Looking for a CD that will knock your socks off?
Need a new sound for your stereo system that is as powerful as it is fresh? Are you eying that new Don Henley CD because you know how good his past work has been, and you’re eager to hear his music after a 10-year stray from songwriting?
Obviously, you haven’t sat down and listened to “Inside Job” yet.
Because if you had, you wouldn’t be so eager to hear it again. You’d just keep on looking.
Unlike previous albums where Henley’s music has been captivating, intriguing and incredibly original, this new CD is insultingly elementary.
Henley’s signature songs, such as “The End of the Innocence,” “The Heart of the Matter” and “The Boys of Summer” are defined with clear, strong vocals and a musical style that strikes chords with most classic rock fans.
But not “Inside Job.” Henley sacrificed his powerful simplicity for utter stupidity. By using computer technology in an attempt to enhance his voice and instruments, Henley walks a thin line of sounding no different than the “bubble-gum” groups he criticizes.
And even worse, his characteristic use of 1980s-like background instruments — usually one of his music’s strong points — creates a very confusing array of musical noises.
Say goodbye to life in the fast lane — I’ll be shocked if this album makes it out of the parking lot.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment on “Inside Job” is the song “Goodbye to a River.” This is a song that had great potential, about how society’s need for more power has caused tremendous environmental damage.
But Henley fails to lock meaning into the music. The lyrics in “Goodbye to a River” are straightforward and boring. Coupled with the song’s slow, tragic music, Henley’s creation seems less like a song and more like an expensive public service announcement: “Dams are bad!”
So, with all that said, if you were looking for the quality sounds and lyrics traditionally found in Henley albums, your best bet would be to buy his greatest hits CD, or wait another 10 years for his next release.
If you saw the new Star Wars movie and liked Jar Jar Binks — another product of a perfectionist gone bad — well, Henley’s new CD might be right up your alley.