The Eagles: Glenn Frey (vocals, guitar, piano); Don Felder, Joe Walsh (vocals, guitar); Randy Meisner, Timothy B. Schmidt (vocals, bass); Don Henley (vocals, drums).
The Eagles have been referred to as the American Beatles for their mastery of pop songcraft and their exacting way with production and arrangements. While the L.A. group's country/rock/pop sound bore little in common with the Fab Four's British invasion style, the California boys certainly achieved a (temporarily) comparable iconic status in the mainstream music world. The first volume of the Eagles' GREATEST HITS is one of the best-selling albums of all time, and its successor is just as full of songs that are forever embedded in the consciousness of anyone who heard American pop radio in the '70s and/or '80s. From the twin-guitar assault and druggy narrative of the epic "Hotel California" (essentially the Eagles' "Stairway to Heaven") to the bluesy rock of the Joe Walsh-powered hedonist's tale "Life in the Fast Lane," this compilation presents the band at it's best, in all their multi-tracked, radio-friendly glory.
What the critics say...
Q (4/01, p.117) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Draws heavily on '76s HOTEL CALIFORNIA, the definitive Eagles album, and concludes, tellingly if not chronologically, with the weary lament of 'After The Thrill Is Gone'."
