SmithfieldFair
Member
Jackson Browne
West -- Back in the day - I was a big Jackson Browne fan - from Saturate Before Using on to Running on Empty. Then, he left me cold with his preaching and political angst. O, the whole nuclear thing was understandable, but then it just seemed like he was ranting about everything. Every liberal cause became lyric fodder. And the songs, just didn't speak to me. You have to remember that Browne was a big advocate of the cult leader who built a big city on stilts out in the dessert to save the smart ones when the "great deluge" came. It never has - there was no real scientific proof that such a flood was actually coming. But Browne believe it and wrote "After the Deluge". Wasn't this the same lad who castigated Crosby for "Wooden Ships" fencing back with "For Everyman"? To me, Jackson Browne became an overtly-political, liberal with a mission - to turn every musical outing into a whining protest session. So, I quit listening to him. Then, one day I found For Everyman on CD and remembered the great acoustic music - before his outcries reached an obnoxious level. Later I bought The Pretender and Late for the Sky. But, I stopped there. Then, John Kidder recommended Browne's "Solo Acoustic One" and with some trepidation, I purchased it. It is a tremendous work by a very capable artist. O, he still makes the odd snide remark, but it's edited well enough together that most of the banter is kept to humorous bits. It heightens the music and he's a very capably guitarist and pianist - a true stylist. I'm able to listen and not be bludgeoned to death with his political stands - whether I agree with him or not - I don't need some Los Angeles, liberal high school graduate to espouse how I'm supposed to live my life and save the world. When this happens - he becomes nearly as much a joke as Alec Baldwin. If I wanted political commentary - there are much more valid and qualified sources than a singer-songwriter. O, I believe you can call attention to injustice and problem, but understand that's not why the majority of people come to hear live music. I think it's one of the reasons that Browne's popularity waned so over the last 20 years.
Solo Acoustic 1 is a great little album and if he's careful with his stance, I will even purchase Solo Acoustic 2 whenever it comes out. I just don't need Jackson to tell me how to think. The music's great and left to that, I can enjoy it.
Jeff - I loved Running on Empty when new and saw the tour. I understand the new edition has some nice extras - more music. But, I also saw the sticker price and thought I'd wait until it came back down to earth. The band on that tour was phenomenal - Lindley, Doerge, Hayes, Sklar, Butler, Kunkle, Kootch and the rest - didn't seem it could get much better.
dbs
West -- Back in the day - I was a big Jackson Browne fan - from Saturate Before Using on to Running on Empty. Then, he left me cold with his preaching and political angst. O, the whole nuclear thing was understandable, but then it just seemed like he was ranting about everything. Every liberal cause became lyric fodder. And the songs, just didn't speak to me. You have to remember that Browne was a big advocate of the cult leader who built a big city on stilts out in the dessert to save the smart ones when the "great deluge" came. It never has - there was no real scientific proof that such a flood was actually coming. But Browne believe it and wrote "After the Deluge". Wasn't this the same lad who castigated Crosby for "Wooden Ships" fencing back with "For Everyman"? To me, Jackson Browne became an overtly-political, liberal with a mission - to turn every musical outing into a whining protest session. So, I quit listening to him. Then, one day I found For Everyman on CD and remembered the great acoustic music - before his outcries reached an obnoxious level. Later I bought The Pretender and Late for the Sky. But, I stopped there. Then, John Kidder recommended Browne's "Solo Acoustic One" and with some trepidation, I purchased it. It is a tremendous work by a very capable artist. O, he still makes the odd snide remark, but it's edited well enough together that most of the banter is kept to humorous bits. It heightens the music and he's a very capably guitarist and pianist - a true stylist. I'm able to listen and not be bludgeoned to death with his political stands - whether I agree with him or not - I don't need some Los Angeles, liberal high school graduate to espouse how I'm supposed to live my life and save the world. When this happens - he becomes nearly as much a joke as Alec Baldwin. If I wanted political commentary - there are much more valid and qualified sources than a singer-songwriter. O, I believe you can call attention to injustice and problem, but understand that's not why the majority of people come to hear live music. I think it's one of the reasons that Browne's popularity waned so over the last 20 years.
Solo Acoustic 1 is a great little album and if he's careful with his stance, I will even purchase Solo Acoustic 2 whenever it comes out. I just don't need Jackson to tell me how to think. The music's great and left to that, I can enjoy it.
Jeff - I loved Running on Empty when new and saw the tour. I understand the new edition has some nice extras - more music. But, I also saw the sticker price and thought I'd wait until it came back down to earth. The band on that tour was phenomenal - Lindley, Doerge, Hayes, Sklar, Butler, Kunkle, Kootch and the rest - didn't seem it could get much better.
dbs