Long Road Out of Eden : The Eagles : Review : Rolling Stone

"Long Road Out of Eden," the ten-minute centerpiece of this two-CD, twenty-song album, epitomizes everything that is familiar, surprising, overstretched and, in many ways, right about the entire set. The song echoes the title hit of 1976's Hotel California, the Eagles' defining monument to mirage, money and no escape. But this time the desert is overseas and oil is the new champagne. When drummer Don Henley sings, "Now we're driving dazed and drunk" in a grainy, plaintive voice, it is an entire nation at the wheel, "bloated with entitlement, loaded on propaganda."

That is brassy censure from a band that, in the Seventies, embodied Hollywood vainglory, shining its klieg-light guitars and vocals on the low roads through high living with an often wicked insight that only comes from knowing each mile intimately. But there is a potent restraint to "Long Road Out of Eden," in the bleak, hollow mix of acoustic guitar and electric piano in the verses and the overcast sigh of the harmonies. There is empathy, too, for the soldier on night patrol, with dirty work to do and everything to lose. "I'm not counting on tomorrow/And I can't tell wrong from right," Henley sings. "But I'd give anything to be there in your arms tonight." That's not self-interest -- just the purest need.

The resemblance in title between this album and the Eagles' last studio record, 1979's The Long Run, is no coincidence. Henley and singer-guitarist Glenn Frey, the band's surviving founders, have always written and sung about asphalt and distance —: getting as far from responsibility as possible, crawling home, bruised and maybe wiser, when the fun runs out. And making Long Road Out of Eden was a protracted haul in itself. Henley, Frey, guitarist Joe Walsh and singer-bassist Timothy B. Schmit reportedly worked on the album for six years, and the Topanga-country gallop "How Long" goes back much further. Written by veteran compadre J.D. Souther, it is a previously unrecorded relic of the group's early-Seventies live sets.

But the Eagles' original studio albums were all models of clenched-gleam detail, and Long Road suffers from sprawl. "Center of the Universe" makes the most of its bare bones -- the circular-staircase effect of the guitars -- and "Waiting in the Weeds" lets the lyrics carry the impatience ("I heard some wise man say that every dog will have his day/He never mentioned that these dog days get so long"). But Schmit's sweetly sung spotlights are Eighties-ballad sugar. Walsh's "Last Good Time in Town" is a wry cantina-swing sequel to "Life in the Fast Lane" -- staying home apparently is the new going out -- and he cuts through the salsa-lounge grooming with James Gang-era guitar. Seven minutes, though, is a long time to sing about doing fuck-all.

Henley and Frey still find easy pickings in bad behavior. In "Fast Company," Frey affects a Prince-like falsetto over a chilled-funk stroll, playing an old-timer who can't even remember the action he used to get. "Busy Being Fabulous" is classic Eagles saloon-band shine about an errant filly, except this one is a mom who can't tell the difference between raising kids and being one. And Henley may be having a grim laugh at the Eagles' own expense in the materialist rant "Business as Usual": "A barrel of monkeys, a band of renown/But business as usual is breakin' me down."

Nothing, of course, is business as usual in the music industry, and the Eagles, now running their own label, have chosen Wal-Mart as the album's exclusive retailer. There is an inevitable contradiction in buying a record that attacks corporate greed and blind consumerism in songs like "Do Something" and "Frail Grasp of the Big Picture" from a superchain with a bleak record on employee rights and health care. But Long Road Out of Eden is available direct at Eaglesband.com for $11.88, a bargain even with the misfires -- and worth it for the title song alone.

DAVID FRICKE

(Posted: Nov 1, 2007)

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Review 1 of 54

Not Rated

As a music reviewer, one of the most difficult aspects is the pressure to produce an objective essay about a work you have never been a part of. For me the biggest challenge would be putting an album of brand new songs through the paces minus my prejudices, and remaining critical but honest regardless of the history of the band concerned. For my first album review, I had the pleasure of listening to the 2007 double-CD release by the American band Eagles. It is titled Long Road Out of Eden and contains twenty tracks in total.

