R.E.O. Speedwagon is the debut studio album by American rock band REO Speedwagon. Released in 1971, it was the only album recorded with singer Terry Luttrell, who would go on to join Starcastle. Kevin Cronin joined the band for R.E.O./T.W.O. This album concluded with a progressive rock song unlike the later arena rock songs that made them famous.[1]
| R.E.O. Speedwagon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 1971 | |||
| Recorded | 1970–1971 | |||
| Studio | Connecticut Recording Studios Inc. "Prison Women" recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in Chicago, Illinois | |||
| Genre | Rock, hard rock, psychedelic rock | |||
| Length | 38:10 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Paul Leka, Billy Rose II | |||
| REO Speedwagon chronology | ||||
| ||||
History
editThe album produced the fan favorites “157 Riverside Avenue”, “Sophisticated Lady” and “Lay Me Down”, but sold very poorly, though “Sophisticated Lady” did reach number 122 on the singles charts.[2] “157 Riverside Avenue” and “Lay Me Down” were subsequently recorded on the live album Live: You Get What You Play For. “157 Riverside Avenue” and “Sophisticated Lady” were both featured on the compilation album A Decade of Rock and Roll: 1970-1980. In 2007, the British company BGO Records released REO Speedwagon and R.E.O./T.W.O. together (BGOCD775), marking the first time the band's first album was widely available in CD format. For some unknown reason, Epic Records never issued this first album on the cassette tape format (but they did issue an 8-Track Stereo Tape Cartridge version of it).
Record World called the single "Sophisticated Lady" "ultra-energy music of the sort that enlivens top 40 formats."[3]
Record World called the single "Lay Me Down" a "hard, but not too hard, rock number" and "exciting music."[4]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [5] |
Track listing
editAll songs written by Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin, and Gary Richrath.
- Side one
- "Gypsy Woman's Passion" – 5:17
- "157 Riverside Avenue" – 3:57
- "Anti-Establishment Man" – 5:21
- "Lay Me Down" – 3:51
- Side two
- "Sophisticated Lady" – 4:00
- "Five Men Were Killed Today" – 3:00
- "Prison Women" – 2:36
- "Dead at Last" – 10:08
Personnel
editREO Speedwagon[6]
- Terry Luttrell - lead vocals
- Gary Richrath - guitar
- Neal Doughty - keyboards
- Gregg Philbin - bass, backing vocals
- Alan Gratzer - drums, backing vocals
- Additional personnel[6]
- Andre Borly - organ (track 6)
- Freedom Soul Singers - backing vocals (track 8)
Charts
editSingles - Billboard (United States)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position[7] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | "Sophisticated Lady" | Bubbling Under the Hot 100 | 122 |
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Title | Label | Format | Catalog # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | October 1971 | R.E.O. Speedwagon | Epic Records | Stereo Vinyl | E-31089 |
| USA | 1971 | R.E.O. Speedwagon | Epic Records | 8 Track | ET-31089 |
| UK | 1993 | R.E.O. Speedwagon | Epic Records | CD | 9829672 |
| UK | 2007 | R.E.O. Speedwagon / R.E.O./T.W.O. | BGO Records | 2-CD (Digitally re-mastered) | BGOCD775 |
| Japan | 2011 | R.E.O. Speedwagon | Sony Music | CD (DSD-Remaster) | EICP 1480 |
| Germany | 2013 | R.E.O. Speedwagon | Yellow Label | (Coloured) Vinyl | SPV 265961 LP |
References
edit- ^ Roll Over Beethoven. Emusic Spotlight.
- ^ Billboard - R.E.O. Speedwagon, Sophisticated Lady. March 4, 1972. Retrieved 2015-01-12.
- ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. January 15, 1972. p. 12. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. July 15, 1972. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. REO Speedwagon: R.E.O. Speedwagon at AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
- ^ a b R.E.O. Speedwagon — R.E.O. Speedwagon / R.E.O.T.W.O. BGO Records. 2007. p. 4.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Top Pop Singles 1955-2012. Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research, Inc. p. 702. ISBN 978-0-89820-205-2.