Alive In Seattle

Performer: Heart
Engineer: Daniel Mendez; Phil Kneebone; James Geddes; Biff Dawes
Producer: Jay Resnick
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players. Heart: Ann Wilson (vocals, acoustic guitar, ukulele, autoharp, flute); Nancy Wilson (acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin, ukulele, background vocals); Scott Olson (acoustic & electric guitars, background vocals); Tom Kellock (keyboards); Mike Inez (bass); Ben Smith (drums, percussion). Recorded live in 2002. Includes liner notes by David Wild. This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players. Personnel: Nancy Wilson (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, ukulele); Ann Wilson (vocals, acoustic guitar, autoharp, ukulele, flute); Scott Olson (guitar, acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, background vocals); Tom Kellock (keyboards); Mike Inez (bass guitar); Ben Smith (drums, percussion). Audio Mixer: Tim Weidner. Liner Note Author: David Wild. Recording information: Seattle, WA (2002). Photographers: Lance Mercer; Ray Woodhouse. Unknown Contributor Roles: Charlie Crowe; Wayne Walden; Dale Lee; Mike Inez; Sebastian Whittaker; Richard Wilkinson. Recorded at the last stop on their 2002 tour, Alive in Seattle documents an impeccable performance and production, mixed for surround-sound playback on both regular and Super Audio CD formats. A warm artist/audience vibe permeates this set; it's easy to imagine families sprawled out on an amphitheater lawn, taking in the music on an early summer evening. All that's missing is any sense of urgency. The musicians hit every note flawlessly -- too flawlessly, perhaps. Ann Wilson hints at the problem in the album notes, where she describes bandmember Ben Smith's transformation from "studio cat to being a real rock & roll drummer." In fact, some element of "studio cat" dispassion colors these performances; even the sisterly banter between tracks seems forced, if not, in their spoken prelude to "Magic Man," slightly condescending. Ultimately it's Ann Wilson who brings each track home, with a vocal delivery that never lacks soul. On their cover of "Black Dog" she even challenges Robert Plant's original rendition, more than holding her own on high notes, power, and drama. On balance, that's enough to recommend Alive in Seattle, lack of warts and all. ~ Robert L. Doerschuk

Led by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, Heart struck a crucial blow for feminisim in the male-dominated world of '70s rock. They could switch from powerful, Zeppelin-like grandeur to gorgeous acoustic ballads in the blink of an eye and turned out a stream of radio staples. By the '80s, they were churning out slick pop, but the sisters re-emerged in the '90s in stripped-down acoustic duo format as the Lovemongers.

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