Serious Fun is the fourth album by power pop/new wave band the Knack released by Charisma Records on January 16, 1991.[1] It was their fourth record; a comeback after a decade-long separation. It was accompanied by a public reunion and tour.[2] Although the album did not achieve either commercial or critical success, it resulted in the hit single "Rocket O' Love," which reached number 9 in Billboard'sMainstream Rock Chart.[1]
The Knack split up in 1981 just a few weeks after the release of Round Trip, which failed to achieve critical success although it reached number 93 in the Billboard 200.[4]Serious Fun represented a reunion after around a decade of separation. The album represented a more hard rock sound for the band, reminiscent of the Raspberries. Serious Fun also failed to achieve either commercial or critical success.[5] However, it resulted in the popular single "Rocket O' Love," which reached #9 in Billboard'sMainstream Rock Chart.[1] The band created a rarely seen music video for the song.[6] "One Day at a Time" was intended to be the second single from the album, but the label decided to stop promoting the album at the time of the intended release.[7] According to Knack guitarist Berton Averre, an A&R man at the label thought "One Day at a Time" would be a hit but felt it would be preferable for the lead single to be a harder rock song, and so "Rocket O' Love" was released as the lead single.[8] And apparently when the time came to release a second single, the label had lost interest in the band, and so buried the intended release of "One Day at a Time."[8]
The bomb-riding and lasso-waving scene from the 'Rocket O' Love' music video
The songs "I Want Love," "Rocket O' Love" and "One Day at a Time" were incorporated into the greatest hits albumThe Retrospective: The Best of the Knack, which was released by Capitol Records on November 16, 1992.[10] "Rocket O' Love" was also included in the greatest hits albumVery Best of the Knack, released by Rhino Records on May 19, 1998.[11]
Classic Rock History critic Skip Anderson rated "Rocket O' Love" as the Knack's 5th best song, particularly praising the guitar riff and noting a resemblance to Foghat.[12]
Musician panned the album, stating that "Anyone who believes the musical legacy of the '70s is nothing to be ashamed of might want to reconsider after hearing this one."[17] Critic Stewart Mason of AllMusic gave a mixed review. He remarked that even though "the songs are neat little packages of appropriately crunchy guitar hooks and harmonies", still "Serious Fun doesn't manage to be quite as much fun as it could be."[1] Critic William Ruhlmann, also with AllMusic, commented that "it's hard to imagine anyone other than die-hard Knack fans expressing any interest in it."[5] Walter Allread panned the album as uninspired, stating that it consisted of "12 new tunes that succeed only at making you want to hear 'My Sharona' again," but also conceded that "One Day at a Time" might have some radio success.[18]The Rolling Stone Album Guide called the album "lumbering arena-rock."[16]
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