REO Speedwagon: Live in the Heartland DVD

REO Speedwagon...one of those bands who, on record/CD, have never really impressed me that much. Ok, so they produced some brilliant singles in the early 80s and the Hi Infidelity album is a bit of a belter, but the other albums I heard just left me a little bit cold. I took a bit of chance on the latest one 'Find Your Own Way Home' and was pleasantly surprised. Not a 100% bona fide classic, but a decent album with a few real standout songs. Anyway, I bought tickets to see them in concert, but was ill on the day and couldn't go. As the reviews from the tour were all really good, I was disappointed and was therefore really pleased to see this 'Soundstage' DVD, Live in the Heartland get a release.

So, is it any good? Well, it's shot in HD and mixed in 5.1 and both looks and sounds a milion dollars. The Soundstage DVDs tend to be good on that score and this one is no exception. The band are on truly sparkling form (especially Dave Amato, the lead guitarist) and the setlist, culled from their entire career (some 36 years!!!!) is excellent. You get all the big hits that you remember from early 80s radio, plus some 70s tracks that are apparently REO staples, but which I'd not heard before, plus a bunch of songs from the new album, which all sound really good and sit alongside the old stuff very well.

The standout cuts for me are Take It On The Run, Keep Pushin', Back On The Road Again (bassist sings lead on this one), Time For Me To Fly, Don't Let Him Go, and Roll With The Changes. However, the 'piece de resistance ' has to be the epic 'Riding The Storm Out' which is absolutely stunning!!!

The only flaw on this DVD is actually frontman Kevin Cronin's dress sense - he looks like your Grandad in tight leather trousers and tight black vest...hmmm...not a good look....!!!

If REO are a band that you like a little or even a lot, and if you like a great live DVD, then this should be on your shopping list. It shows that the 'old guard' can truly stand up there with the youngsters and still put on a kick-ass rock n roll show. Awesome!!!


Rating: 90%

Danger Danger: Revolve (Frontiers 2009)

The debut Danger Danger album caused a massive stir with the AOR community back in the late 80s when it was released. Tracks like Bang Bang, Naughty Naughty, Rock In America, Under the Gun, etc are pretty much defining moments within the genre. To be fair, not all of the album is as great as those songs and album number 2 'Screw It' suffered a similar problem - a number of absolute crackers, with some very dodgy 'filler' material. In particular, the lyrical content of some some songs was very poor, catering to the 'teenage boys sniggering behind the bike sheds' market ('Slipped her the Big One'...dear oh dear!!)

After that it all went a bit sour. Ted Poley was kicked out and the 3rd album was shelved. The band brought in singer Paul Laine, who had released the excellent 'Stick It In Your Ear' album which basically attempted to out-Bon Jovi the BJ boys themselves!! This partnership was a fruitful one (except for the rather grungey 'Dawn' which I really don't like) producing the fabulous 'Four the Hard Way' and 'Return of the Grreat Gildersleeves' CDs, both showcasing a slightly darker, yet still very rooted in the 80s sound and both including some phenomenal songs. Then came the unreleased 3rd album, 'Cockroach', released in a 2CD pack so that we got both a Ted Poley and Paul Laine version. Another great record...

So to 2009 and the band return with 'Revolve'. Paul Laine is out and Ted is back. Hardly surprising really, as when I saw the band in London in 2001 (I think) they only played about 2 Laine era songs, although how Ted felt coming back is anybody's guess (Have you read the interview with Ted in the latest Powerplay magazine?? Interesting!!!)

So what's the new CD like? Well, it's bloody brill, that's what it is!!! With Bruno Ravel and Steve West on fine songwriting form, the material is as good as any they've done in the past. Bruno's production is amazing - it's big...no, make that BIG..and very warm and smooth, retaining the feel of the more recent albums, but smoother, like the debut. The playing is top notch - guitarist Rob Marcello is a great player and ideally suited to the band. Also, Ted has never sounded better!!!

Song by song:

'That's What I'm Talkin' About': Great opener and a real statement of intent. Huge sound and great hook.

'Ghost of Love': Classic Danger Danger! The structure of this track is pure AOR - just listen to the bass and keyboard combo in the verses - and once again, the chorus is pure gold. With ex-TNT wailer Tony Harnell on backing vox, you are onto a winner!!

'Killin' Love': A brooding monster of a song. It has a darker feel, with a slightly slower tempo than the first two songs, but, if anything is even more powerful. The keyboard and guitar interplay on this song is truly masterful and the use of a sampled baby (Bruno's son) laughing at the end over a sparse keyboard part, is very eerie...

'Hearts On The Highway': SONG OF THE YEAR... No question!! MONSTER AOR that simply screams 1989, yet doesn't sound dated at all. This has a classic AOR lyrical theme and the song structure is simply perfect. The chorus literally brought tears of joy to my eyes when I first heard it!!!! Ted's vocal lifting up on the 'one to one' line sends goosebumps down my spine every time I play the song!! Add to that a perfect solo with just the right amount of shred and melody, killer backing vocal hooks and delicate keyboard breakdown and you won't hear a better example of AOR this year. If someone asked me 'what is AOR?', I'd play them this....Majestic and utterly indispensible.

'Fugitive': First ballad of the album. Very acoustic, very delicate, great, great lyrics and gorgeous melody. Fabulous, understated vocal from Ted on this one. Lovely song....

'Keep On Keepin' On': Classic Danger Danger party song. Nothing more, nothing less. Tongue in cheek lyrics, simple structure and HUGE hook. Heard it all before, but don't care. Cracking AOR...irresistable!!

'Rocket To Your Heart': Hmmm...different, this. The intro/verse is almost Coldplay-esque in that it has that repetitive keyboard/guitar arpeggio thing going on. Still, it has a cool lyric and the hook is ok. I just think it would sit better with a 'modern rock' artist rather than on an AOR album. It actually sounds more like what I'd expect from Paul Laine if he were doing an album...

'FU$': Another good-time track with a monster AOR structure and killer hooks. Trouble is, the lyrics in the chorus mean that I won't be able to play it around my young son!! Never mind!! It's still a great track...one for the car when I'm at work, I guess...

'Beautiful Regret': Excellent hard rocking track. The bridge hook is so simple, but effective and the chorus, while not being as immediate as some others on the album, is very effective. It almost reminds me of later day Harem Scarem in some of the structure.

'Never Give Up': Second ballad of the album. Very different to the first, but absolutely excellent nonetheless. The production on this is really good, especially the layered keys that underpin the verses. Once again, the melodies are so strong and the chorus just soars...very simple lyrics, but when Ted hits that hookline, you are with him all the way, especially when the backing vocals kick in on the second chorus. Awesome stuff, and Rob Marcello's solo is just right!! Great stuff.


'Dirty Mind': What a way to close the album. This is probably the closest we get to the 'dodgy lyric theme' syndrome, but thankfully it keeps well to the the right side of the line! Structurally, this is another very simple song, but actually, that's why it works. Everything about it is a hook..the guitar parts, the verse melodies and the chorus. Excellent way to close the album!!


Overall, this is one of the best AOR albums of the year, without question, with exactly the right balance between AOR smoothness and harder rocking 'grunt'. Just buy it or download it legally!! If the interview in Powerplay is to be believed, it might be their last album ever. If that's the case, what a way to go!!

RATING: 95%