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REO Speedwagon - Life As We Know It Audio CD

A fair review of the REO Speedwagon "Life As We Know It" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all REO Speedwagon reviews here, or go back to the REO Speedwagon tabs.

REO Speedwagon Band: REO Speedwagon
Title: Life As We Know It
Rating:
Release Date: 1990-10-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 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

REO Classics
But an REO collection is incomplete without this one!. This CD has been too long missing - is a little harder to find but worth the effort! From slower songs like "In My Dreams" to the upbeat "New Way to Love" this has been one of my favorite CD's from REO, maybe the time frame,maybe the songs themselves.


REO Speedwagon - Trouble Within The Band
Guitarist and band founder Gary Richrath was in the grips of serious substance abuse by this time while the rest of the band was turning into health nuts. It took another 3 years before the world had a new REO album, and this one would prove to be the end of the line for the most famous lineup of the band. This album would end up being the last with Richrath who was such an essential part of the REO sound. Drummer Alan Gratzer was also getting tired of the road and would retire soon after the albums release. One of the best songs on this album is a blatant statement Kevin Cronin wrote about Gary Richrath called "One Too Many Girl Friends". Listening to the lyrics I can hardly believe Richrath would even agree to record it as it consists of Cronin basically putting the writing on the wall as far as Richrath's participation in the band was concerned. But. . . . . . it is a great song and a clear indication that all was not right within the REO camp. This album continued the band's commercial success with the big hits, the rocking "That Ain't Love" and the ballad "In My Dreams" both reaching the top 40. Personally I think it is a very average REO disc. Many of the songs have that glossy 80's keyboard sound to them, that makes a lot of this material sound very dated. With the exception of "Girlfriends" there is nothing that really stands out here. I liked both of the hits ok, and some of the other tracks are decent, but I don't think it is as good as the previous record.


REO peaks with this!
i first heard the singles "that ain't love" and "in my dreams" and i was hooked. this album introduced me to rock music some 15 years back - so this album is very special for me. so i got the album and the rest of the tracks didn't disappoint. later i picked up the other REO albums too - and in my opinion only "high infidelty" compares with this. "that ain't love" and "in my dreams" are definitely the strongest numbers here - but "screams and whispers", "variety tonight", "accidents can happen" aren't far behind. and there's some great guitar work in "over the egde". i got a used cd of this album on amazon just a week back - and i can't get it out of my cd player!.


Pleasantly Surprised
The songs are all catchy, light-hearted, and fun. "Life as We Know it" is a fantastic album. Sure the sound on this album can be classified as cheesy, but you know something. . . IT WORKS! Through out their career, you can see REO roll with the changes in the music biz. "Life as We Know It" is much better than their previous effort "Wheels are Turnin" and I place this album up there with their classics. After this album Gary Richrath and Alan Gratzer left the band and REO, in my opinion, has never fully recovered. .


Pleasant surprises
Neal's "Variety Tonight" has an infectious groove that you just won't get tired of. In this release, Neal and Bruce shine with 2 pleasant offerings. And you can't help but get smile listening to Bruce's clever "Accidents Can Happen", a little commentary on murderous possibilities. The rest is solid REO, with the addition of some well done horn arrangements. It seems that in terms of creating great REO Speedwagon music, it is the combination of Gary, Kevin, Neal, Bruce and Alan. And this marks the end of that lineup with Gary and Alan departing. What followed, "the Chicken album" was pleasant enough, but certainly lacking.


You can see a complete list of all REO Speedwagon discography, or go back to the REO Speedwagon tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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