#191
July 23 1984
Rick Springfield
Hard to Hold
1.75 out of 5
Highlights:
Love Somebody
Yeah. I know. It’s a soundtrack. But it’s also filled with Rick Originals. And I love me some Rick. And I’ve also never heard this whole thing. So, there.
You wouldn’t think Power Pop would work with that big, echoey, stadium sound but the leadoff track, “Love Somebody” actually does. In fact, it gets a little bit too close to the 84 Springsteen sound. But, that’s the era, no?
From there the album falls apart in a morass of bad ideas. I commend Rick for trying new things but, dude, “Bop Til You Drop” is bad. I know the synthesizers worked on Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet but here they sound like you’re auditioning for Breakin’ 3, Electric Boogalee. Unrelentingly bad duet ballad “Taxi Dancing” and the inexplicably instrumental, “S.F.O.” complete Side One and I’m hesitant to turn the record over.
It doesn’t get better. How Graham Parker managed to find his way on to this thing is beyond me as I’ve never seen the movie. But, even his lesser work is an improvement on the garbage on this platter.
The Parker, Hendryx and Gabriel tracks save this from being a complete disaster. But, you can just listen to that one song and forget this exists.
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