Crimes of Passion (CD - 1980)

Recorded at Sound City, Van Nuys, California.

With Crimes of Passion, Pat Benatar escaped the dreaded sophomore slump, thanks in no small part to the song that would become the most well-known song of her career, "Hit Me with Your Best Shot." The rest of the album is mildly hit or miss, with a few moments of filler. Thankfully, Benatar avoids the synth-happy trends of the early '80s and delivers a hard rocking ten-song session of power pop tempered with a few ballads for balance. And while "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" was one of her most praised moments, her version of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" is probably one of the most underrated songs of her entire catalog. ~ Rob Theakston

While her 1979 debut IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT spawned a few radio hits ("Heartbreaker," etc.), it wasn't until 1980's CRIMES OF PASSION that Pat Benatar became one of the 80's top rockers. Most female-led rock bands of the time were punk rock based (Blondie, the Runaways, the Pretenders), but Pat's music had more in common with classic rockers--hence rock radio's immediate support. Arguably Benatar's greatest record, CRIMES OF PASSION contains several of her best-known tracks--the melodic rock anthems "Treat Me Right," "You Better Run," and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." minimize