Karma

Springfield Rifle, Rick Springfield

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 13, 1999)
• Original Release Date: April 13, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Intersound Records
• ASIN: B00000IGJR
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #45,623 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. His Last Words

2. It's Always Something

3. Religion of the Heart

4. Beautiful Prize

5. Karma

6. Shock to My System

7. Free

8. Prayer

9. White Room

10. In Veronica's Head

11. Ordinary Girl

12. Act of Faith

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Rick Springfield made pretty good pop-rock radio fodder in his early-'80s heyday; "Jessie's Girl," "I've Done Everything for You," and "Love Is Alright Tonight" are hard to argue with now, even if you didn't have much use for them when they were hits. Unfortunately, this former General Hospital star has happened upon enlightenment and feels the need to share it with the world. True feeling seems to lie behind "It's Always Something" (a tribute not to Gilda Radner, but to Springfield's late father), "Act of Faith," and the rest, but the shiny, slightly dated production and soap-ready emoting make Karma less interesting than a thrift-store copy of Working Class Dog. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the Wait, August 26, 1999

By	M. Norris "Seattle Fan" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Finally, a Rick Springfield album that will not only satisfy Springfield fans, but (hopefully) win over music critics as well. Gone are the songs that pander to teenage girls and, in their place, thoughtful, evocative lyrics about life and living. Springfield, now 50, has segued from "Jessie's Girl" to "Ordinary Girl," a song that celebrates the beauty of a long-term relationship. ("I see her there in her plain print dress and her fading youth. Something about her opens up my soul. Something about her speaks the truth.") The thread that runs through this album is in its title, KARMA. Almost every song is filled with religious imagery and a clear message that one's actions carry consequences. As Springfield sings in Karma, "Another wheel set in motion with every single thing I do." Much of the album is autobiographical as in "It's Always Something," in which Springfield sings about his often-frustrating musical career. "When I was a boy, the teachers and the priests said, "Why do you let him run around like that? My father said, 'If the boy wants to play the guitar, I say we let him.' Through the hard years, he was my rock when I just could not win. So it goes my father died just before my leaky ship came in." Stand-outs on this album include "ItsAlwaysSomething," "Act of Faith," "Prayer," "Shock to My System," "Ordinary Girl" and the hidden track, "Big Beautiful Friday Night." Bottom line: Fans will buy it and love it. Others should, though given the lack of air-play and promotion, probably won't get the chance.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars That'sSpringFIELD not SpringSTEEN, January 2, 2000

By	Bruce (Little Rock) - See all my reviews

Holy James Taylor, Batman! Has the libido rocker grown up? Happily, I say the answer is yes.

"Karma" is latest effort from Mr. Springfield after a 10 year absence from the recording studio as we know it. In that 10 years, "life" has happened to Rick and it runs like a thread through the tracks on this CD. Everything is touched on here, from religion to death to marriage to incest. Don't be fooled into thinking RS has gone Nirvana on us. There are some honest to goodness love songs here, with the very moving "Free" and "Shock to my System", which every guy sould play when sipping wine with his gal in front of the fireplace. Springfield has not forgotten that rock brought him to the dance as is shown on the more guitar oriented "Prayer", It's Always Something" and the title song, "Karma". In my opinion, It's as good or better than anything on the radio today.

A kinder, more gentle Rick; I think so but we all have to grow up sometime.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome rediscovery, October 29, 2004

By	R. Luke "nolefan70" (Tallahassee, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have to admit when I ordered this cd it was just for nostalgia's sake; but, upon listening to it I really was surprised! It is an awesome cd, and I think it is really one of his best ever! I like 'shock/denial/anger/acceptance' but this album really says "Rick Springfield" to me-true, raw emotion and it is musically arranged well. I love this album, and it is a shame if other fans do not discover this gem.