Roy Orbison 'King Of Hearts' (1992) Album Review

Robbie Robertson asked the right question when approached to produce 'Love In Time' for this album in the early 90's (excuse me if I paraphrase) 'How will this thing hold together with so many producers?'. Before I attempt to answer that, let's look at how many it had. T-Bone Burnett (1 song), Jeff Lynne (2 songs), Don Was (3), Robbie Robertson (1), Will Jennings & David Briggs (1) & Orbison, Roache, Hammond & Warren (1). That's 6 different production teams or solo producers over 10 tracks. It really is too many to have a stylistically cohesive album that flows smoothly from track to track. That's the theory anyway, let's have a look at the reality.

There were many problems facing this project from the outset. Firstly, there were not enough newly completed songs to fill a whole 'new' album, so previously released (but little heard) material was roped in to fill out the track list ('Coming Home' from 'Class Of '55, 'Wild Hearts' from the 1985 film 'Insignificance' & the duet of 'Crying' with k.d.lang from the 1987 film 'Hiding Out'). The additions meant that the problem of multiple producers could not be avoided. I suppose you could argue though, that the multi-producer route with the other tracks may have helped proceedings in a way, rather than 6 or 7 tracks with a cohesive style, then 3 jarring additions, the album runs through several production styles, some that sit fairly easily together, some that don't. All the tracks seem like happy orphans rather than an awkward two thirds one third mix.

Another problem was how to promote an album that was likely be perceived as glorified leftovers, by an artist that is no longer around to promote it. Well, you stack the album with guests stars and star producers, and then the Missus hits the publicity trail and plays up that fact. That's exactly how they did it. It's a classical album in a way, with several big name producers giving their interpretation of an Orbison song. It is very difficult to judge this album as a whole, because the quality of the tracks and the elements within them are so wildly different. It is not cohesive enough. It feels like apples and lemons. Not even the theme that attempts to tie it all together, the 'heart' ('King Of HEARTS', HEARTbreak Radio, Wild HEARTS Run Out Of Time, Careless HEART), can fake it. The rather pointless inclusion of the latter track indicates there was clutching at straws to try to drive home a cohesive concept or vision where there really wasn't one. What 'King Of Hearts' is is a worthy compilation of some good and some great bits and pieces that weren't finished ('You're The One', 'Heartbreak Radio') and tracks that not enough people had heard from obscure films ('Crying', 'Wild Hearts') . 'King Of Hearts' contains some great songs, but it isn't a truly great album or even really an 'album' in the classic sense.

The T-Bone Burnett produced 'You're The One' starts things off well. His production provides a gorgeous warm bed for Roy's voice. For a demo, the vocal is superb. The only tiny fault that sticks out is the way Roy sings 'foll-ow' a little awkwardly. That would have been a one line drop in on a near flawless take. k.d. langs harmony vocal is a lovely touch and the lyrics are wonderfully evocative. The production is the most successful on the album, no gimmicks, no then-contemporary sounds to date it today, just warm rich sounds with tasteful strings. If the album was to be completed by just one of the star producers, T-Bone is my pick.

Next up, Jeff Lynne goes to town on 'Heartbreak Radio', and almost pulls it off. He sped up the vocal track and corrected the pitch to make it more rockabilly-esque, and threw on some thigh slaps right after chucking in the kitchen sink. In other words, the sound is a touch too busy and dense, but it does sound like the work of a very conscientious fan done with a lot of love and respect too. It's propulsive and hooky.

'We'll Take the Night' is where the cream starts to curdle. The production is too slick and safe, and a histrionic MOR sax solo from Clarence Clemmons, who is capable of much better this, pushes the song perilously close to Michael Bolton territory. Two tracks later, 'After The Love Has Gone' fares better. A faux-soul, gospel tinged hand clapper, it puts Roy right at the middle of a big party, with everyone from the neighbourhood on backing vocals. It's an unusual place for Roy to be, but I'm glad I've heard it tried. I'm not sure if deep soul backing vocals doo wopping behind Roy really suit him, but overall it is far more engaging than 'Well Take The Night'. Sitting between 'We'll Take The Night' & 'After The Love', the duet of 'Crying' is the best of the Don Was tracks, though most of it was actually produced by Pete Anderson, with Was adding a few little touches. You can't really fault it. It is quite different to the 1961 original and live solo versions, but it works at the slower pace, which upps the palpable tension. The spacious, minimal production allows even more sonic space for Roy and k.d. lang to soar. You hear every nuance in their voices. Wonderful stuff.

'Love In Time' is interesting, Robertson's production is very muted and watery. I used to think the song and production a little too bland and MOR, but subtleties have emerged with time, both lyrically and in the production. A Robertson/ Burnett co-produced 'King Of Hearts' would have been a fascinating possibility; the authentic richness of Burnett's sound combined with the idiosyncratic atmospherics of Robertson. The biggest jar on the album comes with the gentle drum heartbeat fade of this track leading into another Jeff Lynne production, 'I Drove All Night'. I hated the production when I first heard it. The best way to describe it is freeze-dried. It seemed to have no life and warmth in it; it was cold, sterile and synthetic. The style has grown on me a little, you could argue a case that it suits the obsessive, icy determination of the lyrics, but I still think it was a mistake. It's just not pleasing to my ears in the way some other tracks are. The drums sound ridiculously synthetic and way too huge. The synth noodling is excessive gaudy icing. But, somehow, through the voice and the hooks and its undeniable propulsive energy, the song works. JUST! I wish Lynne had shown the restraint he showed on 'You Got It' though.

'Wild Hearts' is a solid song that is lumbered with mid 80's atmospherics; synthey cock-rock guitars and drums that sound like they were recorded in an aircraft hanger, then reverbed into oblivion. Even just three or four years later, the same song would have sounded very different if it was on 'Mystery Girl'. Once again though, the melody and the stellar vocal performance drag it away the MOR quagmire that it teeters nears. 'Coming Home' also suffers a little from synthetic 80's atmospherics, but it transcends for all the same reasons again. It has a lovely ache to it and some genuine pathos.

'Careless Heart' (demo) is a somewhat cheesier and more synthetic demo of the 'Mystery Girl' album closer. Roy's voice has a stronger, more nasal twang to it here than on the 'Mystery Girl' version; 'alorrn with my lorrrnnly horrt'. We didn't need to hear the demo of this, it really was only included becuase it has 'heart' in the title. A tack on anti-climax. Why not just have 9 songs? Or get the rights to 'Life Fades Away'? (that was finally included on the 2007 re-release). Or better still, finish another of the unfinished tracks? There certainly were/are plenty more in the vaults. So 'King Of Hearts' is a qualified success, absolutely worthy, but really only containing 3 or 4 'keepers' at the most.