Music Review: Heart - "Red Velvet Car"

Heart’s new CD “Red Velvet Car” races through your stereo speakers like a time traveling DeLorean ready to take you straight back to 1978.

On their first CD in 6 years, Ann and Nancy Wilson have done what few classic rockers have been able to pull off… revisit their classic 70's roots while updating it for 2010. The opening guitar riff of "There You Go" makes you think that the sisters from Seattle have mellowed but then comes track 2 "WTF" and that's exactly what you're thinking as this song blows you right out of your bucket seats.

Next comes the titled track "Red Velvet Car" and this may sound corny but Ann's vocals are as smooth as, well, velvet. "Queen City" follows and it sounds like a track that could have been on the 1976 classic "Dreamboat Annie." It's that good.

Track 5 finds Nancy singing lead on "Hey You," her first of two vocal performances on the CD. "Hey You" has a catchy sing-a-long vibe that sounds very much like a Sheryl Crow tune right down to it's "Na-Na-Na's."

Canadian producer and multi-instrumentalist Ben Mink (K.D. Lang, Barenaked Ladies, RUSH) is behind the boards for the new CD -- and he keeps Ann and Nancy's "Red Velvet Car" on a road I hope they continue to drive on for many years to come.

This is my first review, and since I like drummers, my rating system will be 1 - 10 drumsticks. I think this might catch on! So… drumroll please… 9 out of 10 drumsticks!