On the Border

by

Eagles

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Besides Hotel California, this is the Eagles best album. This is an album rich in both rock and country. From the hard rocking On the Border and James Dean, to the countryish sounds of the Bernie Leadon sung My Man and Ol' 55, this is one terrific album. Only Good Day in Hell is a throwaway. Another standout song is the Randy Meisner sung Is it True.

This album was made during the Leadon-Meisner years of the band. Frey, Henley, and Walsh get all the notoriety in the Eagles, but Meisner was the nerve center of the band with his bass and quality vocals, both as a lead and as a harmonizer (listen to his harmonies on Ol' 55). The Eagles are a better band with Meisner as opposed to Tim Schmitt, as On the Border will proves.

The Eagles are to country rock what The Kingston Trio are to folk, which isn't bad necessarily-- it just gives you an idea of where you are. There are better practitioners of both genres. So "String Along" by The Kingston Trio is a very good record, very hummable and entertaining, but no one would call it as good as Woody Guthrie. "On the Border" is good too-- fast songs, slow songs, melodic, digestable-- but there are half a dozen bands that have done better albums. What's that? Name them? Ok, The Buffalo Springfield's first two albums, The Band's first three albums, The Byrds' classic "Sweethearts of the Radio," "Burrito Deluxe," by the Flying Burrito Brothers, both Manassas albums,early LIttle Feat, and Plainsong. Having said that, "Already Gone," is one of my favorite songs of all time. "On the Border" is, in my opinion, a good place to start if you want to check out the Eagles, but you should check out the other bands mentioned here as well.