Platinum & Gold Collection (CD - 2003)

Compilation producer: Jeremy Holiday.

Recorded between 1972 & 1985. Includes liner notes by Ken Sharp.

Audio Remixers: Mark Kamins; Jay Burnett.

Liner Note Author: Ken Sharp.

Recording information: Capitol Prairie, Springfield, IL (08/13/1983).

Editor: Latin Rascals.

Photographers: Ebet Roberts; Ron Wolfson.

Arrangers: Keith Olsen; Neil Geraldo; Rick Springfield.

RCA's 2003 Platinum & Gold Collection is almost the definitive Rick Springfield collection, although it favors lesser-known oddities over chart hits. It covers a lot of ground, running the gamut from a couple of his '70s hits ("Speak to the Sky," "Take a Hand") to the big '80s blockbusters ("Jessie's Girl," "I've Done Everything for You," "Don't Talk to Strangers") to three cuts previously unavailable on album (the non-LP "The Language of Love," a dance mix of "Celebrate Youth," and a live version of "Souls"). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Though it tries hard, RCA's 2003 Platinum & Gold Collection isn't the definitive Rick Springfield collection it aspires to be. Part of the problem comes from covering too much ground, actually, trying to run the gamut from a couple of his '70s hits ("Speak to the Sky," "Take a Hand") to the big '80s blockbusters ("Jessie's Girl," "I've Done Everything for You," "Don't Talk to Strangers") to three cuts previously unavailable on album (the non-LP "The Language of Love," a dance mix of "Celebrate Youth," and a live version of "Souls"). By taking this approach, it manages to miss what a budget-line 12-track collection should be -- namely, a concise collection of an artist's prime period. This means there's a bunch of singles of various quality missing -- "Love Is Alright Tonite," "Calling All Girls," "I Get Excited," "What Kind of Fool Am I," "Bop 'Til You Drop," "Don't Walk Away," "Love Somebody," "Taxi Dancin," and "Bruce," all charting hits -- that would have made for a better listening experience if they had been substituted for the "rarities" that bog this collection down considerably. Still, those oddities have some value for some collectors, and the whole thing isn't a bad listen -- it's just that this installment of Platinum & Gold Collection could and should have been much, much better. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize