Customer Reviews

Shock Denial Anger Acceptance

5 star:		(142)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I don't like modern rock--I prefer the good ol' days of Springsteen, John Cougar, maybe a little Van Halen and Bon Jovi. And it's safe to say that Rick Springfield isn't the world's best singer--in fact, his voice falters on many occasions. So why did I give this album a four star rating?

Because, quite simply, it's ecclectic: i.e., wonderful.

Ecclectic and rock go great together. The best rock artists have always made their best albums by fusing strange, confounding lyrics with new styles (Springsteen and "Ghost of Tom Joad," Mellencamp and "Mr. Happy Go Lucky"). That's what Springfield has done here--taken some downright strange, often meaningless (yet masterful) lyrics, put them to some great distorted guitar riffs, and created musical gems.

From the modern rock that opens the album to the folk rock that closes it, this is a great CD. In here you'll find some great musicianship (this is where Springfield's true talent lies, I think) and some listenable tunes that'll put you into a trance. Not for everyone, only for those of you who like your music with a taste of the macabre, "Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance" could quite possibly become a classic rock n roll album. If it gets the airplay it deserves.

A big surprise for everybody who thought that Rick Springfield will always stay an icon of the 80's that was left behind by the changing taste of the 90's and the new millenium. SHOCK/DENIAL/ANGER/ACCEPTANCE offers 17 new songs including one cover version of "I'll make you happy". All boast a sharp, hard and powerful sound unlike anything Rick has ever done before. Yet the irresistible hooks and melodies Rick has always provided are still in place. Lyrically he goes to unknown extremes and cuts to the bone with explorations of love/hate relationships, personal disorientation and the search for a positive perspective in an everchanging world full of trauma-inducing events. SHOCK/DENIAL/ANGER/ACCEPTANCE, the four stages of grief, will capture the hearts and minds not only of Rick's loyal long-time fans but will also get him the overdue attention as one of the great (and shamefully overlooked) singer/songwriters who keep reinventing and proving themselves. If you like rock music this album is a definite MUST!!!

Well, being a longtime + hardcore Rick fan for over 20 years, I always get excited when he puts out a new studio album...and this one, his first since 1999's "Karma"...I can say objectively that this sucker could very well be Rick's finest album yet!! Really?? Yep. Better than his 1980 powerpop masterpiece "Working Class Dog"?? Quite possibly!! Now, THAT's hard, a tough accomplishment!!

See, SDAA is a mixture of many things...superb powerpop tuneage, his trademark deep, thought-provoking, spiritual lyrics, and killer harmonies...BUT, he adds something here missing from many of his 80s records, a real EDGE, like, a head-banging, fist-pumping EDGE!! Woohoo!! EXHILIRATING stuff!! For those of us who have seen Rick's live shows, we know he rocks hard and LOUD, but that edge, for the most part, has been missing from his records...haha, not anymore!! Here, on SDAA, it seems as if he was able to figure out how to FINALLY capture this lightning in a bottle, and then pour it over his finest batch of tunes yet...something his longtime producers Bill Drescher and Keith Olsen were never able to do, and if there was a bit of an edge before, it tended to be sugarcoated...not here...

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trashing Rick's 80s records at all, everything Rick has released has been awesome, but hearing SDAA makes me wish ALL his records were like this...as this raw, loud, gritty sound does him justice...it adds credibility and depth, ON TOP of the substance that is already there...my suggestion, Rick must produce his own records from now until doomsday...he knows his sound best...PLUS, his songwriting and musicianship should (if this is a just world) give him the looooong-overdue respect and admiration he deserves, as well as a comeback "hit" or two...

OK, the songs, THE SONGS!!! WOW!!! They hit you in both the gut and your brain's pleasure centers...hard-edged POWERPOP, not unlike my OTHER heroes, CHEAP TRICK!!! This album resembles CT's first few records and "One On One"...but with Rick's lyrical style...no, not heavy metal, or BUBBLEGUM...or plain ol' ROCK...that word doesn't do Rick justice...POWERPOP does...as for ballads?? Out of 17 KILLER tracks, I only hear two?? Plus 2 short "interlude" tracks...plus, each song has its own unique vibe, so it doesn't sound like 1 long song blur...

Like many others here...hard to pick a favourite...a GOOD thing, as so one track doesn't overshadow the others...I can say I dig 14 or 15 of the songs equally..."Will I" is a great song they are sending to radio...but I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't get airplay...too sophisticated for these dumb stations...they won't GET it...too good for radio...

Now, if this is Rick's biggest artistic triumph, at age 54, I wonder if he's be able to do another masterpiece in his 60s?? I guess we shall see...

I can guarantee that people who laugh at Rick or thing he is an 80s relic, SDAA will shut them up, and honestly, the best way to do that is play the record without revealing that it is Rick, until they really ask and demand to know...when you say it is Rick, they WILL shut up...Rick is the master!!!

SDAA album of the year 2004??? It has a serious early shot!!

I have been a huge fan for about 20 years and I have to say I've never heard Rick like this before. This CD is pure rock and it totally rocks!! I recommend it to everyone.

