American Beat assembles Eric Carmen's second and third solo albums, Boats Against the Current and Change of Heart, onto a single disc. Unfortunately, a larger quantity of music doesn't necessarily equate to a bigger bang for your buck when the records are taken from a slight lull in Carmen's career. Considering the dominating presence of overly elaborate string arrangements and a dated production quality, it's doubtful that anyone besides collectors and hardcore fans will appreciate this accumulation of songs. To get a sense of Carmen's true talent and brilliant pop sensibilities, a better investment would be to investigate his debut solo album and the Raspberries' discography before delving into this era. Two of his hits, "She Did It" and "Change of Heart," were written during this time frame, but the majority of the songs that explore '70s blue-eyed soul and sappy Broadway-inspired musical endeavors don't stand the test of time. Fans of the grandiose may appreciate the dramatic Bat Out of Hell similarities, but it's doubtful this package will appeal to many other consumers -- those folks who actually enjoy their music with a heavy side of camp factor should look no further than the extremely over the top "Marathon Man," which seems perfectly crafted for a training montage from an '80s B-movie. ~ Jason Lymangrover