On disc: Rick Springfield

 
 R. Springfield & J. Silverman - From The Vault
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Venus In Overdrive & Live In Rockford
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Songs For The End Of The World
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

Songs For The End Of The World

(Frontiers Records - 2012)



 
 

 

It's been 30 years since Rick Springfield won a Grammy for Jessie's Girl, but that was just crowning the first decade of his career! Now he's back - after 3 years - with a new album called Songs For The End Of The World. Nobody will expect him to change his style after all those years, so it's more about the quality level - even if the quality don't need to be discussed -, it's more about one like it or not.



He opens the album with Wide Awake, a quite heavy tune. It's like he want to show that he can still rock and so you get a catchy rock tune with 80's roots and heavy riffs. With I Hate Myself he once more shows this, actually this tune has a slight punk rock touch! Songs like You & Me are closer to what many will expect, but it's the mix which makes this album interesting. Even if Gabriel isn't an acoustic tune, it would be even better that way - at least I think so. One of my favorites is the up-tempo rocker My Last Heartbeat, it's an ear catcher!



Personally I think his rockers are stronger than the softer tunes, but that's a matter of taste. One will love tunes like One Way Street, others will prefer Gabriel. Check out a couple of songs and make up your mind! Fans of Rick Springfield can pick it up right away, you won't be disappointed!

 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Venus In Overdrive & Live In Rockford

(Frontiers - 2010)



 
 

 

Rick Springfield is active for several decades and in the early 80's had some smash hits - like Celebrate Youth. The Australian-American musician and actor delivered some great pop rock albums and even if these days he's more power pop, he still knows how to write songs!



He took a break almost all the 90's, but since Karma (1999) he is back in the music biz. Venus In Overdrive he produced and recorded with long-time mate Mark Bissonette.



With the opener What's Victoria's Secret? he shows that so many years later he know how to find the right balance between rock riffs and pop melodies. At the title track Venus In Overdrive a dash of reggae was added and shows that the Grammy-winner Springfield is open for other genres. The power ballad Oblivious has a melancholy touch and invites you to get lost in reverie... Songs like 3 Warning Shots and I'll Miss That Someday have different influences, but still sound homogenous. Time Stand Still is a real rocker with a great hook line and should please every AOR fan. The up-tempo rocker Mr. PC sounds modern and proofs that Rick Springfield is still young at heart. A rocker with a country edge is Saint Sahara, on the original release it's the closer, but at the re-release you get Celebrate Youth as a bonus - in an alternate version! This version is slower and reggae-based. Quite interesting, but I think I prefer the original...



Thanks to the Italian label Frontiers Records the DVD Live In Rockford which was released in 2006 in the US only, is now available outside the US. Actually it's the latest studio album Venus In Overdrive of Rick Springfield was released in 2008 via Point Music and will now be re-released and as a bonus they added the DVD. Unfortunately I can't give you more then a track list of the DVD, coz the promo came without it. Fans of Rick Springfield won't be disappointed by this re-release and the DVD is a nice extra. If you only remember his hits Jessie's Girl and Celebrate Youth and liked them, then check out this one! And if you prefer 80's pop rock, then check out Rick Springfield & Jeff Silverman's From The Vault which hits the stores now too.

 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Rick Springfield & Jeff Silverman - From The Vault

(Frontiers - 2010)



 
 

 

Rick Springfield and guitarist Jeff Silverman rocked the stage many times and between 1986 and 1999 wrote and recorded some songs, these songs are now released on From The Vault. Springfield fans will know some, as they made it onto his later album, others are previously unreleased.



The opener Dancin' On The Head Of The World is an 80's pop tune with lots of keyboard and take you back in time. Rock fans who aren't into 80's pop as well, won't like this one. Followed by Right Planet, Wrong World which also sounds very 80's pop-like, but the production is more powerful. This one could have been a hit back then... With Monkey they present a song which was released on one of Springfield's previous albums, but as I don't know the original I can't tell you if and how much this differs. My first impression this could have been on one of the Miami Vice episodes.... The balladesque Woman II is less pop, more a symphonic balladesque AOR tune. Religion Of The Heart sounds a bit like a balladesque Bon Jovi rocker these days. Back to the 80's with Why Don't you Dance! Actually I enjoy this one, but I like 80's pop sounds once in awhile. One of my faves is Somewhere, this power pop ballad is enchanting. At My Depression you get a fast forward trip through the life of Rick Springfield, the song differs a lot from the others - and perhaps that's the reason why it works so well. The closer In Veronica's Head is also not the typical 80's pop tune, even if it has a lot keyboards.



To be honest the later tracks on From The Vault are more appealing to me. Rock fans should check out From The Vault first, coz it's not the typical rock pop, these is more 80's pop, more keyboards and synthesizer then guitars. But for the ones who like to spin some 80's pop once in awhile, take a closer look at From The Vault! A good 80's pop album with a just a dash of guitars.

 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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