Jackson Browne/Saturate Before Using - Jackson Browne - album review

Some artists' debut albums are tentative, uncertain or patchy efforts, betraying only partially developed talents, albeit with strong hints of promise for the future.  Others display a genuine self-confidence, intelligence and sense of purpose.  One album which on balance belongs in the latter category is Jackson Browne's self-titled 1972 debut effort, unofficially dubbed "Saturate Before Using" on account of its sleeve design.

For me, there are a few reasons why this record is so cohesive, unified and impressive.  Although this was his first album as such, Browne had undergone a solid and varied grounding on the music scene, when one considers his relatively tender years.  His songs had already received plaudits, and even been covered, by some luminaries, and he had forged links and friendships with several of these figures.

In some ways, the topics explored in the songs on this album are as diverse as almost any subsequent Browne record.  The LP tends to be labelled in some quarters as exemplifying post-hippie angst, but I find this label to be overly simplistic.

Although lyrically "Saturate Before Using" is more varied than it is often given credit for, sonically and atmosphere-wise some common threads run through much of it. The words "haunting" and "mellow" may spring to mind for many, but in all honesty neither really suffices in describing the feeling I get when I listen to these songs.  They conjure up a kind of eeriness, like staring over a barren landscape as the sun sets and the temperature drops...

For all the enigmatic nature of much of the album, it also contains some of Browne's best-known numbers, including "Jamaica Say You Will", "Doctor My Eyes" and "Rock Me On The Water", all of which have been covered by other artists.  "Jamaica Say You Will" in particular is an absolute gem, a song of utter simplicity and charm, but combining this with real emotional pull.

Jackson Browne's singing still has an innocent and even tentative quality about it on this record, and it is true that his vocal confidence and phrasing improved as the 1970s progressed.  However, here the restrained delivery is in keeping with the tone of the compositions, the arrangements and the overall mood.

Jackson's qualities as a "storyteller" are very much in evidence here too, on tracks such as "Something Fine", "From Silver Lake" and "Looking Into You".  Other compositions do peer into darker corners of the human condition, giving us a real taste of the evocative and intelligent lyrics which were to become a hallmark of his career.

The instrumental backing is, for the most part, markedly less ostentatious than on the artist's other works, and it is worth noting that David Lindley had not yet entered the picture at this point.  The textures offered by   his contributions only began to take effect on 1973's For Everyman.  For all this, there is still some very pleasing piano and acoustic guitar work throughout.

On this album, Jackson Browne did not just announce himself as a promising talent for the future; he was unveiled as an important and eloquent voice in rock music.  In some respects it can be justifiably described as very much "of its time", but it still holds up very credibly today.