Save for one memorable duet with Loverboy’s Mike Reno on “Almost
Paradise,” Ann Wilson has pretty stayed the course with Heart and
sister Nancy. Perhaps because she’s a hall of famer, she’s decided
to finally do something on her own, outside of her comfort zone. That’s
what The Ann Wilson Thing is about. #1, the four-song EP
she released in the fall of 2015 includes a surreal, somewhat jazzy rendition
of the Buffalo Springfield classic “For What It’s Worth.”
Wilson purrs through the vocal as the song practically morphs into a wicked
“Sympathy For The Devil” (which she also happened to record,
although it doesn’t appear on this EP).
“Fool No More,” a song Wilson wrote with Heart guitarist Craig
Bartok, is what the singer describes as “a heavy blues song about
bad love and the fleeting of time.” It’s just another clear
sing of Wilson’s powerful vocal prowess, especially when matched up
against a snarling guitar. “Ain’t No Way,” made famous
by Aretha Franklin and written by her sister Carolyn, is a live number performed
by Heart (although not credited as such) that comes off as homage to the
R&B influence. “Danger Zone,” the final song on the EP,
is Wilson accompanied only by keyboardist Chris Joyner. It’s lack
of studio ornamentation draws you into the purity of Ann Wilson’s
voice. She’s already done a few live dates so, who knows — after
#1, perhaps there could be a #2 down the
line.
~ Shawn Perry
