This is a different compilation to the other review that was done as it has a different line up and basically this compilation I have is at least 20 years old so it is quite special and comes from Dubai, basically its imported and on Cassette.
NOTE: The picture I have used is not the one for this album as I can't find one.
Heres a small Introduction of this band to warm up with:
The Eagles are an American rock music group that originally came together in Los Angeles, California in the early 1970s.
Their early music was a hybrid of country and bluegrass instrumentation grafted onto the harmonies of California surfer rock, producing tender ballads and soft top-down country-flavored pop-rock about relationships, cars, and the wandering life. The Eagles took the singer-songwriter ethos to a group setting with increased emphasis on arrangements and musicianship, and the group's early sound became synonymous with the southern
California country rock. On later albums the band dispensed with bluegrass instrumentation and gravitated to a more straight-ahead rock sound.
The Original Band Of The Eagles:
Glenn Frey: Guitarist/keyboardist/Vocalist
Don Henley: Drummer/Vocalist
Bernie Leadon: Guitarist/Mandolinist/Banjo player
Randy Meisner: Bassist
Additional/Replacements of The Eagles:
Don Felder: Guitarist/Vocalist, (joined group 1974)
Joe Walsh: Guitarist/Vocalist, (joined group 1975) replaced Bernie Leadon.
Timothy Schmit: Bassist/Vocalist, (joined group 1977) replaced Randy Meisner.
THE ALBUM
Refer the songs to these albums by the bracketed numbers:
(1) Eagles / 1972
(2) Desperado / 1973
(3) On The Border / 1974
(4) One Of These Nights / 1975
(5) Hotel California / 1976
(6) The Long Run / 1979
The line up of the album referred to the album it came from (16 tracks in total):
+ Lyin' Eyes (4) - 6:21
+ New Kid In Town (5) - 5:04
+ One Of These Nights (4) - 4:51
+ Hotel California (5) - 6:30
+ Desperado (2) - 3:33
+ Take It Easy (1) - 3:29
+ Tequila Sunrise (2) - 2:52
+ Try And Love Again (5) - 5:10
+ Heartache Tonight (6) - 4:26
+ Best Of My Love (3) - 4:35
+ Already Gone (3) - 4:13
+ Take It To The Limit (4) - 4:48
+ The Long Run (6) - 3:42
+ The Last Resort (5) - 7:25
+ Ol '55 (3) - 4:22
+ Peaceful Easy Feeling (1) - 4:16
-----------------------------------
+ Total - 75:27 +
-----------------------------------
+--- The Review ---+
--- Very Best Of The Eagles 1972 -1979 ---
The album kicks off with a popular Eagles track
"Lyin' Eyes". This song is light hearted with its proper California music. The melody of this song is relaxing and at the same time make you want to sing along to it. The chorus is the main point of this song with its harmonising vocals and nice guitar performances. This song is quite long but it doesn't drag on like it is 6 minutes. It passes time very well. The lyrics are very nice to listen to with its soft centered approch to the ears other than controversy. There are add on instruments to this song like mandolins which gives that flowing style. It is a "feel good" song and a nice start to the compilation. The next song kicks in almost instantly when the this track fades away.
This track
"New Kid In Town" is another slow song, typical californian style. The vocals here are very good and the music seems to be monotonous at the start but it does pick up when the guitaring starts. A relaxing approach again and it is very soothing. This song is taken off the legendary album
"Hotel California" and it shows how good the album is. This song is very decent with its construction and the music is beautiful when it picks up, the vocals are very good when it picks up. You can really sleep to this song. Excellent stuff, now it goes to the next track.
"One Of These Nights" is quite a funky song with its kicking start of clean fuzz bass and sharp one strike of a chord on a guitar every beat at a high note. The song then picks up to a dramatic keyboard then to a very rhythmic verse that you can dance to. It sounds like "The Bee Gees" to me but better. The vocals are extrodinary here at all times, sounds very versatile. The guitaring here is very lively with a kick ass solo and great chord progession. Construction here is very thought through and the song is excellent overall. A great starter for
"Hotel California".
Now this song is the most well known out of this band and the most successful out of their releases.
"Hotel California" is one genius of a song. It starts with a cool riff of guitaring and piano in arpegello. This is the well known riff of the whole song and must have been hell to make it. The verses are quite funky and has a mixed atmosphere. The lyrics are very cool everywhere, it ties all together very well. No faults yet, the guitaring is amazing all the time especailly at the solo and choruses. Absolutely fantastic song and can never be left out of the album. Possibly one of my favourite songs of all time, as of anyones. Amazing song and a big build up to the rest of the album.
The next song is very quiet compared to
"Hotel California".
