Disco de REO Speedwagon: “The Hits”

REO Speedwagon began life as a rock group, edging toward the harder side. However, the group's success came with ballads, typically power ballads.

This album contains a taste of REO Speedwagon's harder edge with songs "Keep Pushin'," "Roll with the Changes," "Back on the Road Again" and "Ridin' the Storm Out." However, fans of REO Speedwagon's early material will likely be disappointed because the remainder of the album is largely ballads, and even those songs that skirt the definition of ballad are still love songs. This album also focuses on the years from "Hi Infidelity" to 1987, with nine of the fourteen songs in this collection from those years.

"Ridin' the Storm Out" was from the album of the same name, which reached #171 on the Pop Album chart. This song reached #94 and probably has as much air play today as when it was released in 1973.

The 1976 album "R.E.O.," which reached #159 on the Pop Album chart, contributes the song "Keep Pushin'," which I believe was not released as a single.

The 1978 album "You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish" was a breakthrough album for REO Speedwagon, reaching #29 on the Pop Album chart. This album contributes the songs "Time for Me to Fly," which reached #56, and "Roll with the Changes," which reached #58.

The 1979 album "Nine Lives" was about as successful as the 1978 album, reaching #33 on the Pop Album chart. That album is represented by the song "Back on the Road Again," which I believe was not released as a single.

The songs to this point are generally fast with a solid beat. However, in 1980 REO Speedwagon changed styles with the #1 album "Hi Infidelity," which lends three songs to this compilation. "Keep on Loving You" is a beautiful ballad that reached #1. "Take It on the Run" followed, reaching #5 on the charts. "Don't Let Him Go" was faster than the previous two songs, and varied from the previous releases enough that it only reached #24.

REO Speedwagon had another successful release with the 1982 album "Good Trouble," which reached #7. However, neither of the singles released from that album ("Keep the Fire Burnin'" and "Sweet Time") are in this collection.

In 1984, REO Speedwagon released their last top ten album, "Wheels are Turnin'," which reached #7 on the Billboard 200. That album provided two mellow hits, the #1 hit "Can't Fight this Feeling" and the #19 hit "One Lonely Night."

The last original album in this collection is 1987's "Life as We Know It," which provides two songs. "That Ain't Love" is dramatic mainstream pop, and reached #16. "In My Dreams" is mellower, and reached #17.

Two new songs were released on this album. "I Don't Want to Lose You" had a style similar to "That Ain't Love." The second new song was "Here with Me," which was released as a single and hit #20.

This album reached #56 on the Billboard 200 chart, and was one more indication that REO Speedwagon was waning in popularity. I find it unfortunate that a group that had so much to offer ended up going down a commercial path that yielded hits, but ultimately left the group high and dry as musical styles changed. However, for a time REO Speedwagon offered something creative and dramatic, and, even more important, something enjoyable to play on the stereo.

If you prefer REO Speedwagon's early, harder rock music, you may want to avoid this collection and buy the early albums. If you like the REO Speedwagon that released "Hi Infidelity," this collection may contain everything you need.

It's amazing how this album brought me right back to my high school days! The second I popped it in the CD player I was instantaneously whisked off to Ralston High when we'd rock out to REO on Friday nights with an MGD in one hand and our best girl (mine was Wanda) by our side. I remember the first time Wanda and I heard "Can't Fight This Feeling". We were hanging out with my best friend Delbert (dude was a total pool shark!) and his girlfriend Kimberly. We had gotten tickets to REO at the Buffalo Rose and on our way we had the radio on and "I Can't Fight This Feeling" came on. All four of us were so overcome with emotion, we could hardly communicate! Needless to say, after a night Kevin Cronin gyrating on stage, it didn't take much to get the girls down to nothing but a pair of spats on! This wonderful journey into my youth was as much fun as a barrel full of yellow, lemon flavored Skittles! Thanks REO!

Given that the Essential compilation is 2 CDs and about 150 minutes of material (remastered), it's a better bet than this one (at under an hour). If you can get a copy of this, make sure it's remastered and dirt cheap. Otherwise, look for the Essential comp, it's commonly on Amazon for less than $13.

"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.

I am a young REO speedwagon fan. I saw them live at our county fair but have been a fan since I was young. This is a great album if you don't want to buy all of their albums and just want the best. I can't stop listening to this album!