After his acclaimed debut album, expectations must have been high for Jackson Browne's sophomore effort, destined to be entitled "For Everyman". In the event, whilst containing some of his strongest and most memorable songs, it somehow lacks the uniform excellence of the records which came immediately beforehand and afterwards. Despite my occasional ambivalence about the LP, it is well worthy of examination.
The most immediately conspicuous thing for me about "For Everyman" is that it lacks the cohesion of most other Jackson Browne albums. The exact reasons are not easy to pin down, but the tracks do not fit together very seamlessly, despite the insertion of one or two segues. The presence of a couple of "filler" tracks also adversely affects the flow and continuity.
It almost feels like this record was partially assembled from left-overs and curios. The Browne rendition of "Take It Easy" emerges as quite anemic and perfunctory, as if there was some obligation to record it, and tick a box. "Red Neck Friend" and "Ready Or Not" are California rock by numbers, notwithstanding their amusing, charming or mischievous lyrical content. "The Times You've Come" and "Sing My Songs To Me" are well-crafted and tuneful, if a touch laboured and ponderous.
Thankfully, this is redeemed by the quality of the stronger numbers. It is here also that we seen the first signs of Jackson Browne's socially conscious side, in the title track, and in snippets of lyrics elsewhere on the set. Still, though, "confessional", introspective and personal subjects predominate. The first half (or side 1 on vinyl!) is loaded with the more substantial songs, although the aforementioned title song rounds the album off in emphatic and powerful style.
There is a large cast list of session players and guest musicians and vocalists, but despite this, the album does not sound particularly disjointed or diffuse melodically or sonically. There are some very pleasing acoustic guitar lines, with this instrument possibly more to the for than on any other Browne record. On several tracks, the arrangements are quite heavily layered, with several keyboard and guitar parts intermingling, a departure from much of the debut album, and the succeeding "Late For The Sky". A significant innovation is the emergence of the wonderful David Lindley as an integral part of the Browne sound.
Lyrically, this album undoubtedly contains some of Jackson's most penetrating and memorable lines, such as the opening sequence to "I Thought I Was A Child", the whole of "These Days", and "For Everyman". These pieces lend credence to Browne's status as a lyricist of insight and acuity.
"These Days" has become one of Jackson's most durable songs, having been covered by several other people. It has a simple but affecting melody which, in tandem with the lyrics, forms a profound impression. This is one of the first Jackson Browne songs to benefit from the guile and sensitivity of the aforementioned David Lindley, on slide guitar here.
"Our Lady of The Well" and "Colors of the Sun" are both slightly redolent of the stripped down haunting landscape of the debut album. Somewhat "pastoral" in nature, they conjure up mental images of rural living, community, hardship and melancholy. As elsewhere on the record, intricate acoustic guitar parts are well to the fore.
The first piano chords, and the ensuing words, perhaps summarize why some of us became so receptive to, and enthused by, Jackson Browne's music in the first place. Yes, it bears distinct hallmarks of standard California singer-songwriter fare, but it also possesses that intangible Browne quality of striking an intimate chord with the listener.
The story of the origins of the closing title track is quite well documented. It was apparently written in response to David Crosby's "Wooden Ships", and ironically features the very same Mr Crosby on harmony vocals. This is the most elaborate arrangement on the record, with strata of keyboards and guitars almost threatening to drown out the vocals and lyrics. The song explores similar, if not identical, territory, to the later "Before The Deluge";apocalyptic, but seeking to salvage some vestige of humanity and brotherhood. One can view it as part idealism, and part a reaction to the fears and threats of the age in which it was composed (Cold War, emergent ecological concerns).
As an overall package, "For Everyman" is not Jackson Browne's most consistent or coherent album, but it does show an artist in the course of development, on the road to the peerless "Late for The Sky". The better tracks stand favourable comparison with anything else in his repertoire.
No comments:
Post a Comment