Eagles
Hell Freezes Over (DVD)

THE REVIEW

The breakup of the Eagles, due to significant internal conflicts within the group following the 1980 live album recorded during The Long Run tour, seemed like one of those without the possibility of appeal, so much so that Don Henley, interviewed several years later on the subject, stated that the reunion would happen, "when Hell freezes over" ("when Hell freezes over"). Presumably, the drummer considered it highly unlikely (even though from the well-known Dante's passage we know that Lucifer is immersed in ice up to his waist), but it's known that (always quoting the Great Poet) afterwards more than pain (of playing together again) could fasting (for rustling big bucks)...

So in April 1994, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Don Felder, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit find themselves all together passionately for a live organized by MTV, later released in audio and audio-video formats under the title (evocative of the famous phrase) Hell Freezes Over. The version I will discuss is the one on DVD, which, beyond the video content, contains two more tracks than the CD and allows for an enjoyment of a recording in DTS 5.1 of truly remarkable quality (I understand that it is still used in many listening rooms in amplification-speaker tests).

But let's get to the tracks on the album. After 14 years, can you perhaps present yourself to the public without some new pieces? Obviously not and obviously taking care not to disappoint anyone, so here is a rocker like hundreds of others already heard (Get over it), a slow ballad (Love will keep us alive) and one decidedly more country (The girl from yesterday). An exception, despite the somewhat cliche chorus repeated endlessly at the end, is the interesting New York minute, with evocative bass lines, the surprising appearance of a muted trumpet, and a sombre text entrusted to Don Henley's voice in great form.

The band's more classic pieces are the ones enhancing the setlist, thanks also to the voices of the four(!) singers who, despite the years and the abuse of alcohol and drugs, are still very bright (but it's undoubtedly Henley who delivers the most emotional performances). The indestructible usual classics (I cite the famous I can't tell you why, Take it easy, Desperado), although the performances are, in my opinion, generally very (too) adherent to the studio versions, and after about fifteen years maybe some effort to reinterpret them more would be reasonable to expect: is it really too much to ask for even the slightest variation on the guitar solos?
An exception is the acoustic version of Hotel California with a splendid introduction of guitar and congas and, quoting the review by Grasshopper of the album of the same name, if a beautiful song were enough... well, this beautiful reinterpretation of that beautiful song (or was it a reinterpretation itself? See the comments on the HC review) would be worth listening to the album alone. Noteworthy is also the acoustic version of Tequila sunrise, while the execution of In the city is too polished and not incisive enough: so softened, it wouldn’t be put anymore in the closing titles of Warriors of the Night...

Overall, a solid and successful commercial operation (Wikipedia cites it as the best-selling DVD in music history) with great expertise and some commendable high notes, but unfortunately, a few beautiful songs are not enough to make a great album.