REO SPEEDWAGON
The Essential
Legacy (2004)
REO wesbite
A double CD set containing 33 tracks from one of the US giants of AOR/melodic rock. It has never been trendy to like REO Speedwagon, certainly in the UK where the press wrongly dismiss them as a bland ballads band but hey what do the press know? The ballads in question are all on here including the truly awesome ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ and ‘Take It On The Run’. It also includes two of my favourite REO ballads ‘One Lonely Night’ and ‘In My Dreams’, both which see vocalist Kevin Cronin on top form. But the band knows how to rock out and guitarist Gary Richrath certainly laid down some smokin’ solos on the likes of ‘Roll With The Changes’ and ‘Say You Love Me Or Say Goodnight’.
This collection covers all eras of the band right from the early days with vocalist Tery Lutrell right up to the ‘Ballads’ collection the band released a couple of years ago. There are informative sleeve notes penned by Kevin Cronin and all in all it is a pretty essential collection for fans of the band and those willing enough to ignore all the clichés surrounding this band.
Article comments
1 - John Bill
Words that don't go together:
safe = car bomb
good = cancer
essential = reo speedwagon
2 - JasonR
Everyone's entitled to an opinion - even if it is misguided :)
3 - Rob
I like REO Speedwagon. They were huge when I was hitting my teen years and I have fond memories of slow dancing for the first time to Keep on Loving You and Heard it From a Friend. Also some of the first songs I learned by ear on the acoustic were REO tunes. Don't think I'll buy this, maybe Hi-Infidelity instead.
4 - Mark
There's no such REO song as "Heard It From A Friend." The song, one of many rockers penned by Gary Richrath, is called "Take It On the Run."
Reagarding the liner notes: It's a shame that Cronin didn't allow Richrath to contribute. The REO story would have been told much differently -- and more accurately. There's so many factual errors, it's comical.
5 - julie
There is no such word as "Reagarding". It's "regarding".TOUCHE'
6 - Rob
Oops! Take It On The Run, guess it's been awhile since I've heard it. Now I won't forget it....
7 - Sister Ray
Rob, just tune in to classic-rock stations here in Indianapolis and you'll hear all the REO Speedwagon you can handle.
8 - Paul Roy
I'de skip this one and pick up "Decade of Rock and Roll '70-80'" instead. Just about everything they put out after High Infidelity was definately NON-essential.
9 - Terry
Oh my god! What a bunch of girls. All this sniping and whining, and oh-so clever put-downs. You don't like it? Fine. Don't buy it. For those of us old enough to actually remember 1971, when bands like REO were making real rock and roll, this CD truly is essential. Man, if "Keep Pushin' On" or "Son of a Poor Man" don't get your juices flowing, well, enjoy those quaaludes, dude.
10 - Rocky
Yes, many of us actually remember REO in their heyday, back when they were a real rock band. However, once Gary Richrath (the founder and creative force behind REO) got the boot, Kevin Cronin turned the band into Air Supply on crystal meth. Maybe if Cronin spent less time popping Percodan and more time patching up battle-scarred relationships, the band would benefit, and they could truly produced something memorable. This album is more forgettable and regrettable than essential.
11 - Mark Saleski
WHEN I SAID THAT I LOVE YOU I MEANT THAT I LOVE YOU FOREEEEEEEHHHHHHVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!
icky.
12 - Liberal
The REO Speedwagon songwriting course, lesson 1:
If you can't find a rhyming dictionary, just through "baby" or "yeah" onto the end of a line. It doesn't have to be poetry when it's crap.