“My Heart Rocks” by Linda Imperial

Driven by a bluesy lead guitar, smoldering keys and a percussive thrust as powerful as they come, the instrumental foundation atop which Linda Imperial will sing her lyrics is unquestionably reason enough to hear “My Heart Rocks” this February. That said, it’s far from the lone reason I’d say it leaves listeners captivated by its creator and her smooth delivery.

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Where others would have gone minimalist in a blues-oriented melody like the trademark piece in “My Heart Rocks,” Imperial daringly lets the band get a little indulgent and freely breaks her most searing lead vocal in years. There’s a lust for the material that is unbound by any mainstream pop model, and while this isn’t to say that she or her backing band are breaking any kind of new ground here, it’s nonetheless worth acknowledging just how forceful and dynamic a performance they give. A mild touch of Americana gets a cosmopolitan kick from the electric guitar parts while the verses are always made tangible by the tone of our singer’s voice. This is her show, but we’re going to feel the intensity of every instrument behind her just the same. 

You really can’t beat a vocalist with the kind of transitional skillset Linda Imperial’s got, and in the case of her segue into the chorus of “My Heart Rocks,” I think we’re getting a peek at some of her most fluid stuff thus far. She’s had years of practice and racked up a lot of miles hitting the stage to hone her craft, but hers is still a style that doesn’t come from repetition exclusively. It comes from having the self-control to avoid overstating the backend in a single like this one, preserving the fragility of your voice with as close an attention to detail as you would the level of overdrive on the lead guitar.

It’s the result of balancing a mix as to intentionally leave a rough edge here and there, which is another cornerstone of the humble attitude I’m picking up in this track. She gives us every reason to keep believing in her artistry in “My Heart Rocks,” and never really has an issue putting her own personality into the music without allowing for the narrative to become insular or egomaniacal. 

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If you loved the work Linda Imperial was recording prior to this latest release, I believe you’ll agree with me when I say that her new single is perhaps her most comprehensive identity compositions. It’s a statement of self that stops well short of becoming inaccessible to the casual listener, and it shows the world that she’s unintimidated by the wide range hybridity in modern pop as opposed to her committed puritan style of play. This is a work of confidence that doesn’t ask anything out of the audience other than four and a half minutes’ worth of time, and while “My Heart Rocks” probably won’t mark the last release bearing her moniker to win favor with critics like myself, I’d personally rank it as the benchmark from here on out for. 

 Mindy McCall