Published on Aug 22, 2001
REO Speedwagon is a band whose glory days are long behind them.
Gone are the days of multi-platinum discs and heavy airplay for
their latest works. In fact, I’ll bet there are some people out
there who are surprised that Kevin Cronin and company are still
around.
But just because a band isn’t topping the charts anymore doesn’t
mean they’re forgettable.
Plus, a live disc culled from REO Speedwagon’s St. Louis
concert last June, proves that maybe, just maybe, the music
actually has some more substance without the hype of superstardom
hovering over them like a sword of Damocles. This is the band, take
it or leave it. My advice? Take it.
Sure, there’s a little bit of unintended humor, with Cronin
working the crowd a la 1976 and sounding like Adam Sandler’s Bobby
Boucher character from
The Waterboy. Sure, this disc might disappoint those who are
expecting to be blown out of their sneakers the way they were with
Live: You Get What You Play For all those years ago. And,
sure, this disc is bound to leave off at least one personal
favorite of yours – the curse of a band who’ve been around as long
as REO Speedwagon.
But there is something about
Plus that wins over even the most skeptical listener –
namely, the music. And, in the end, isn’t that what the whole
30-year ride has been about for REO Speedwagon? Admittedly, I miss
hearing Gary Richrath’s guitar work, and there are times in some
songs where hearing two rhythm guitar lines would have helped to
push things over the edge, as on “Keep Pushin'”. And, admittedly,
Cronin’s vocals have changed over the years, almost creating a more
mellow edge to them. It does give the listener a chance to hear
such nuggets as “Time For Me To Fly,” “Take It On The Run” and
“Keep On Loving You” in new lights – and chances are you’ll like
what you hear.
There’s plenty of music on
Plus that will please the casual fan (“Roll With The
Changes,” “Ridin’ The Storm Out”), and tunes that will make the
long-time fan thrilled (“Music Man,” “157 Riverside Avenue”), And,
in the end,
Plus challenges the listener to put aside any expectations
they had of the disc and take it on its own merit. In retrospect,
that’s rather easy to do. Any band who can take a song which is at
least 20 years old and make it sound like it just came out of the
box has to be doing
something right.
REO Speedwagon might not be a household name anymore, unless
you’re a devotee of classic rock radio. But
Plus proves that this band has plenty of life left in them –
a fact held up by the enthusiastic screams of the crowd. It just
might be time to give these guys another chance.