This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Rick Springfield used to wish that he had Jessie’s Girl; now he seems to wish he had Bryan Adams’ career. And with the help of Bryan’s old songwriting partner Jim Vallance, he’s out to get it on Karma, his first album in 10 years.
Oddly enough, the 13-track disc sounds like it might have been recorded a decade ago, when Adams’ brand of sandy-voiced, working-class guitar-rock was still selling. But these days, it ain’t and this won’t. And the few loops and samples Ricks sprinkles here and there aren’t fooling anybody — he sounds about as hip as Mel Torme covering Donovan. Better watch out, Rick — if there is karma, you’ll spend your next life in a Bryan Adams tribute band.