What's good about it?
"Perfect", about a love that's not so, starts things off with a clean guitar intro that endures throughout the track. Rick's vocals haven't changed much over the years. They're still raspy yet melodic. You can't miss the catchy chorus of "I'll Make You Happy" or the first single "Will I?" If you're looking for that classic Rick Springfield sound, these two are crowning examples. "God Gave You to Everyone" elicits a clap-along vibe with its commanding guitar and passionate vocals. Rick expresses his frustration with his woman's addiction problem on "Idontwantanythingfromyou". Warm keyboard tones and an electronic drumbeat underscores this one.

You have to love the main lyric of "Jesus Saves": Jesus Saves white trash like you. The beat sounds a little like Led Zeppelin's "Cashmere". Speaking of which, "Beautiful You" is lead by a classic Springfield riff that's reminisant of "Louie Louie". It's a catchy little number that has Rick exploring a slight falsetto. Simply put, "Wasted" is about a whore with squandered potential, and contracting an "Alien Virus" must have been what causes her behavior. Rick branches out a bit in music style on "Eden" by employing some reggae guitar tones. He brings this tone back on "My Depression", and adds a little 70s funk to it. The vocal delivery is similar to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire".

Anything bad?
A lot more religious references than I expected from Rick Springfield.

Bottom Line
Twenty years ago Rick Springfield wrote simple but memorable songs about love, women, feelings, and relationships, and twenty years later little has changed. Rick's songs still have the same themes, but now they're not so simple. On his latest album (and the last couple), Rick Springfield has shown that he has matured as musician by writing songs that are more about content. He really forces you to think about what he's saying, and backs it up with addictive music to boot.

Although his first major hit single, "Jessie's Girl" earned Rick his place in 80's Rock History, critics have been too harsh on Rick.
Through it all, Rick has continued to write music and has proven himself to be an excellent songwriter and musician. In addition, he is a wonderful guitar player.
Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance is his best work, to date. He's over 50, but the tunes sound harder and rock more than those I hear on the raido everyday.
Idon'twantanythingfromyou, Wasted, God Gave You to Everyone, , and the newly released single, Beautiful You have what it takes to be successful singles, if the radio stations would just PLAY them. The cd is full of emotion-w/ lyrics like "God gave to you everyone, in your summer of love, God gave you to everyone, 'cause I'm not enough" and "You only want me when your high, you try to heal, but you crucify", Rick shows us a kind of vunerability that we all have.
If you get a chance to see a live concert, DO IT!! The shows are full of energy, fun, and Rick interacts with the audience throughout the show.
BOTTOM LINE: ABSOLUTELY AWESOME CD!

The Name of the CD is "Shock, Denial, Anger, Acceptance" but the ANGER should be all in caps. This is angry man. That being said, anger and hard rock has always been a pretty good mix and Sprinfield rocks HARD on this CD. If love were like international politics, these songs would read like a slowly escalating nuclear standoff.
Def-con 3: Perfect- "I forget that sometimes love's a parasite.

Def-con 2: Will I?- "I broke my heart on the reef of your infidelity"

Def-con 1: God gave you to everyone- "I never wanted anyone as much I want you....While you were making EVERYONE I never had a clue"

Detonation!!: idon'twantanythingfromyou- "But everything you gave to me you went and gave away to anybody else with a d*ck"

Wow! Talk about commitment issues from the significant other!Did Jesse come and steal his girl back???

By and large though, this is still a very listenable record despite the anger. There is a beautiful ballad called "Angel of the disappeared" inspired by the Elizabeth Smart story and another good rocker called "My Depression" that really should be titled "Behind the Music: the Rick Springfield Story". All in all a great mature recording by an artist accused of being too bubblegum to be taken seriously back in the 80's. You better take him seriously now! Great Record.

sitting here in edinburgh,scotland 11.00pm,a few beers later and i stick on this cd again. now i love hard rock from the usual suspects but this cd is immense from a guy who used to be a teen idol!!.some of the big guns should listen to this and rethink their strategy.please bring this show to g.b. rick.

Ok, I admit, I have been a fan of Rick Springfield's for quite some time. I rushed to get this the day of its release. I am amazed how great it is. This is by far the best work I've seen from this man. The lyrics are catchy, the music is darn good.... There is some really hard raw sound and energy on this album. A lot harder than I would expect from Rick, which is more than I could have ever hoped for. (I like that hard stuff).... Lots of guitars, Lots of angry raw emotion. I would rank this right up there with Rick's Living in OZ CD, which up until now I felt was his best work. I havent stopped listening to it from the moment I opened this. A MUST HAVE for anybody with ears.

Don't blow this album off as "That soap guy trying to rock..."

This is a great, hard rock album. The lyrics are brutal and honest, the voice rough in the right places and the songs are well crafted little masterpeices. What a surprise. I've listened to Rick in the past years of his career off and on. I HATED all the "Jessie's Girl" teenybop stuff. Absolutely hated it. About the time of "Rock of Life" I started to pay attention.

SDAA is a truely great rock album. Most of the lyrics are fairly angry about failed relationships and have a great edge. One exception is the song "Angels Of The Disappeared", about missing kids. What a touching song and really strikes a chord with those frustrated by all of the "Amber Alerts" that we have in the world today.

Seriously, a great album. Awesome Job Rick!

Now, about this new covers album... WTF?!?!?