Search - Gary Richrath :: Only The Strong Survive

Gary rocks on!

Kathryn Shaw | WI | 06/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD really rocks! Gary's awesome and Micheal is a wonderful vocalist. Who needs REO when you can listen to this. Gary Richrath definately knows what he is doing with his guitar and he really rocks. "Outlaws" and "Murder by Suicide" are great tunes, not to meantion Gary's remakes of "Only the Strong Survive" and "In Your Letter". The rest of the CD is definately worth listening to also. Kevin Cronin really lost out on a good thing by moving on without Gary Richrath. I think that all REO fans would like this CD."

Gary at his best!

Mark Lopa | Connecticut | 07/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD back in 1992 when it was originally released, but didn't give it much of a listen. I had assumed Gary would sign lead voacals since he has a great voice, but was very disappointed that someone else was singing. I think that threw it for me and I stashed the CD away.



Upon recently seeing REO for about the 15th time without Gary, something smacked me during "Keep On Loving You": these were the exact same notes, but it wasn't Gary...and when I say "Gary," I mean everything the man made great as the lead singer of REO. Most of the guitar solos played at REO concerts these days have been altered a bit, but the notes to KOLY are the same. However, it hit me like a ton of bricks after 20 years that that wasn't REO's sound. It wasn't Gary's sound. I became instantly disappointed. The smoke had cleared and I realized that while I can still enjoy an REO show, it was lacking what it once had.



When I got home, I dug up the Richrath CD--at the same time I discovered the videos on YouTube. Folks, this is Gary's best work. Being asked to leave REO inspired the man, and this disc has some awesome material. Jahnz offers some very good tunes as well, and the whole package is very enjoyable to listen.



It seems obvious to me Gary wrote "Tragedy" in reference to his relationship with Kevin Cronin. "Ashes to ashes and dust to dust / There's nothing more left to us / The end is here for you and me / It's a tragedy." Janhz sings this with power I haven't heard front a fresh Richrath song in a long time.



"Outlaws," another great new Gary song, was written about the new Richrath band. It reminds me of old REO...going back to the R.E.O./T.W.O. era. I'm not surprised, because it feels like Gary rediscovered his youth in his writing. This song reminds me very much of "Golden Country"...not by how it sounds but by the inspiration I feel listening to it.



My favorite song on the CD, and my favorite song Gary has ever written, is "If the Nite Don't Get'cha." What a way to wrap up this album. It makes me want to jump right back to "Tragedy" and listen to the whole CD again. Fabulous!



Also on this CD are two songs Gary wrote for REO, "In Your Letter" and "Only The Strong Survive." The latter is the title song and its message is obvious. I'm curious as to why he included the former, though. I'd be very much interested to hearing from Gary about that. I like Michael's vocals on both these songs. I can definitely see him as a lead singer for REO if that opportunity every came to light...along with Gary, of course.



Also another tidbit is "Holly Would" was written for the "Nine Lives" album back in 1979, but for somr reason never made it to the album.



Gary and Michael started working on another project in 1998, but it was never finished and Richrath disbanded. I hope one of these days the band gets back together, because if another album by this band is as good as this one, it will be one rocking album to enjoy."

A solid 4 stars

EDF | Florida | 12/20/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a big Gary fan and I don't know what took me so long to finally get this CD. It needs a few more listens, but my overall impression is a good one. First off, I'm a guitar guy so the vocals are just fine...I didn't buy it for the vocals anyway.



As for the guitar work, a lot of it is very good I'd just like MORE. More solos, longer solos, more noise, more in your face. Gary gets a bad rap sometimes for being a boring pentatonic scale solo'er, but I love his cranked Les Paul style and melodic solos. I would have liked this to be more of a real balls to the wall guitar album, after all Kevin is not around to reign him in! But hey overall it's a good CD and the tune "Outlaws" is worth the price of admission all by itself. I just wish more of the songs were like that one."