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A quintessential eighties album, it was huge in it's time. The band didn't really survive the musical shift of the nineties, and not all of this album truly holds up, but some of it does. "The Heart of Rick and Roll" was iconic, and is something of a landmark in rock history. This was a band that used saxophone and harmonica solos over guitar solos, so they were somewhat unique in the pop scene.
But they were also kind of a doo-wop band, which was outdated even in their time. It works well in "If This Is It", still a great pop song. But others do not come off as well. "Honky Tonk Blues" and "Bad is Bad" evoke a lounge act more than pop royalty. "Cool is the time, sometimes bad is bad" was an eye-rolling lyric even then, time has not helped.
On the flip side, "I Want a New Drug" has been woven into pop culture enough that it's a pleasure to hear the source. "Walking on a Thin Line" does ok too. It held to be able to contextualize some of these songs, putting yourself in charge of a 1983 radio, coming across so much completely synthesized music, then you come across some sax and vocal harmony, and a good song becomes a great song. "Heart and Soul" becomes a fun single instead of a buried album track.
This anniversary edition added a live version of each track. Huey Lewis is a great, charismatic live performer, but this doesn't really come across here, since the tracks are cut up from several different performances. A continuous live recording might have been better. Which is not to say this is bad at all, it just doesn't do then any justice. The tracks are pretty similar to the studio version of each song, with the exception of an extended version of "I Want a New Drug". Each performance is fine, but never really more than that.
In it's time, this was a killer album, but time has not been kind to Huey Lewis. These are the songs you remember, but maybe you don't have as clear of a memory as you think. The arrangements don't hold up, they feel kind of cheesy and out of place. The live tracks would've been better as a full concert, but they do show that Lewis has assembled some good talent around himself. If you are looking to relive some memories, this would be a good pick. Otherwise, you'll probably be fine with a greatest hits package.
But they were also kind of a doo-wop band, which was outdated even in their time. It works well in "If This Is It", still a great pop song. But others do not come off as well. "Honky Tonk Blues" and "Bad is Bad" evoke a lounge act more than pop royalty. "Cool is the time, sometimes bad is bad" was an eye-rolling lyric even then, time has not helped.
On the flip side, "I Want a New Drug" has been woven into pop culture enough that it's a pleasure to hear the source. "Walking on a Thin Line" does ok too. It held to be able to contextualize some of these songs, putting yourself in charge of a 1983 radio, coming across so much completely synthesized music, then you come across some sax and vocal harmony, and a good song becomes a great song. "Heart and Soul" becomes a fun single instead of a buried album track.
This anniversary edition added a live version of each track. Huey Lewis is a great, charismatic live performer, but this doesn't really come across here, since the tracks are cut up from several different performances. A continuous live recording might have been better. Which is not to say this is bad at all, it just doesn't do then any justice. The tracks are pretty similar to the studio version of each song, with the exception of an extended version of "I Want a New Drug". Each performance is fine, but never really more than that.
In it's time, this was a killer album, but time has not been kind to Huey Lewis. These are the songs you remember, but maybe you don't have as clear of a memory as you think. The arrangements don't hold up, they feel kind of cheesy and out of place. The live tracks would've been better as a full concert, but they do show that Lewis has assembled some good talent around himself. If you are looking to relive some memories, this would be a good pick. Otherwise, you'll probably be fine with a greatest hits package.