Reviews (page 12 of 15)
I know Hotel California song, not sure about the rest of the album yet. Let's do this! Most of the album is a bit slower, more mellow than I usually prefer. I enjoyed the first 3 songs (Hotel California, New Kid in Town, Life in the Fast Lane).
Fyriframhugmynd: 2 stjörnur, en titillagið er mjög gott lag, þökk sé bassanum. New Kid in town er allt í lagi. Fast lane boring og svo restin blanda af fagmannlega spiluðum sæmilegheitum. Ekki mitt áttundatugarrokk, en þetta er betra en ég átti von á.
Les Eagles sont un peu classiques pour moi, même si on ne peut rien enlever à la chanson Hotel California en soi.
While I don't like the Eagles, this is still their most accessible album.
I wish the whole album had the same vibe as HC. After the first song it gets quite boring
I wanted to dislike this more because the song Hotel California is so played out it’s actually painful to listen to it, but there are some pretty good songs on this album like New Kid in Town, Wasted Time, Victim of Love, and Try and Love Again that this does fit in well as a weaker companion to its late 70s competitor for best harmonized seventies soft rock album via California, Rumours. I still think the Eagles are pretty lame, but this album is alright.
Hotel California is a great song, and has played far too much. I actually like New Kid and Life if the Fast Lane. But Wasted Time and the Reprise completely bore me. Victims is another showcase for Walshes grooves and slides. The album fizzles from there. I’d give it a 3.5 if I could, but rounding down for half the record being more boring than the good half is good.
Very American classic rock tunes for dull dudes who drive a lot
I really underestimated the eagles
pretty awesome
I *really* didn't enjoy the last Eagles album the generator gave me, their debut. Hotel California is much more listenable, with hits that don't get more monster and nothing as deeply awful as "Chug All Night". The album art is worth a star all in itself. Unfortunately I'm still a little scarred from the first album, and find myself unable to like Hotel California as much as I might. 3 stars, acknowledging that I would have given it 4 or 5 when I was 13 years old.
Classic easy listening. Nothing stands out, and also most of this music was ruined by years of working in retail.
For one of the most listened to albums of all time it's quite disappointing tbh. It's fine listening but can't really remember anything too much. Couple of nice songs :)
Sometimes it is immediately obvious why the hits are the hits. This is one of those sometimes.
Didn't know the Eagles were such a bunch of sad saps. Only getting 3 stars because of the guitar solo in Hotel California and Life in the Fast Lane.
This is one of the albums I was excited to finally get to when starting this project. Up until recently, my understanding of this album is that people hated it. Even though it is one of the greatest selling albums of all time, the over all consensus these days is that it is middle of the road garbage. It wasn’t until fairly recently that I learned the actual problem people seemingly have with it is that it was so overplayed, particularly the title track, that most people never want to hear it again. I don’t share that experience, I’m too young for it, and I kind of love that song. I don’t really ever seek it out, but when I come across it, I’m probably going to enjoy it. The rest of the album, and the rest of The Eagles catalogue, is mostly unknown to me. I’ve heard New Kid in Town (pretty good song) a few times, as well as Life in the Fast Lane (not a fan), but everything after that was a new experience. I’ve listened to the album a couple times, and I’m a little confused as to why this made such waves back in the da. While it may not be “garbage”, I am sort of back to feeling this is very middle of the road. In fact, I don’t feel like much jumped out at me after those first three songs until the last couple tracks came on. The title track feels like such a high bar compared to the rest of the album. Each time I get to the end, I sort of just feel like giving a big shrug and moving on, because I’m failing to understand the appeal. What were The Eagles doing that made this such a bigger hit compared to some of their contemporaries? Maybe I just had to be there, but currently, I think this is average at best, even if I feel that ends with some interesting high notes.
- Never listened to an Eagles album in full before - The two famous songs were way better than the rest which I thought were just decent - Last track seemed to drag on for ages - Fav songs: Hotel California, Life in the Fast Lane, Try and Love Again
Highlights: "Hotel California," "New Kid in Town," "Life in the Fast Lane" Even at their best, you think of something they sound like at that moment, and if you look it up, it's just behind them. Life in the Fast Lane sound a lot like ZZ Top? La Grange was a couple years ago. Getting Elton John vibes from the ballads? There's Yellow Brick Road! Flanged out vocal harmonies? There's Queen, four albums deep. Minstrel reggae in Hotel California? The Wailers had a Best Of release in '71, and Clapton Shot the Sheriff in '74. Just because it's derivative and calculated doesn't make the hits bad. There's inspired and memorable songwriting in the three openers. If you cut the album in half, you have a four-star EP.
Classic, maar stiekem toch best soft voor een band met zo'n rock 'n roll historie
I could not easily review this album via YouTube music like I’ve done with every other one so far. But I do intend on listening to it at some point.
Rock
Hotel California: temazo goooood totalmente increible buena letra y solazo al final. La batería es buenisima. 10/10 New Kid in Town: tema tranqui muy setentoso, suena a algo que sonaría en un restaurante yanqui en el medio de la ruta. me gusta el rhodes, banco. 7/10 Life in the Fast Lane: lindo tema pero para mi no tiene nada para destacar, 5/10 Wasted Time: lento medio balada, buena progresion lindo piano bien cantado y buena letra, 8/10 Wasted Time (de vuelta?): violines, 8/10 Victim of Love: ta bien pero tampoco fuaa 5/10 Pretty Maids All in a Row: no me lo acuerdo asi que tan bueno no fue 4/10 Try and Love Again: tranqui no mucho 6/10 The Last Resort: cut my life into pieces.... u_U ta bueno 7/10
3, it's both great and bad at times. Some good pop-rock songs.
It was good, it’s been a while since I’ve listened to this album. I just think a lot of this album is overplayed
More than a decade ago, a bunch of us went to a music festival with one of my friend's dads. We abandoned the Eagles headline set after about ten minutes and returned to our tents to drink cider - but seeing the joy in our friend's dad's eyes when he got back from the gig, we were moved to lie and pretend we'd loved it as much as he did. This music is absolutely not for me, but I'll never not respect a band that can inspire that much passion.
I’m not a big fan of the song Hotel California so this didn’t have much for me. Nothing was awful and Wasted Time was pretty good but most of it just felt plastic.
Hotel California the song is God-level, but the album peaks with it as it's opener. The rest was probably awesome in the 70s but feels a bit tired now.
