The Eagles are undoubtedly among the most iconic American rock bands. Even though members have come and gone, and the band has suffered the untimely passing of two of its founders—Glen Frey and Randy Meisner—the music still stands the test of time.
Their debut, self-titled album, with its impressively-diverse track listing, made it clear that this was a band that was here to stay. And now, 46 years after its release, it’s due a re-listening and its own Power Pop Review. The story of how The Eagles were recorded is also the stuff of musical legend. The foursome made a pilgrimage to Olympic Studios in London to record their debut with iconic producer Glyn Johns; however, they weren’t expecting the strict zero-tolerance policy Johns had adopted in his studio. “Bored out of their skulls” with their new, monastic lifestyle, the band became avid poker fans and even went so far as to perfect their own version of the game: Eagle Poker!
The album became an immediate critical and commercial success upon its release and made full use of the combined extraordinary talents of the four founding band members: Glen Frey, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner and Don Henley. In fact, each band member shared songwriting and lead vocals across several of the tracks. The album’s sound, which is a mixture of pop rock, folk, and country, was in turn influenced by the emerging scene in Los Angeles, led by bands like Poco.
By today’s standards, the band and this album came together in a surprisingly short amount of time. However, it still sounds exceptionally polished and very mature. Album-opener “Take It Easy” sets the standard for the rest of the tracks. Although fairly simple in its construction, it’s the memorable lyrics (co-written with Jackson Browne) and rich harmonies that make this track the gem that it is.
The other two singles, “Peaceful, Easy Feeling” and “Witchy Woman”, peaked at number 22 and number 9 on the charts, respectively, and they serve to showcase yet more diversity in sound, arrangement, and nuanced songwriting. “Witchy Woman”, which was co-written by Don Henley (who also performed lead vocals on the track) and Bernie Leadon, is aptly mysterious, whereas “Peaceful, Easy Feeling” is a sublime, country-flavored acoustic ballad composed by Jack Tempchin, who would go on to become a favorite collaborator of the band. “Chug All Night” and the Meisner-led “Most of Us Are Sad” have drawn their fair share of criticism over time. Repeated listening also draws to the forefront some forgotten classics, such as “Take the Devil” (composed and performed by Meisner) and the Neil Young-esque “Train Leaves Here this Morning”. Then there’s “Earlybird”, which is possibly the most experimental track on the album, with its heavy banjo, wild guitars and bird whistles!
All in all, The Eagles still sounds as fresh as the day it was recorded. This remarkably self-assured debut has been a favorite among fans worldwide for over four decades, and it will no doubt continue to have a place in people’s hearts for at least another 40.