R.E.O./T.W.O.
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| R.E.O T.W.O. | ||
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| Studio album by REO Speedwagon | ||
| Released | 1972 | |
| Recorded | Summer 1972 at Columbia Studios, Nashville | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Label | Epic Records | |
| Producer(s) | Paul Leka, Billy Rose II | |
The second LP released by the Illinois based rock band R.E.O. Speedwagon. This was a pivitol as well as transitional work by this band. Pivitol in the sense that it created national interest in the band, preventing the band's premature dissapperance, and transitional in its movement away from socio/political lyrical content. This shift in lyrical content resulted in their future releases being largely ignored by music critics.
Original lead singer Terry Luttrel provided much of the lyrical content for the band's intital release, 1971's "R.E.O. Speedwagon". "Offical" comments about this release by the band cite "production conflicts" and being "rushed" to complete it as reasons for the low record sales. 1971's "R.E.O. Speedwagon" has a "live" feel to it that sounds fresh and raw. It is among the band's hardest rocking LP's and has a feel similar to the 1979 release "Nine Lives"
This initial release failed to chart. Resulting band tensions led to the search for new personnel and hopefully more commercial appeal. R.E.O./T.W.O was the result of this search and introduced Kevin Cronin as R.E.O.'s new vocalist and contributing song writer. R.E.O./T.W.O has a more polished production then the earlier effort and more effective song writing. Cronin introduced first person lyrical content, biographical tales of quests for freedon (Let Me Ride), independance from parents and social norms (Music Man), and the emotional cost's of love (Being Kind..Cant Hurt...)to the band.
R.E.O./T.W.O., under the musical leadership of guitarist Gary Richrath, continued the musical direction set on 1971's "R.E.O. Speedwagon" with his own classic compositions, lyrically being influenced by or being joint efforts with Luttrel (who did not perform on the record but lingered as an influence), carrying the record. This LP launched the band on its first national tour and contains many songs still in the bands set list to this day and is very well regarded by early fans of the band.
