Shouldn't be this good at his age!
For all his accomplishments as an actor, a best-selling author and the subject of a recent documentary, Rick Springfield's first love has always been music, since the first time he picked up a guitar at the age of 12 in his native Australia. That passion for writing and performing songs, as well as playing guitar, comes through loud and clear on his new album, Songs for the End of the World.
'There's real feeling in it, but you can't write about that stuff too seriously', he says of his sometimes tongue-in-cheek approach to serious subjects. 'In the end, it's about the world in flames, but from a personalized viewpoint. I take what's happening to me and place it in a universal context. It's what I've always tried to do with my songwriting'.
With 25 million albums sold, 17 U.S. top-40 hits, including Don't Talk to Strangers, An Affair of the Heart, I've Done Everything for You, Love Somebody, and Human Touch, as well as a 1981 Grammy Best Male Rock Vocal win for his No. 1 single hit Jessie's Girl behind him, Springfield proves that he has still got more to say.
Considering the bloke is 63, and been a music performer since 1969 (I was just two!!), hes still as relevant today as he was at his pinnacle in the 80's. Listening to the new album, nothing's missing at all, not a single fault in his vocal rage. Fuck me, he still looks great too.
His 2010 autobiography, 'Late, Late at Night: A Memoir', entered The New York Times best-seller list at No. 13, hitting the Los Angeles Times and Publishers Weekly lists as well, with Rolling Stone recently naming it one of the Top 25 rock autobiographies of all time. In the book, Springfield revealed the life-long depression he's battled throughout his career, a theme he returns to in such songs as I Hate Myself and Love Screws Me Up. 'I'm not the shiny, happy guy people think I am from my role in General Hospital', insists Springfield. 'I tend to put that angst into my music.'
Its is first album in four years since 2008's Venus In Overdrive, and all the songs on Songs For The Edge Of The World are all short, trimmed little Duracell power packed nuggets with hardly a song over 4mins. If you're a fan of 'The Springfield' then this one will have you in multi-orgasm territory. All his trademarked strengths are here, take the opener for example; Wide Awake has a chorus that just gets under your skin immediately (in a good way I might add). In a similar vein is the extremely catchy A Sign Of Life. My Last Heartbeat is a groovier / heavier rocker than most on the album, and also features Mr Mister's Richard Page on backing vocals. Going back to the 80s, Rick had a knack for writing pop songs, and there's a couple on offer here in the acoustic Gabriel and Joshua in particular.
I'm guessing Springfield's long term friend and guitarist Tim Pierce is in session on the rockier Depravity as it's the sole song on the album with a guitar solo. It would be a waste otherwise if Pierce wasn't utilised in one way or another. (Check out Pierce's allmusic page for all his credits, an astounding number).
Springfield has set his sights on the collector in us all. It's being sold as four different versions, each one complete with different bonus material, and covers.
So to round up, he looks great - check, sounds great - double check! As an album, I doubt there's many better than this for your buck in 2012. Power pop/rock, unashamedly 80s in parts, all delivered with a style and panache that only Rick Springfield can.
I hate the bloke!!!