Mark Heard (1951 - 1992) was an amazing singer songwriter, musician and producer. It's too bad that some of his early acoustic music pigeonholed him to some as that Christian James Taylor guy. To be honest, he really did sound a lot like James Taylor at times.

But Mark could rock and over time he really found an honest to goodness sound that blended folk / rock and Americana that was his. His early Home Sweet Home records are out there on CD, but the quality of the re-issues range from okay to crap (shoddy isn't strong enough). Really I hate to say it, and I'm not trying to hurt Mark's legacy, but the lack of quality control on the HSH product is an injustice to Mark's music (excluding Reflections of a Former life, which is pretty good and came out shortly after Mark's death). I can only hope that one day they'll be done properly. Who knows maybe some adventurous entrepreneur will be able to get the rights (fat chance) to reissue them with the loving care they deserve. Now that I've vented, even with the warts they're worth having just to hear them - although I sent mine back to Chris I was so upset at the time.

Until that time (who knows, by then the Eagles (with Don Felder) will have reunited again) there are a number of really good releases out there that are totally worthy of attention.

Go here and buy them for yourself, and then buy some for your friends:

Paste Music.com

Mark had a profound impact on me musically, especially in the early to mid 1980's.

High Noon (Fingerprint / Myrrh 1993)

Tracks: Strong Hand Of Love / I Just Wanna Get Warm / Look Over Your Shoulder / My Redeemer Lives / Another Day In Limbo / She's Not Afraid / The Dry Bones Dance / House Of Broken Dreams / Everything Is Alright / Hammers & Nails / Love Is So Blind / Nod Over Coffee / Love Is Not The Only Thing / No Shaky Situation / Orphans Of God / What Kind Of Friend / Treasure Of The Broken Land

After a string of moderately successful albums, High Noon gathered the "best" moments of his last three albums (Dry Bones Dance, Second Hand, and Satellite Sky) before his untimely death in 1992. For me Mark Heard is one of those artists who comes to mind when people ask me to name my favourite musicians.

This album is a great mix of folky tunes, rock, and a few spots in between. An amazing writer with an eye to the heart. His lyrics touched on faith without resorting to the self congratulatory style that many "born again" writers employ. As to the best cuts on this album it's hard to pick just a few from the 18 on the CD. But here goes . . . House of Broken Dreams, Look Over Your Shoulder, Nod Over Coffee, Orphans of God, and Love is Not the Only Thing, are some of my favourites.

If there is a complaint, it's to do with the audio. When this was mastered the levels were set lower than the originals. Still a minor complaint. This was supposed to be a major release, and after Mark's death it all fell apart. He used to joke he didn't know if he was a has been or a never was.

He was. He was amazing.

Featured Review May 2000

The Millennium Archives (©2000 Home Sweet Home)

the songs: Epistle / Nowadays / Can You Hear Me / All the Sleepless Dreamers / Morning Is Gold / It Cam Upon a Midnight Clear / Joy to the World / O Come All Ye Faithful / Night to Night / Tell Me It's Your Love / One More Time / Just the Same / Es Tot Mir Leid / Interview with Gerry Howser

Another example of a shoddy reissue of one of rock's true poets. The Millennium (or millineum if you look at the CD spine) Archive Series promises Demos, interviews and lost songs. So I shelled out a pretty good amount for a limited run, which features mainly Mark's James Taylor sounding work. There was one interview, a couple of Christmas tunes and at least one song I haven't heard before Tell Me It's Your Love, which met the lost and demo category.

My biggest beef with this album is that over half of the songs come from Mark's 1980 European release of Fingerprint - an album which was available back in 1995 on CD. It's a sad thing Mark is no longer with us to defend his body of work.

Having had the misfortune of dealing directly with Home Sweet Home regarding quality issues on many of their CD reissues of Marks more brilliant albums, I can at least say this effort sounds pretty good.

Not a recommended first album to buy - this is not the best of this important artist.

Reviewed December 20, 2001

Mystery Mind (©2000 Fingerprint)

Mystery Mind (Demo) / Interview One / Mercy Of The Flame (Demo) / Interview Two / I Just Wanna Get Warm (Demo) / Interview Three / Let Freedom Ring (Demo) / Freight Train To Nowhere (Live At Cornerstone '92) / Orphans Of God (Live At Cornerstone '92) / Interview 4 / Nothing Is Bothering Me (Live) / Some Folks' World (Live) / Growing Up Blind (Live) / Dancing At The Policeman's Ball (Live) / Everybody Loves A Holy War (Live) / Heart Of Hearts (Live)

Posthumous offerings are a tricky thing. This one is very well done. The demos are sparse and raw. They capture Mark coming into his own during the second stage of his career. The interviews are interesting snapshots into Mark the artist. The last one being the longest, and most telling. Mark was pigeon-holed into the Christian market - not surprising since it was where he performed and had his material released. But he was stuck in the box, and desperately wanted to be outside of its confines. The live pieces from his final concert are great souvenirs. Sonically they're little better than bootlegs. Rounding out the disc is about a half hour of live cuts from 1982 (Mark's first golden age), and feature him at his rocking best. This is really good stuff, sound quality pretty good - from the board I'd guess, and makes me wish I saw him live back then.

Reviewed April 4, 2002

Hammers And Nails (©2003 Paste)

1: Season Of Words 2: Shaking 3: I Hang My Head 4: I Might Have Felt That Way 5: Hold Me Closer 6: I Always Do 7: When His Luck Runs Out 8: Back Streets 9: Your World Or Mine 10: Everything Is Alright 11: She Don't Have A Clue 12: We Have Let Freedom Ring 13: Mystery Mind 14: Silence 15: No 16: Shaky Situation 17: What Kind Of Friend 18: More Silence 19: Jericho

A collection of demos and unreleased recordings written between 1987 and 1989. Audio quality ranges from okay to excellent, and really showcases Mark's development and growth as a musician, and songwriter from his early work. In a world full of what if scenarios, one wonders what the musical landscape would be like today if Mark hadn't passed away so young. What if ...

Some of the familiar songs here are shown in their early form and have a warmth of delivery that speaks to the source material. Hammers and Nails serves up a final helping of Mark's work and in a subtle way points an accusing finger at the fickle record buying public as if to say "Look, look at what you missed." Hats off to the fine folks at Paste Music for working to keep his legacy alive.

Why is it that so many artists only begin to reap their rewards after they have passed on? Unlike the other arts, in time the music will fade, the master tapes turn to dust. Leaving only words. Which when you think about it is entirely appropriate, and I'm sure Mark would find the humour in it, for in the end, like the beginning was the word.

Reviewed June 30, 2003