Album Review #7 - Eagles - Eagles (1972)

 

Album Review #7

 

 

Artist:  Eagles

Album:  Eagles

Year of Release:  1972

Grade:  3 / 5

 

Band Members

Glenn Frey – vocals, guitar, slide guitar

Don Henley – vocals, drums, percussion

Bernie Leadon – vocals, guitar, banjo, Dobro, mandolin

Randy Meisner – vocals, bass guitar

 

Background

The Eagles were formed out of Linda Ronstadt’s backing band.  Don Henley from Texas was recruited from his band Shiloh that had failed to catch on.  Glenn Frey from Michigan was part of Longbranch Pennywhistle with J.D. Southern. Bernie Leadon who also played with Ronstadt was also part of the Flying Burrito Brothers.  Randy Meisner was part of Ricky Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band.  While on tour with Ronstadt, Frey and Henley decided to form their own band.  Ronstadt suggested Leadon join the tour so the three could work together.  Meisner was also brought in for the same reason.  All four only played one show together with Ronstadt – Disneyland in July.  However, they all played on her third solo album.

 

The Eagles became one of the biggest US musical acts despite releasing only 7 studio album with 6 of those being in the 1970s and one in 2007.  While the lineup changed several times, the core of Frey and Henley remained in place until Frey’s death in 2016.

 

 

Track Listing

1.      “Take It Easy” (Frey, Jackson Browne) – Lead vocals by Frey

2.      “Witchy Woman” (Henley, Leadon) – Lead vocals by Henley

3.      “Chug All Night” (Frey) – Lead vocals by Frey

4.      “Most Of Us Are Sad” (Frey) – Lead vocals by Meisner

5.      “Nightingale” (Browne) – Lead vocals by Henley

6.      “Train Leaves Here This Morning” (Leadon, Gene Clark) – Lead vocals by Leadon

7.      “Take The Devil” (Meisner) – Lead vocals by Meisner

8.      “Earlybird” (Leadon, Meisner) – Lead vocals by Leadon

9.      “Peaceful Easy Feeling” (Jack Tempchin) – Lead vocals by Frey

10.  “Tryin” (Meisner) – Lead vocals by Meisner

 

 

Review

The opening track “Take It Easy” is also the first single.   It was written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey.   They lived in the same apartment building.  It is one of the most identifiable Eagles songs.  If there is a single song that defines the Eagles sound, this is it with Frey singing lead.  The song itself has made a tourist attraction of Winslow, Arizona street corner (“standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona, it’s such a fine sight to see, it’s a girl my Lord in a flatbed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me”).  The dueling guitars of Leadon and Frey interact with perfection.  The harmonies are pure Eagles.
  

 

The second cut “Witchy Woman” has Don Henley taking over on vocals. The song itself is about a seductive yet unbalanced woman.  Leadon had started the song years before but finished with Henley.  While this is considered one of the Eagles hits, it is not a favorite of mine although I do appreciate the guitar work on this song.

 

The next song “Chug All Night” is the first drop off in quality.  It’s about drinking and women for an uninhibited time.  This comes as a party song that might be a bar closing type song.  It rocks more than most of the songs on this album.  Frey takes the lead on the vocals.

 

The fourth song and first ballad “Most Of Us Are Sad” is up next.  Randy Meisner sings this lead.  While it has some great harmonies, this is a mostly throw away song.  It would fit best as a B side single.

 

The underrated “Nightingale” is next.  The guitar part is very reminiscent of “Chug All Night” but this one has Henley as the lead vocalist.  I actually really enjoy this song.  It has those Eagles harmonies, great guitar parts, and easy to singalong chorus.

 

“Train Leaves Here This Morning” is another filler song.  It is sung by Leadon and has a lot in common with a Crosby, Still, and Nash song than an Eagles song.  The first time listening to it made me think that it was a CSN song.  Again, this is another “great harmonies” but filler song.

 

The seventh track “Take The Devil” is a Randy Meisner sung tune.  It definitely has a wild west feel to it.   It has some great lyrics but doesn’t have that optimistic feel to it.    I do appreciate the chorus more than the verses.  This is usually a track that I skip over while listening to the whole album.

 

Next is “Earlybird”.  This song has a decidedly bluegrass feel to it thanks to Leadon, who sings lead.  Once again, typical great harmonies on a mediocre song.  It isn’t one that I skip but it does a great fusion of bluegrass and guitars.

 

Rescuing the generally mediocre album is “Peaceful Easy Feeling” with Glenn Frey on vocals.  This is another song that encapsulates everything great about the Eagles.  It is almost a sequel or sister to “Take It Easy”.  It is a great feel good set of lyrics.  It is another one of the great Eagle songs with its intricate three part harmony with Leadon and Meisner.

 

 

The album closer “Tryin” by Randy Meisner is a decent uptempo song but nothing that is outstanding.  Even the harmony vocals are nothing special.  It comes across as trying to prove too much (pun intended).