Chris Isaak – Heart Shaped World [Ultradisc One Step LP]

Description

When Chris Isaak’s “Heart Shaped World” hit the stores in June 1989, there was really nothing else like it in contemporary pop music. More than three decades later, the singer-songwriter’s third album still sounds unique, and his spectacular vocals – flawless, controlled, intense, thoughtful, passionate, fiery and haunting – have certainly contributed to the album’s sales of more than 2.5 million copies to date. “Heart Shaped World,” which also features the unforgettable Top 10 hit “Wicked Game,” remains a masterfully atmospheric piece that invites the listener to enjoy a drink late at night, settle into a room with dimmed lights, and savor Isaak’s reflections on love, relationships, and questionable decisions. Upon its release, “Heart Shaped World” spent ten weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 149. But in October 1990, after Lee Chesnut had played “Wicked Game” on repeat for two weeks upon hearing an instrumental version of the song on the soundtrack to David Lynch’s film “Wild at Heart,” Reprise Records released “Wicked Game” as a single, and the album immediately shot to No. 7 on the Billboard charts. Had director David Lynch not specifically selected two tracks from “Heart Shaped World” for his film, the album would likely have met the same fate as Isaak’s earlier works and gone unnoticed by the mainstream. Although the album was highly praised by media outlets such as NME, the Chicago Tribune, and Rolling Stone upon its original release, it fell out of the charts after a few weeks. But with Lee Chesnut, then music director of a major radio station in Atlanta, everything changed. Boosted by the sensual video featuring Isaak and supermodel Helena Christensen, which received heavy rotation on MTV, the song found its way into the public consciousness in early 1991 and helped turn Isaak into a highly unusual star. Despite its vintage flair and shared DNA with legends like Roy Orbison, Chet Baker, and Glen Campbell, “Heart Shaped World” transcends nostalgia, rockabilly, and retro clichés. For all its melodrama and sadness, Isaak’s magnificent baritone delves deep beneath the emotional surface. He delves into subtleties that suggest his feelings go beyond heartbreak and anguish, occasionally hinting at frustration, threat, and anger. You can hear it in his trembling falsetto and in the slow, methodical way he lets delicate whispers fade into shadowy phrasings that penetrate the darker sides of romance and desire. The sonic aesthetic, which could have come straight from a Memphis blues joint and is interspersed with diverse stylistic variations, allows the listener to physically experience Isaak’s emotional pain. This numbered double LP from Mobile Fidelity, strictly limited to 3,000 copies, was remastered specifically for this release at the MoFi studio in California and pressed using the sonically superior UltraDisc One-Step process onto 180-gram vinyl (45 RPM). The records are housed in foil-stamped jackets and the luxurious slipcase features faithful reproductions of the original artwork as well as the iconic album cover. Fascinating naturalness and a captivating presence, combined with unclouded clarity, unbridled dynamism, and a meticulous attention to detail: The MoFi One-Step version of “Heart Shaped World” allows listeners to immerse themselves more deeply than ever before in the album’s lonesome temperaments and pensive themes!