Red Velvet Car

Heart
SONY LEGACY

It’s been a while, ladies. Wasn’t sure when we’d hear from you again. From the sound of this one, you’ve polished that First Women of Rock statue and are brandishing it like a sword. You’ve sloughed off your ’80s forays into dancing Bad Animals. “What About Love” remains a nostalgic touchstone, but it’s the grit of “Magic Man” and “Barracuda” that strike us as the most authentic. It’s all too common that as songwriters age, they coat their work in syrup. You’ve avoided that trap with gusto — the wood of Nancy’s guitar rattles uncontrollably on “There You Go.” Listening to “WTF” and “Wheels,” it’s apparent that age hasn’t softened you two. If anything, you’re more pissed off now than you used to be and know just how you want to express yourself. What if my soul should slip off this bus and land in the inferno? Don’t we all wonder that from time to time?