Eddie Rabbitt

The late Eddie Rabbitt is one of those artists who is long overdue for reappraisal and these two albums, reissued on CD by Wounded Bird, are perfect illustrations. Rabbitt had a string of 16 number ones in the 1970s and '80s. His best-known cuts are the classic "Step by Step" and "I Love a Rainy Night," but these two discs, recorded after those smashes, still contain undeniably great tunes. Rabbitt fans are fortunate to have them, as well as their two previous issues -- 1975's Eddie Rabbitt and 1977's Rabbitt -- on a separate disc. This is Rabbitt's Warner Bros. period, which was creative, adventurous, and both commercially and critically fruitful. The best-known tunes on Variations are "Kentucky Rain" (which Rabbitt co-wrote for Elvis Presley), "Hearts on Fire," "Caroline," and "The Room at the Top of the Stairs." The latter album, Loveline, is even better, with notable cuts like "Suspicions," "Gone Too Far," "Amazing Love," and "It's Always Like the First Time." ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide