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Music : The Pretender
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Rating: 
- (3.5 stars) Above-average - for Jackson, that means "masterpiece"
Musically, this is mostly more of the same monotonous soft-rock, but it's a cut above standard Jackson fare off the strength of two of his finest songs: "Here Come Those Tears Again", a mature look at the typical "come-and-go" relationship (though it's sadly doused in sappy country backup vocals), and particularly the title track, a cynical attack on suburban values that I think is my favorite of Jackson's songs. "Your Bright Baby Blues" also could've fit with these songs if it weren't so longwinded. And there are a couple songs that move beyond the soft-rock: while "Linda Paloma" is an awful flamenco song dominated by harpsichord, I like the fusion of hard-rock guitar and horns found on "Daddy's Tune". And even the typical soft-rock tracks are at least modestly engaging ("Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate", "The Fuse"). However, I can't give this anymore than a 3.5: Jackson's still not doing anything original, and other than the title track the lyrics are unimpressive as ever. So there's not a single moment on this album you've heard before, but you could do worse if you're looking for soft-rock.
Rating:
- Sandi on Jackson Browne
Wonderful album. The musical poet is at work making his magic of
creating stories set to music. Easy to listen to and a great talent.
Rating: - Classic
If you have any doubts, you should know this is one of the great rock classics - one of the very best, sound a+, lyrics a++, and musical performance a+++
JB at his best.
Rating: - Another Of Jackson Browne's Best Albums
THE PRETENDER, along with JACKSON BROWNE, FOR EVERYMAN, LATE FOR THE SKY, and RUNNING ON EMPTY, is one of Jackson Browne's best albums. It features songs that cut to the very heart of the human soul, as well as railing against greed and materialism in the title track, a song which could teach valuable lessons to anyone who's ever told a young woman that she's overweight or called a classmate "freak", "nerd", or "loser." Other tunes on the album deal with the suicide of Browne's wife, which had occurred as he was writing for this one. This should be one of the first Jackson Browne albums you purchase anyway, but Browne's advocacies of sanctions against Indonesia in retaliation for that country's trumped-up drug-smuggling conviction of a young Australian tourist, as well as more funding for community policing, make all of Browne's 70s, 80s, and 90s albums essential purchases for both your ears AND your conscience.
Rating: - flawed, but fascinating, and often brilliant
Jackson Browne left no doubt about his songwriting genius with 1974's "Late For The Sky", an artistic triumph in the truest sense of the word, and also a solid commercial breakthrough. However, by the time Jackson started to record his follow-up album, 1976's "The Pretender", things had changed drastically for for him with the suicide of his first wife with whom he'd had a son. This tragedy seems to have dramatically impacted his music, because, although Jackson's vocal phrasing and melodic style are carried over from "Late For The Sky", "The Pretender" is a big change from its predecessor. Without a doubt, a big part of this change is due to Jon Landau who produced the album. Known for his work with Bruce Springsteen, and having produced his "Born To Run" album from the previous year, Landau may on the surface seem like an unlikely guy to have teamed up with Jackson, but it actually proved a unique match. Browne's voice sounds a lot different here on many of the songs, much tougher and more 'from the gut' than it had sounded before. The album is also much slicker and punchier than any of his previous albums, and opposed to the 5 piece combo used for "Late For The Sky", this one features a load of legendary session musicians including Jeff Porcaro, Leland Sklar, Chuck Rainey, Jim Gordon, and Fred Tackett, as well as appearances from Lowell George, Don Henley, J.D Souther, Bonnie Raitt, John Hall (of Orleans), plus JB regulars David Lindley, Russ Kunkel, and Craig Doerge; aside from vocals, Jackson's only performance credit on the entire album is the acoustic guitar on "Your Bright Baby Blues"--some will try to tell you that Jackson was trying to make a "contemporary pop-rock record", but don't let that give you the wrong idea; this is far from a sell-out. Jackson, hurting from the devastating loss of his wife, sounds like he's desperately seeking redemption on here, and in turn, the album is a step away from the wistfulness that was at the core of "Late For The Sky", even on songs like the eulogy "For A Dancer". Reportedly, the material here was mostly written prior to suicide of Phyllis, but it sure doesn't sound that way--from the opening moments of "The Fuse", you can tell this isn't going to be a repeat of "Late For The Sky". "The Fuse" is marvelously powerful, containing masterful use of dynamics, as well as Jackson layering his own voice several times, something he rarely did, and doing so to great effect. The yearning, expansive epic "Your Bright Baby Blues" is absolutely brilliant as well with a marvelous Jackson vocal. The mid-tempo pop-rocker "Here Come Those Tears Again" was the obvious choice for a single, and it's a cathartic, flawlessly melodic song with a phenomenal Jackson vocal, and it's the only track here that isn't a Jackson Browne solo composition. "The Only Child" is a wonderfully bittersweet song--indeed, it's the one track here that really sounds like it could have been on "Late For The Sky". The atypically short, orchestrated ballad "Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate" is weepy, but still works pretty well. However, a couple of tracks add a diversity to the proceedings that unfortunately doesn't come off well--"Linda Paloma", with its Mexican-style arrangement, is really corny with ultra-lame background vocals near the end; and the bouncy horn-laden section of "Daddy's Tune" feels awkward and badly out of place. Still though, this is a fascinating album that also very much points the way to the future for Jackson. I see "The Pretender" as the beginning of a trilogy that also includes 1977's "Running On Empty" and 1980's "Hold Out"--each album is a piece of an ongoing journey, like chapters in a book, so to speak. "The Pretender" isn't one of Jackson's very best albums, but it's still unquestionably a must for all of his fans.