Better than I thought it’d be for sure, title track is undeniably great, New Kid in Town captures a very raw wistfulness and Life in the Fast Lane has a great beat behind it. Wasted Time is condescending to women who don’t settle down young, it doesn’t warrant a reprise to open of the B-side, and Try and Love Again is a boring tribute to men in the same situation. The B-side overall is shades of boring, wistful and judgemental… until the anti-colonial Last Resort finishing up the record, with its acknowledgment of the American Exceptionalism branch of Christianity as a justification used for it smart and very enjoyable. I had a friend in college whose favourite band was the Eagles kept going on about their harmonies, he was right about them. I wish I’d checked it out at the time instead of being too cool for it. So yeah 4 great songs and the rest isn’t worth your time.
3.9
albumi alkaa sellasella bängerillä että ei edes haittaa kuinka ylisoitettu se on... sen jälkeen alkaa alamäki. perus rock ja kantri hulinaa, ei oiikeen nappaa... I fucking have no strong feelings about the eagles one way or the other, man. hotel california... isot AMERIIIKAN KALIFORNIAN HERRAT...heh...
I hadn't heard the song "Hotel California" in a while, and it's one that gets a lot of play at your local hardware store - but it kind of blew me away this time. Good lyrics, great sound. That punchy bassline is a hook for me. Unfortunately, it's the first track and the album peaks there, the rest is just kind of boring.
- inoffensive pop-rock - kinda boring - 2.6/5
Obviously love "Hotel California" but other than that, it was aight.
This is a tough one. A first listen if you never heard seems incredible. But it’s impossible to decontextualize some of the most over played songs ever.
S'ok. Can't say it's turned me into an Eagles fan
Inoffensive classic rock album. Easy to listen to, liked the B side but the top tracks have been played to death 4.5 if I heard it for the first time 3.0 today
Great band - super tight playing and harmonies. I love when everyone in a band can be the lead singer and do really smooth harmonies. The more laid back country rock tunes I think are what they do best. I think this the better version of what Stephen stills was going for on Manassa. Hotel California is a great song . Victim of Love is pretty terrible though.
The Hotel California song has a great sound and motif, but the rest of the album does not inspire me much.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah it’s okay, not groundbreaking or revelations but nice calming rock nonetheless Favourite song: Track 1 - Hotel California
Ok, three stars for the status the album has. But I hate the Eagles.
Good plain rock
good mas nada de transcedente
While the album has maybe 2-3 worthwhile hits the direction of the music seems to be all over the place. With some good guitar and infrequent piano for me it is mostly a sleepy type of music.
Old alright, Has some classics
One big tune. Two if you scratch beneath the camera. Legends they aren't.
If every song was “Hotel California”: a 5. However, every song is not “Hotel California” and the band is just too sleepy and reserved for my liking.
Reading up on this album made me realize that the best selling album of all time is a greatest hits, and yet, doesn’t even include the the single greatest hit of this band! This album, however, it’s just a little bit too sleepy after the title track and life in the fast lane. Although, the latter is almost better than Hotel California!
This will be impossible to grade fairly. I always thought as a kid: "who doesn't hate the Eagles??" meanwhile conveniently ignoring that 32 million people bought this album. Even 10-15 years ago I'd have panned this upon seeing it, but I seem to be more open-minded (and perhaps nostalgic about some) about music and sweeping aside the easy jokes and constant classic rock airplay... I'm ready to give this a new ear. First of all - and easiest to discuss: how can you deny the awesomeness of the title track? Can't be done - it's a great song; the haunting opening, the dramatic lyrical build throughout the song, and of course the fantastic double-guitar solo. Ah nearly everyone on earth knows this - nothing new here. The rest? I mean - I did truly dislike "New Kid In Town" but <ahem> mature ears and really listening to this song for the first time in probably uhh 35 years - wow that transition from verses to chorus is really gorgeous - great songwriting. Dammit I'm finding new things to appreciate in this. Maybe I didn't want to admit this to myself. "Life In The Fast Lane" - the 3rd big hit and another you hear all the time... again it's often hard to separate the cliche and the fact that if you're over 35? you've heard this song 3172 times, mostly unwillingly. It's fine-to-good. It's after that where it starts getting ... Eagle-ish? Syrupy ballads (with the exception of "Victim of Love" which is an average-at-best hard rock song that is completely unmemorable) that maybe don't entirely harken back to their country-rock roots but do a good job of ... boring me. Let's cut to it here: this album is built on the monstrous first 3 cuts, all of which were or/and still are big hits. The rest is kinda wasted time <rimshot> Even though I'll never voluntarily put this on I'll be generous and acknowledge the historic aspect of the album and the enduring quality of those first few songs. 6/10 3 stars
notes - concept album about fame, california, american culture - they decided to move away from their earlier country influences - hotel california, life in the fast lane both from this album - great vocal harmonies - the second half is definitely less enjoyable than the first - gets a bit cheesy in the last few songs - recorded the song victim of love live off the floor to show haters that they can do it fav - hotel california - great song, love the spooky undertones least fav - wasted time - melodramatic
meh
Some bangers
CD
The pinnacle of 70s pop rock following the success of their compilation the previous year. It's characterized by a rampant arena sound that would inspire glam metal just a few years later, except here taking a more accessible approach through country rock rather than heavy metal as other bands were currently doing. Each song sounds very different from each other, and you can tell they're trying to expand their audience. I think this is probably their most refined effort, but most of the songs are still pretty lame, but at least it's inoffensive and listenable. Album started off strong with the three power singles and got a little too tame thereafter. Nevertheless, the only truly awful song was "Pretty Maids."
"I hate the fucking Eagles!"
Lot of long and slow ballads. Some all time classics on here, but as an album it felt kind of boring to me.
Great hotel, but the continental breakfast was a little lacking
C'est vraiment fade comme album, a part Hotel California qui est une chef d'oevure et un classique et m'a préféré (merci Joe Walsh) Life in the Fast Lane. Pour cela 3.5
I don't get why people hate the eagles by people I mean reviewers . The frist have was better then the second half
Meh. Seems just a step above the musicality of country music, with their hits (mostly Henley helmed) standing apart a bit. Even the hits are worn out, mostly, a with little staying power, at least to my ears. Musically, the singles do have a little bit more going for them, while the other tracks sound and feel like what they are - fillers. Bland.
A lot of nostalgia. Not as many bangers as I remember
Classic singles but the rest is a little dull / haven't aged well.
Hotel California and Life in the Fast Lane are both really excellent tunes. Sadly the rest of the album is uninteresting.
