Search - Heart :: Bebe Le Strange (Exp)

One of the 80s best, now better than ever!

David Kenner | Fort Worth, Texas United States | 07/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The following is what I wrote in 1999 about the original CD issue of this album:
"Although every Heart release after their debut sported several great tracks, bebe le strange was a definite high watermark for the band. The songs give you the feeling that Ann and Nancy (and co-writer Sue Ennis) were getting more personal with their lyrics than ever before. But the album is not as introspective as you would think it would be. Some of the band's funkiest jams are on this album including Strange Night, Rockin' Heaven Down and the incredible title track which is one of rock and rolls great anthems (also a great anthem for women as well!). On the other side of the coin is more sensitive fare such as Sweet Darlin', Pilot and Nancy's great piano workout on Raised on You. Not one subpar track on the entire disc!"
Now Sony has reissued this classic album with much improved sound quality and bonus tracks. I still give this album 5 stars for the content and would be willing to add a star, if I could, for the remastering, which makes it sound better than ever.
One of the bonus tracks is a frantic live take of "Break". It's a good performance but the lead guitar wasn't mic'd very well and is barely audible. The second bonus track is a real bonus! An unreleased Heart track from 1980 called "Jackleg Man". It's a really great hard rocker that at times actually reminds me of Bon Scott era AC/DC. Ann gives a nasty, growling vocal performance on this one, and it's a great addition to this album. I would've thought that some of the songs from the band's 1980 "Greatest Hits/Live" set would have worked well as bonus tracks for this album -- the hit cover of "Tell It Like It Is", the live versions of "Bebe Le Strange" and Zeppelin's "Rock & Roll", or "Hit Single" and "Strange Euphoria" which were left off of the "GH/Live" CD -- but Sony obviously has other plans.
The liner notes are very brief and are reprinted in each of the Heart reissues (the other two being "Little Queen" and "Dog & Butterfly") and the "track by track overview" is just a short line or two for each song that doesn't give a whole lot of information. So don't base your decision to buy this disc on Nancy Wilson's liner notes.
But if you want to hear classic tracks like "Raised On You" and "Sweet Darlin'" sounding better than ever, I can definitely recommend this disc."

Bebe Le Rocks

James T. Mott | O'Fallon, MO USA | 11/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What can I tell you. Heart has been my favorite band since their debut album, Dreamboat Annie came out. Well we lost a member in time to record this album. Original guitarist Roger Fisher pulled the last straw with the band in Oregon while touring under Dog & Butterfly. Much like the Fleetwood Mac relationships that tore that band apart: Michael (drums), Roger (guitar) and Nancy were all apart of the original line-up being less one member. They soldiered ahead and delivered.



This album is probably the most ROCKIN album they have ever released. Not their best album but certainly in the top four albums of their career.



I saw the tour, bought the shirt, recorded the live broadcast from Ft. Worth off the radio back in the days of it's initial release.



This album smokes. For those of you looking to make your own best of CD taking song from all the albums they have ever released, the songs you must include from this album are:



Bebe Le Strange

Down On Me

Silver Wheels

Rockin' Heaven Down

Even It Up

Pilot

Sweet Darlin'



Not to ditch the other tracks. Certainly a special mention for Strange Night.



As a true Heart fan, essential CD's to own are unquestionably:



Dog & Butterfly

Dreamboat Annie

Little Queen

Magazine

Bebe Le Strange

Desire Walks On



Alot of people mention Brigade as one of there very best albums. Well speaking from someone who has been loyal since day one, I have to say Brigade is the album I listen to the least. That whole 80's thing with Heart was good, but not great. Too commercial, Heart kinda lost their way a little in the 80's (yet that was the most successful time of their career. Outside songwriting, seasoned musicians (Ann, Nancy and Howard were the only ones left from the original six member band in the eighties) and too much polish lead Heart away from the raw rockin' and airy beauty of the original line-ups compositions.



Any way you stack it up, 70's, 80's, 90's and since, Heart have givin the world something very special and original. No one has or will ever do what they did.



Here is what baffles me more than anything, The Pretenders are in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame and Heart is not. I throw my hands in the air and scratch my head on that one."

Heart's Last Great Album For 23 Years

The Footpath Cowboy | Kingston, NY United States | 09/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"BEBE LE STRANGE was Heart's last great album (excluding anthologies) until ALIVE IN SEATTLE came out in 2003. Guitarist Roger Fisher had just been forced out of the band, and with Nancy Wilson and Howard Leese handling all of the guitars, the music was more electric than on any previous Heart album. The big hit was "Even It Up", but there's a lot of other great stuff here, too. The two bonus cuts add to the pleasure, and if you buy this one, DREAMBOAT ANNIE, LITTLE QUEEN, DOG & BUTTERFLY, GREATEST HITS (Epic/Legacy), JUPITERS DARLING, THE ESSENTIAL 3.0 HEART, and ALIVE IN SEATTLE all at once, you won't be disappointed."