- (3.5 stars) Above-average - for Jackson, that means "masterpiece"Musically, this is mostly more of the same monotonous soft-rock, but it's a cut above standard Jackson fare off the strength of two of his finest songs: "Here Come Those Tears Again", a mature look at the typical "come-and-go" relationship (though it's sadly doused in sappy country backup vocals), and particularly the title track, a cynical attack on suburban values that I think is my favorite of Jackson's songs. "Your Bright Baby Blues" also could've fit with these songs if it weren't so longwinded. And there are a couple songs that move beyond the soft-rock: while "Linda Paloma" is an awful flamenco song dominated by harpsichord, I like the fusion of hard-rock guitar and horns found on "Daddy's Tune". And even the typical soft-rock tracks are at least modestly engaging ("Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate", "The Fuse"). However, I can't give this anymore than a 3.5: Jackson's still not doing anything original, and other than the title track the lyrics are unimpressive as ever. So there's not a single moment on this album you've heard before, but you could do worse if you're looking for soft-rock.
Rating:
- Sandi on Jackson BrowneWonderful album. The musical poet is at work making his magic of
creating stories set to music. Easy to listen to and a great talent.
Rating:
- ClassicIf you have any doubts, you should know this is one of the great rock classics - one of the very best, sound a+, lyrics a++, and musical performance a+++
JB at his best.
Rating:
- Another Of Jackson Browne's Best AlbumsTHE PRETENDER, along with JACKSON BROWNE, FOR EVERYMAN, LATE FOR THE SKY, and RUNNING ON EMPTY, is one of Jackson Browne's best albums. It features songs that cut to the very heart of the human soul, as well as railing against greed and materialism in the title track, a song which could teach valuable lessons to anyone who's ever told a young woman that she's overweight or called a classmate "freak", "nerd", or "loser." Other tunes on the album deal with the suicide of Browne's wife, which had occurred as he was writing for this one. This should be one of the first Jackson Browne albums you purchase anyway, but Browne's advocacies of sanctions against Indonesia in retaliation for that country's trumped-up drug-smuggling conviction of a young Australian tourist, as well as more funding for community policing, make all of Browne's 70s, 80s, and 90s albums essential purchases for both your ears AND your conscience.
Rating:
- flawed, but fascinating, and often brilliantJackson Browne left no doubt about his songwriting genius with 1974's "Late For The Sky", an artistic triumph in the truest sense of the word, and also a solid commercial breakthrough. However, by the time Jackson started to record his follow-up album, 1976's "The Pretender", things had changed drastically for for him with the suicide of his first wife with whom he'd had a son. This tragedy seems to have dramatically impacted his music, because, although Jackson's vocal phrasing and melodic style are carried over from "Late For The Sky", "The Pretender" is a big change from its predecessor. Without a doubt, a big part of this change is due to Jon Landau who produced the album. Known for his work with Bruce Springsteen, and having produced his "Born To Run" album from the previous year, Landau may on the surface seem like an unlikely guy to have teamed up with Jackson, but it actually proved a unique match. Browne's voice sounds a lot different here on many of the songs, much tougher and more 'from the gut' than it had sounded before. The album is also much slicker and punchier than any of his previous albums, and opposed to the 5 piece combo used for "Late For The Sky", this one features a load of legendary session musicians including Jeff Porcaro, Leland Sklar, Chuck Rainey, Jim Gordon, and Fred Tackett, as well as appearances from Lowell George, Don Henley, J.D Souther, Bonnie Raitt, John Hall (of Orleans), plus JB regulars David Lindley, Russ Kunkel, and Craig Doerge; aside from vocals, Jackson's only performance credit on the entire album is the acoustic guitar on "Your Bright Baby Blues"--some will try to tell you that Jackson was trying to make a "contemporary pop-rock record", but don't let that give you the wrong idea; this is far from a sell-out. Jackson, hurting from the devastating loss of his wife, sounds like he's desperately seeking redemption on here, and in turn, the album is a step away from the wistfulness that was at the core of "Late For The Sky", even on songs like the eulogy "For A Dancer". Reportedly, the material here was mostly written prior to suicide of Phyllis, but it sure doesn't sound that way--from the opening moments of "The Fuse", you can tell this isn't going to be a repeat of "Late For The Sky". "The Fuse" is marvelously powerful, containing masterful use of dynamics, as well as Jackson layering his own voice several times, something he rarely did, and doing so to great effect. The yearning, expansive epic "Your Bright Baby Blues" is absolutely brilliant as well with a marvelous Jackson vocal. The mid-tempo pop-rocker "Here Come Those Tears Again" was the obvious choice for a single, and it's a cathartic, flawlessly melodic song with a phenomenal Jackson vocal, and it's the only track here that isn't a Jackson Browne solo composition. "The Only Child" is a wonderfully bittersweet song--indeed, it's the one track here that really sounds like it could have been on "Late For The Sky". The atypically short, orchestrated ballad "Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate" is weepy, but still works pretty well. However, a couple of tracks add a diversity to the proceedings that unfortunately doesn't come off well--"Linda Paloma", with its Mexican-style arrangement, is really corny with ultra-lame background vocals near the end; and the bouncy horn-laden section of "Daddy's Tune" feels awkward and badly out of place. Still though, this is a fascinating album that also very much points the way to the future for Jackson. I see "The Pretender" as the beginning of a trilogy that also includes 1977's "Running On Empty" and 1980's "Hold Out"--each album is a piece of an ongoing journey, like chapters in a book, so to speak. "The Pretender" isn't one of Jackson's very best albums, but it's still unquestionably a must for all of his fans.