R.E.O. Speedwagon



  1. Gypsy Woman's Passion
  2. 157 Riverside Avenue
  3. Anti-Establishment Man
  4. Lay Me Down
  5. Sophisticated Lady
  6. Five Men Were Killed Today
  7. Prison Women
  8. Dead at Last


 

It’s probably fair to say that when people think of REO Speedwagon, they tend to recall those polished, chart-topping power ballads from the 1980s. That’s not unfair. But long before the MTV generation discovered Keep on Loving You, this Midwestern outfit was banging out sweaty, barroom rock like their lives depended on it. Their 1971 self-titled debut, REO Speedwagon, is a curious beast—rough, raw, and entirely lacking the polish that would later define them—but therein lies much of its charm.

The band, at this point, was still searching for a sound. Constant lineup changes certainly didn’t help, and frontman Terry Luttrell was already halfway out the door by the time the record hit the shelves. And yet, for all its instability, this debut has teeth. The musical style is a kind of gritty, good-time boogie rock—somewhere between a juke joint and a garage rehearsal space—and while it might not be essential listening for casual fans, it’s a surprisingly spirited document of a band that was still finding its feet.

The clear standout is 157 Riverside Avenue, a rollicking, swaggering number that quickly became a live staple and remains one of the only tracks here to enjoy any real staying power. It’s the kind of track that makes you wonder what might have been had the band continued down this more raucous path. Sophisticated Lady is another highlight—classic, blues-tinged rock with a hard organ break from Neal Doughty that’s worth the price of admission on its own. (Doughty, of course, would be the band’s only constant across their long, winding career.)

The group saves their best flex for the closer, Dead at Last, a ten-minute slab of sweaty, head-down rock theatrics that includes a semi-obligatory (but actually effective) drum solo. It’s loose, messy, and thoroughly enjoyable. On the other end of the spectrum is Five Men Were Killed Today, an earnest but utterly forgettable attempt at somber songwriting that just doesn’t suit this band’s energy or aesthetic.

In the end, REO Speedwagon (the album) is probably best viewed as a snapshot. It’s far from refined, but it gives you a good feel for where these guys started. Not surprisingly, the album tanked, and Luttrell split shortly afterward. Kevin Cronin would soon step in—and, not for the last time, out again—and the band would meander a bit before locking in the formula that eventually made them arena-fillers. But if you ever wanted to hear what REO Speedwagon sounded like before the perms, the power chords, and the power ballads, this isn’t a bad place to start. Just bring your bell-bottoms.





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