"Desperado" is a ballad of some sort and is very slow. This song consists of mostly a piano playing all the time. The vocals are not at best at the start compared to the others but it blossoms at the chorus and it sounds beautiful. There are some string arrangements at times. This song is mostly about freedom and others like that. After 2 minutes, the song really picks up powerfully with drums coming in and more textual music put in. The vocal gets more serious towards the end and then it just finishes after a short period of time. A very nice break from "Hotel California" and a very relaxing song. This song brings us perfectly to
"Take It Easy".
"Take It Easy" is an uplifting song due to its liveliness of the rhythm and tempo. A song that you can bob your head up and down to in beat. This is one of The Eagles first songs and it was quite successful. The song consists of a happy atmosphere with mandolins playing and banjos. Guitars here is the main point that keeps the momentum flowing. The vocals are good and it is another feel good song on the album. This is another typical californian sound that is fast and quick. A good overall and brings us nicely to
"Tequila Sunrise".
"Tequila Sunrise" is a morning song hence the title of the song. It is a song that you can relate to when you wake up. Nice flowing sound with slide guitar and lovely harmonising vocals. Not much to say about the song really but it is a very nice song to listen to when you feel bored.
"Try And Love Again" is on the album
"Hotel California" and tells you what the standards should be on this song from a legendary album. It has a different vocalist here so it is a different sound approach. This has a good constructive balance to it and the music is superb. The vocals on the chorus is beautiful about trying to love again. Lovely harmonisation again and powerful guitaring all round. It is a slightly powerful song on what it is all about and overall the song does live up to the standards.
We are now halfway through the album with 8 songs gone, so far it is very impressive for a "Best of..." album. Now we are given
"Heartbreak Tonight". This is full of beat to it with its driven percussion and it is a foot mover. This song has that rock n roll construction to it with its bass line showing it. Vocals are powerful and guitaring is overdriven with style. Just over average song as it doesn't strike that spark that the others had on me.
This song
"Best Of My Love" is a beautiful ballad from the album "On The Border". The slide guitar makes you sad and lonely. The vocals is absolutely magnificent and gives the same impression of sadness, even though it is about love. It has a simple construction but effective as too much of it will spoil the atmosphere it is giving. The chorus is so depressing with its harmonisation. A beautiful ballad and one of the best here.
Along the same album as
"Best Of My Love", comes
"Already Gone" which transforms the atmosphere to liveliness. Loads of overdriven guitaring and riffs. Vocals are catchy and rhythm gives the liveliness here. There isn't much to say as it repetitive but is a good song to listen to if you want to keep the mood up after
"Best Of My Love".
"Take It To The limit" is a slow rock song at 3/4 time. The song is a bit too repetitive to me with its rhythm and vocals. The whole song consists of the same thing all the time for at least 5 minutes which really drags on. The music does get boring with the same progression over and over again. An average song and possibly the worst on the compilation.
"The Long Run" is a song that has a happy mood in it. The bass line is very varible and very good. The vocals is original as always and the guitaring has that funky sound to it. The lyrics is a bit repetitive as well but it isn't much of a deal compared to the music side to it. Not a striking song as the rest but it is an ok song to listen to as again if you want momentum.
"Last Resort" is from
"Hotel California" and again you would expect standards. This is a ballad but has soul. The song has a piano playing and vocals singing beautifully. The song picks up gradually and brings a nice feeling when it does. The song I think is about a girl from Rhode Island, but gives in to paradise, even though someone has a different perspective to others. and the music does refer to it very well. The lyric does describe the scenery and surrondings there and ties to the song very well. Beautiful vocals and music makes this a stunner and again is a great song from the
"Hotel California".
"Ol '55" is a same logic as any other song on the album. It has soul on the chorus with harmonising vocals and beautiful music. Sliding guitaring which gives the country sound and piano playing is outstanding here. This song is about cars and stuff like that. Overall the song is relaxing to listen to and brings prefectly to the last song on the compilation.
"Peaceful Easy Feeling" is a one of the first Eagles songs and it does show with its typical country sound. Another relaxing song with a soulful atmosphere. Vocals are very country sounded based which sounds original. Lyrics are also very old fashioned as well. Music is westernised and construction is simple. It is actualla good song to listen to and it does bring a good ending to the compilation.
Overall the compilation only brings the best of their early years but it brings the best of it all. It is a good job done by picking the best but I reckon there is much better to give then these. So overall it is an excellent compilation due to what it does offer but there is more better than some on here.
PROS:
- Great Lineup
- Great Music
- Long Duration to keep you occupied
- Gives you an idea what to buy if you look at the singular albums.
CONS:
- More to give
- Some songs drag on a bit
Overall:
4/5
