No. 372: Late for the Sky

Band: Jackson Browne
Album: Late for the Sky
Why Rolling Stone gets it right: Browne's third record was his most mature and was written as such. The song's apocalyptic vision is thematically interesting.
Why Rolling Stone gets it wrong: I really hate Jackson Browne. As one of the leaders of the 1970s "California sound," his easy listening nonsense makes me want to stick knives in my ears.
Best song: The title track isn't terrible, though it's too long.
Worst song: The rest of the record is terrible.
Is it awesome?: Nope.

I'd be really curious to hear this album rerecorded by a harder artist. The simple fact is that I hate Jackson Browne. I hate his stupid folky guitar. I hate his stupid midtempo drum arrangements. I hate his major key piano stuff. I despise his hangdog vocals. I hate him.

But, the album's actually not a poorly written one, in fact, I think it would be a decent record re-arranged by a better artist. It's just that Jackson Browne fits with the Eagles in the laid-back, acoustic guitar and midtempo drums line of music. The crap that sold tons of records in the 1970s to white bread, mayonnaise sandwich eaters all across America. Today, this is known as "adult contemporary rock" and it sucks.

nevertheless, the idea of a love story set against the apocalypse intrigues me. Too bad it's executed so poorly.