This Time We Mean It (1975)
1. Reelin'
2. Headed for a Fall
3. River of Life
4. Out of Control
5. You Better REalize
6. Gambler
7. Candelera
8. Lies
9. Dance
10.Dream Weaver
Now there’san album title for you. Sounds like a band practically begging people to start taking them seriously. And to be fair, after the last couple of disasters, you couldn’t blame them for wanting to make a statement. Fortunately, this one is a lot better. Not necessarily good—but definitely a step in the right direction.
It feels like they’re at least trying to channel a little bit of what worked for them back in the early days. “Glory days” might be stretching it, but those first couple of records had a looseness and a bit of spunk that the band had lost somewhere along the way. Here, it finally sounds like they’re at least attempting to enjoy themselves again. The album opener Reelin’ is probably the most recognizable track, and while it’s still miles away from anything resembling “classic” REO, it’s got a decent bounce to it and it doesn’t drag the way so many of their earlier efforts did.
The real gem here, oddly enough, is a cover—Out of Control, originally done by The Eagles. It’s easily the highlight, and it makes you wonder if maybe this particular version of REO would have been better off just sticking with covers altogether. It’s got raw emotion, it’s got muscle, and it’s probably the only song on the record I’d willingly go back to.
Overall, I’m still not crazy about this album, but I can at least see how someone might be. Each track has something mildly worthwhile going on, and Gary Richrath’s guitar is thankfully a lot more prominent this time around. That said, I’ll admit by the time we’re seven or eight songs deep, I’m already thinking about what I’m going to listen to next. Progress? Sure. A keeper? Not really.
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