Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Eagles fly again - but miss the heights, 5 Nov 2007
Nice album, cruisy and mellow, but as another reviewer said kinda lacking something. I basically put it down to a lack of Don Felder. Yep, Mr Hotel California himself. Okay guys, where are the memorable, meaty rock riffs you used to hear on Hotel California, Victim of Love, Already Gone, A Good Day in Hell, One of These Nights, The King of Hollywood, and Those Shoes??? (All Felder written music or lead breaks by the way.) Not there! Don Henley wrote a few songs with new guitrist Steuart Smith - but as good a session player that Smith is, he just lacks the "genis-ce-quoi" that Felder has, both in the studio and live.
The title track really had the potential to be another wonderful epic "Hotel California" or "Last Resort" but somehow fell short...
In summary - with the exception of several good tracks (see below) it sounds more like a collection of solo works than a real Eagles album. It is very well (almost over) produced, smooth and the lyrics and harmonies still good - but lacks the highs (and lows) of an album like The Long Run, (which despite its problems at least sounded like a cohesive "Eagles" album).
The best songs on the album are: the single "How Long" (a lovely upbeat old JD Souther song reminscant of their debut album - reminds me of "Nightengale" meets "Take it Easy"), Glenn Frey's "No More Cloudy Days" and the rocker "Fast Company" (there's a little of the old boys in this track reminiscant of The Long Run days). Joe Walsh does two songs which are good, with a hint of the old Barnstorm feel about them, but they sound a bit "un-Eagles".
Buy it if you are a die hard Eagles junkie like me...! Or if you like mellow, well produced pop songs and Eagles solo stuff.
It does grow on you a little with each listen - I rated it 3.5 out of 5 (4 because the system didn't let me put 3.5 in so I erred on the generous side). And this is from a 30+ year fan (from the 1970's) who has everything they ever put out, and then some...
WHAT TO BUY:
If you are new to The Eagles - buy the double album "The Complete Greatest Hits" and you can't go wrong! Go no further unless you get hooked...
If you want to own some really, really, good Eagles albums and are wondering what to get, buy "Hotel California", "One of These Nights" and "On The Border" - they are the three best and quintissential Eagles albums. Listen to these and you will understand what half the reviewers are going on about in relation to memorable guitar riffs.
ALL ARE RATED 5/5.
For lovers of blue-grass & country-rock, I'd recommend "On The Border", "Desperado" (I rate Desperado as a very good album) and their first self titled album Eagles (just for Bernie Leadon's banjo work.)
If you like all these I just mentioned, and want something a bit more laid back try "Hell Freezes Over", which is a live greatest hits and features a wicked version of "Life in the Fast Lane" plus a lovely little acoustic spanish guitar version of "Hotel Califorina" (courtesy of the sadly departed Mr Felder.)
Eagles are flying again - but not at the heights they once were...
PS: IF YOU ARE AFTER THE DON FELDER BOOK it is available on the Amazon UK website (BUT it's not avail within the US for "legal reasons".)
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33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
don't read the reviews!, 30 Oct 2007
I have been an Eagles fan for years, like many of my, ahem, ge-ge-generation and, having been completely wowed by the production values of the live DVD's, I decided to ignore the Guardian, which gave this album one star, and give it a try.
Let's face it, it's easy listening but the production values are superb, with crisply delivered lyrics, tuneful songs and only a couple of really dire ditties. I've seen the DVDs so often now that I'm picturing each old Eagle as they rotate the singing on this album.
I expect it appeals mainly to Eagles fans - I take my hat off to them for even bothering with new material, when they have such fabulous back-catalogues and, if this keeps Joe Walsh off the sauce, I can't wait for their next oeuvre!
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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
almost great, 31 Oct 2007
SUPERBLY PRODUCED, CLEAR AS A CHURCH BELL, CRISPER THAN A DECEMBER FROST,
THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOST OF THE TUNES SOUND GREAT AT FIRST HEARING BUT ARE INSTANTLY FORGETTABLE. TO ME THE BEST SONG ON THIS TWO DISC SET IS "HOW LONG" CONCIEVED AND WRITTEN OVER TWO DECADES AGO BY THE "ALMOST EAGLE" J.D SOUTHER. A SUPERB ALBUM FOR EAGLE FANS, NOT SO CONVINCING FOR POTENTIAL CONVERTS, DESPITE THE "GREEN" CREDENTIALS. BUY IT ANYWAY, ITS STILL BETTER THEN MOST OF THE COMMERCIAL DROSS SEEPING OUT THESE DAYS.
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