Almost a 4 but too few stand-out racks to justify the extra star
Average
Classic, but you know…SO tired of it.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Hotel California (obvs) and Wasted Time were my stand outs. But too many other bands do this genre better to give this any more than 3.
Hotel California is a cracking song.
Despite overplay, the title track is obviously great. 'Life In The Fast Lane' is also stand out, but the rest of the album pretty much limps along. I was expecting there to be a bit more depth, but no, not a standout album.
It gets old
that one song + some watered down classic rock
You know what you're getting here.
The title track is timeless, no question. Thing is, not another song on this album would have carried it the way it did so in a way it could be justified having this album on 1001 as it had probably the most effective runaway hit on any album at any time. In summation, the album is nothing spectacular.
If I never hear the song Hotel California ever again in my life I would be totally happy with it. The song Try and Love Again was decent. Probably because I haven’t heard it 10,000 times before.
Not my cup of tea.
3.5 - Besides its internationally ubiquitous title track and classic rock mainstay "Life in the Fast Lane", this record is a collection of 1970s easy-listening rock. Well written and composed tracks full of heartfelt sap. They even offer a sweeping survey of American colonialism/expansion with "The Last Resort" (truly strange). I probably won't voluntarily revisit this record though it's solid for what it is.
tight…
Really only liked about two songs, but those songs were good.
Few good songs but lots that don’t immediately stand out
Coincidentally I had already listened to this for the first time a while ago. I thought it was some solid songs and the single is amazing, though it seems like there's not much else to them other than the compilations that are so highly praised. This one has a great flow track to track at least, it was a pleasant listen.
The Eagles are a case of talented musicians who have little appeal for me. Individually, I rated nearly every track with 3 stars, which is equivalent to "I don't hate it. I guess it's okay, but I won't ask to hear the track again." There is one contrast to the solid 3 stars. My first time hearing "Hotel California" was an experience, and I listened to that track many times over the years. I'm not quite sure where that track lands with me today, but the mysterious story and mix of guitar and percussion still leave something to ponder. But the desire to sink into the music is much less than it use to be. The more I have heard from the Eagles, the less I need to hear from the Eagles. Don Henley's solo work furthered that sentiment as well. Hotel California is okay, but I wouldn't tell anyone to listen to it.
Was ok, maar heb het gevoel dat er weinig pit in zit. Is gelijkaardig aan Led Zeppelin qua stijl, maar met minder passie.
Enjoyable ride but somewhat overrated. Hotel California has always been a bit too cloying to be a "classic" for me. I think the last track is the best, actually!
La canción del título está tan sobreexpuesta que opaca todo lo que viene después.
Definitely a lot better on speakers over earbuds. First song great of.course, I liked the end of the album more than the first half
Nothing beats the iconic HC but there are still several solid tracks on the album . A little fluff and too much synth here and there, but vocally the songs are very well done. Great harmonies and back in ng throughout. I wish they would have let the instrumentation rip a little more as they do in HC. Fave tracks: HC and New Kid in Town
A couple of famous tunes but its all a bit dated now
Great hits and could hear the Eagles sound from start to finish
Not bad, but not really getting any emotions from it either. Fairly middle of the road.
Although filled with a few hits, the duds kinda suck.
3/5 not quite what you'd think
Yeah this was quite good.
I've seen the Eagles live, and they weren't very good. Played their guitars and sang beautifully, but there wasn't any stage presence or much in the way of energy. I went into this with quite low expectations, but it was a lot better than I expected. Hotel California is at that stage where it's a great song that I've heard so many times it takes the edge off, but there are plenty of other good songs on this album too. Lots more edge in the lyrics than I expected, I came into this thinking it would all be kinda kitschy country-ish (and New Kid in Town doesn't do much to disabuse that), but there's plenty of variety and a decent bit of wit too. 3/5, top end and not far off of a 4.
Ah yes. The Rock n roll equivalent of elevator music.
More Dad music.
My dads favourite band so Heard the songs to death on the first half of this album. Not as familiar with the second half so enjoyed that a little more.
Hotel California and some other songs
Dakle, jučere kod komše na radiu čujem Hotel California i nije mi išlo iz glave taj refren, i eto sad klinca, dobih ovaj album danas. Zadovoljavajuć score, i to je to.
doesn't overstay its welcome Surprisingly unremarkable after the song 3.5
It's pretty decent for a boring band like The Eagles.
This album and band gets a lot of flack because of a meme, but this album is, objectively, a really good pop/yacht-rock album. Some all-time classics of classic rock radio here and very well produced. It's not as bad as people claim it is because of The Dude doesn't like them. It's....fine. 3.5/5.
Dobra muzyka do jazdy samochodem, 3 razy słuchałem i przestawałem cokolwiek słyszeć koło 3-go utworu.
Well, this won't be a one star album as 'The Eagles' was, as it contains at least one stone cold classic. The title track is great obviously, but also, Life in the Fast Lane is a fun stomper, and The Last Resort is very good too. Clearly evolved past the horror of their debut (though not entirely - Victim of Love is an overlong, self indulgent pile of crap) to make an album that is great when it's great, and inoffensive when it isn't 👏👏👏
Yeah, Hotel California is the peak of this album. It goes on a steady slide down from there.
Three bangers. The rest is meh.
Ebenfalls ein 70ies-Album, das ein bisschen lahm daherkommt. Life in the Fast Lane und Victim of Love haben mit gut gefallen, zum Titelstück habe ich seit jeher ein eher ambivalentes Verhältnis. Die Balladen sind verzichtbar.
It was ok, def some gems
Hotel California is the one really good song on this album. I'm sure if I paid more attention to the lyrics I'd enjoy the album more but most of the songs just don't have much energy and feel rather bland. Listening to "Already Gone" from a previous album and thinking, why doesn't Hotel CA have more upbeat, country rock songs like this? Why is this one of the biggest selling albums of all time?
...okay I have basically no affection for this kind of soft-rock, country ballad and even I quite enjoyed this. Blah blah obligatory Big Lebwoski joke.
Solid
6/10 Best song - Hotel California
Stille og rolig rock, afslappende elguitar, rimelig nemt lyt
I like Hotel California--both the title track and the album. People criticize the Eagles for being basic or "dad music" but this album deserves its hype. That said, I don't love every track and though I'd re-listen to two or three tracks, can't say I'd revisit the album in its entirety. Fave track: Hotel California. It's the most famous track for a reason.
One really good song but the rest were average and okay not the sort of album that keeps me interested throughout
Meticulous production. Lots of filler.
