What does /mu/ think of REO Speedwagon?

>>69521970
What even is a speedwagon?

>>69521988
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REO_Speed_Wagon

An old timey car that was apparently once popular with hot rodders.

File: christgau1med.jpg (18KB, 400x266px) Image search: [Google]

18KB, 400x266px

[Distinctions Not Cost Effective, 1970s]

When the banality reached a certain density, I figured velocity no longer mattered. Then they began to score hit ballads.

Hi Infidelity [Epic, 1980]

I'm not saying they deserve the biggest-selling album of their crummy era, but these boys have always known a thing or two about the readymade and the killer hook. Best song? "Tough Guys", which will never make the radio because it features this inspirational verse: "They think they're full of fire/She thinks they're full of shit". C+

The McDonalds of rock music.

>late 70s boyfriend: "Hey Karen, wanna go to a rock show with me? I scored us some tickets."
>late 70s girlfriend: "Oh cool, what band is i..." (looks at tickets) "Sorry, Dave. I'm leaving you."

>>69521970
>you can tune a piano but you cant tuna fish
jesus christ, really?

Horribly dated momrock.

ZAWARDO

>>69521970
REO Speedwagon, Journey, Styx, Boston, and Kansas are basically the same band. At least Styx and Foreigner made some good music.

>>69522645
>At least Styx and Foreigner made some good music
Get the fuck out.

This is the shit that middle aged men listen to while washing their car.

>>69522645
Forgetting Doobie Brothers.

>>69522972
Ah yeah, I did forget.

>>69522645
Kansas and Styx are great though, especially Kansas's first album.

>>69523136
Dennis DeYoung sounds like a bunch of rabid baboons having a fight. Also it's total bullshit just how well his voice has held up. The guy is like 70 and barely sounds different than he did 40 years ago.

There is no God.

>>69522645
Frank Zappa complained how for a while, these guys were the only rock groups you could hear on the radio.

>>69523230
true but every styx album after cornerstone sucks a big one

Kansas's new album is actually pretty decent

>>69521970
They're fun, I saw them a few years back at a fair.

>>69522972
DB were the original buttrock band and then all the imitators like Styx and REO Speedwagon followed after them.

>>69522645
Journey at least never forgot how to do rockers. REO and Foreigner during the 80s totally degenerated into ballad sludge.

>>69522645
Almost but there are subtle differences.

>REO Speedwagon
Cheesy country rock, mostly a more commercial Aerosmith.
>Journey
Slicked back pop metal gush for women.
>Styx
>Kansas
Cheesy prog.
>Boston
Lyrics were as generic as the rest, but Tom Scholz is a technology/production wizard who added some novel tricks to the formula.
>Foreigner
_Really_ cheesy and totally generic hard rock.

>>69523751
Doobie Brothers were generic country rock, but with harmonies.

And that about covers it. :^)