1001 Albums Summary

This was an interesting first pull because I’ve actually been re-discovering my love for this album already prior to today. I’m absolutely floored by how crispy and crunchy the whole thing sounds. Bon was the man. Guitars sound flawless. Favorite track is STILL ‘Touch Too Much’.

I’ve only really ever listened to The Hits, so this was pretty fresh for me. Understanding the hype a bit better. The mix is a little wonky sometimes, but the guitar tones are of particular interest to me. Brian was dialed in. My favorite moments are those where the proto-metal / baroque / glam are dialed up. Layered guitar lead harmonies and gang vocals will always be a hit with me. Lot of sounds packed into 38 minutes. You’d expect an album that short to feel ‘focused’, but this is phrenetic and occasionally crosses the line into gonzo camp. No value judgment there, just an observation. Fav trax: ‘Tenement Funster’, ‘Stone Cold Crazy’, ‘She Makes Me (Stormtrooper In Stilettos)’, ‘In The Lap Of The Gods…Revisited’

Fela is the king, danceable, groovetastic. The title track was probably the standout to me but it almost feels silly to pick favorites when the music is long-form like this. Each piece is an exploration on deceptively simple rhythmic and melodic forms and themes, drawn out to their (mostly) logical conclusions. A lot of fun.

I did not want to enjoy this as much as I did. I made a concerted effort to try and block out any previous feelings I had about the album based on the ubiquity of Eagles hits on classic rock radio etc. This was one of my dad’s all time faves in high school in the 1970’s (of course) and so I tried to put myself in the headspace of a kid hearing these sounds for the first time and MAN, I have to admit this is just a stunning sounding record. Even the title track, which we’ve all heard a thousand times and feels like it has the potential to induce some rolling of the eyes, is so thoughtfully constructed and composed, it’s tough to find anything to criticize. Joe Walsh was operating at such a high level here. The ‘Life In The Fast Lane’ riff? Get outta here, man. Ripper. Idk dudes, I think I just fw the Eagles now. Whatever.