So named because it was the beginning of
Rick Springfield's solo career,
Beginnings abandons the heavier rock of
Zoot for a dreamier pop pitched partway between the lusher tunes of
the Beatles and introspective folk-rock that followed
Bob Dylan, all wrapped up in a tidy, pretty bow. Naturally, the greatest exception to this rule is the hit, the sprightly "Speak to the Sky" that turned into a one-shot wonder, but it has some competition in the barreling bubblegum of "Come on Everybody" and "Hooky Jo." This pure pop is surrounded by ambitiously orchestrated introspective pop, anchored somewhat by the glam boogie closer "The Ballad of Annie Goodbody." Whether it's soft or spangly, this all sounds like its time and while that's one of the primary attractions of
Beginnings, it also points the way to much of what
Springfield did later, particularly in how he obscures his easy way with a hook by emphasizing sobriety over fun. So, in that sense,
Beginnings is a true beginning to
Rick Springfield's career. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine