• Record Label: Zoe
  • Release Date: Sep 11, 2007
User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 30 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 30
  2. Negative: 6 out of 30

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  1. RobinG.
    Oct 5, 2007
    9
    I love this album! I admire the thematic song choices and how they are re-invented in Ann Wilson's powerful voice. I love the violin on the album as well. I have the entire album on repeat, but I go back for listens of Where to Now, St. Peter, Isolation, Immigrant Song, and Bad Moon Rising. I love that the album digs into rock, country, honkytonk; Ann and Heart were never ones to I love this album! I admire the thematic song choices and how they are re-invented in Ann Wilson's powerful voice. I love the violin on the album as well. I have the entire album on repeat, but I go back for listens of Where to Now, St. Peter, Isolation, Immigrant Song, and Bad Moon Rising. I love that the album digs into rock, country, honkytonk; Ann and Heart were never ones to stick to the same musical genre. Now I don't seek out Hard's Rains Gonna Fall, because while I love Rufus Wainwright, I don't like his voice on this tract; in fact, this track would have faired far better with just Ann's smoky singing. I look forward to Ann's fully solo album with more gems like Little Problems, LIttle Lies. Collapse
  2. BillR.
    Sep 22, 2007
    10
    Ann Wilson is a true artist. . The CD is incredible, you can listen to it for hours. It's so smooth. Ann You ROCK!
  3. TonyZ.
    Oct 7, 2007
    8
    Her voice is as strong as ever but more controlled. The duets were well put together resulting in well-rounded harmonies.
  4. JesseGraves
    Sep 28, 2007
    7
    I wish there was more brooding hard rock, and less country-rock-twinged nostalgia. But as far as guest vocalists are concerned, I'll take KD Lang and Winona over Rufus and Elton. Ann SOUNDS great; long live her passionate heart.
  5. ConnieG.
    Oct 1, 2007
    7
    As a Heart fan from '76, I have to admit this CD was not what I was hoping for. I personally don't care for the song selection, but admire her making a point with this effort. She seems to be exploring her lower vocal range, but just for variety's sake, certainly. And Joshua W., having seen Heart in concert twice this summer, I can personally assure you Ann's vocal As a Heart fan from '76, I have to admit this CD was not what I was hoping for. I personally don't care for the song selection, but admire her making a point with this effort. She seems to be exploring her lower vocal range, but just for variety's sake, certainly. And Joshua W., having seen Heart in concert twice this summer, I can personally assure you Ann's vocal range and power is still intact. Vocally, she can still put most to shame and give others goals to reach for. Expand
  6. DianeL.
    Oct 19, 2007
    0
    Are you kidding me? This is has to be one of the worst junk I have ever heard! There is Zero talent here! The vocals are horrible! Is this really Ann Wilson from Heart? I like some of the tunes (original) but this is just unbearable to listen to! I shipped this clunker back to Rounder and demanded a refund because it claimed to be from "Ann Wilson of Heart".
  7. SayH.
    Oct 20, 2007
    4
    I love Ann Wilson but this disc is Ho-Hum. It's all very tuned down and slow and Ann never gets into her much beloved wail instead focusing on lower vocals that are quite raspy. I'll keep it for collectible sake but the disc is ok but not great.
  8. andreag.
    Oct 4, 2007
    10
    Ann Wilson is a performer and the best Ann Wilson you will ever see or hear is when she is on a stage performing for her fans. Having said that, this is the best studio performance of Ann's amazing career. She is top notch on every song and Ben Mink's production and musical genius combine with Ann's voice to make a beautiful masterful work of art. Get this album - you will Ann Wilson is a performer and the best Ann Wilson you will ever see or hear is when she is on a stage performing for her fans. Having said that, this is the best studio performance of Ann's amazing career. She is top notch on every song and Ben Mink's production and musical genius combine with Ann's voice to make a beautiful masterful work of art. Get this album - you will not be sorry. Ms. Tralwind Expand
  9. JackP
    Oct 4, 2007
    2
    I love Heart with a passion but I must say I never expected Ann to release material this horrible. The potential to make a solo album and with all her talent she can only come up with half-baked cover tunes? I'm sorry but I have to rate this a 2 because it's the worst album I've heard this year. I love ya Ann but next time how about cutting something that is tolerable I love Heart with a passion but I must say I never expected Ann to release material this horrible. The potential to make a solo album and with all her talent she can only come up with half-baked cover tunes? I'm sorry but I have to rate this a 2 because it's the worst album I've heard this year. I love ya Ann but next time how about cutting something that is tolerable instead this horrible sounding crap! Expand
  10. RobertS.
    Sep 17, 2007
    10
    Ann's effort to revive these classic songs - obscure as some are - is a total success. Her artistry and strength are evident - her choice of guest artists brilliant. Producer and musician Ben Mink puts it all together with total finesse. What a team! With a couple of listens (use headphones) you will quickly hear the incredible nuance she brings to her vocals on each song - her love Ann's effort to revive these classic songs - obscure as some are - is a total success. Her artistry and strength are evident - her choice of guest artists brilliant. Producer and musician Ben Mink puts it all together with total finesse. What a team! With a couple of listens (use headphones) you will quickly hear the incredible nuance she brings to her vocals on each song - her love of lyrics is evident. The Dylan cover is a masterpiece, the verses offered up like paintings - the climax, breathtaking. If given the opportunity, the message of Hope and Glory will touch America's soul and Ms. Wilson will receive our support to continue her incredible contributions to music. Expand
