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Eagles
Hole in the World
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Track Listing
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You’re asking yourself some questions after scanning the information next to this review. I will do my best to address them. But first I need to take a deep breath and regain my objectivity and composure.
And… breathe.
When I heard that the Eagles were reconvening in studio, I got excited. I got really excited. If you have any affinity for the El Lay sound of the 70s, the Eagles are on your list with Fleetwood Mac, Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, David Lindley, and Linda Ronstadt. They’ll probably top that list too. The rumors were out that Buckingham and Nicks had found some common ground and decided that, yes, the Mac could resume. To this, Mick Fleetwood probably did a little happy dance. Could it be that Henley, Frey, Schmitt, Felder and Walsh were going to do it again too?
No. No it couldn’t.
Don Felder is not in the line-up for what ends up being a single new song for the latest Eagles two-disc retrospective. If you listen to that song, “Hole In The World”, you may wonder if anyone besides Don Henley is still in the band, for there is little evidence to point to the contrary. The song itself is the model of a country/folk song, with a repetitive emphasis on the chorus and less so on the brief verses inbetween. But what brought this type of form to life “way back when” was how each member of the group, think of any number of late 60s folk acts, took their turn at the mic and sang a verse, then the ensemble picked up harmony into the choruses.
Not so here. The song is all-over Henley, sounding like an unreleased cut from his previous solo disc, very mellow and middle of the road. Being m.o.r. isn’t bad per se, but if you’re carrying the mantel of a band like the Eagles, you should at least try a little bit. And wouldn’t it have been nice to recognize each individual band member’s distinct vocal presence?
And when did Henley become the de facto CEO of this operation anyway? I speculate that it has rested with him since Hell Freezes Over and the only solo song that made the set list was, surprise surprise, his “New York Minute”. I didn’t think about it much then, as we also had new contributions from other members to give flesh to this particular musical community. Would it have been great if Walsh were given the chance to have done “Life’s Been Good” with the band? Are you kidding?
But that was then and, apparently, everything is different now.
Should you buy the greatest hits set? If you don’t have the mega multi-platinum selling previous Vols. 1 & 2, definitely. No one can deny the inherent quality of the classic Eagles tunes. You get some Hell Freezes Over in there too, as this is a very inclusive package. But if you have those discs or the original albums the songs came from, and the see saw rests solely on the merit of “Hole In The World” as to whether you’ll buy the collection or not, I recommend “not”. You’re not missing anything terribly important other than a nice digipak sleeve.
In conclusion, no matter how disappointed some people were with Fleetwood Mac’s Say You Will, they mostly reformed and recorded an album of new material. They went that extra mile. All respect for bands that still attempt to be a band and produce. What we have with “Hole In The World” is a wishy-washy bait and switch disguised as a gem.
