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RPM - RPM

geoviangeovian Earth Orbit
edited November 2022 in Year-1982

image

ARTIST: RPM
ALBUM: RPM
LABEL: EMI America
SERIAL: ST-17067
YEAR: 1982
CD REISSUE: 2004, MTM Music, 0681-116 * 2006, Retrospect Records, RR-214 (2 on 1)

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: image

LINEUP: Robert White Johnson - vocals * Mark Gendel - guitars * Jimmy Lee Sloas - bass, keyboards * Tommy Wells - drums

TRACK LISTING: 01 A Legend Never Dies * 02 2 + 2 * 03 It Don't Feel The Same * 04 Rendezvous * 05 Envy * 06 You * 07 Firestarter * 08 Don't Make It Hard * 09 Video Games * 10 I'm A Wreck

Background

One of the all time classics in AOR history. Revered just by about every trustworthy AOR scribe over the last thirty years and one of the few releases to get a late CD format release.

It was fortunate then I picked up one for $2.50 in a bargain bin just recently. How's that for luck?

Some great songs on offer here, and no surprise then that some of their songs have been made famous by other bands, ie: 'Rendezvous' covered by Tygers Of Pan Tang, and '2+2' covered by Van Zant. For a Nashville band this is about as 'un-country' as you can get.

The sound overall has everything in common with that other fantastic AOR album by the aforementioned Van Zant from 1985, as well as the best AOR bits from .38 Special.

They have a particular strength evident in their songwriting which makes these songs so appealing. The Brent Maher production also gives the band some space to create their melodic mayhem.

The Songs

The album opens up with 'A Legend Never Dies' which to me sounds so similar to the Van Zant song 'I'm A Fighter'.

The rock onslaught continues with the aforementioned '2+2', then we slow up a bit for the ballad 'It Don't Feel The Same' which has some nice keyboards flowing throughout some rather melodic moments.

It's lovely to hear the original 'Rendezvous', having really loved the Tygers Of Pan Tang version. This one is just as good.

Side 2 commences with 'You', a great melodic workout, while the Van Zant comparison continues on the barnstorming 'Firestarter' .

'I'm A Wreck' uncomfortably straddles Foreigner territory while the only odd song here is the duff titled 'Video Games' which has a very early 80's British feel to it a la Praying Mantis or Samson.

In Summary

A must have for the true AOR classics collector, and an album which stands tall in your collection. This album finally saw the light of day on CD via MTM Classix series during 2004, and then again via Retrospect Records, which by all accounts is a superior digital recording. Hooray.

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