Heart - Bebe Le Strange (1980)

Year: February 14, 1980 (CD 2004)
Label: Epic / Legacy (US), EK 85770
Style: Rock, Pop
Country: Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Time: 44:07
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 303 Mb

Charts: US #5, AUS #78, CAN #24. Canada: Platinum; US: Gold.
It was the first album without founding member Roger Fisher on lead guitar, who had left the band months prior along with his brother Michael.
Bebe Le Strange spawned the singles "Even It Up" (backed by the Tower of Power horn section) and the title track. Some of the backing vocals were provided by Don Wilhelm, who had been in a group called The Army with Steve Fossen and Roger Fisher in the 1960s.
On June 29, 2004, the album was re-released by Epic and Legacy Recordings in a remastered expanded edition, containing two bonus tracks: the studio outtake "Jackleg Man" and a live version of "Break".
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9b%C3%A9_le_Strange)
Bebe le Strange, Heart's entrance into the 1980s, was a rough one. Heart were certainly questioning their identity here, as evidenced by their feeble attempt at punky new wave on "Break." It was the band's first without guitarist Roger Fisher -- longtime co-writer and guitarist Sue Ennis stepped in for the sessions -- and his absence is felt here; there is a distinct lack of his elegant approach to acoustic guitar and his tasty lead work. Much of the deeply textured sonic lushness of the band's earlier records is relegated to the back burner and production touches are focused on compression. Instead of creating spaces, they seem to break them down. Perhaps the Wilson sisters were feeling the pressure of punk and new wave and trying to update their sound for the new decade, but it was a mistake. Heart's trademark sound is timeless, and there are flashes of it here on cuts such as Nancy Wilson's gorgeous ballad "Silver Wheels" and the rocked-up single "Even It Up," but overall, Bebe le Strange feels unfocused and restless. The urgency on tracks like "Raised on You" and "Down on Me" (not the Janis Joplin tune) feels forced, and Ann's "Sweet Darlin'" falls too late in the proceedings -- it might have made a wonderful addition to the middle of the set, but here, one of the album's best melodies falls into near obscurity by its placement. Finally, the keyboard and drum production on this set were so gimmicky that they dated the record before it was even issued.
(allmusic.com/album/bebe-le-strange-mw0000650242)

01. Bebe Le Strange (03:39)
02. Down On Me (04:54)
03. Silver Wheels (01:27)
04. Break (02:33)
05. Rockin' Heaven Down (05:54)
06. Even It Up (05:11)
07. Strange Night (04:17)
08. Raised On You (03:21)
09. Pilot (03:16)
10. Sweet Darlin' (03:22)
11. Jackleg Man (Recorded 1979-1980) (Bonus track) (03:05)
12. Break (Live 1980) (Bonus track) (03:03)

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