Maybe I'm just tired of rock music but this one was meh
Aight. Has nice mellow songs then very country sounds
-I had a rough night & I hate the fucking Eagles man- Not really but I do always think of that line from the dude. The Eagles are fine, influential & all that.
Dad Rock at its finest
Title track is awesome, of course. Anyone who disagrees has just been overexposed to it. The rest of the album is nice, their harmonies are very good. It's pleasant easy-going rock, which is nice at times but isn't exactly my style.
It's long been fashionable to dump on the Eagles. Charges include their insipid songwriting, privilege of facility over feeling and just downright dullness. I think those are fair critiques, to an extent. Side two of 'Hotel California' ticks those boxes; 'Last Resort' being the prime culprit. But side one - it's pretty good, no? The title track is overplayed but, when rationed out, still has a kick to it. 'Life in the Fast Lane' is a genuinely good cautionary tale of excess. The Eagles are a strange duck, as they can be great or terrible, sometimes in the span of the same song. At least this platter didn't contain 'James Dean', in my top five hated rock songs of all time.
Good, relaxing album. Every song is about a minute too long, but that’s The Eagle.
De un disco que abre con una de las canciones más emblemáticas, no solo de su época, sino de el Rock en general, la neta esperaba muchísimo más. Hotel Claifornia, como canción, tiene muchísimo que ofrecer (incluso pese a lo choteada): Solos de guitarra memorables, largos y muy entretenidos; buenas voces; letra críptica pero de todos modos muy buena; y en general una estructura larga y de muchas partes que la mantienen entretenida. Luego viene el otro sencillo, New Kid In Town… Nada mala, un poco muy soft, pero el toque country es agradable. Pero de ahí, se me cae el disco. No vuelve a tomar nada de lo interesante que ofrece Hotel California y abusa de partes exageradas y la voz, que en la primera es interesante, se vuelve tediosa. Lástima; teóricamente es uno de los grandes discos de la década y a mí me quedó debiendo.
Genre: Pop Rock 3/5 Buoyed by one of the most massive singles in rock history, the album Hotel California is one of the best-selling records of all time. Along with their Greatest Hits album that had been released the previous year, another album that’s still one of the highest-selling records ever, The Eagles were flying high, and writing some of the most memorable music of the 70s. However, after the initial headrush of the opening title track, the album leaves much to be desired. Life in the Fast Lane is another good single. The production on this is nice and expensive, as lush strings fill the empty spaces left by the sparse arrangements Helder and Walsh provide throughout the later half of this album. Wasted Times is just that, and the last half of the album wasn’t good until the last few minutes of The Last Resort. As scathing as I sound, this album ain’t half bad, but it’s certainly no crown jewel.
I expected to like this one a lot more than I did. The songs weren't really memorable and some of them didn't really seem to fit the vibe. I thought one of them could've been a Kiss song. Only reason I'm giving it a 3 instead of a 2 is because my Mom loves the eagles so I feel like I owe it to her.
Front end is boppy! Last end lost me a bit
I don't hate the Eagles like The Dude does, but some of their songs beat me down; Hotel California is chief among them, with Life in the Fast Lane close behind. The fact that both are on this album makes it a slog, but it was better than I wanted to admit. Still not something I would ever put on voluntarily. Best track: The Last Resort
Never need to hear Hotel California again. Try And Love Again is a great song.
A very pleasant listen. I obviously knew the hits but also liked things like the little orchestral interlude. Not a band I've ever has much inclination to delve further into, but this is nice.
Rock extremadamente lento
Inoffensive dad rock. Hotel California obviously slaps and overall the Eagle's are not as bad as the meme wants them to seem
Kinda borring, but not bad. I may be a pretentious music nerd, but I still enjoy this.
Hotel california is great, but the guys voice grates on me a bit
A fine collection of songs although many are of their time. The familiarity of the singles provides them with a longevity, plus they are also significantly better than many of the others.
чисто заглавный трек норм
Album: 3/5, enjoyable as background music for me. Really liked "New Kid In Town" and "Wasted Time." 1. 3/5 2. 3/5 3. 2/5 4. 4/5 5. 3/5 6. 2,5/5 7. 2/5 8. 2/5 9. 2/5
Feel really similarly about this as the first Eagles album. Some high highs and then a lot of filler that didnt do too much for me
Sheesh - Way more ballads on this one that I know what to do with. It's interesting to see what's classified as rock n' roll over the years. A few of the songs piqued my interest, and you can't help but love the title track. Beyond that though, it felt a little flat and dreary. I guess I had to be there to appreciate it.
Nice album
Never been a Eagles fan, but can’t help love the title track.
A little softer than I expected, but pretty good. 2 recognized songs
Pleasant enough! Hotel California is neat but nothing else stood out.
New a few songs. Good
Great listening, last song dragged it down a bit
Very top heavy
ballatone, qualche ci sta come sottofondo cena
I like the rockers on this album (title track, Life in the Fast Lane, Victim of Love), but the ballads all kind of blend together for me.
There is a reason why I only know Hotel California
There are lots of popular songs that I never liked that cause me to change the channel when they are played. There are a handful of songs that I really liked initially but were so overplayed that hearing them now makes me noxious. The two most extreme examples are Stairway to Heaven and Hotel California. If a cab driver were playing Hotel Calif I'd insist he change the music and hope I don't get kicked out of the cab, like The Dude did when he informed the cabbie that he "hates the fucking Eagles". Based on what I originally thought of the title track, the first three songs get the album off to a good start but I find the album drops off considerably after that. Most of the songs following those first three songs are sappy. These include songs like Wasted Time, where the excessive orchestration makes it sappy, and the last three songs on side 2 (although Joe Walsh's guitar solo saves Try and Love Again but the vocal harmonies during the fade can make you forget how good the guitar was.) Three big songs might get a four in some cases but I can't get there.
Talk about polarizing groups, lots of 5 and 1 stars here. Ok the single Hotel California is a 800 lb monster gorilla, one of the best rock singles ever, nuff said. But the remainder of the album is over-wrought Dad rock that hasn't aged well. This gets 3 stars only because of the gorilla.
Such a lovely place
A remarkable set of songs from an amazing group of musicians. Trouble is, these songs are so familiar there's almost a sense that I don't need to listen to them any more. Last Resort still kicks all sorts of ass, though.
Well, that's a little bit more than that single alone
This isn't too bad. Yeah it's overplayed dad rock but it deserves a bit more than a big Lebowski quote. 3/5.
