For me, this was the beginning of the end for the band, because after this they released Hi Infidelity, and any ounce of credibility went out of the window. They just became a Ballad cash cow for the record company, until it all ended, and hello chicken-in-a-basket circuit. If you want to know what REO really sound like, then give this a spin.
Heavy On Your Love kicks off in great style with a killer rockin’ tune complete with monster solo from Gary Richrath, who sadly is no longer with us. Drop It follows, and is a typical mid-west rock song with a big chorus and everything. Only The Strong Survive could have been a Cheap Trick song as it has that power pop feel. Easy Money is a standard rock and roll tune, and to close things out there is a cover of a Chuck Berry classic – Rock & Roll music, which is a decent enough cover but why not an original song? These type of covers should be left for encores only.
Anyhoo, Side 2 kicks in with Take Me, which has a cool funky groove which you do not expect. I Need You Tonight starts with an almost country feel and is the worst song here. Definitely a filler track. Meet Me On The Mountain is a soft rock standard tune with a great chorus. Which brings us to the album closer, Back On The Road Again, and in my opinion is the best track the band recorded. Funnily enough, it’s the only song that Cronin doesn’t sing on. Bruce Hall the bass player does. I’m a sucker for a great riff, even though this is a simple one.
So that’s it, the ninth album with nine tracks and it’s called Nine Lives. Superstitious anyone? Oh and not a ballad in sight!
8/10 from The Grooveman.
