Little Queen

Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson had become rock royalty by the time Little Queen appeared in 1977. After experiencing some initial highs (a huge-selling debut) and lows (a nasty contractual fight with their first record label), they set out to break the sophomore jinx afflicting second albums, and break it they did by playing to their commercial strengths while remaining faithful to their muse. “Barracuda” (known for its galloping lead guitar riff) and “Kick It Out” (a hard-charging party anthem) satisfied those expecting another “Crazy On You.” But the band also indulged its quieter side, giving Nancy Wilson room to display her abilities as a fluent acoustic guitarist and (on “Treat Me Well”) a folk-tinged vocalist. Moving beyond rock, Heart underpinned the title track with a strutting funk groove and gave “Say Hello” a Caribbean lilt. The hunger for love and the price of fame are reoccurring lyric themes here, and “Love Alive” in particular blends the two topics effectively. Ann Wilson shows maturity as lead vocalist, going full-throttle on the upbeat rockers but singing with nuance and restraint on the introspective tunes. Heart crossed a big hurdle with Little Queen, integrity intact.