Album Review 2007

Find Your Own Way Home (3 Disc Set) - REO Speedwagon
Genre: Classic Rock/Country
Review By: Tony

Album Specs

1. Smilin' In The End - Starting off is a track that seems a bit too familiar, though still well crafted and sure to be a fan favorite at live events. The one thing I can't get over is how polished the song is, a little too polished. The vibe that comes off the track is one of nitty gritty old school rock but the edges have been smoothed out. The middle of the song is very majestic in sound, a true classic REO feeling can be heard straight up! Very catchy lyrics that will have even the casual music fan singing along. One of the best songs on the album despite a few little issues, but the song will thrive in a live setting.

2. Find Your Own Way Home - When I first heard the audio sample for this track I knew it was going to be a real winner. The real theme I see on the album to this point is the polishing up of tracks which is a bit too much at times. This is a great song, don't get me wrong but where's real heart and push of the tune? The ooh's and ahh's are amazing as far the vocal mix goes but the true heart and soul of the song would have been much better if we were able to hear Kevin just go off vocally. I would have loved to hear him stretch out and belt this track out and push the envelope of what Rock music is all about. Again this is a great song and my personal favorite on the album but the polished laid back style was something that just wasn't needed because the content alone was well worth the wait.

3. I Needed To Fall - Starting out acoustic with Kevin's vocals as REO attempts to set the mood. A small build up of piano and additional elements are tossed into the background. The heart of the song which is now revealed features a beautiful melody and catchy lyrics. This song is not as polished as the previous 2 yet there are still elements of that found here. While this song has that ballad feel it is more or less a mid-tempo rocker, but not a full blown one. The guitar echoes toward the end of the track were a nice touch and completely unexpected.

4. Dangerous Combination - Where do I start with this tune? This is one track that should not have been added to this release. The track is extremely country influenced and the baseline is all about "drinking." There are some catchy lyrics here like other songs before it but this is where the album takes a drastic turn for the worse. I'd say the worst part about it besides the country influence is the fact that Kevin's vocals seem more into this tune then any of the other songs on the album, very disappointing. "Dangerous Combination" sounds so much better live because the soft guitars are punched up for that rock feel that is clearly missing on this studio version.

5. Lost On The Road Of Love - Notice the downward spiral of this album continues? Another heavily country influenced track that didn't need to be on this album. A straight forward tune that has very little emotional pull and is extremely dry in delivery. More or less a filler track that contains some different instrumental elements and solos but not catchy at all.

6. Another Lifetime - From the opening one would assume a massive rock track was on its way. Sadly this isn't the case, though the song itself is one of the better tunes here. Some more country elements tossed in the background but with the catchy lyrics and echoed vocals REO is able to sell me on this one. There are a few hints of rock here in terms of vocal arrangements but more or less this is another soft country track. It may take a few listens to get into this song but it is one of the "good" tracks on this release.

7. Run Away Baby - Ahh, why is this song on this disc? A doo-wah-ditty type of song that may sell some on its light hearted elements but come on, where's the rock?  The solo arrangements are more or less "airy" which offers very little to the listener. This song seems like it was thrown together at the last minute just to fill up space on the disc because for the life of me I can't understand how this is even considered an REO Speedwagon song. There are no positives here at all, clearly the worst tune out of the 10.

8. Everything You Feel - There are a few elements on this track that stood out, such as the vocal arrangements and lyrical content. Another song that feels too country, but then again it feels like an old school track. So is this an REO song or not? Actually it sounds like a Nelson brothers song from say their 2nd album that did very little in terms of sales or fan support. There are some catchy lyrics but overall it is another track that just doesn't fit the REO persona.

9. Born To Love You - Written by Bruce Hall not to mention he takes over here on lead vocals. Now I try not to make comparisons on the tracks like I did above with the Nelson information but it had to be said. Similar situation here as this song is right out of say a Jonathan Cain solo album only it is missing his piano work. Bruce has a decent set of pipes and the song has some heartfelt lyrics but there's nothing special here and again it just doesn't feel like an REO song.

10. Let My Love Find You - Another soft country type tune? Yes, but REO finally emerges out of the darkness with this heartfelt emotional melody that even longtime fans will enjoy. The classic piano backing with a soft vocal mix is brilliantly painted and really draws the listener in. Some catchy lyrics also help push this track forward as the album ends on a high note.

The Rundown

Fans have been waiting 11 years for this moment to become reality. REO Speedwagon has finally released a new album which contains no cover songs but the results might surprise some. The band has taken some of their past few years experiences and compiled them into 10 brand new tunes but will long time fans enjoy this new collection?


