Hidden Treasures - By Request: Bruce Hall

[Scott]

a BY REQUEST playlist...


Bruce Hall, best known as the bassist for REO Speedwagon. OK, maybe only known as the bassist for REO Speedwagon, but Jon requested a playlist of Bruce Hall written tunes, and because I take requests, here we go. Finding 5 tracks for this playlist was easy, but if more were required it would have been a close call.  I just featured "Back On The Road" again on my all original Closers playlist (which is easily his best song) ... also consider that I don't own Good Trouble on CD, and have never owed Life As We Know It and that Earth Small Man blah blah blah release on any form of media. Somehow I think I'm not the only who skipped out on those two.


Lets face it, Bruce Hall isn't exactly the most prolific songwriter Jon could have chosen - but something tells me he has something up his sleeve. And since I don't work closely with Jon, at least not as close as RJ and Jon work together, I will have to wait and see what that something is... So onto this weeks playlist ...


PLAYLIST --> http://www.podsnack.com/CA69EFD9E8C/a1h36ppc

	Lost In A Dream 1974 1 - Lost In A Dream Lost in a Dream is the fourth album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1974. It was the second album to feature Mike Murphy on vocals. The title track was written by Murphy and future bassist Bruce Hall, who would join the band in 1978. The title track was featured on the compilation A Decade of Rock and Roll: 1970-1980. The album was in print on CD format in 1992 for two months before being quickly deleted.
	Hi Infidelity 1980 2 - Someone Tonight They had been slogging it out in the arenas of the U.S., building up a sizeable audience because they could deliver live. And then, in 1980, they delivered a record that not just summarized their strengths, but captured everything that was good about arena rock. This is the sound of the stadiums in that netherworld between giants like Zeppelin and MTV's slick, video-ready anthems. This is unabashedly mainstream rock, but there's a real urgency to the songs and the performances that gives it a real emotional core, even if the production keeps it tied to the early, previsual '80s. And so what if it does, because this is great arena rock, filled with hooks as expansive as Three Rivers Stadium and as catchy as the flu.
	Wheels Are Turnin' 1984 3 - Thru The Window Every track has the band sounding sharper and more alive, with even the less-extravagant material like "Break His Spell" and "Thru the Window" emanating merit. "One Lonely Night" throws the spotlight on Cronin's voice, proving that his expertise at carrying out the slow stuff hasn't dwindled, while "Live Every Moment" rounds out the last of the singles from the album, hitting number 34 in August of 1985, eight months after Wheels Are Turnin' achieved its number-seven mark on the U.S. charts. With production, songwriting, and tight instrumentation wisely dished out in equal portions, Wheels Are Turnin' was evidence that REO Speedwagon could still make some gratifying rock & roll.
	Building The Bridge 1996 4 - Hey Wait A Minute By the release of 1996's BUILDING THE BRIDGE, singer Kevin Cronin was the undisputed leader of REO Speedwagon, and one of the band's few original members still present. Longtime fans considered BRIDGE as more of a Cronin solo album than a true REO release, and this may be true--especially since there's little of the band's early rock direction left in the mix (that evaporated with guitarist Gary Richrath's departure) and more of the soft rock that Cronin is known for. The Beatle-esque "Can't Stop Rockin'" proves to be a standout, as well as the more laid-back title track, "One True Man," and "After Tonight."
	Find Your Own Way Home 2007 5 - Another Lifetime REO Speedwagon delivered their 15th studio album, Find Your Own Way Home, 11 years after Building the Bridge. Given the band's slow drift into adult contemporary pop in the late '80s, it's a bit of surprise that this album rocks as hard as it does, opening with the strident rocker "Smilin' in the End," where Kevin Cronin doesn't sound anything like himself. It's an odd, disarming way to begin the record, and instead of proving the exception to the rule, it provides the touchstone for Find Your Own Way Home. Sure, on the next two songs -- "Find Your Own Way Home" and "I Needed to Fall" -- the group moves back toward the anthemic rock and power ballads that made them AOR staples in the '80s, but this doesn't have the gloss of their records from the late '80s and '90s. This is harder, punchier, the sound of a band that wants to reconnect with the rock band that played arenas in the '70s.

[RJhog (Admin)]

You got his best track in the number 2 slot.

[Jon]

"Life As We Know It" has a really good song on it. "Variety Tonight". Really, it's a good song. Of course the one Bruce Hall song is good as well. And yes, I do have both LAWKI and the one about the earth. And a chicken. And a small man.

Now, I haven't heard "Lost In A Dream", but this is probably the best song on that album. 

Now, I have heard "Hi Infidelity" and this is the best song on the album.

Now, I REALLY like "Wheels Are Turnin'" and have always REALLY liked this song. There's just something about that album that gets to me. One of my top three REO albums.

Now, never heard "The Bridge", but this is most definitely the best song on the album. It has to be. It just has to.

Now, I do have "Find Your Way Home" and don't remember much of that album. For the last few months I've wanted to pull it from its slot and give it a listen, but haven't. This is an ok song, but an ok song from Bruce Hall is a mighty good song. 

Nope, nothing up my sleeve. Just wanted everyone to experience some Bruce Hall goodness. Shame that you don't have "Good Trouble", could have gotten into some Be Bop.

Oh well. There's always Bruce Hall Part 2!

Thanks for doing this for everyone. Again, there is absolutely NOTHING up my sleeve regarding Bruce Hall. I swear.

Please believe me.

[Scott]

I remember Variety Tonight, agree that's a cool tune.

You are definitely up to something!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Lost In A Dream - I don't have this album.  This song is way cool.  Is that Bruce on vocals?  Oh, I see, it's Murphy. The bass playing and tone are killer.  So is the guitar.  Possibly the best REO song I've never heard before today.

Someone Tonight - Simply the best Bruce Hall song.  Everything about it is great.

Thru The Window - I do have this album, but really don't remember this song.  But I like it a lot, except for the talking at the end.  Everything else is fantastic.  That's definitely not Bruce singing, so I presume he wrote it.  My favorite track from this album is One Lonely Night, but this is way cool.

Hey Wait A Minute - Definitely have never heard this.  This really doesn't sound like REO to me.  It's not terrible, but not really my style.

Another Lifetime - Cronin on vocals again.  This is very decent.  I remember thinking that it must not be Cronin on some of these tracks, or that he had had some kind of throat surgery that altered his voice.  But this sounds like him.  This is a good track.

My rankings:

1. Someone Tonight

2. Lost In A Dream

3. Thru The Window

4. Another Lifetime

5. Hey Wait A Minute

[Scott]

The 3 Mike Murphy albums are actually pretty dang good!  May have to go there someday as well