Reo Speedwagon - 2nd Decade of Rock N Roll 19811991 (17 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

Terrible!

Sam Bethune | Lincoln, Nebraska USA | 01/16/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of REO Speedwagon since the beginning. Having said that, it pains me to say that this is an atrocious live collection unbefitting of one the the best rock bands of the 1970's. It is a shameful followup to "Decade of Rock and Roll" and doesn't come close to matching the excellence of that album. Numerous personnel changes, mostly driven by Kevin Cronin's rather huge ego, have rendered this band a shadow of its former self. This disc is full of weak, halfhearted performances. The group sounds like it's just going through the motions or trying to fulfill an album obligation. No heart, no soul. Avoid this one at all costs."

Live Version - songs are rather weak

03/05/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This album has only the live versions, which are not nearly as good as the recorded versions, IMHO. The "reggae version" of Keep on Loving You is especially regretable."

Solid Live Tracks But Not an Adequate Overview of the Decade

jjw@vvm.com | Temple, TX | 08/05/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Not really a best-of, but more of a compensation for the band's failure to release a live album during the 1980s - the group's most lucrative decade. The album consists largely of songs taken from four 1980s gigs. Most of them stick pretty close to the studio versions, except for the group's two #1 hits that it decided to sabotage. The major change is "Keep on Loving You" which is modified from a power ballad to a reggae song. I feel sorry for the Honolulu audience who paid money to hear it. "Can't Fight This Feeling," another ballad, has its romantic atmosphere sapped by over-overdubbed thumping drums that pretty much squash any sentimental emotions you might have associated with it. However, there is some solid music here - "Back on the Road Again" and "Don't Let Him Go" are driving rockers and the lesser-known track "Love is a Rock" - despite its stupid name - is pretty good."

REO SPEEDWAGON FOREVER!

Sam Bethune | 11/02/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A lot of critics of popular music have loved REO Speedwagon. For the simple fact that they were easy to pick on. When hi INfiDELITY was released in 1980, critics immediately jumped on them saying that REO "sold out" well.. over 250 shows all over the world that year did just that. This album is representitive of the band during the second decade. The tracks selected for this compilation were from various concerts recorded for VHS and KBFH. The first three tracks were from the "Wheels Are Turnin'" video. Roll With The Changes and Keep The Fire Burnin' were recorded by the King Biscuit Flower Hour and have been released on an Import entitled "On The Road". The reggae version of Keep On Loving You and the version of Back on the Road Again were recorded during Gary's last concert as a member of REO Speedwagon. During "The Hits" tour. I own a 45min. video of this concert. And it's just a party atmospere. Graham Lear on drums and it's really not that bad of a version. It's different that's all. The version of That Aint Love was recorded by Westwood One and I owm the complete concert recorded in St. Louis at Kiel Auditorium (the first major venue that REO had a sold out show). Various tracks from Life As We Know It and The Earth, A Small Man...And a live version of Live It Up recorded live at Club Eastbrook in Grand Rapids, Michigan (I was there!). The thrid decade of Rock And Roll will probably be a little thin since they only released one studio album since 1991. Of the 63 REO CD's/Concerts that I own. This is the very first CD that I ever bought! And as a long time REO fan I feel that since most people bought all of their albums during the 80's this is just different versions of the music that has some kind of significance to the band and their fans and should not be discredited."

REO Speedwagon's Greatest Hits Performed Live

Jeffrey T. Munson | Dixon, IL | 05/16/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"REO Speedwagon was one of the biggest groups of the 70s and 80s, and this follow-up album to their first decade of rock and roll album contains live performances of some of their greatest hits. Included are such classics as "Don't Let Him Go", "Take it on the Run", "Tough Guys", "Back on the Road Again", "Live Every Moment", and "All Heaven Broke Loose". I didn't care too much for the reggae version of "Keep on Loving You". The original version is much better.

Despite some line-up changes over the years, REO Speedwagon has remained popular for over three decades. This album contains the original line-up, including Kevin Cronin on lead vocals, Gary Richrath on lead guitar, Bruce Hall on bass, Neal Doughty on keyboards, and Alan Gratzer on drums.

This album is an anthology of the second decade of REO's brilliant career, and the songs reflect the group's most popular period of performing. Each song contained on the CD was a big hit, and the live versions on the CD are very good. Some live performances don't really do justice to a song, but the performances on this CD are exceptionally good.

I highly recommend this great CD. Listen and hear one of the biggest groups of the 70s and 80s performing their biggest hits live."

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