HEARTLAND – Travelling Through Time (2011)

Chris Ousey’s career goes from strength to strength. His first main achievement was the lead vocalist role in Jason Bonham’s band Virginia Wolf. The group notched up 250,000 album sales between two records wich remains as melodic rock / AOR classics ’til today.

After that, Ousey formed a new project with guitarist Gary Sharpe; HEARTLAND.

Their self titled debut in the early nineties was produced by James Jimbo Barton (Trixter, Steve Perry, Queensryche). Chris and Gary later got together and put out ‘Wide Open’ in 1994. Both albums were warmly received by the audience and critics.

Later that year, guitar virtuoso Steve Morris joins the band. Morris is an experienced musician having recorded two albums on a major label with his group Export (‘Living in fear of the Private Eye’ and ‘Export’), 3 discs with Ian Gillan and shared songwriting credits with the likes of Bob Halligan Jr. and Michael Bolton.

‘Heartland III’ has done extremely well since its release in November, 1995 and 15 years later is still very much a popular album. This third outing was considered more commercial than the previous two albums, but nevertheless kept the rock fan’s respect as well as gaining a wider audience.

In early 1997 the album ‘Bridge Of Fools’ was unleashed, with a return to rock roots and more of a ‘band’ feel.

By this time, while Morris was tied up recording with Ian Gillan, Ousey with Pokerface’s guitarist/producer Kenny Kaos Loney started to work on a collaboration known as ‘The Distance’, culminating in the release of two albums; ‘The Distance’ and ‘Live and Learn’.

Soon after, the self-production started for ‘Miracles By Design’, the fifth Heartland album. Chris and Steve have both expanded their already sound experience by working in recent years with artists as Change of Heart, Message, Radio Silence and Newman. The album was mixed by Loverboy’s Paul Dean in his own Vancouver studios and released in May, 1998.

Their sixth (acoustic) album ‘When Angels Call’, features songs old and new as the Heartland wagon train rolled ahead into a new millennium.

‘As It Comes’, the seventh album, was a major leap forward by the band in the way that it combined all of their best elements and brought them out in a beautiful manner. A rockin’ disc.

Heartland recorded album number eight, ‘Communication Down’ in 2002 and this saw the band going for the throat. This disc was a real ripper and the band was now pushing towards a more hard rock sound. Keyboards were supplied by the great Dave Chapman (Change Of Heart).

‘Move On’ was the ninth studio album by this great British melodic rock band. It was over two years in the making and was well worth the wait. Steve Morris has also been a very busy man, as well with Gillan he has also been working on the Shadowman albums with Steve Overland (FM, The Ladder).

‘Mind Your Head’ was their 10th studio album no less. The core of the band Ousey and Morris are at their best, like a fine red wine they have matured into the much loved band we hear and love today.

Just recently Ousey is recording a solo album produced by Mike Slamer and is also working with Steve Overland on a new project called ‘Ozone’.

In the meantime, Heartland span his entire career with the release of the double CD “Travelling Through Time”.

This great collection contains 6 previously unreleased tracks (The Fall, I Believe, A Man I’ll Never Be, These Are The Days, Long Long Way From Home, Stranger In This City) and one brand new song 2011; ‘Search Goes On’.

In addition to this there are many remastered versions of the classics such as Eyes Wide Open, Elena, When Angels Call, Whatever Gets You Through The Night, etc.

“Travelling Through Time” is an enjoyable way to be reminded of how great HEARTLAND are, one of the best and consistent melodic rock bands of the last 20 years, with all their classics plus many songs that you just never have heard before.

01. Search Goes On (New Track 2011)

02. Too Sad To Cry

03. What Ever Gets You Through The Night

04. A Leap In The Dark

05. City Of Lights

06. Voodoo Eyes

07. Wide Open

08. Castles In The Sand

09. The Fall (Previously Unreleased)

10. These Are The Days (Previously Unreleased)

11. When Angels Call

12. Magazine

13. A Man I’ll Never Be (Previously Unreleased)

01. Best Is Yet To come

02. Where Ever You Want Me

03. Elena

04. Stranger In This City (Previously Unreleased)

05. Eyes Wide Open

06. Where The Pieces Fall

07. I Believe (Previously Unreleased)

08. Way Of The Buffalo

09. One Love

10. The Man In The Iron Mask

11. Staring Down The Gun

12. I Count The Days

13. Long Long Way From Home (Previously Unreleased)

Chris Ousey : Vocals

Steve Morris : Guitar, Bass, Keyboards

Steve Millington : Keyboards

Steve Gibson : Drums

IF YOU LIKE IT, BUY IT!