We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago…..
Despite changing lead vocalists following their first LP (they would do it again after this one), the Illinois band REO Speedwagon continued to hone their sound as a solid guitar-organ based rock & roll band with few frills.
REO 2 featured some of the songs that would become concert and radio staples. “Like You Do”, “Music Man” and “Golden Country” were solid tracks with “Golden Country” getting as political as the band ever got.
Guitarist Gary Richrath’s finger prints are all over this record and his solos sizzle. Kevin Cronin replaced Terry Luttrell as lead vocalist and was a big improvement. He would leave after some disagreements for the next two LPs before returning and leading the band to this day.
Neil Doughty delivers some great keyboard breaks. He and drummer Alan Gratzer were the actual founders of the band at the University of Illinois in the mid 60’s.
Here’s a bit of trivia…on this album’s version of Chuck Berry’s “Little Queenie”, the sax solo is played by Nashville cat Boots Randolph. Randolph recorded for Monument Records in Nashville and played on Roy Orbison‘s 1963 hit, “Mean Woman Blues.”[4] He was also featured on”Java” by Al Hirt, “Turn On Your Love Light” by Jerry Lee Lewis, and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee. He was present on many recordings by guitarist Chet Atkins with whom he often performed. He was 45 years old when this was recorded.
REO 2 has become a classic rock staple. It’s straight-ahead rock for a band that was still growing.
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