Album Review: Rick Springfield’s “Rocket Science”

Album Review: Rick Springfield’s “Rocket Science”

As one of the first Australians to enter into the Rock world, Rick Springfield has kept us entertained for many years. My earliest memories of him go way back to the early ’70s when I was privileged to see him perform in a small shopping mall, a venue format that was somewhat popular at that time. How the times have changed.

“Rocket Science” is the 18^th album by Rick Springfield on Frontiers Records. Working with his longtime collaborator Matt Bissonette, the 13 tracks on this album are songs that talk of love, life, heartbreak, and happiness. It’s everything we want to hear in our music! Rick has put a lot of energy into each song on this album and even touches on a little bit of country inspiration, especially with one song co-written with Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts.

From the first track, titled “Light This Party Up,” you are immediately pumped up to rock out no matter where you are. You hear words like, “We’ll light this party up / You’ll raise your party cup,” and I can already see backyard parties blaring this song loudly while red Solo cups are raised in salute! “All Hands On Deck” has more of a patriotic sound and feel to it. You hear a definite call to fight for freedom and family with a drumming beat and words like “Rise up all you golden slumbering / With the call to arms.” In that same patriotic air, we have “We Connect” coming at us, but it has a darker tone to it as we hear more of a pleading to work together and unite as one in the battles we face.

The country rock feel comes out strong in several of this album’s songs. “Down” is the song Springfield co-wrote with Jay DeMarcus, and it brings to us a promise of unwavering love. On the other side of that promise, we have “That One,” which you would think is about “the one” you will commit to; instead, it’s about having your heart and emotions ripped out and tossed aside when the love goes out of a relationship. The steel guitar and banjo in this piece is very country, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this come up as a crossover into the country charts.

“Pay It Forward” and “Found” are also country-influenced songs that are very easy to like, with “Found” being another song that has the potential to hit big in the country charts. “Found” has a nice tempo that doesn’t bring you down. It’s more of a ballad to me, but it’s not too soft on the ears. An infusion of mandolins on this piece has the feel of a slow two-step that you can easily cuddle up to your special someone with.

My personal favorite is “Miss Mayhem.”  I think a lot of guys will find some truth to this song about a girl that can rock your world crazy! He talks of a girl who can chill you in the summer, “Napalm in an organdy gown.” Basically, “Miss Mayhem” is that hot mess we all know and love. I love the banjo in this song, which again is that country feel coming out, but there is a catchy rock feel on this one.

“(I Wish I Had A) Concrete Heart” is a love-gone-wrong song. It touches on how bad a broken heart can feel when you get hurt by someone you love and how you wish you could keep your heart from being broken. Springfield’s voice is pleading and angry at the same time, but the song still has an upbeat feel to it despite the pain he’s singing about. Depending on where and how you purchase this album, you will find a different bonus track on your copy. On iTunes, you will find bonus track “Beautiful Inside,” and on Best Buy, it’s “Mercy, Walkin’ In.”

If you are looking for an all-rock album, you might be disappointed in this album. But overall, the songs are new, fresh, and very likable. I think that time has been very good to Rick Springfield, and Rick Springfield has been very good to music in general. I give a high recommendation to this album!