In my years of reviewing bands and artists Joe Walsh remains one of the most entertaining and frustrating artist of the rock era. He did wonders with The James Gang, then went solo and kinda lost his way on Barnstorm which was I gather was either his new band or a solo project. And then he hit it big with Rocky Mountain Way which turned out to be one of my anthems of the band that I used to play in, Paraphernalia. However the crash and bash approach was much different with the more laid back that Joe did.
His albums were somewhat brief, never passing more than a half hour tops and that worked best for Joe. The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get is more of a band effort than Barnstorm was, but So What is more Joe, beginning with the long jam Welcome To The Club and the country sounding Falling Down. Side 2 was a more radio friendly version of Turn To Stone, another country ballad in Help Me Make It Through The Night and then the FM classic County Fair. The quicky live album You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind employs two drummers (Joe Vitale and Ricky Fataar) and charges out of the gate with a speedy Walk Away but in term of self indulgence the record will tend to bore the non fans, including the over the top Turn To Stone.
Leaving ABC for Asylum, Joe made his best album with But Seriously Folks that included his signature song Life's Been Good, however classic rock radio has played it to death so I rather much play the first side with Over And Over/Second Hand Store more. Indian Summer is another favorite of mine. With the success of this album MCA issued The Best Of Joe Walsh which cherry picks the hits off the ABC albums (the cassette version had the live version of Walk Away where the CD and LP had the James Gang version). The album got replaced by a more thought out version Little Did He Know which goes back as far as the James Gang years and adds key tracks from the Asylum and Warner Brothers albums and the bonus track is a edited jam with The Who I think.
There Goes The Neighborhood issued three years later, (Walsh was busy in The Eagles to which he joined and put his solo career on hold and despite another hit single with Life Of Illusion, the record didn't connect with most folks. In 1983 Walsh moved over to Full Moon/Warner Brothers and got Bill Symczek (sic) to produce You Bought It You Name It which could be considered Walsh comedy album. Certainly in my opinion side for side a more consistent listen with I Can Play That Rock And Roll, the droll I.L.B.T's and Space Age Wiz Kids. Of course the Eagles were on hand to help out on vocals whenever they can.
After You Brought It, Walsh's later albums never made much of an impression on me. There were some good moments on The Confessor and the Terry Manning produced Got Any Gum? but for the most part there was lot more filler to contend with. Ordinary Average Guy was his final single that radio played but that album and the followup Songs For A Dying Planet I passed. I gave Joe one more chance with his latest album for Fantasy Analog Man produced by Jeff Lynne. It had some good moments but I couldn't recommend it, Lynne's dated 80s production didn't help things.
Still, Walsh's guitar work cannot be overlooked, especially in the James Gang or for that matter Hotel California. He remains the all around nice guy of rock and roll, and yeah I voted for him as President of the US. His best of's remain a good sampler of what he can do, his albums you have to pick and choose. But he still remains an original, a true rocker but a very eccentric rocker with a wry sense of humor. I'd never count him out.
A selected discography
The James Gang (Revised)
Yer Album (Bluesway 1969) B+
Rides Again (ABC 1970) A-
Thirds (ABC 1971) B+
In Concert (Universal Special Products 1972) B
15 Greatest Hits (ABC 1973) B+
Solo:
Barnstorm (ABC/Dunhill 1972) B-
The Smoker You Drink The Player You Get (ABC/Dunhill 1973) B+
So What? (ABC/Dunhill 1974) B+
You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind (ABC 1976) B
But Seriously Folks (Asylum 1978) A-
The Best Of Joe Walsh (MCA 1978) B
There Goes The Neighborhood (Asylum 1981) B
You Bought It, You Name It (Warner Brothers 1983) B+
The Confessor (Warner Brothers 1986) B-
Got Any Gum? (Warner Brothers 1988) B-
Ordinary Average Guy (Pyramid/Epic 1990) C+
Songs For A Dying Planet (Epic 1992) B-
Little Did He Know-Joe Walsh Greatest Hits (MCA 1999) A-
Analog Man (Fantasy 2012) B-
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I like Joe, but you're right, he's kinda sketchy. One you missed is The James Gang - Live in Concert. it's only a single album and you should be able to find it real cheap if you don't have it (I'll bet you do, somewhere!). Man, that's just a blistering record. Joe's playing is as good as any rock guitar player ever, and I can't recommend it enough.
ReplyDeleteDang it I knew I missed a record there 2000 Man. You're right I do have that CD and I think it's better than You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind, Walk Away is lot more harder edge. Originally One Way put it out on CD and Universal quietly put it back in print when One Way went belly up. The 17 minute Lost Woman is actually a pretty good jam. ;)
ReplyDelete