Venus in Overdrive - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

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Venus in Overdrive was recorded in a record 32 days by Springfield and Matt Bissonette, Springfield's long time bass player. According to Rick, "it is an album about love in all its forms, and since Venus is the goddess of love, it's called Venus in Overdrive. There is a lot of personal stuff in these songs but we have tried to craft them so they still have a universal voice. We are older, yet still teenagers, we have lost people we love and still love the people who are on our journey with us, we are angry at some of the crap in the world yet love our human failings."

The first single from Venus in Overdrive is "What's Victoria's Secret?" Rick says the title of the song "is one of those titles that was waiting to be written and we just got there first. Matt came up with it and we wrote the song while we were doing 5 nights of shows in Milwaukee. I had some recording gear brought into my hotel room and we wrote it there at the haunted Pfister hotel, room 804. It's basically about the sexualization of women and how we as males, want that, but also resist it and mainly need to connect to women as human beings. It's a dichotomy that most men feel I think."

Two songs on the record, "Saint Sahara" and "Oblivious," pay tribute to Sahara Aldridge, a young girl who frequently attended Rick's shows and whom the entire band came to love and who recently passed away. Rick explains that "Saint Sahara" "is about who Sahara was and how hard it was to have her leave. It's also a celebration and recognition of the people she affected in this world. Her mom said (before she died) that if I were to write a song about her daughter, could I make it a celebration and not something maudlin, so it's basically a song celebrating her great sprit. `Oblivious,' is the soul side of the song, `Saint Sahara,' what we all felt and how we dealt with it. It is sometimes so good to be numb to pain but life can't go on if you stay numb all the time. The song itself is about the denial of the finality of death, but it's still a love song."

As part of the promotional plan for the new album, Rick will be returning to "General Hospital" in July as Dr. Noah Drake and his alter ego rocker Eli Love. The storyline will reunite him with the characters of Robin, Patrick and Anna as well as allow him to perform the single, "What's Victoria's Secret?"

Rick Springfield Photos

Album Description
North American only release. The 2008 album, Venus in Overdrive was recorded in 32 days by Rick Springfield and Matt Bissonette, his long time bass player. According to Rick, "it is an album about love in all its forms, and since Venus is the goddess of love, it's called Venus in Overdrive. There is a lot of personal stuff in these songs but we have tried to craft them so they still have a universal voice. We are older, yet still teenagers, we have lost people we love and still love the people who are on our journey with us." The first single is "What's Victoria's Secret?" Rick says the title of the song "is one of those titles that was waiting to be written and we just got there first. Matt came up with it and we wrote the song while we were doing five nights of shows in Milwaukee.' 12 tracks.

Customer Reviews: Read 96 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant. July 29, 2008
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

i really didnt know what to expect, but WOW--this is incredible. I can't remember the last album i heard with this much melody and tight, pop hooks.
I love it, and you will too.

5 out of 5 stars

Suprisingly Good!! July 31, 2008
8 out of 10 found this review helpful

I was really suprised at how good (and Dark, if you can believe that) this CD/Album is. However the iTunes Version has a Bonus Track, "Pretty Little Mess", and that track alone is the best song on the CD.

I would suggest Importing the CD from iTunes (song is NOT availble seperately) as it is a GREAT song for a GREAT Comeback Release!!

4 out of 5 stars

MTV and shopping malls tell me that I'm getting old. August 23, 2008
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

Rick Springfield has been making music for as long as I have been alive. From the cover of "Venus In Overdrive" you wouldn't know that Rick was 58. Listening to "Venus Is Overdrive" you wouldn't know Rick was 58. In general, I think Rick Springsteen, um Springfield, is terribly underrated as a musician.

For years, Rick has made some great music, and then he took an unfortunate 10 year break between 1989 and 1998. Since then, he has made four albums, each one having some great music. "Venus In Overdrive" is equally as good as 2004's "Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance".

Who would have thought that Rick's power pop approach would mesh so well with today's emo music such as "I'll Miss That Someday", "One Passenger" and "Time Stand Still". Rick came up with a great song and title in the lead-off track "What's Victoria's Secret?" which should be a hit. Elsewhere, Rick focuses in on Sahara Aldridge with the final two songs "Nothing Is Ever Lost" and "Saint Sahara". What popular musician would actually write a song about one of their youngest fans? Well, Phil Collins did, but that's another story.

Take a look inside the booklet and find that Rick has plastered its dozen pages with a collage of pictures taken by fans with Rick over the years. This is all great stuff.

However, there are songs that I felt missed the mark like "3 Warning Shots" about Mark Chapman, John Lennon's killer. I didn't get why it needed to be made. Also, "She", "God Blinked (Swing It Sister)" and "Mr. PC" are all a bit redundant.

Four stars for above average Rick. Five stars would be "Tao" or "Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet" or "Working Class Dog" and maybe even "Living In Oz". Still, Rick is two for two now, excluding 2005's "The Day After Yesterday".

5 out of 5 stars

FANTASTIC!!! July 30, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Can't say enough great things about VIO!
This is probably his best work since "Rock Of Life" as the writing is top notch, the songs have a great edge and Rick's voice sounds great for his age.
Although "What's Victoria's Secret" is a terrific single, my personal favorites are "Time Stand Still" (it ROCKS!) as well as "3 Warning Shots" (I hope John Lennon's killer, Mark Chapman, hears this song since it's all about him)and the two songs for Rick's fan who passed away ("I'll Miss That Someday" and "Saint Sahara"). Like my personal favorite Rick Springfield song "My Father's Chair", Rick can certainly take emotional experiences and touch others thorugh his music.
When you listen to the album as a whole, it is extremely cohesive and just a brilliant and contemporary work from someone who's been in the business as long as Rick.
I'm not the typical Rick Sprinfield fan (I'm a guy after al.. hahaha). But I can tell you that anyone who likes good music should check this out. You won't be dissapointed!

5 out of 5 stars

Great, Two Thumbs Way UP!!!! July 30, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I have to say Rick has most certainly out done himself with this CD. It covers such a broad range and has a very diverse sound, something for everyone. I absolutely LOVE Victoria's Secret...you will be listening to this song a few times before you go on to the next track...it has that Jesse's Girl sound and takes me back. I'll Miss That Someday is a song i can relate too. Venus In Overdrive and Mr PC have a sound that will have you hitting the repeat button on the CD player. There are so many good songs on here and of course can't forget the love song She...very touching.
If you are a fan this CD is a must!!!!!!!!! You will listen over and over again. I have and just got it less then 24 hours ago.

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