Enjoyable listen. 3 stars
No lo sé. Dos grandes rolas y luego na. Muy grandes las dos pero muy na las demás.
Nunca lo había escuchado completo. Buenas rolas. solo buenas
Hotel California and Life In The Fast Lane cement this album in the American psyche. Wasted Time is just one of those lazy ballads. I hear that Parliament synth tone in Pretty Maids All In A Row. The Last Resort is another overly saccharine effort.
Over half this album are radio heavy hitters. The album itself though, meh, doesn't feel like you're listening to an album. It's a lot more sleepy than you'd otherwise think. I'm realizing the Eagles in general have sleepier hits than I thought, and listening to them a bunch in a row, rather than interspersed among heavier songs, actually makes them less interesting and less worth listening to. For what I would expect to be a solid 5-star on the strength of the hit machine this album was, it's more like a collection of singles that don't play that well together. After a front-to-back listen, I'm rating it shockingly low for what I would have predicted.
I got this as my first album on this website and it has me not wanting to continue
Was surprised how many songs I’d already heard, but on the whole the rest of the album sort of blended into a less than memorable 70s soft rock blur. It was fine, but didn’t make me feel the need to do more Eagles deep dives.
Not a huge Eagles fan, but it was nice to hear some of their deeper cuts that never made it to single status.
As bland as it comes and for some reason I like it 👍🏼
Brilliant start but loses its way in the second half.
Good start then tails off into shit wedding song territory
The Dude said, "I hate the f*ckin Eagles, man!" But this album is alright. I always wondered why the Dude hates the Eagles. I mean, they seem laid back like him. Maybe he had a bad experience. Or maybe they're too corporate. Maybe they're "a buncha a$$holes" like Metallica (he did roadie for them). Whatever the case, the guitar solo on the title track is worth the price of admission even though they stole the chord progression from Jethro Tull. (Maybe the Dude is a Tull fan...)
American old school movie feel. Good. Redneck
Powrot do klasycznego rocka, tym razem Eagles z ich piatym albumem, najwiekszym komercyjnym sukcesem, a wiec hotel california, na tym materiale banda odchodzi od swojego country brzmienia na rzecz bardziej popowego rokowania, jest to tez pierwszy album bez leadona, ktory byl glownym zrodlem ciagot wiejskich w bandzie, za niego do skladu wszedl joe walsh, czyli jedna z legendarnych gitarek hamerykanskiego rockowania, z pewnoscia pomoglo to zmienic brzmienie eaglesowe w tym materiale, o samym koncepcie hotelu california sie juz nasluchalem wystarczajaco od daj hardowych fanow, ze nie bede znowu sie zaglebial w te krolicza nore, jesli chodzi o brzmienie to dominuje gitarka, co nie jest dziwne, jesli czterech na pieciu czlonkow bandy ma swoje partie gitarowe na krazku, glownym wokalem jest pan henley, ale frey, walsh i meisner takze po swoim traku, jedynie bez kawalka zostal fedler, choc i tak kazdego mozna uslyszec na backujacych woklach chocby w otwierajacym klasycznym traku hotel california, gdyby sie nie wsluchac za dobrze, to mozna stwierdzic, ze na plycie wystepuje tylko jeden wokal, to zasluga albo wina pana szymczyka i jego charakterystycznej produkcji, ktora mozna uslyszec nie tylko na wiekszosci eaglesowych materialow, ale takze chocby u B.B. kinga, czy walsha, pan wiedzial jak stworzyc dzwiek ktory bedzie sluchalny, ale jednak traci sie w tym unikalnosc brzmienia, to samo mozna by powiedziec o lirycznej stronie plyty, bo operuje ona mocno na niejasnosciach i wielorakim znaczeniach tekstu, wiec tak jak w ambitnym popie byc powinno byc, bo radiowy sluchacz uslyszy songa o raju na ziemi w hotelu kalifornijskim, a inny bedzie slyszal opisy branzy muzycznej okiem eaglesowym, interpretacja dowolna, z plyty moim ulubionym kawalkiem, jest zdecydowanie life in the fast lane, wiec laduje on na plejce razem z kawalkiem walshowym, to jest pretty maids all in a row
Here’s a familiar face! Will there be more on here than Hotel California? Yes, I obviously recognize “Life in the Fast Lane” as well. Not too many other standout tracks for me, but hard to deny this overall. It just goes down so smooth. I feel like Hotel California is a meme at this point, maybe even was then, but you gotta love it. Favorite tracks: Hotel California, Life in the Fast Lane, Victim of Love. Album art: Total classic, iconic cover. A pretty beautiful and dreamy picture, and the neon elevates it to something special. No problems here. 3.5/5
I mean I listened to it Kinda boring idk Favorite songs: Hotel California, Life I in the Fast Lane, your mom
After listening the first time, I was a but underwhelmed because of Hotel California and Life in The Fast Lane being overplayed. However, the 3rd listen through I got it. Wasted Time and Victim of Love are my two favorites. Try and Love again is magical
Enjoyable enough, not raving about it like a lot of people
Definitely not their best album.
bara pga låten?
Most of this is so familiar that it now sounds quite cliched, but it’s a collection of good tunes nonetheless.
Not necessarily my thing but can see the appeal. Strong start with a few classics.
I like the fantasticalness of the hotel, like the way it's described and the feel of it and that, the spookyness of the fact that you can't leave (is that a metaphor?). This kind of slow rock isn't really a genre I connect with in general so didn't get a lot of the album, but I do like the storytelling aspect of it.
Starts with a bang, but then just seems to drift.
Didn't give it much of a listen, but got a few good ones
Bog standard 70's rock album.
It's the music business, and business is GOOOOD. The Eagles deliver a masterclass 9 slide Power Point presentation on music as a multi-generational investment strategy. Was Woodstock a bit scary? Did the Summer of Love go too far? Do you wanna lay down in the SoCal sunshine with Henley/Frye? Do you prefer khakis? EAGLES. They defined 70s California rock. They wrote hook after hook. Walls of vocal harmonies. This record shines like a perfect stack of gold bricks. New Kid in Town is a near-perfect song. The double guitar solos on Hotel California are iconic. The OOoooOOOs on Wasted Time are heavenly. It's too easy to hate the Eagles. It's too easy to like the Eagles. I can accept music and greed living side by side. It's a great album. B
Ah, The Eagles, AKA, music for hillbillies to fuck to. I don’t care what anyone says, Hotel California is an amazing song—reggae, country, classic rock, dual soloing guitars, great build up and climax. I don’t care if it’s not about anything and it’s a made up place. But, alas, you can’t give a 5 for just one song. After Hotel California you’re fucking hyped then you get the proto-margaritaville trash in New Kid in town and it instantly goes from a 5 to a 3. Then you get Life in the Fast Lane, great hook, drum beat, and your back, it’s at least a 4 now. Then the rest of the album happens and it has four too many love ballads. You get a momentary reprieve with Try and Love. As much as I want to give this album a 4 for two songs, I can’t. The Eagles are a best of band, their best album is their best of album, they can’t pull together a full album that is great, even with the addition of Joe Walsh. This album shines in fleeting moments, but the rest is just Dusty Springfield and therefore It’s a 3 for me.
