her first BMG album

This album (1991) contains very different songs. You can choose between various styles.
The best tracks are "Tell Me The Truth", "Why", "Bitterblue", "Too Hot" and "Against The Wind".

Also, I recommend her other CDs: "Angel Heart" (1992), "Silhouette In Red" (1993) and "Comeback Single-Collection" (1994).

Power vocals and sounds help out Bonnie

Several producers back Miss Tyler's album and proves beyond doubt she has a sound and voice without totally relying on Jim Steinman. Since she was dissed by the US following the failure of Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fire, she went back to the UK, enlisting some ace songwriters, including Diane Warren and Holly Knight.

She hits pay dirt with the title track, which has Irish pipes and keyboards. Her voice has that familiar scratch, which has intensified especially when she belts things out, and which has led many to equate her as a female Rod Stewart. Speaking of Rod, I wonder if she got the idea after he did the Celtic-sounding "Every Beat Of My Heart."

"Against The Wind" is not the Bob Seger song but a power ballad where strings enhance the sadness of this number, where she says of love: "It's hard for me, but it's harder to ignore it." She really belts it out in the chorus. Whew! And while her voice has limited range, it is unlimited in sheer power.

The mid-paced rocker "Careless Heart" is a Warren/Albert Hammond/Roy Orbison number where her careless heart let her loved one slip away. "I wouldn't have this hurt inside/I wouldn't have these tears to cry" she sings. This is one of three songs produced by and with keyboards "Professor" Roy Bittan, with drums by Kenny Aronoff (Mellencamp) and guitars by Waddy Wachtel (Stevie Nicks) and bass by Randy Jackson (Journey).

"Whenever You Need Me" is a Loverboy-style rock, heavy on guitars and power vocals.

With the same production and musicians from "Careless Heart", the Albert Hammond/Holly Knight-penned "Where Were You" is a mid-paced country-ish rock song accusing the other party of lack of moral support, i.e. shoulder to cry on, someone to lean on, making her realize "guess I was walking down a one-way street." "Save Me" has the same sound and team and a real soul-baring chorus: "My heart is in distress/I need some tenderness so take me."

With instruments and production by Nik Kershaw, "He's Got A Hold On Me" is awash with guitars and keyboards sporting a more mechanized touch, and some power backing vocals.

The mechanized industrial-sound of Giorgio Moroder is apparent in "Keep Your Love Alive", sporting effects and some sax throughout.

The majestic Pet Shop Boys-style techno/disco of "Tell Me The Truth" is yet another sound Bonnie does effectively, showing that Dusty Springfield doesn't have the monopoly in the genre. And in return, Bonnie swears "I'll never hurt you."

Not content with producing four songs, Giorgio Moroder duets with Bonnie on the wishful lullaby-like power ballad "Heaven Is Here". A timeless message is "Free me from this time lonely/cause this life is too short to pass by." However, things get going on the swift keyboard exercise and grinding power sounds of "Love Is In Love Again."

The best ballad here is "Til The End Of Time", a duet with Dan Hartman, also produced by Moroder and the rhythm of the chorus reminds me of "The Legend Of Babel" instrumental, which he did on the Metropolis soundtrack.

The racing "Too Hot" awash with its vibe-like keyboards and hard rock guitar is another standout cut. Then comes "Why?", another poignant power keyboard ballad, with haunting operatic chorus, another shoulder to lean on song, especially when one's "heart feels like, oh, a motherless child." She really lets loose in the chorus.

With Bonnie's voice accompanied by a wall of power keyboards and hard rock guitars, Bitterblue proves she's still got the stuff beyond her 80's Steinman albums. She gave her voice such a workout, I hope she gave it plenty of TLC afterwards, which I did to this album.

Whenever You Need Stars

Bonnie Tyler's "Bitterblue" is maybe her most underrated album. It has only one well-known hit: Bitterblue. There's also other great songs: a touching ballad "Against the Wind", "Where Were You", "Whenever You Need Me", "He's Got a Hold on Me", "Careless Heart", and "Too Hot". Bonnie Tyler's voice is very hoarse like Kim Carres' voice is. It makes her special. There's much depth in her songs and they don't sound like usual pop songs (or country songs). The sound in this album is much more peaceful than for example in her most successful album "Faster Than the Speed of Night".

Stars: Against the Wind, Bitterblue, Whenever You Need Me