Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 8: Powerhouse
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 1: Introduction
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 2: The Self-Titled Debut
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 3: Vital Signs
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 4: Hotline
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 5: Don’t Wait for the Movie
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 6: Emergency Broadcast
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 7: Freedom
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 8: Powerhouse
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 9: Tales of Wonder
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 10: Highlands
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 11: Inside
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 12: Redemption
- Whiteheart Retrospective – Part 13: The Other Songs
How do you follow up a masterpiece like Freedom? Especially after losing three integral members who helped shape the sound and impact of that seminal album. For Whiteheart, big changes were no longer a surprise. They had dealt with a rotating cast of characters since their debut album. So, they went out and did what they did best: They got back to work. And they didn’t waste any time either. Freedom released in 1989 and they followed that up with Powerhouse in 1990. Let’s dive in.
As mentioned in my previous article in this series, Gordon Kennedy, Tommy Sims, and Chris McHugh left the band after Freedom to pursue other opportunities in the music industry. While it might have felt impossible to replace those three gifted musicians and song writers, the remaining members, Billy Smiley, Mark Gersmehl, and Rick Florian identified a trio of incredibly talented players to take their place. Joining the band were guitarist Brian Wooten, bass player Anthony Sallee, and drummer Mark Nemer.
While I believe Freedom is the better album, there is a lot to appreciate about Powerhouse. For one, instead of simply trying to repeat themselves and ride the coattails of their previous effort, the band decided to take a more straightforward rock and roll approach. The songs themselves are less complex in structure, with a guitar-led production. Brian Wooten brought a very unique sound and style to the band and Whiteheart was more than happy to let it lead the way.
The opening 3 tracks set the stage perfectly. “Independence Day” is an arena-ready favorite, with big hooks, a huge chorus, and blazing guitar work. The title track turns up that heat a little more and delivers one of the best pure rock songs in the band’s discography. It’s a “go for broke” effort by the band and it totally pays off. Following those two anthemic giants, the band slows things way down with “Desert Rose”. Easily one of the band’s most popular songs, with ambient keyboards and a vocal performance by Rick Florian that is pitch perfect.
In my mind, one of the album’s greatest strengths is also one of its biggest weaknesses. The opening 3 tracks are so strong, so iconic at this point, that it feels inevitable that the rest of the album would be a bit of a letdown. That’s not to say the rest of the album is bad. Not at all. In fact, a few of my favorite songs appear on the back end of the album. Even so, that three song opening run is hard to top and when people think of Powerhouse, it’s usually those three songs that come to mind.
Other highlights of the album include the two incredible ballads, “A Love Calling” and “Lay it Down”. They are gentle and lovely slices of late 80’s, early 90’s sensibility. Lots of atmosphere and plenty of musical touches that make them work so well. Gersh and Rick’s vocals on “Lay it Down” is one of the most beautiful things the band ever created.
Perhaps my favorite song on the album is found near the end. “Storyline” feels like a song that should have been much bigger for the band but gets lost in the second half of the album. I’ve written about it before which you can read right here. The song works on every level for me. Lyrically, it’s one of the best songs Whiteheart ever recorded, touching on how we treat difficult people and how we hope grace will be extended to us when we are at our worst. Musically, the song features a wide-open sound, with big drums, wonderful bass work by Sallee, and Rick Florian singing his heart out.
The straight up rock songs are the most uneven part of the album, with “Messiah” coming out looking the best. The intensity of the song is reminiscent of an earlier Whiteheart song, “Heroes”. The song feels like bomb about to go off. It’s full-on energy and passion all the way through, with Gersh and Rick giving it their all.
“Nailed Down”, “Answer the Call”, and “Lovers and Dreamers” all have elements that I enjoy but none of them land like the rest of the album, though “Nailed Down” and “Answer the Call” go hard and have some great guitar work. The extended jam session at the end of “Answer the Call” is fantastic.
One could argue that Powerhouse was a disappointment after the highs of Freedom. I think that is the wrong way of looking at it. Powerhouse was a huge transitional album for the band, and they came out swinging. Veteran producer Bill Drescher of Rick Springfield, Richard Marx, and Barry Manilow fame helped the band find a new sound for this new iteration of Whiteheart. It’s a bit rawer and a little more simplified than their previous effort but it gave the band some of their biggest hits and still ranks highly in the hearts of most Whiteheart fans.
Next time we will look at their 1992 album, Tales of Wonder, considered by many as one of the best in Whiteheart’s catalogue. Thanks for reading. Let us know what you think of these albums and our “reviews” in the comment section or on any of our social media profiles.
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