On my first listen, my personal favorites would have to be: (i) What Do I Do With My Heart; (ii) No More Cloudy Days; (iii) It's Your World Now; (iv) Do Something; (v) How Long; and (vi) I Don't Want To Hear Any More. These songs are collectors’ items. This album may have reached out to posterity, missed the American Billboard charts and landed safely on the CD rack of a loyal fan out of sentimental reasons.

The song What Do I Do With My Heart reminds me of the song Sweet Romance by Michael Learns To Rock. This track is a slow RNB production with Glen Frey delivering vocally as always (I can see him closing his eyes to underline the emotion behind the lyric). Arguably, MLTR just came to the fore in the early to mid-nineties and Eagles are a phenomenon. So the similarity may be coincidental. I loved this song the moment I heard it on a ride home after work. My missus and I exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

No More Cloudy Days is light, and the lyrics assuring. There is no temptation to write youthful love songs anymore. This is understandable as Eagles band members are well into their sixties. However, the songwriting seems ageless!

It's Your World Now feels Spanish. The song also reminds me of Tequila Sunrise, which of course is another Eagle’s song. I am tempted to stand this new track next to You’ll never be sorry by the Beach Boys as it sounds similar. I do not know what the aim was while producing this song. Were they trying to come up with a siesta anthem? Were they trying to score a foreign language film?

Do Something is an introspective and uplifting country ballad sung by another of the bands prolific vocalists and its bass guitarist, Timothy B. Schmidt. Timothy normally does the high parts in the signature Eagles four-part harmony. The slide guitar has a good effect on the song. If I were a music publisher in Australia, I would be really tempted to plant this song on a John Farnham or Rick Price album. Both have the vocal integrity to deliver. As a composer, I thought the chord progression (at the point when Don Henley comes in) does not flow and may be the result of a lapse in the songwriter’s concentration.

The guitar intro on How long reminds me of the same on another Eagles song Take it Easy. It feels like another top country rock song and is written from a jailbird’s perspective. The subject is anxious to know if his love will remain forever true until the day he is released. The performance in the song breathes energy and I can see the band members doing the crocodile walk onstage and eyeballing each other in the process, their enthusiasm only matched by the crowd’s clapping.

I Don't Want To Hear Any More feels more like an eighties version of the Eagles’ I can’t tell you why. It would have been perfect on an Eric Carmen album. The tune reminds me of Ann Murray’s I fell in love again last night. The tune to the chorus also reminds me of the chorus on the song Sweet Romance by MLTR (Here we go again!). I am beginning to wonder who on the Eagles songwriting team is actually a MLTR fan.

I shuffled through the other tracks, finding the lyrics rather predictable. Only then did I realize that members of the group are slowly moving into the age where it is okay to be “grumpy old men.” Hey! No offence here as I am on the same road too and it is only a matter of time.

Oct 26, 2008 06:28:44

Review 2 of 54

3of 5 Stars

As someone else suggested, this could have been a truly great album....single CD album. I look at 'Eden' the same way I looked at Fleetwood Macs "Say You Will", and ask the question, why did they feel the need to release practically a double album with too many weak songs on it when a 12 song CD would have been so much better. Maybe both bands felt guilty after such a long absence, who knows?
But, the positives do out-weigh the negatives...just!!! Lets hope if the boys ever release another album that they give us the best of the best, and not diamonds mixed with quartz.

Sep 23, 2008 03:39:32

Review 3 of 54

4of 5 Stars

I've never heard anyone I knew to be a good player dis the Eagles. What people like about this band is their musicianship and professionalism. They're tight (not something younger bands seem to strive for much.) "P;ay great songs well," is their credo, and they succeed largely because they successfully meet this dual challenge of great material and high-level performance. Clearly, this album has social views and political, as well as musical, aims. There was a time when that was a good thing.
I keep returning to WalMart for another copy of Long Road Out of Eden, because I think of someone else I know would like it. Like most of the previous Eagles albums, this one will hold up and gain a greater following over time. It takes a bit of listening, but that will happen.

