Don Henley

On Don Henley's third solo effort, guests such as Axl Rose, Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge help paint appropriate backgrounds for his songs, which range from loud and defiant ("I Will Not Go Quietly") to quiet and searching ("The Heart of the Matter"). Although much of the material is cynical in nature, Henley manages to throw in a ray or two of hope.

On The End of the Innocence, Don Henley's first album in nearly five years, the former
Eagle explores what happens to individuals and the society they live in when "'happily ever
after' fails" and the seemingly intractable realities of the world set in. Probing and
ambitious, the record raises provocative questions of the sort not typically encountered
on pop albums. Is innocence distinguishable from naiveté? How do valid persona... More >

Bitch bitch bitch, bloat bloat bloat. Six of 10 tracks run over five minutes, and not 'cause he's building a groove, although the anti-ripoff "Gimme What You Got" does appropriate a JB riff, which I guess is ironic, or totally unconscious. Nope, Don wants drama and plenty of it--seven of 10 instrumental intros are 30 seconds plus, with three up around an L.A. minute (as distinguished from a "New York Minute," 'cause Don says your life can change in one of those). Theme: "This brave new world/Gone bad again." (Again?) Solution: love--only don't blame him if it falls through. (Grade - C+)