good" Heart rock song. It contains the usual assortment of excellent guitar, drumming, and vocals. Standout moment is the almost funky mid song tempo break, complete with awesome trademark Ann "ooohs"...adds a lot to the song. Overall a nice listen.
Devil Delight - Now we're talking. A heavy song for Heart, it features strong, distorted guitar riffs mixed with dark lyrics reeking of booze and one night stands. Vocals are perfect, adding a blend of sex and hardness to match the guitars and DeRosier's hard hitting drum track. Most people have heard this, but if you haven't, I insist you give it a listen. Outstanding.
Just the Wine - Soft acoustic number, notable for use of flute and a French line. Other than that it is a standard issue ballad recalling of love found and lost. A little too slow for my liking, there are better offerings on Magazine.
Without You - The Wilson's like to do covers, and here is one of their better efforts. Originally written by Badfinger, this song seems to have been covered by everyone at some point, but few people can sing like Ann. The band does the music justice, adding enough rock to make it a fun song to listen to despite its depressing lyrics. DeRosier adds some great fills to the drum track, but once again Ann steals the show. Her notes ringing loud and clear, this is a real treat for those who admire Ann Wilson's voice.
Magazine - The second of the two best efforts on the album, Magazine tells the tale of a lonely person paging through a magazine wishing her life to be like the pictures she is viewing. At a concert Ann stated this was the result of a woman who took 3 hits of acid, causing the pages to come alive. Ann plays storyteller perfectly, using her full vocal range to express the emotion the lyrics are trying to convey. Not a ballad or a fast rocker, the band backs the vocals with music played just hard enough to keep the song from becoming sappy. Original recording has neat "Magic Man" sample added to end, sadly removed from authorized release.
Here Song - Very short ballad, nice acoustic guitar work and vocals but should have been longer. Feels unfinished, an almost pointless addition to the album.
Mother Earth Blues - Hey, Heart can sing the blues! The first of two live tracks, as the title states this is a blues cover, and they actually do it well. Of course Ann could sing a phone book and it would sound good, so you know the vocals are going to be fine, but the whole band do a pretty decent job of a genre they usually don't venture into. Something different, a good song to relax to with a bottle of your favorite whatever.
I've Got the Music in Me - Yes, another live cover song, this time a Kiki Dee tune. Recorded only a year after KD released the original, Heart did what I would have done had I covered this - turn everything up...loud. Ann entices the audience to clap their hands at the start and the entire band feeds off their energy, assaulting the listener with pounding guitars, drums, and bass. Wailing away through every range she possesses, hearing Ann really let loose at the end of the song to audience cheers is very cool. The original lineup of Heart was great in the studio and even better live, and this song exists to show just how good they were.
So this ends my summary of yet another Heart album. Magazine isn't mentioned very often in Heart circles as a classic recording, most likely because of the three cover songs. To me it is worthy of placement alongside Dreamboat Annie and Little Queen as a complete success, led by "Devil Delight" and "Magazine" which are as good as any other Heart offering. With only "Just the Wine" and "Here Song" being weak tracks, what's not to like? 8/10.
Live Devil Delight from Largo '78
Rare first release Magazine