What else can be said about the Eagles that hasn't already been said? Obviously the title track is great. The rest of the album is uninterestingly solid. Do you think Hotel California is the most-played radio song of all time? If I let my mind wander I could almost convince myself I had just flipped the radio on to 102.5 fm. Does anyone care about the Eagles' other albums? Does any other album than Hotel California even matter? Are we living our own lives or just trapped in a simulation? Hotel California is sign, signified, and signifier. Simulacra and simulation of a shared experience that we all never really experienced. You can never check out and you can never leave.
Probably three stars, tailed off towards the end
Tried to check out from this album, but I could never leave
Actually pretty good overall, but the weakest song is the second and right after the title track so it feels like it drops sharply. Life in the Fast Lane was pretty good, hadn't heard that before.
The 3ist of 3's I ever did see
Rock extremadamente lento
Hotel California - vibes. New Kid in Town - didn't like at first but story got pretty interesting, chorus started to grow on me. Life in the Fast Lane - felt some soul in this one. also musically sound like cars the movie the song. story cool too. Wasted Times - Aight. Kinda forgot what it sounded like but i think it was good. Victim of love - kinda forgot this song already. Pretty Little Maids - OK Try and Love Again - great. good vibes. The Last Resort - nice
This is one of the first albums I recall as a kid. There isn't a lot of depth but it's pretty good for just chilling. It'll never make my regular rotation, but I like it and how it takes me back to the 70s as a kid.
A couple classics, but pretty average other than that.
A couple bangers, but otherwise a little too chilled out to be universally memorable.
the title track's legendary status is deserved. the rest of the album just feels like exposed chest hair, wide collars, gold chains, and feathered hair. like a bunch of other albums in this list, it just screams of its time. for me, in this case, it's not something i love.
I had a rough night and I hate the fuckin eagles
Solid, great music
entendo o apelo mas não é meu tipo de música
Its the eagle. But it’s pretty ok.
A bit dreary, great song sad album.
Classic, uplifting rock shit. Good harmonies on some songs. Ballads were a little meh
Very safe rock. Title track is still great though.
album started off strong but dies off. what is up with wasted time and the last resort? These songs were completely out of character with the rest of the album.
You know, I was a little dissapointed.
Not for me
I like „Hotel California“. But the rest of the album is a bit boring.
en trea får det bli även om det var en del tråk
Yes, it bangs!
Pleasant enough to listen to but a bit forgettable, except for the classics of course
On the better end of the rock trends of the late 70s. Lyrics are a little cringey in general and the instrumentation and guitar solos overwrought at times, but still has character, good singing, and strong melodies. The flow from theme to theme within songs is a little jumbled at times, and isn't very sonically or conceptually cohesive. I also think the album isn't as playful as it could be; it takes itself a little too seriously. This album seems to exist in the strange in-between from classic rock of the earlier 70s to the soft rock/metal of the 80s - its a reflection of its time, but not always in a bad way. Not really to my taste, but I can see why a lot of people like it! Definitely good driving music, not the greatest for a standalone listen. 2.5 but I'm feeling generous so I rounded up.
Lol I got the album 1960 something. I like the song hotel California but, the album I listened to was alright too.
Neither quite as inspired as other similar albums from this era (don't get why it is so popular) nor as bad as some critics would have you believe.
The first three songs are fine, but after that it's a whole lot of nothing. Yelp Review from the Hotel California is a 2 out of 5. I'm checking out! I'm leaving!
The Eagles are not for me. I was given this album 30-odd years ago, still got it, never listened to it after the first few months, never will again. The title track was Ok originally but now it's one long cliche.
Before Wonderwall, the title song of this album was what the bloke with the guitar could play a few bars of to encourage people to sing at the party and it was alright. I remember someone bought this album when we were kids and we couldn't belive how the rest of the album was crap. The first couple of songs are a promising start to this album but then it descends into forgettable mulch. 2*'s for the first 2 songs.
I love the Creedence preceding the Eagles here for Lebowski's sake.... I chose to be as objective as possible, because I hate the fucking Eagles. What I realized is that I simply hate the maudlin easy-listening cowboy shit that they rolled out as hits in the mid-70s. Babysitter rock at its worst. This record is clean as hell. It sounds fantastic. It also has Joe Walsh's guitar, which is interestingly tamped down beyond a few obvious tunes. I can't stand most of this crap, and I don't understand why others did in the day. So much better music coming out in all genres in 1976 than this tripe. Sounds good, but fuckin' A these songs are bad.
meh, too boomer for me
Album is decent but god I hate the title track so much.
Don't understand how this album is one of the biggest sellers of all time, if it were a colour it would be beige
Just give me the gun... 2/5
I det store billede er det en omgang sløj samlebånds-rock. Lad os være ærlige: hele albummet er på listen pga. titelnummeret 2.4
Godt spillet. Men røvkedeligt. Point for titelnummeret.
It was fine but I won't submit my fanclub membership application just yet....
So glad that I don’t like this one so I don’t need to disagree with the dude.
I’ve had fondue less cheesy than this.
Favorite Song: Victim of Love Least Favorite: Wasted Time
I liked the “HC” solo and “Life in the fast lane” but the rest of the songs felt quite dull.
Don’t hate it as much as I expected to hate it. New Kid in Town and Life in the Fast Lane are great songs but the rest is snoozey.
I mean... these are played out because I've heard them so much. But stuff like "Wasted Time" is absolutely not my jam.
For me, very much a eh album. Hotel California is a fine song. Just not a huge Eagles fan. It's fine. Not likely to listen to it again though.
Crazy licensing laws
I hate the fuckin eagles, man.
Damn had niet verwacht dat de comments by AOTY zo accuraat zouden zijn maar inderdaad boring behalve de eerste 3 liedjes. Niet gedacht dat het zo'n lame album zou zijn.
