Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

Why do nearly all the rock stars of yesteryear feel the need to release cover albums? Hope & Glory, Ann Wilson’s first solo is an album with only the best of intentions, even though it falls spectacularly short. The lead singer of Heart created and sang on some of the best classic rock radio hits of the seventies and eighties, yet only one track on this album bears Wilson’s name.

As far as cover albums go, this one has a pretty cool concept. Wilson gathered her favorite anti-war, pro-peace songs from the past. Many of these songs are more relevant now than ever before. There’s also no question that every single song is a classic. However, I believe Simon Cowell would hate this album. Let me explain.

Have you ever seen an episode of American Idol where one of the contestants tries to cover Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey or bands like Journey or Queen? Nine times out of ten you’ll hear the judges talk about how they love the song but compared to the original, the cover version missed the mark completely. This is exactly what Ann Wilson did with this album.

Even though she has a great voice, when you tackle vocalists such as Robert Plant, John Lennon, John Fogerty or Roger Waters you’ll run into trouble. Her version of Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” makes you immediately want to throw Zeppelin II in the player to remember how perfect the original version is.

With “Goodbye Blue Sky” Wilson takes on Pink Floyd. While her version is an admirable effort, no one can touch the all around sonic perfection of Roger Waters and Co. The best tracks on the album are two selections originally by the Youngbloods. The very well known “Get Together” and the lesser known “Darkness, Darkness” come across with renewed urgency for our troubled times.

Ann Wilson did write one song on the album. The closer “Little Problems, Little Lies” is about the war seen through an army private’s eyes.

Overall this album is a good listen but as cool as these songs are many of them shouldn’t be touched with a ten foot pole when it comes to covering them. You just can’t top many of the originals. I sincerely hope that Ann Wilson sticks to creating and performing her own music. No one can top the original version of a classic Heart song.