Eagles
Long Road Out Of Eden

THE REVIEW

Well, a new album from the Eagles. Live music? No. Another collection? No, actually new songs (a good twenty, actually nineteen, since one was already heard and seen in a CD/DVD from a few years ago), for ninety-one minutes of music, in a double CD package. And when was it released? Three months ago. And how come no one is talking about it, writing about it? Boh, evidently they are truly outside the (Italian) collective imagination. What a strange country. First disc:

‘No More Walks In The Wood’: the four Eagles start "a cappella," with only an acoustic guitar for intermittent support. Celestial voices, perfect, undoubtedly showing off with "look how good we are." However, the contrast effect with the brilliant country rock that follows is perfect, benefiting the first two tracks when listened to one after the other.

‘How Long’: the brilliant country rock mentioned is a cover of a John David Souther song, an old buddy of guitarist/pianist Glenn Frey and co-author of several of their hits, professionally a solo songwriter but with quite limited success, unfortunately for him (or good for him) his bank account continues to grow much more thanks to past collaborations with the Eagles than with his personal repertoire. This is scholarly yet impeccable country rock’n’roll, with session musician Steuart Smith's clean and technical guitar dominating with brief solos and textbook counterpoints. Frey sings the first verse, drummer Henley the second, and then the two alternate for the grand finale.

‘Busy Being Fabulous’: Henley sings, and it's still country rock, this time fifty/fifty, not shifted towards rock like the previous track. Pure Eagles-style from the late seventies, as if thirty years hadn’t passed. Well done but pointless.

‘What Do I Do With My Heart’: A syrupy slow song that the crafty Frey targets, for example, at the broad audience of romantic American housewives, perhaps divorced and eagerly searching for a second husband. Frey sings the saccharine lyrics with refined crooner control; the track is nearly unbearable for a large part of the rock audience.

‘Guilty Of The Crime’: the great guitarist Joe Walsh finally appears on the scene: he settles for little for now, another cover, a rock like so many that he pumps up with his classically styled slide guitar, inevitably classy.

‘I Don’t Want To Hear Anymore’: the stunning soprano voice of bassist Tim Schmit dedicates itself to a new country rock ballad, largely predictable and worn out. However, the still long-haired Tim sings so well, so well that in certain passages he not only convinces but almost moves. Not bad, one must listen several times and overcome certain prejudices.

‘Waiting In The Weeds’: Henley elevates the disc with this, which is yes the umpteenth ballad, but with maximum lyricism, soothing yet tense thanks to this man's unique voice, exceptionally warm and moving though somewhat robotic. There is a bridge mid-song where beautiful guitars and mandolins are left to arpeggio, upon which Don enters with a very low vocal register, mastering it like a deity. He is a great singer.

‘No More Cloudy Days’: this is the already known and published song of the lot, for some reason re-proposed in the identical form. Over a rolling rhythm, in a slightly jazzy atmosphere à la Pat Metheny, Glenn expresses himself in a formal but very beautiful melody.

‘Fast Company’: Surprise! Henley in falsetto over a dry and funky groove = Prince at 101%. It has nothing to do with the Eagles' world, but Henley is the one in the group best able to diversify, urbanize, also because he has a very "modern" and versatile voice. This number can greatly amuse or disgust, de gustibus.

‘Do Something’: no, this is perfectly pointless. Schmit is only made to sing sappiness; the old glory of ‘I Can’t Tell You Why’ seems to have branded him for life. This outing, however, has nothing to save; not only compared to the aforementioned superhit of 1979 but also compared to the previous performance four tracks earlier. Thumbs down.

‘You’re Not Alone’: as above, with the difference that this time Frey sings. But where is Joe Walsh? Help! End of the first disc in the meantime, so let's go with the second:

‘Long Road Out Of Eden’: here’s Walsh heavily! In a wide-ranging track (even too much, over ten minutes), there are many compliments to be made: for the electric piano arrangement with tremolo + acoustic guitar in the verses; for the anti-militarist lyrics hissed by a socially and politically awake Henley; for the great guitarist this formation boasts, who first stamps in accompaniment transmitting tension and power and, when finally unleashed, prints a devastating solo with a choice of notes and timing that no one else matches. A new pinnacle of the entire Eagles repertoire, no less.

‘I Dreamed There Was No War’: the beautiful title qualifies it as a logical follow-up to the preceding track, but it is a negligible, brief instrumental interlude by Frey's pen.

‘Somebody’: finally, Glenn, after many syrupy ballads scattered on the first disc, signs a semi-acoustic mid-tempo, robust and convincing in its slight rattling à la R.E.M., singing it with great temperament, dramatic, tense, and therefore urban, more than rustic.

‘Frail Grasp On The Big Picture’: Henley continues to rail against American society and its foolishness. From the standpoint of a successful and billionaire artist, but such is life; he has always been this way, a successful malcontent, never satisfied with the present and always reaching for the next problem. The trend of this piece is akin to Steely Dan, acidic and metropolitan. As of now, not a hint of country rock in this second disc.

‘Last Good Time In Town’: it's Walsh's strong piece, resembling his best work on his own albums, with a blend of rock, irony, showmanship, but also a solid "grip" on the Fender Stratocaster and the usual unmistakable lyricism, even in the singing, performed with his peculiar mocking and hoarse voice. A cheerful and sunny episode amidst tracks all very tense and angry in terms of lyrics.

‘I Love To Watch A Woman Dance’: Glenn Frey, without any mercy, brings us back to adult romantic entertainment atmospheres. A sugary waltz, a cover, by the way. Only the title is beautiful.

‘Business As Usual’: a guitar riff with echoed repeat starts, none other than U2. In this case, the Eagles are completely transformed, Henley railing against the same society that, it seems reluctantly, has made him rich and successful. The paradise/trap, the "Hotel California" game is (or acts?) more relevant than ever. A great big rocker with "modern" sounds.

‘Center Of The Universe’: Steuart Smith nails a great acoustic arpeggio; Henley and Frey add the vocal line and lyrics, a beautiful and vigorous ballad.

‘It’s Your World Now’: a little Mexican thing by Frey that goes nowhere.