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Restless Heart


Guest bigdctherock

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Guest bigdctherock

Hey, I was just curious people on HeavyHarmonies thoughts on these guys, if you remember them. They cut a few albums in the mid-80s-early 90s, had the help of Van Stephenson, got to work with David Foster on the soundtrack for "The Secret of My Success." I've always thought of this band as a Country-Rock band with AOR/West Coast leanings, especially on "Wheels," an album that I've considered one of the best albums of the 80s and sounds like it's got influences from Alabama, Poco, Eagles, Toto, REO Speedwagon, and Journey all over it, as well as Stephenson and some great AOR-esque tunes likes "Victim of the Game" & "Hard Time" as well as a Toto-styled Country hit in "Why Does It Have to Be (Wrong or Right)". But their debut and "Big Dreams in a Small Town" also have that vibe, too. Later on, they seemed to go down the Shenendoah/Diamond Rio path for a bit and then a Richard Marx path when Larry Stewart left and John Dittrich took over vocals. Anybody that remembers them, your thoughts?

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I do remember Restless Heart as my parents would have country hits cassettes playing in the house on summer days when I was a kid. That or oldies rock 8 track and vinyl.

 

So, there are a few songs that I do like I admit...probably because they are engrained in my head:

I'll Still Be Loving You

Bluest Eyes In Texas

When She Cries

Tell Me What You Dream

 

They do have a very melodic AOR sound at times but I cannot claim to have followed them much once I could choose my own music in the household...and mine was much much louder. :party421:

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Restless Heart is a very good band. Definitely some AOR leanings but that was the style of many country bands starting in the mid 80's as they were looking for that crossover hit, which is pretty much what many country artists are doing now as well. These guys have some great songs but "Big Dreams In A Small Town" is my favorite.

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  • My Little Pony

Thanks for turning me onto this. I'm sure I've heard a few of these songs. I used to listen to a lot of Country music as a kid in the early to mid nineties.

Some of their big hits sound more like AOR tunes with Country leanings, not the other way around. How long did they maintain the AOR sound? I love it.

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This is a GREAT band and do not have much of a country sound. Wheels, Why Does it Have to be wrong or right, That Rock Won't Roll, etc...Awesome.

thanks, been singing this all morning

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgbhiXp7hZs

 

 

Catchy, ain't it ;)

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Visually and thematically they might be country, but musically they are way more Westcoast AOR than country, in the same vein as the Eagles.

 

And yes, they rule. Bluest Eyes in Texas is just a monster of a song.

 

I personally would have added them to HH years ago, but for potentially opening the door to arguments about other country artists.

 

-Dan

 

P.S. Tell me the chorus on this track isn't pure Westcoast:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X10r1ufziyI&feature=related

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I've had "Wheels" for quite some time, but it sat on the shelf so far. Yesterday after reading this thread I started spinning it and I am really enjoying it. Reminds me a lot of BlackHawk. Great little disc !

 

I'd definitely be in favor of having it submitted to the HH database.

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Haha, sounds like nice polite AOR. Don't think I'd ever actively seek it, but I guess it sounds pretty harmless.

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Guest bigdctherock

Visually and thematically they might be country, but musically they are way more Westcoast AOR than country, in the same vein as the Eagles.

 

And yes, they rule. Bluest Eyes in Texas is just a monster of a song.

 

I personally would have added them to HH years ago, but for potentially opening the door to arguments about other country artists.

 

-Dan

 

P.S. Tell me the chorus on this track isn't pure Westcoast:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X10r1ufziyI&feature=related

 

Yeah, I agree, but I think some Country artists should be here do to having a couple AOR albums, like Kenny Rogers & Juice Newton did in the mid-80s, or Alabama, Charlie Daniela, Kentucky Headhunters, and Confederate Railroad all did straight-up Southern Rock albums, Alabama's "The Touch" is also a fairly AOR album, too. I mean, Shania Twain is here, forchristsakes, granted it was her Paul Sabu stuff, but still. It's all she ever did in the AOR realm and Stealin Horses is here, too, and they were pretty Country styled.

 

And to answer an earlier question about how long they kept the AOR leaning, it was pretty much up to their 1996-1997 reunion when they went Contemporary Country, which Larry Stewart's solo career was. Their last album had extremely minor AOR leanings. Filled with steal guitar and fiddle. Wished they went back to their classic sound which had neither of them.

 

Also, yeah, very West Coast. So is "Why Does It Have to Be."

Edited by bigdctherock
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Restless Heart, fantastic band! Exile - Shelter From The Night ('87) is another great album in this style!

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