I bought this CD when it first came out in 1991. I was expecting "Sports" or "Four". I liked it but sold it after I had it for a year. Well, I took a Couple Years Off, more like 14 years and rediscovered the brilliance of this CD. HLN were graduating from pop to being a band and I just didnt see it back in 91. Now i respect the musical move they made to still make them relivant in 2006. "It hit me like a hammer", "Build me up", and "Do you love me, or what?" are great. "Couple days off" never gets old and you still hear it played at ballgames. Dont think too HARD, give it another PLAY!
October 12, 2006I love SPORTS, but you can't beat HARD AT PLAY... I found this sitting on the shelf at a local used CD store, so I decided to pick it up since Sam Goody had informed me that it has been long out of print. Anyway, this is an incredible album, and I'm only 16 and not a big fan of this genre, I like metal, rock and grunge... my favorite bands are Puddle of Mudd, Nirvana, Socialburn, Staind, Godsmack, Pantera, Bleeding Through, etc... and still this album catches my attention!!
ROCK ON, HUEY BUDDY!! July 1, 2004
How would Heuy Lewis sounds like during 90s? Well, Hart At Play released in 1991 is a bit more refined than hard-edged Sports and returns with the flavor of good ol' blues-rock. It became plainer but gives us more comfort like coming back to the hometown. "It Hits Me Like Hammer" is the most commercial track among this album along with "Couple Days Off". "Build Me Up" the opening track is a fun pop song with jazzy flavor. Although this CD didn't produce so much hits as previous albums did, it is a fine album to add for music fans that love blues flavored mainstream American pop such as Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, Bob Segar and the Hooters.
October 24, 2002 |  | A Solid Effort For A Band Ahead Of Its Time... |  |
Whatever happened to bands with original numbers and powerful, smart horn sections?!?! Call off the dogs - the search is over! I've followed HLN since its inception with the self-titled album in 1980. These guys come from humble garage band/bar room beginnings and really get back to their roots with this 1991 effort. I really think they hit their sophomore slump with Small World (which wasn't all that bad), but it looks like they're back on track. Can't wait to get my mits on Plan B, their latest installment. Get this album - it's gold!
February 22, 2002| | | Anybody that doesn't like this CD doesn't like good music | |
A lot of people look down on Huey Lewis & The News.
These people (...) usually (...) think good music begins and ends with the screaming of tatooed hair-balls accompanied by the screeching guitars of other hair balls,and (they) will not be convinced otherwise. But pop in a HLN cd and what do you hear? An actual beat, some rythym. Yeah. Something you can tap your foot to. Lyrics you can sing along with. Lyrics you'll still be singing long after the music has stopped. "Oooh-oooh-weeee-ooooh, she Hit Me Like A Hammer--she hit me like a five pound sledge, oooh-oooh-weeee-ooooh." That's one example from the Hard At Play cd. There's plenty more. "He don't know what to do for you", "That's not me", "We should be making love", and the great "ALL I WANT IS A COUPLE DAYS OFF!"
Man ... Maybe if this cd HAD (been terrible) (...) I wouldn't have been pining away for a new album for ten years. Maybe if Hard At Play had followed in the horrid footsteps of Smallworld then nobody would care that Huey and the boys indeed do have a new cd out now--one which I'm dying to have. And why do I want this new cd so badly? Because I have the memories of Hard At Play on my mind, and those are great memories. (...) December 11, 2001
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