Search - Reo Speedwagon :: Earth Small Man His Dog & A Chicken

Strange song order; still good

Brad | CT | 07/03/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Listen to the first half of this album and you'd think that REO had become almost entirely a ballad band. With the exception of the 3rd track, the rocking "Live It Up", which did get a little rock radio airplay when it came out (1990), the first six songs are all quite soft. The leadoff track "Love Is A Rock" is a standard REO gem (also a very brief hit, I believe); but tracks like "The Heart Survives" and "Half Way", while also nice songs, just weigh down the first half of the album with too much slow stuff.Then...they decide to throw in four very decent rockers among the final five tracks. "Love To Hate" has very basic lyrics but clearly rocks. "L.I.A.R" (which stands for "Love Is All Right") is a bit sarcastic from the title right down to the lyric, and it too is a solid rocker. Even more rocking is the closing track "Go For Broke", which to me is REO at their vintage best. Hard to believe the attitude in this song considering all the early album ballads.So clearly this is a strange album with the order of the songs compared to their tempo. Also, with a band like this that has a rock history but is proficient in turning out ballads, I get frustrated when there are too many ballads, as it waters down the meaning of what a good rock ballad is supposed to be. Nonetheless, there is still enough good material here to give this now-obscure album a decent overall mark. Call it actually 3 3/4 stars overall. Not this legendary band's best, but still worth a listen in my book."

REO Rolls with the Changes

Brad | 07/31/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Earth... The first REO album not to to feature the guitar stylings of co-founding axe man Gary Richrath and drummer Alan Gratzer. I was a little aphrehensive when I first bought the album. I wasn't sure how REO was going to sound with half of their starting line up missing. But all my worries were over after the first :45 seconds. It's REO alright. Dave Amato and Bryan Hitt fit right in, despite coming from completely different backgrounds...Dave from Ted Nugent's band and Bryan from Wang Chung. I saw REO twice that tour in Michigan. The second time at Club Eastbrook,in Grand Rapids. Which later I learned one of the songs was recorded live for "The Second Decade Of.." REO rocks, plain and simple. Kevin Cronin is one of the best songwriters in music, and this album showcases some of his strongest material. If you like REO or just good music than this is a selection that should be included in your collection."