The first 500 times I heard the song Hotel California I didn’t think it was to bad, over the next 50,000 times it has turned to loathing. Rest of the album isn’t too bad though, but not good enough to redeem it much.
9 songs. 2 are good but I'm over them. Lebowski was right. Generic soft rock shit.
4/10
I really do fucking hate the Eagles and have fully walked out of stores and other social situations for playing Hotel California. That being said I really tried giving this a fair shake. It's just so bland and artless. There isn't an ounce of grit anywhere on this album and there's absolutely nothing exhilarating, unique, or daring in this music. If I could give any credit, I would say "Life in the Fast Lane" is a decent r&b song and "Try and Love Again" is a pretty good country song. But otherwise, this is absolute trash kitsch.
The title song is amazing. A classic for a reason. Sorry mom, but the rest of this album is so-so.
So the song “Hotel California” has been overplayed to a ridiculous degree but the fact remains that it’s a pretty damn good song. Coupled with “The Last Resort” and you have a solid opener and closer. Alright, enough of that. The rest of this album is hot garbage. “New Kid in Town” is light-rock drivel and such a fall off the cliff from the preceding title track. The other hits, “Life in the Fast Lane” and “Victim of Love” are clichéd corporate rock that can’t even be saved by Joe Walsh’s guitar work. But the real pit of musical despair is at the center of the album. Never has there been a more aptly named song than “Wasted Time”! What a schmaltzy self-fellating pile of sonic crap this is. THEN! Then these guys have the balls to follow it up with the orchestral “Wasted Time (Reprise)”. Get over yourselves, you bunch of knobs!
My review will be as tepid as this music. Middle of the road songs for middle of the road people.
A famous album But only the title song Sparks a little joy.
One all time classic which I care little for, I did like Life in the Fast Lane. The rest is pretty shit.
I am not living it up in Hotel California
Okay, das war gleichzeitig schlimmer und weniger schlimm als befürchtet. Weniger schlimm weil das Songwriting stellenweise ziemlich gut ist - Life in the Fast Lane, Victim of Love - und Walsh und Felder schon ziemlich fantastische Guitaristen sind. Schlimmer weil all das in so eine klebrige Softrock-scheiße produziert wird dass nichts gut, sondern nur freundlich klingt. Die Texte sind auch banal, okay. Aber diese in Lithium gepackte Produktion killt einen, sorry.
++: Hotel California, Life in the Fast Lane, Pretty Maids All in a Row +: New Kid in Town, Victim of Love +-: Try and Love Again, The Last Resort -: Wasted Time, Wasted Time (Reprise) 5,4/10
I don't hate Joe Walsh.
Only liked maybe 3 tracks. The rest sounded like shit country.
Overrated
Meh, there are a couple of singles on here that are ok, but overall its just an easy-listening, no-impact record that can spin in the background of suburbia. If you want to have some fun, listen to Joe Walsh's solo stuff!
LÄTTMJÖLK HUR kan det här albumet blivit så framgångsrikt? Var dom snygga eller?
En tiiä saako näin ees sanoa, mut en oo kauhee rockballadien ystävä. Tältä levyltä ei niitä puuttunut. Onhan Hotel California klassikko ja Life in the Fast Lane nappasi myös mukaansa, mut muuten ei oikein mun makuuni. Lällyä, turvallista papparokkia, kakkoseen jää.
Very overrated album, probs would like the big hits if didn’t hear them every god damn day
meh...I've heard it a thousand times.
Laikam mazliet too country for me, bet Hotel California ir klasika
I don't mind the title track, but the rest is just so boring.
Wonderful first track and honestly that was it. The rest sounded the same
Very nice production, crisp and clean but with plenty of warmth. They are clearly very competent at playing their instruments, but in terms of actually writing interesting songs or parts, there just isn't enough personality to back up the simplicity and repetition.
The opening song does the heavy lifting of this album. Even there, I don't know if I like it, because it actually appeals to me, or if it's just hammered into my brain because it's on the top of all the year-end summary lists (I live in NL)? In any case, the rest of the album is boring, sleep-inducing country music. I discovered that I really hate country music. Sure, I guess life in USA in the 70's was great, much freedom, such yee-haw, but it's 2026 now. USA lost all of its shine in the eyes of the world. And the ultra-USA music did as well.
There are interesting moments here, but it usually sounds like better artists with the edges sanded off. The title track is great and hits a good middle ground between rock and pop, a balance the rest of the album fails to strike. "Life in the Fast Lane" is one of the louder tracks, and while it's good enough to not just be "watered down ZZ Top," it's close. Most of the rest of the album is just ballads, and not good ones: they're sleepy and sometimes maudlin. "Wasted Time" is one of the worst, and for some reason the band thought we needed a reprise of it right after the song. Even "Victim of Love" is just a ballad dressed up with big riffs. The closer is actually fairly interesting with its focus on the environment, but the music is too lackluster to make it great. Overall this feels like an easy listening version of rock that's missing the hooks or impressive melodies that would make the sound work.
2.5/5
Jeez, that went downhill fast
I always thought (the) Eagles were unfairly maligned from The Big Lebowski....but this album kind of sucks. How did it sell 28,000,000 copies? Give me the self-titled album over this any day.
The critic Robert Christgau said: "Another thing that interests me about the Eagles is that I hate them. "Hate" is the kind of up-tight word that automatically excludes one from polite post hippie circles, a good reason to use it, but it is also meant to convey an anguish that is very intense, yet difficult to pinpoint. Do I hate music that has been giving me pleasure all weekend, made by four human beings I've never met? Yeah, I think so. Listening to the Eagles has left me feeling alienated from things I used to love." He's on the money. As opposed to The Eagles who are in the money, which might be part of the problem. Rich hippies are no longer hippies
Album 2: This kicks rocks man. Hotel California? More like Motel Waste-of-my-time-nia. Listening to this is like listening to a screeching chalkboard.
Eh basic rock niks rerig interresant nie titel song is goed though
2.5 stars only because I still enjoy the title track after all these years and having never listened to the full album before, lots of highlights production-wise and from the guitars (especially Joe Walsh). The rest? Cheesy, often reeking of insincerity, compared to what I know about this kind of music. Cock-rock structures with wimpy vocals. In spite of the dark content, too safe. (I grew up in California, so they're not the only ones to write about the themes at play, yet it's presented as truly insightful by so many fans). There's a reason that the Eagles is a joke to many people in the world of rock, but I came in with an open mind. Just not for me, though it should be in principle as I enjoy a lot of rock albums like this one. So, why do I enjoy "Rumours" but not this? Who knows, maybe it's too masculine for me. I'll listen again in another 10 years.
