By 1985, when The Heart of the Matter was released, Kenny Rogers was making absolutely no pretense about being a country artist, and felt free to indulge his desire to make straight adult contemporary albums, confident that his audience would follow him. This would be the last time a mass audience would turn up for his album, sending it to the top of the country charts even if it never sounded country. Rogers doesn't hide the fact that he's made a pop album with The Heart of the Matter -- after all, he hired the Beatles' ...
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By 1985, when The Heart of the Matter was released, Kenny Rogers was making absolutely no pretense about being a country artist, and felt free to indulge his desire to make straight adult contemporary albums, confident that his audience would follow him. This would be the last time a mass audience would turn up for his album, sending it to the top of the country charts even if it never sounded country. Rogers doesn't hide the fact that he's made a pop album with The Heart of the Matter -- after all, he hired the Beatles' producer, George Martin, to helm the affair. Martin gives the album focus, something its haphazard predecessor, What About Me?, lacked, and a nice commercial sheen. It also helps that song for song, this is a much stronger effort than What About Me?; it lacks the skillful songwriting of Eyes That See in the Dark, his best album (in either the pop or country idiom), and the singles aren't nearly as good as those he had at the turn of the '80s, but they are sturdy and consistent, making this a very pleasant listen. But pleasant isn't necessarily memorable, and while the songs aren't bad, they aren't catchy enough to stick around long, and the production is so state of the art circa 1985 (in other words, not sounding like classic George Martin), it will really appeal only to a select group who enjoy recordings that sound dated. So, The Heart of the Matter is far from Kenny Rogers' worst adult contemporary record, nor is it his best -- it's in the middle ground and middle of the road, and it's likely that only dedicated fans will find this worth exploring. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
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Add this copy of The Heart of the Matter to cart. $7.49, good condition, Sold by St. Vinnie's Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Eugene, OR, UNITED STATES, published by RCA.
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Good. AudioCD This item shows wear from consistent use but remains in good readable condition. It may have marks on or in it, and may show other signs of previous use or shelf wear. May have minor creases or signs of wear on dust jacket. Packed with care, shipped promptly.
Add this copy of Heart of the Matter to cart. $8.76, good condition, Sold by Broadband ERA rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from BEAVERTON, OR, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Jdc Records.
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Good. Jaket has light ring wear. Original interior sleeve spliting at the sides. Vinyl shows some wear from use, may affect playback. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. Orders received before 3PM PT typically ship same day. All profits support the non-profit community.
Add this copy of The Heart of the Matter to cart. $9.97, good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published by null.
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Good. Providing great vinyl and media since 1972. All used records are inspected and guaranteed. May have wear and minor issues from previous owner. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Heart of the Matter to cart. $33.25, new condition, Sold by Mojo Electronics rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Shawano, WI, UNITED STATES, published by Bmg Music.
Add this copy of The Heart of the Matter to cart. $7.11, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by RCA.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Heart of the Matter to cart. $7.11, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by RCA.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Heart of the Matter to cart. $7.11, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by RCA.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Heart of the Matter to cart. $7.11, very good condition, Sold by Half Price Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1990 by RCA.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Heart of the Matter to cart. $7.11, good condition, Sold by Goodwill of Orange County rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Ana, CA, UNITED STATES, published by RCA.
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Good. This item has very light surface scratches that do not affect the use of the disc/s. This is a USED item. Case and cover may or may not have wear or damage. All items unless otherwise noted will include disc, case, and artwork. Codes have been used. Other contents such as booklets may vary, please inquire for details. All items ship Monday-Friday within 2-3 business days.
Add this copy of The Heart of the Matter to cart. $9.97, good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published by null.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Providing great vinyl and media since 1972. All used records are inspected and guaranteed. May have wear and minor issues from previous owner. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!