Heart - Bad Animals (1987) {2006, Japanese Reissue}

Bad Animals is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Heart, released in 1987 through Capitol Records. The album continues the mainstream hard rock style from the band's 1985 self-titled release, all while enjoying similar success. Certification as of 1992 is three times platinum, indicating sales in excess of three million copies in the US alone. The album reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart in August 1987. Bad Animals contained the number one hit single "Alone", while "Who Will You Run To" reached No. 7, "There's the Girl" reached No. 12, and "I Want You So Bad" reached No. 49. The album is notable for containing only a few tracks with writing contributions from lead members Ann and Nancy Wilson. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Switching from Epic to Capitol with 1985's Heart proved to be a wise move for the Wilson sisters, who experienced a major resurgence in popularity and gained many new followers. Heart's arena rock sound had become even glossier, and the band was selling more albums than ever. But for all its production gloss (courtesy of Ron Nevison) and pop slickness, Bad Animals comes across as sincere rather than formulaic or cynical. From the rockers "You Ain't Too Tough" and "Easy Target" to the power ballads "Alone" and "Wait for an Answer," all of the songs are quite memorable. The folk elements and acoustic leanings that characterized many of Heart's early ballads were long gone, and the Wilson sisters keep the volume high but slow the tempo.