REO Speedwagon - REO Speedwagon - The Hits

Media:	Audio CD
Record label:	Sony
Release date:	30 April, 2002
List price:	~~$13.98~~
Our price:	$12.99 that is 7% off!

REO Speedwagon - The Hits

Average rating: Stars

A casual REO fan (yes I'll admit it)

I've been an casual REO fan for many years. I was quite surprised to find out one of my best mates is also a fan, it just came up in conversation one day. Apart from that I think most people who like REO might still be 'in the closet' and a bit reluctant to own up to it. This is the only REO album I own as I haven't been inspired to buy anymore after listening to this. That's not to say I don't like it, I just think that this is enough good REO material to see me through. There are enough good songs on here to keep any casual REO fan happy. I particulary enjoy Time For Me To Fly. I'll tell you a short story about that. My good mate wanted to break up with his high school girlfriend many years ago. He gave her the REO cassette with this on it and told her to have a listen. Guess what? She played the wrong side and instead heard 'Keep On Loving You!'. The rest is history. Anyway, most of the other tracks are pretty good.

REO Speedwagon - The Hits - REO Speedwagon

80s Rocked with REO

Reo Speedwagon is what the 80s were all about!!! This CD catches it all. I listened to them on fmnation.com and remembered the good days that we just kept on runnin

REO Speedwagon - REO Speedwagon - The Hits

Emphasis more on later day songs, but still darn good

"The Hits" gives you what you expect from later day REO Speedwagon: power ballads with plenty of keyboards and synthezers to make you want to rock, but blush instead. Oh, don't be ashamed, Americas favorite guilty pleasure hard rock band is fun to listen to, and "the Hits" shows this side, while missing much of their harder rocking, garage days of the late 70's.

The hits are here: "Keep on Loving You" and "Can't Fight this Feeling" are known by many who listen to FM Rock or even adult contemporary radio. REO Speedwagon knew how to craft a killer power ballad, and that's what they did best. Once they found their strength, they used it to their ability to conquer charts and Top 40 radio, a territory most FM Rock staples used to miss, but started entering in the 80's (Foreigner, The Cars, Toto, ZZ Top, Bruce Springsteen, Genesis, Van Halen, etc.) REO Speedwagon joined their contempories in crafting commercially successful music, and weren't ashamed of it (hell, the acts make a lot more money from that, and have a chance at a lot more awards).

However, hard core REO Speedwagon fans will be disappointed that not more of their lesser known hard rock/garage songs weren't included. Yes "Ridin' the Storm Out", one of their hits from the older days, is included (brilliantly it is the last song, great way to end the album.) Besides that and few other cuts, it's mainly the newer power ballads and pop-rock songs, which might be a bummer to fans looking for the older sounding songs.

REO Speedwagon is a band many are ashamed to say they enjoyed, but why? They crafted killer power ballads, the kind of songs you could play for your boyfriend or girlfriend and know that they would be yours. Anything wrong with that? Didn't think so. Pick up this album and blush all over again.