Though his album sales steadily declined since 1982's Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet, Rick Springfield was an artist that still delivered multiple hits from each of his albums, peaking multiple times on the Billboard Hot 100, and producing albums which consecutively charted in the top forty on the Billboard 200. Though this streak would be broken by Mercury Records and the album Beautiful Feelings, a record full of aborted 1978 tracks remixed and recorded by the label, and released without Springfield's knowledge or input, his 1985 released Tao would return him to form.
Granted, his overall popularity and sales continued to decline. However, this was more so driven by the artist aging out of his teeny bopper status, as well as the previously flopped 1984 film, Hard To Hold. Tao would peak at number twenty-one on the Billboard 200, and with it come the Billboard Hot 100 hit singles, State Of The Heart (22), and Celebrate Youth (26).
It's odd how the liner notes for the album:
"I was going through a major depression back then, and had been for a few years. I was spiritually lost, and finding it hard to cope with everything that was going on. Even my success was causing me pain. I couldn't come to terms with earning so much money while others were struggling to find small change even to eat. It seemed so wrong, but what could I do about it? On top of that, I had real problems dealing with my father's death. It all meant that I was in such a mess, which is why the lyrics on the "Tao" album are definitely the darkest of my career."
I say this because out of the starting gate, I found nothing edgy or dark about any of the music. It starts off with Dance This World Away, and then goes into Celebrate Youth, both of which just come off as catchy rock tracks.
As a whole, it's a pretty decent album, and another solid rock entry from Springfield. Naturally, there were standout tracks that shined brighter than others. For me, those were the two noted above, The Tao Of Heaven, Stranger In The House, and Walking On The Edge. The latter is probably my favorite from Tao.
Following the album's release, Rick appeared on the Philadelphia side of Live Aid, performing Love Somebody, State Of The Heart, and Human Touch. From there, he finished his own support tour in 1986 and opted to take a hiatus.
While he'd return in 1988 for his final album of the 80's, Rock Of Life, the Cathode Ray Tour, which was the tour name for Tao would be his final for the decade. He wouldn't return to the stage until 1991, but now we're just getting too far ahead. First, I need to listen to his '88 release, which I'll do tomorrow.
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