Building the Bridge (1996)



  1. Can't Stop Rockin'
  2. I Still Love You
  3. Building the Bridge
  4. When I Get Home
  5. Then I Met You
  6. Look the Other Way
  7. After Tonight
  8. Hey Wait a Minute
  9. One True Man
  10.She's Gonna Love Me
  11.Ballad of the Illinois Opry


 

By the early 1990s, REO Speedwagon had effectively vanished. The band, once a dominant force in arena rock, had seen their commercial appeal fade rapidly, and without the benefit of the internet or a major label behind them, they found themselves trudging through small-scale gigs and forgotten venues. With no support from a label of any consequence, they scraped together enough resources to put out Building the Bridge on a small independent label—an unfortunate move, since albums released in this way often vanish without a trace. In this case, that disappearance was almost justified. The record is weak, uninspired, and has the distinct feel of a band going through the motions without anyone around to tell them how far off course they’d gone.

Gone is the polished, radio-friendly sound of the 80s. Instead, the band seems to be trying to recapture something from the early ’70s—only this time without any of the charm, hooks, or identity that once made their music compelling. The songs are stripped down, occasionally veering into something close to country or folk, and whatever musical firepower they once possessed feels entirely extinguished. Neal Doughty’s trademark piano licks are nowhere to be found, and without Gary Richrath’s searing guitar tone, you’re left wondering if this is even REO Speedwagon at all. It feels much more like a Kevin Cronin solo project—though even that wouldn’t explain how forgettable this whole affair is.

It doesn’t start well. Can’t Stop Rockin’ is one of those cringe-inducing “I remember when I first heard the Beatles” nostalgia romps that’s about as tired as the trope itself. It’s supposed to be rousing, but it ends up sounding like something written for a soft drink commercial. Cronin’s lyrics—always a bit sugary—here collapse into pure cornball territory, and the music follows suit. The title track, Building the Bridge, is at least more listenable. It’s not brilliant, but the chorus has some mild inspirational resonance. That said, it’s still pretty middle-of-the-road.

Things only really pick up near the end. Bruce Hall’s Hey Wait a Minute is strange but oddly engaging, complete with a Mardi Gras vibe that at least gives the record some personality. Hall also contributes After Tonight, which is mostly forgettable but still better than most of what surrounds it. Cronin manages to salvage a bit of dignity with One True Man, and the album closes with Ballad of the Illinois Opry, a tune that’s not nearly as hokey as the title suggests—though that’s faint praise.

The bottom line is this: Building the Bridge is the low point of the Kevin Cronin era. It lacks character, it lacks conviction, and it lacks the spark that used to make this band worth listening to. There are a few moments that poke their heads above water, but not nearly enough. And whoever approved that album artwork probably wasn’t doing the band any favors either. It’s as bland as the record itself.





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