+'s (Positives)

+ New Material: 11 years is a long time to go without a new release finally this band has come back around to release a new disc that features 10 new songs, no covers!

+ Find Your Own Way Home: While this song has a few minor flaws it is the best track on the album and quite possibly one of REO's strongest ever.

+ No Covers: All original material here! There is not 1 cover tune which is nice to see when you consider how many classic rock bands are releasing tribute/covers discs these days.

-'s (Negatives)

- Too Polished: The 5 "Good" tracks on this album seem to be too polished in style and delivery. It would have been nicer to hear the band go for more of a classic sounding release then modern.

- Order Of Tracks: The real breakdown of this release started at 4th track as from that point there was simply no way to recover.

- Too Country: There are way to many tracks that are country influenced. While this band has always had that country type delivery this time they went a too far.

- Short Album: Some will look at the 10 tracks and say just that, "Wow 10 New Songs!" But look at the total time, just around 40 minutes in length. Clearly additional songs could have been added if the band had any in order to bump the total time to over 50 minutes.

- Missing Pieces: At times it seems as if this disc is missing the rock vibe that was so badly needed. For a band that is listed in the "Classic Rock" genre one would assume that a new release would contain at the very least 75% rock material.

Overall

REO Speedwagon, best known for their Rock elements and catchy lyrics have come back around to release "Find Your Way Home" their first studio album in 11 years. Sadly this disc is no where near what it could or should have been. More or less a half and half release as country and rock collide. Before this disc was released I wrote several articles as well as drew a few "concept" album cover designs to prove my point that this disc was headed in the wrong direction. I was glad to see the album cover was changed and while it is still not exactly "REO" in style it is certainly better then their original choice. My purpose of the articles was simple, I wanted to hear a quality release but I also wanted to make other fans aware that if certain things didn't happen then the end result would be that of disgust and disappointment.

I've covered the cover art issue so how about I cover the album sound. As I said the disc has 2 sides to it, country & rock. More or less this is a country release with some classic rock elements tossed in and not the other way around. In a perfect world we should be talking about how REO knocked this album out of the ballpark with an insane set of rock elements. Unfortunately in reality this release leaves me once again questioning the direction in which band trying to portray. Were they just jumping on the current wave of classic rock bands that are dabbing into the country market in order to gain a cheap hit? Or were they going for something completely innocent? I don't have the answers, but I can tell you that I am extremely disappointed in the quality of this release. This is another rock band that has simply turned their back on the sound that made them famous. Oh sure there are hints of their greatest accomplishments found through-out but it could have been so much better as I said. The positives simply don't outweigh the negatives on the new studio side of things.

As for the extras in the Wal-Mart exclusive boxset, they are very nice indeed. For the same price as purchasing a new album you receive a live CD & DVD with interviews and commentary. The DVD itself runs around 53minutes and features the band playing 4 classic tunes and 3 new ones all done acoustically. Like the DVD, the live CD was recorded at XM's studios. I posted several times last year about how REO would be on XM to play their album "Hi Infidelity" all the way through in a live setting. Well the show was recorded by XM and that is what you receive on the CD, the disc itself runs about 35minutes. What you will not receive are the band's playful commentary before the tracks that was originally on XM's transmission during the original taping. Now if you put that CD in your computer you are greeted with 3 bonus live videos for the songs "Out Of Season," "Someone Tonight" & "I Wish You Were There."

If you are a long time fan you might be put off by their new studio release but honestly for the price of $14.99 you get 2 CD's & a DVD that is a great deal. The XM material is nice to watch and listen to and while the CD may have the edited commentary it is just one more piece of REO history to add to your collection. If you are sitting back thinking, "I've heard the audio clips for their new CD I wasn't impressed, I won't purchase" then your missing out on the extras that are compiled in the boxset. Why am I pushing the boxset instead of just the new studio release? Because once you listen to the new disc you'll be craving their classic material and what better way to satisfy that craving but to dive into a live CD and or DVD.

Overall I am disappointed with the new studio effort as I mentioned because it lacks the full REO punch that previous discs contained. If anything I am glad REO finally released something new and even happier that it wasn't a covers disc. There are a few highlights on this studio release and if you are an REO fan of course you've probably already purchased your copy. For those who are still considering a purchase, I say go with the boxset because once they are sold-out, they are sold-out!

In conclusion this disc is chalked full of country influences but there are a few highlights that still hold true to the REO persona we love.

Final Rating
REO Speedwagon - Find Your Own Way Home (3 Disc Set)

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