 |  | (3.5 stars) My favorite Jackson record, not like that's saying much |  |
No pretense at all here! Seriously, he strips away any huge production gimmicks, he forgets about making an important statement, instead looking inward. He cranks out an entire set of tasteful soft-rock, and it's actually one of his better albums. That's still only a relative statement, but it's not bad at all. Bits of it are: he does shoot for the soothing, space-rock atmosphere on "Too Many Angels" and "I'll Do Anything", which takes a long walk off a short pier; there's also an awkward rocker ("Miles Away"). I also think I've heard the chord progression on "All Good Things" somewhere. Oh, right! It was Springsteen's "Tunnel of Love"! And the Band's "Chest Fever"! And the James Gang's "Tend My Garden"! And I'd be hard-pressed to call anything genius, other than the shimmering "Take This Rain". Nevertheless, he succeeds in the stylistic experiment with soul ("My Problem is You"), and the unpretentious country-folk is charming (title song; "Everywhere I Go"; "Sky Blue and Black").
November 22, 2007This album almost rivals Late for the Sky, and Sky Blue and Black, as a ballad of lost but enduring love is simply exquisite. It sets the ideal for love which Before the Deluge set for humanity. While every song on LFTS is a classic, not every cut here can stand on its own. Perfect nevertheless.
July 29, 2007This is not only clearly Jackson Browne's best album, it is easily one of the best albums I have EVER heard.
Written in the aftermath of a painful breakup, Jackson proves himself a poet in his own right; any one of these songs could easily stand on its own as a poem, but is made much more powerful by the addition of outstanding music. The raw emotion and lyrical quality of this album are very moving.
"Sky Blue and Black" is one the best songs EVER and I also particularly enjoyed "two of me and two of you." What's more, these songs compose a complete cyle, with each song building on the previous one and leading into the next one. It's rare that an album forms such a complete work of art.
If you only every buy one Browne album, this is the one to own. The more I listen to it, even years after the original purchase, the more I love it.
It will hit a nerve with anyone who has ever been through a difficult breakup.
Jackson is a poetic genius!
July 21, 2006If you are a Jackson Browne fan this is a must ... created following his long-term love breakup ... it is a bit sorrowful yet beautifully lyrical & honest ... probably tunes you haven't heard in the mainstream
February 25, 2006| | | More like his seventies work | |
I found this album on tape in a bargain bin in 1995, having been a bit out of touch with Jackson Browne's music since the excellent World in Motion album. I'll admit I was unimpressed on the first few listens because it was so low-key and different from his '80s work. But I gradually began to appreciate the tunes, and this album is full of good tunes. The catchy title track leads off the album quite nicely and the rest of the songs flow from strength to strength. My favorite tracks are the soulful "My Problem is You," which has great backing vocals, and "Everywhere I Go," one of Jackson's ubiquitous reggae standards. I also like the country-tinged "Take this Rain," which also has a great harmony and backing vocal. Most reviewers lavish praise on "Sky Blue and Black" but I guess I need to listen to it more to have that kind of appreciation for it.
I didn't realize until I read some other reviews here that the introspection on this album was the result of Browne's break-up with Daryl Hannah. It's true that heartache can fuel creativity and it served Jackson well. It also gave us a respite from his relentless criticism of America.
February 11, 2006More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(37 reviews)