Rocker Delivers Best Album Of Career

I have to admit that I didn't see this one coming. Sure, rock stars from days gone by put out new records all the time: sometimes they're great (Cheap Trick's "Rockford" comes to mind), sometimes their efforts are just mediocre. If a once great band loses its edge and continues to record, it ends up being sad more than anything else. The good news is no one bothered to tell Rick Springfield he couldn't out-do himself some 20 years after he ruled the pop charts with his first major hit of the '80s, "Jessie's Girl."

If I were putting this into boxing terms, I'd say "Venus in Overdrive" knows how to box -- but it came to fight. The one two punch of "What's Victoria's Secret" is, in fact, slightly similar to "Jessie's Girl" if we're being totally honest with each other. Boy sees girl, boy is befuddled by girl's charms, wonders how they have an effect on him and why he has little to no effect on her. But the similarities end there. "What's Victoria's Secret" smacks just a little bit of The Cars, just enough for flavor, and really takes off and becomes its own song. The song is a bit of catchy ear candy that will have you hitting the repeat button over and over the first few times you hear it. But make sure you make it past the first track, because the real gems on this CD are not the first single.

"I'll Miss That Someday" and the title track "Venus in Overdrive" don't quite have the same immediacy that "Victoria" has. It takes at least two or three spins to hear the really catchy pop groove of the previous and the funky lament of the latter. These are possibly the weakest links on the album, but they are by no means bad songs. You'll appreciate and love them the more you hear them.

The effort just goes uphill from here. Songs like "One Passenger" and "Mr. PC" sound like someone other than Springfield, but there's no doubt it's him. Springfield steps out of the box more on this record, and when he tries new things the result is frequently brilliant. One or two tracks build on what feels like a slightly "emo" foundation, yet never gets tangled in the stereotype at all.

The music is likely getting a fresh jolt in the arm from Springfield's new writing partner and long-time touring bassist Matt Bissonette, the younger brother of well-known drummer Gregg Bissonette (Don Henley, Carlos Santana, Ray Charles). Matt's contribution is either subtle or like-minded to Rick's, as he either knows how to emulate Springfield's style or simply knows how to take it that extra step to make it better than it has ever been. Standout songs like "Nothings's Ever Lost" and "Saint Sahara," are tributes to the passing of teenage fan Sahara Aldridge benefit from Bissonette's influence and manage not to get stuck in morbidity.

"Oblivious" is another song inspired by loss of a loved one, only this time it's not just Sahara but the passing of Matt's mother who inspired the song. One track that cannot be ignored is "Three Warning Shots." Written as an open letter to the idiot who took the life of John Lennon, the song says what I think everyone wishes they could say to this meaningless sub-human who will not be named here. Rick is generous in giving three warning shots, but genius in where those warning shots get to go. This song alone is worth the price of the CD. Charged, passionate, electrifying, this driving, dynamic and melodic song is one of the best on the CD.

Truly, 'Venus In Overdrive' is unrivaled by many releases put out by pop-minded rock artists so far this year. Weezer, for example, can only wish their newest release was this good; by comparison, they got their backsides handed to them by Springfield. Do yourself a favor and pick up 'Venus In Overdrive' as soon as you can. You'll be really happy you did.

-Chuck Harrell