Heart of rock 'n' roll is still beatin'
Wilson sisters prove they still have soul and axes to grind
By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

Jupiter's Darling
Heart
Sovereign Artists

The hit-making sister act of Ann and Nancy Wilson is back with a vengeance, proving they can still blend bone-crunching rock 'n' roll with tender harmonies and radio-friendly hooks.

Jupiter's Darling, their first studio album in 11 years, opens with Make Me. It evokes their classic Crazy on You, from Nancy's acoustic guitar intro to the driving beat that develops later. Oldest Story in the World is a smash-mouth denunciation of the war, one of several hard-driving rock tunes.

They turn 180 degrees in the opposite direction on ballads like Nancy's I Need the Rain, where her acoustic work and harmonies with Ann are reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's The Battle of Evermore, (which they still do live at many shows). Also noteworthy are the unplugged hootenanny Things and Lost Angel.

The band's revolving-door supporting cast has spun again. This time they've enlisted bassist Mike Inez of Alice in Chains; guitarist and co-producer Craig Bartock; drummer Ben Smith and keyboardist Darian Sahanaja. Pearl Jam's Mike McCready and Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell contribute guitar cameos.

Ann's voice is as powerful and passionate now as it was on Magic Man way back in 1976, and Nancy's already formidable guitar work continues to get even better with each passing year.

Grade: B+
HoustonChronicle.com - Review: Heart proves they still have soul