Greatest Hits

Rick Springfield contributed to some of the most congenial sounding pop that braced radio throughout the 1980s. With 17 singles gracing the Top 40 charts, it was evident that both his charming persona and his hook-induced choruses led to his successful ten-year stint. While his music is lyrical fluff, it's the friendly guitar riffs and contagious three-minute rock formula that sometimes takes on a love song approach and boldly represents the feel-good emptiness of '80s pop. This greatest-hits collection is one of the best that Springfield has to offer, since it doesn't suffer from any unnecessary tracks or lose interest with overkill. His pop fervidness is perfectly outlined by the number one charted "Jessie's Girl" and the staccato rhythm of "I've Done Everything for You," which was penned by Sammy Hagar. His best ballads are represented by the syrupy "Affair of the Heart" and the teenage angst of "State of the Heart." Songs like "Love Is Alright Tonight" and "Love Somebody" show Springfield at his most energetic and are solid checkmarks for him in the rock & roll column. Even later material like "Rock of Life" from 1988 footnotes the type of transparent pop that Springfield produced, held together only by its meaningless but contagious keyboard froth. Other collections do offer more tracks, but none are as substantial as the songs laid out here, which are a truly solid dozen. ~ Mike DeGagne