Chris Isaak - Heart Shaped World download mp3 flac

The album artwork pretty much sets the tone for the record, sparse black & white photographs of Chris in what appears to be an SRO hotel room, seeming lost on a mid 20th century American highway, a tragic anti-hero, searching for his soul, or perhaps attempting to outrun it, especially if one considers the album’s staggering hit “Wicked Game.”

Having seen Chris live for much of his early career, I might suggest that the man seems more in control of both his voice and vocal range than ever before, not to mention a deeper emotive take on his songwriting. In keeping with that atmosphere, the album’s not labored over from the control booth, yes, it’s a state of the art recording for its time, sleek and warm, seeming to flow effortlessly, yet with a plaintive thoughtful darker grace. There are many who consider this to be Isaak’s masterpiece, the album that made him a cult legend, where he presents himself as a cross between a David Lynch character and that of Roy Orbison.

In short Heart Shaped World can most aptly be described as a blending of blues, rock and a bit of jazz, and while that’s not a new combination, Isaak’s take on it certainly is. It’s a shame that “Wicked Game” so readily defines this release, as other numbers such as “Don’t Make Me Dream About You” and the title track “Heart Shaped World” are equally impressive and as relentlessly satisfying.

*** The Fun Facts: Arguably the best music video of all time rose out of the single “Wicked Game,” where he and model Helena Christensen roll about in the surf and on the sands of some warm Caribbean Beach. As to the genesis of the song … “Wicked Game” lives up to the infamous soft-core porn meets film noir music video that would later accompany it. As Isaak describes things, the song was inspired by phone call. “I remember that a girl had called me and said, ‘I want to come over and talk to you,’ and ‘talk’ was only a euphemism, continuing, ‘I want to come over and talk to you until you're no longer able to stand up.’ And I said, ‘Okay, you’re coming over.’ And as soon as I hung up I thought, ‘Oh, my God. I know she’s gonna be trouble. She’s always been trouble. She’s a wildcat. And here I am, I’m going to get killed, but I’m doing this.’ By the time she got over to the house I had the song written. And to tell you the truth, I think she was probably upset because I was more excited by the song.” And that story was relayed to me straight from the man himself.

Review by Jenell Kesler

does anyone else get a skip @ the 1:37 mark on track 11 of the CD version?

Building on the success of his first and second albums, Chris soars even higher. It's arguably his best album and produced several top singles as it reached 3x Platinum. Considered his break-out album, it brought Chris Isaak's music to the attention of the public. A driven album, it maintains a constant level of creativity and grace with rhythm and style. At times the beat slows to a melancholy that's desperately sparse and melodic but never falters. Just as quickly, the next songs drives the beat up and on. This album cements Chris Issak's position as a major musical star. Five stars.