Classic Rock Bottom

When there's a cry for help, I tend to ignore it and continue with whatever important thing I'm doing.

However, when there's a cry for help from Scott Gabbert, I drop everything and lend a helping hand.  He's that important, you see.

Here's a quote from Mr. Gabbert, taken from his Bruce Hall SHT post a couple weeks ago (spelling error included): "... 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."

(NOTE: 100% collusion free! All facts are from jonsmindopedia, unless otherwise noted.)

Finally, he's able to listen to 1987's "Life As We Know It" from REO Speedwagon. Finally he's able to listen to the followup to "Wheels Are Turnin'" which is actually a pretty good album. He no longer needs to cry out for a helping hand.

For further assistance, we turn to allmusic.com and their stellar review of this album:

"The critics were never kind to REO Speedwagon, but Life As We Know It even received a ranking in the Worst Rock n' Roll Records of All Time. By now the fivesome's quest for a chart-busting ballad almost reached new age ("In My Dreams"). REO can still drop good punchy pop like "Can't Get You Out of My Heart." And, of course, Bruce Hall comes through with "Accidents Can Happen," one of those odd songs that could only fall from the radical '80s. Neal Doughty gives "Variety Tonight" some snap, but the band's reach overextends its grasp. As always when worrying about the wallet, REO alienates the old fans without drawing any new."

I remember when I got this album and how it started off great........for the first 15 seconds. Then the song turned really stupid. Songs 2 & 3 aren't that bad, I kinda like the mellow, new agey "In My Dreams".

Ok, I'm not going to go through every song but some start off really good and then kind of lose it. But "Variety Tonight" and "Accidents Can Happen" (Bruce Hall alert!) are really good songs. For the rest of the songs, you can make your own decisions. 

Is it one of the worst R n' R albums of all time? It's rated 4 1/2 stars on Amazon, so is it really that bad?

As for Mr. Scott Gabbert? You're welcome.

Life As We Know It

1. New Way To Love
2. That Ain't Love
3. In My Dreams
4. One Too Many Girlfriends
5. Variety Tonight
6. Screams And Whispers
7. Can't Get You Out Of My Heart
8. Over The Edge
9. Accidents Can Happen
10. Tired Of Gettin Nowhere

Availability: Less than $6 used.

 

Views: 95

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Sounds more like a cry for attention from Jonny.

Keep it going. I have plenty of Raven.

No problem, I know how to say I listened when I didn't.

That's something you'll have to live with.

Wow!  You like me ...  you really like me!! ...  Not sure how to feel about that, but I should've seen this one coming.

New Way To Love:  Not terrible, as usual Doughty shines when given the spotlight, but Richrath sounds like he's not feelin' this one.  And horns?  Well, I'm not against them, but I'm not excited to hear them either.  Chicago gets a pass, Doobies (w/ MMcD) get a pass, you get the picture.  REO?  eh...

That Ain't Love/In My Dreams:  The required radio singles.  These got a lot of airplay too, so they're very familiar as they should be.  But they never made me want to go get this album.

One Too Many Girlfriends:  One would think Richrath knew this was about him.  I wonder what that must feel like, playing a track that's a slam on you - especially one that's not very good.  Personally, I would be agreeable if it was a cool tune, but its like a double slam, crappy relationship manager and crappy tune - Man, Cronin must've been pissed!

Variety Tonight:  Here's the one redeeming quality tune on here so far.  Just a really slick bit of pop rock.  Nicely written, very catchy, and the bands sounds tight, not enough of this going on in the band at the time.  I had this and the other radio tracks on that Second Decade release.  But I think I ended turning that back into the used store for a buck or two.

Screams And Whispers:  Not bad! that's is until we get to the chorus and then we fall off fast.

Can't Get You Out Of My Heart/Over The Edge:  And now I can't get this crap outta my head and I'm over the edge!  These are the worst tracks so far.  Hard to imagine such a great rock and roll band, with such a cool catalog in their review mirror came up with this?

Accidents Can Happen: Ah, we've arrived at the one Bruce Hall track he is allocated.  I wonder how many Bruce Hall tracks they had to weed through to pick this? My Bruce Hall playlist was better for not having this one on it.

Tired Of Getting Nowhere:  Well, at least its better than the last 3 - even with the friggin' horns.  Not much, but a little...

This make Building The Bridge sound like a really great album!

Hopefully not this album.

It was Building The Bridge - sooo much better than this one!

New Way To Love - Not a good start.  About the only redeeming quality here is some of that bass playin'.

That Ain't Love - I've always dug this song.  I like the frenetic acoustic start.  The verse has a bit of a dreamy atmosphere.  And then a good hook for the chorus.  Very cool song.

In My Dreams - Yep, the quest for the chart busting ballad.  This one falls a bit flat for me and tastes like it came straight from Wisconsin.

One Too Many Girlfriends - Not after songs like that previous one.  You don't have that problem.  Oh, this is awful.

Variety Tonight - Okay, this is a bit better.  A bit more "rock"ed up than That Ain't Love, but not quite as good to me. Still the second best song so far by a million miles.

Screams And Whispers - Another nice acoustic start.  The verse section is very decent, but the chorus just loses me. So I'm in total agreement with Scott on this one.

Can't Get You Out Of My Heart - And the cheese fest continues.  If you dislike In Your Letter so much, you must really hate this, Jon.

Over The Edge - That opening sounds like a serious rocker. I don't know, I just don't like this.

Accidents Can Happen - I think maybe the band released this album by accident.  There's the hand clapping.  Uggghhh.

Tired Of Gettin' Nowhere - The closing track is way less than epic.  

This was my first listen to this album.  Also my last listen.  Two good songs (That Ain't Love and Variety Tonight).  It's REO, but it's not good for the most part.  Unbelievably, it was a number 7 Gold certified album.  

RSS

Question Of The Week

CRB Features (Click photo to visit)

Birthdays

There are no birthdays today

CRB Staff Members

 

In Memory Of

Norma Jean Fox
(11/30/1945-9/7/2010)

Photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

Videos

  • Add Videos
  • View All

Badge

Loading…

© 2024   Created by RJhog (Admin).   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service