Aug 28, 2008 14:23:10

Review 4 of 54

5of 5 Stars

Classic Eagles and then some. I keep the CD in my car. You people who don't like it, either don't know music or don't know the Eagles. You guys did a great job and I can hear the old and the new in this CD. I want to see you guys in Concert. I'm 46. Love it!

Jul 17, 2008 15:35:58

Review 5 of 54

5of 5 Stars

As an Eagles fan from their beginning, I was prepared to be disappointed in their new album; I was not! It is wonderful, with great breadth and a variety of sounds that all sound like The Eagles of old. I could live without the two instrumental cuts, and one or two of the songs, but the rest run through my mind all day. It will be my favorite album for a long time.
By the way, I'm 71.

Jun 30, 2008 16:43:03

Review 6 of 54

Not Rated

The art of songwriting has moved on since Henley / Frey honed their craft in the '70's. Sounds like their songwriting has stood still - nothing here to excite - look forward - these are old men looking back - dragging nostalgia from every new thought, retrospective, introspective and dull - very disappointed Eagles fan...

Jun 23, 2008 22:27:38

Review 7 of 54

5of 5 Stars

Their voices and harmonies never sounded better. This is classic Eagles for the most part which means you're going to find yourself singing along after just hearing the songs a few times. While I can't say I'm a huge fan of Schmidt's songs - has a little too much "boy band" sound for me, even his songs are starting to win me over. Frye and Henley's vocals are superb - amazing how Henley has kept that sexy, slight laryngitis sounding voice for all these years! Joe is still Joe singing Guilty of the Crime - just makes me feel good! I definitely prefer the 1st CD as it seems to be more classic Eagles sound. Definitely one of my favorite albums of all time.

Mar 29, 2008 13:53:36

Review 8 of 54

Not Rated

Studio tour-de-force. Steely Dan clean. Something for everybody. Perhaps the motive for 2 discs. Frankly, 1 disc would have been worthy.

The Gems
“How Long” – The Eagles have landed! Truly dug from the archives.
“Busy Being Fabulous” – cool tune for divorced guys.
“What Do I Do With My Heart” – chick-flick indeed! Glenn, harmonies, wow!
“I Don’t Want To Hear Anymore” –Tim got me – “…walk away with my head high”. Whew!
“Waiting in the Weeds” – few love songs better. Period.
“No More Cloudy Days” – why not another great love song?
“Frail Grasp On The Big Picture” – a little muscle is necessary.
“Last Good Time In Town” – listen and try not to smile. I dare you. Favorite!

The Duds
“Guilty of the Crime” – come on, Joe.
“Fast Company” – so ‘80s. Really, Don.
“Do Something” – criminalize these lyrics!
“You Are Not Alone” – maudlin.
“Long Road Out of Eden” – must have been written while watching ‘Syriana’.
“I Dreamed There Was No War” – why?
“Somebody” – dug out of an old notebook – Glenn, quit growling.
“I Love To Watch A Woman Dance” – tried to like it and couldn’t.
“Business As Usual” – “Highway 61” meets LaBelle. Preach – y.
“Center of the Universe” – Sorry. Not my taste. Too ‘pretty’.
“It’s Your World Now” – terrific Trini Lopez impersonation.

The Throw-Aways
“No More Walks in the Woods” – eco-babble. We get it, already.
“Hole In The World” – love the harmonies, but I already own this CD/DVD.
“Please Come Home For Christmas” – every band has a Xmas tune. Try Vince Guaraldi.

20 songs for $11.88 (nisah) is a pretty good deal, even if your Eagles iPod playlists will most likely play only 8 of these songs. The pressure to deliver must be daunting, but they do get paid for it. Over the years, I’ve come to prefer Glenn’s subdued character to Don’s outspoken politics. Tim’s a great complement and Joe is nothing if not a funny guy. The additional players are ‘perfect’ in their studio execution. I would be surprised if “The Gems” aren’t part of a set list when they perform in concert. Seeing them in Las Vegas in a theatre with under 2,000 seats would be a treat. If you’ve got the scratch, pick up this package. Most ‘70s rock music and 37 year Eagles fans will like it. Otherwise, keep your powder dry.