I haven't been forced to listen to the Eagles since my mom died 15 years ago. This is a 2.5 rounded down to a 2 because the bad songs are really bad.
Now that was some old man bullshit right there, but it least it had a few good guitar solos.
I mean, it has hotel california, but the rest is meh.
Ugh, I hate the Eagles. As cheesy as this band is I have to admit they write really catchy songs. The slow songs are really bad but it's a better album than I thought it would be.
What if Supertramp was boring and was talking itself seriously?
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
Oh I could have died happy not hearing these songs again.
First 3 tracks are at least interesting or unique. Mush after that.
It's whatever. Not my thing.
Not for me. Some half decent tunes on there, but just don't like the overall vibe.
Fine if you like the eagles.
6.19.26 I find this album rather unremarkable. some enjoyable songs, but I just don't vibe with it as a whole. probably doesn't help that I'm not really a fan of the title track. Favorite Song: New Kid in Town Rating: 2.5/5
I think there are only two good songs on this album. The slow burns are deadly. Hotel California starts at a 5, perhaps, it’s so familiar it’s hard to say, but then the score goes down with New Kid in Town. Then Life in the Fast Lane. Undeniably fun. Then Wasted Time, with a Reprise which is a description of itself. Victim of Love is - ok. And it’s all down hill. Yeah- I think it crashes out at a 2. 2 Boolean: True?
Came across the vinyl at the markets on the weekend, nearly bought it. Thank God I didn't, absolute snooze fest. Besides track one obviously and maybe new kid in town and wasted time (reprise) 2/5
Hippy stuff
1stly I listened to the 2013 remaster. "Hotel California" is top-notch.
Whereas artists like Joni Mitchell and Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac made 1970s California feel so vibrant and exciting, The Eagles made it sound so damn boring.
Most songs drag a bit, and the drums are really boring. It also feels like they half-heartedly are trying to be artsy. The title track is pretty good though.
Nice but not for me
Meh. Fine. Whatever
2 stars. The title track is pretty great, and Life in the Fast Lane also alright but nothing drags it beyond a 2 star.
Learning to play the title track for a Country/Classic Rock cover band sub gig gave me a renewed appreciation for the song and Life In the Fast Lane doesn't suck. The rest of the album is boring, at best. 2 stars.
I don’t hate the title track as much as some people do but most of this is pretty awful. That last track is pretty based though.
Obligatory, "I hate the fucking Eagles, man!". But seriously, I actually don't really like the Eagles. I've never been forced to put my dislike for them into words like this and I don't think I could have until I read the Ringer's article "The Case Against the Eagles" this morning. In far fewer words, the Eagles have always felt like that privileged kid that expects the world and more and will throw a fit when they don't get their way. Anyways, separating the art from the artist and it's not all bad. Joe Walsh's guitar playing, when he's allowed to let loose, is amazing on this album. The hits are obviously great songs, Hotel California and Life in the Fast Lane deserve the praise they get, but other than a few select songs, this album is incredibly boring.
"Hotel California" the song by the Eagles is a banger, "Hotel California" the album by the Eagles I am less a fan of
Easy going country tinged rock. Kinda boring. And The Last Resort is cheesy and try-hard. I don't know about this record. Mediocre.
Has a few easily recognizable songs at the beginning of the tracklist. Overplayed jams; still descent. But the back half of the record isn’t real rad. Maybe because I haven’t heard the songs as much. 2.6/5.0
not as good as take it easy
"Hotel California" is a legendary song that I don't want to listen to. "Life in the Fast Lane" remains excellent.
This is not my cup of tea. The best songs I have heard one million times, and after that are songs I don't need to listen to ever again.
Favorite track(s): Hotel California
The banality of Eagles.
Yes the title song has been heard so many times that it can be skipped and still be present in your head. Unfortunately the same can not be said of the remaining songs as it's as standardized rock as it can be. It's peak standardized rock maybe even defining it but it's still too bland. Favorite Songs: Hotel California
Hotel California, the song, is an absolute banger, and this album could probably coast on that alone. It basically does. New Kid In Town is solid, and the rest of this is fine, but I don't really think there were any other songs here that I noticed or cared about in any real way. It got me through 43 minutes of my day without upsetting me, and that's more than I can say about some albums, but that's also about where my thoughts on this one ends.
Neeeee, bah. Prima productie, geen slechte muziekanten maar niks interessants. Erger. ij er een beetje aan dat je er voor kiest om zulke gezapige ballads te maken. Luister nog liever iets wat ik heel kut vind omdat het dan nog iets van emotie oproept.
One of the songs has the same backing as American wedding and I like that song
It's country, rock-country if that's even a genre? The 'New Kid in Town' started playing and I went 'That's a country song!' - same goes for majority of the tracklist. The storytelling structure is very reminiscent of that of a country song and the rock songs like 'Life in The Fast Lane' - well, they're not rocking much, are they? Very safe, dull, boring... Even at the time I guess it wasn't innovative at all. It sounds dated to me. The concept is clear and strong throughout the album's duration but is it saying anything interesting about California and American Dream? Again, even for the time being, it's not investigative enough of its topic. There are some glimpses, a few lines hinting at something behind the courtain, and almost grasping it, before retreating quickly into safe surface-level observation. Listening to the lyrics, not much changed after 50 years, huh? Songs about CA, LA, American Dream are always onto the same shit and after listening to bajillion of them, I look for a deeper cut. The storytelling on this album is also, in general, not very compelling. Onto the highlights - 'Hotel California' is a great, haunting song. Overplayed? Sure, but I still love it every time it comes on. Eagles really caught a lightning in a bottle with this one - there's something so compelling here about the writing, vocals, production, guitars... I'd love to put it on when I'm in California someday. Must be amazing to listen to it while driving through the West Coast at sunset (call it cliche, I want it!!). I like the metaphor here and I like the enitre 'mythology' of this song. Other song I also like (much less then the title track but still) is 'Victim of Love'. I checked writing credits and what these 2 songs have in common that others don't is Don Felder - I'm not suggesting Felder is a great songwriter and others suck, I actually haven't yet heard the rest of Eagles discography (and any other songs written by Felder), just an observation. The production is nice overall. The closing track has a beautiful piano melody but it stretches for much longer than I think it needed to - again, I see writing issue with not being concise enough and not painting a compelling picture of what you want to convey. I really like the closing line, thesis statment of this concept album I'd say, 'You call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye'.