  11. DenzilM.
    Sep 26, 2007
    10
    Although I expected Ann's first solo effort to be comprised of her amazing songwriting talent, I was in no way disappointed! After 30+ years in Heart, Ann wanted to do things her way; and more power to her! This is more than just a work of covers; Ann has taken classics and made them her own. Although "Hope & Glory" can be dark at times, it does not lack in substance and message; Although I expected Ann's first solo effort to be comprised of her amazing songwriting talent, I was in no way disappointed! After 30+ years in Heart, Ann wanted to do things her way; and more power to her! This is more than just a work of covers; Ann has taken classics and made them her own. Although "Hope & Glory" can be dark at times, it does not lack in substance and message; which is the whole point. We are living in troubled times, and the fact that Ann has delivered this message with so much awesome talent and amazing vocal power makes this one of 2007's great finds. If this release does not top the charts, there is no justice! Thank you, AFW! Expand
  12. MartinS.
    Oct 22, 2007
    8
    Let
  13. ToddW.
    Oct 25, 2007
    1
    Ann Wilson's talent, creativity, and credibility have lessened in inverse proportion to her weight. She hasn't written a good song in more than 20 years.
  14. KellyC.
    Sep 20, 2007
    10
    Interpretation at its best.
  15. RoseP.
    Sep 24, 2007
    10
    Ann still Rocks.. it just shows that this amazing woman can sing anything and make it so dam good. I'm very pleased with it and have played it so many times that I may wear it out very soon.. I love it, and can't get enough!!!! keep it coming Ann
  16. DebbieC.
    Sep 16, 2007
    10
    unbelievably good....soothes the soul...thanks, Ann.
  17. Dana
    Sep 23, 2007
    10
    I am so surprised, The songs listed didn't seem like it would be as creative as it is. I haven't seen an album this good in years. She has made each one of these songs her own in her own creative way. Its shockingly good!!!!
  18. JoshuaW.
    Sep 25, 2007
    0
    I feel bad having to say these things about a former member of a legendary band, but I feel it is necessary for consumers who might buy this album to hear the truth and not be blinded by the nostalgia-based praise for this album by others. This album is horrible. I love the band Heart, however, in the decades since Heart was in their prime, by the time of this album Ann Wilson has lost I feel bad having to say these things about a former member of a legendary band, but I feel it is necessary for consumers who might buy this album to hear the truth and not be blinded by the nostalgia-based praise for this album by others. This album is horrible. I love the band Heart, however, in the decades since Heart was in their prime, by the time of this album Ann Wilson has lost her ability to sing. Her singing on this album is horrible when compared to how she sounded in her glory days. Sounds nothing at all like her voice used to sound with Heart. Just as bad as that is that she butchers most of the songs on the album with silly things. Like very, very cheesy synthesizers during "Immigrant Song" that sound like they belong on a very bad 80's New Wave one-hit-wonder album, not a classic rock song! Her version of "Immigrant Song" is also over 1:20 longer than the Led Zeppelin original. But Ann doesn't use the extra time to make the song better. Instead she makes it worse by filling that time with more of the horrible synthesizers and really awful-sounding wailing. This is not a rock album, which is bizarre because she made a rock album it might have still sounded ok since she has many years of experience as a rock star in Heart. This is an album with rock songs on it which are heavily "countrified" to very bad effect. The end result sounds much worse than what making this be either a rock OR a country album would have sounded like. Trying to be BOTH at the same time is what this album does, and it just doesn't work. This album also contains a very badly-butchered, severely-"countrified" version of the classic song "Bad Moon Rising". Before the song stars Ann and the other singer on that song can be heard muttering "Mustard and ketchup and..waffles on top?." and then the other singer mutters "Chicken and a waffle and a mustard on top." then Ann says "OH-AW!", sounding here like a very elderly lady with Alzheimer's who got lost on the street late at night and has just remembered what her nursing home address is. What any of this has to do with the Bad Moon Rising song is beyond me, but it's all right there stuck onto that track for every listener's great audio displeasure. Maybe they accidentally put a rehearsal cut of that song on the album and forgot that they were reciting their breakfast meal while recording? Despite her diminished voice, Ann sounds okay on "We Gotta Get Out of This Place", due to her old rock spirit shining through. However, you will soon forget this because she features "Wynonna" on this song, and the two of them completely butcher the chorus together, and continue on butchering the last minute and half of the song, by switching from rock to country right in the middle of the song. The songs on this album that aren't ruined with synthesizers or rock songs being badly countrified, sound like mediocre karaoke versions that you can hear locally in any neighborhood bar. It's easy to want to have good feelings about Ann Wilson album because she was half of Heart, which truly was a legendary band in it's prime. However, "Hope and Glory" is the total opposite of those days in terms of music quality. In my opinion almost all of the good praise this album gets from critics or consumers is due solely due to feelings of nostalgia for the band Heart and Ann Wilson as a person. If you wanna buy the album for nostalgia for Heart go ahead. But if you wanna buy it for music quality, don't believe the hype. Expand
  19. MichaelP.
    Sep 26, 2007
    9
    Great album....being a child from the 80's i loved Heart from that generation. Didn't realize other than a couple, these songs were covers. I loved it! It makes such a strong statement and she interprets each song in such a clear manner.
Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. It's a bleak album to be sure, undoubtedly inspired by the downtrodden national mood of the times in which it was recorded. Ann's voice is strong and convincing on these tunes, largely drawn from the '60s and '70s with a few exceptions.
  2. Hope & Glory"--which contains 11 covers and one original--is rich in pleasures, even if it plays more like a highlight reel than a thoroughly imagined work.
  3. Wilson's voice has aged; once-effortless high notes stay out of reach. But like a hard-living blues diva who subs soul for sweetness, Wilson makes those whiskey tones work.