Hearts of Stone

"Hearts of Stone" is legendary among fans of Southside Johnny, and rightly so - and it should be legendary among all rock fans. The Jukes first two strong albums ( I Don't Want to Go Home , This Time It's for Real  ) featured songs that were either covers of old R & B and Doo-Wop, or were written in that style. On "Hearts of Stone" the Jukes move way from that approach, making the full transition to a horn-based rock band. The end result is one of the best albums ever made. Every track is great, and if you're going to own just one album by the Asbury Jukes, this 1978 release is the one to get (although I highly recommend many of the others). This is sweaty, Stax influenced rock at its best. Many of these tracks continue to be the core of Southside's live shows to this day, particularly "I Played the Fool", "Hearts of Stone", "Take It Inside", "Talk to Me", and "Trapped Again". The Springsteen presence is significant, with Steve Van Zandt producing and handling the majority of the song writing chores, with three songs written by Springsteen, and Max Weinberg taking a busman's holiday from the E Street band, serving as a member of the Jukes on drums. However, this is not imitation Springsteen by any means - the Asbury Jukes have their own unique sound. Ironically, when this album came out, CBS/Epic put almost no effort into promoting it, and the lack of liner notes on the original album are indicative of their disinterest. It's unfortunate, because this is music that must be heard.

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes are at their peak on this LP.Thetitle cut "Heart's of Stone" is one of the most soulful & unforgettablesong's your ever gonna hear,combined with hot rocker's like "Talk to Me"& "Take it Inside" make this CD a bargain at any price.The final cut"Light Don't Shine"is a big time tear your heart out & lay it on thetable killer.All in all this collection is smokin & a must have for 70'sRock-n-Roll afficianados!

One of the best rock/soul albums of all time. It is difficult to imagine this not being in every top 25 all time lists. Soulful lyrics, singing, and horns that resonate throughout. This should be in lists that include Blonde on Blonde, Born to Run, and Pet Sounds. If you're not familiar, you are in for a treat.

compared to the original cd, this is one of the best remastered jobs. can really hear the difference. phil

Great Cd shipped fast

I had this on vinyl when it was released. Classic album and band

This is simply one of the most underrated, underappreciated records of the 70s or any other decade. The combination of Southside and the band delivering top-notch performances on Little Steven/Springsteen songs makes this a must own. If my house was on fire and the fireman told me I had time to grab 10 cds before getting out, this is one of the first ones I'd take.

Love it

Southside Johnny (John Lyon) and the Asbury Jukes have been linked with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band since their inception (around 1976), Miami Steve Van Zandt was initially Southside Johnny's guitar player until he left to join the E Street Band (who can blame him I guess?). Other members of the E Street band (including Bruce) have also toured with Southside, and Bruce (and Miami Steve) have written numerous songs for Johnny.This album (their 4th released I believe) is the best thing I have heard from Southside Johnny and is an outstanding brass and soul-infused album, the backing being produced by the Miami Horns (a constituent part of the band). The songs are all written by either Steve Van Zandt or Springsteen and there are (as might be expected) no duff songs on the album. The standout for me is probably their version of the Springsteen song Talk To Me, which arguably surpasses the Boss' own version on his recent release The Promise.But you should not come away with the impression that Southside Johnny are merely 'Springsteen impersonators'. They are a tremendous band in their own right, and Johnny's voice is a real soul singer's voice (more so than Bruce). Remarkably, they are still touring, and if they were anywhere near as good as when I saw them in 1977 supporting Graham Parker and the Rumour, they will be well worth seeing.

A voice with heart, soul, depth, first south album I ever bought on vinyl now have it on cd, it never fails to disappoint, had a bad day, put this on, It's early South, one for your collection, alongside grapefruit moon. If get the chance see him live on tour, he just improves with age, like a good whiskey. Thanks South.

I have not heard this album for 30 years and remembered every word (and sang them very loudly round my house :o)I had forgotten how good the album is.Well worth every penny

Everybody should listen to this album at least once

Replaces my original vinyl album, nice to have an old friend back. Best album he ever did.