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Rating: 3.25 Stars
When I initially picked up Dave Mason's "Two Hearts" from the cut-out bin in the local store and gave it a listen the first thing that entered my mind was that I had wasted the few dollars that it had cost me to purchase it. Still, it was Dave Mason so I had to overcome the urge to use the disc as a mini-frisbee. Several listens later I still couldn't make myself like this 80's "Synthesized Pop" mistake from an artist with so much more talent than what I was hearing. So I put the disc in a drawer at work just in case I didn't have anything else to listen to someday. A few "somedays" came and went over the years and I found a few tracks to be more tolerable than before and even found a few others to be pretty good. Nevertheless, my overall opinion remained the same. Today, however, that all changed. Why? For starters, I finally accepted the fact that the drum machine and programmed synths would not get any better no matter how hard I tried to appreciate their presence. So I decided to ignore them as best I could and focus on the contributions of Dave and the other musicians on each song. Lo and behold, it was like finding gemstones in a bucket of mud.
Granted, some of these tunes are only semi-precious gemstones but they are gemstones nonetheless:
Two Hearts (4:45) - If you can make it through the first 20 seconds of programmed music you will find some nice vocals and guitar from Dave; Steve Winwood provides background vocs.
Just A Little Lovin' (4:28) - This one has that 80's Hall & Oates sound.
Forever (4:31) - This sounds like 80's generic soundtrack music - pretty good but nothing unique; Saxophone and Hammond organ add a nice touch and Dave's vocals are superb.
Dreams I Dream (4:25) - A catchy dance tune with really nice vocals; definitely not my cup of tea but it certainly is a nice performance by DM and Phoebe Snow.
Something In The Heart (3:25) - Reminiscent of Jackson Browne's version of "Stay" thanks to Steve Winwood's synths.
Ballerina (4:20) -- I actually liked this one from day 1; has a slight Latin flavour.
Fighting For Love (4:16) - Another keeper; Winwood on organ and Mike Lawler on everything else (including slide guitar).
Replace The Face (4:24) - In the same vein as "Fight The Power" and "Go For Your Guns" by the The Isley Brothers; DM gets in a little guitar exercise.
Before I mislead anyone into thinking "Two Hearts" is essential listening, let me emphasize that this is still only a 3+ star release from a 5 star artist in my opinion. Unfortunately, the gemstones cannot be removed from the bucket of mud so unless you are a fan of programmed synths and drum machines then discovering the redeeming qualities of this disc will require a forgiving nature and a determined effort on the listener's part to sift through the sludge. Think of it as a challenge ...
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