Joe Walsh - 20th Century Masters (Jewl)

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Music reviews of 20th Century Masters (Jewl)

Music Review: the pay you less, the get you more
Rating: 4 Stars

That being said, I've always been a sucker for Walsh's guitar playing. There is nothing in Walsh's vocal delivery to set him apart, except to say that it seems well suited to the mood and lyrical content of his music (indeed, it is difficult to imagine other artists covering much of his music, for whatever reason, though Stephen Stills pounded out a convincing 'Rocky Mountain Way' on a live release). He has, however, composed and recorded some of the finest guitar riffs imaginable, easily on a par with anything done by Eric Clapton, The Beatles, even, dare I say it... Jimi Hendrix. Though few in number, those recordings possess massive appeal and staying power.

Walsh's best work was produced in the very late 1960's and early 1970's, heading up the James Gang and Barnstorm, and this era serves as the focus for this 10 track mini resource library. The disc opens with THE 3 essential (tha-tha-tha-tha- that's all folks) James Gang recordings, 'Walk Away', 'Funk #49', and 'Midnight Man'. While 'Midnight Man' is the closest the Gang ever got to a serenade, and a fine serenade at that, 'Walk Away' and 'Funk #49" are studies in hard rock artistry. The songs are reminiscent of the sonic explosion exemplified in two compositons by Walsh's contemporaries Ray Davies and The Kinks, 'All Day and All of the Night' and 'You Really Got Me'. It's not possible to listen to any of these songs without cranking up the volume and allowing your brain and body to liberate themselves from death to life. They possess the power to move ya'.

There are some lesser contributions from Barnstorm included on this disc, in particular 'Mother Says' and 'Here We Go'. It's not that these songs are weak, but they pale in comparison to the remaining selections. 'Turn To Stone', the anthem 'Meadows', 'Rocky Mountain Way', and to a lesser extent 'County Fair', are some of the finest pieces of rock music anyone ever committed to disc. What sets them apart, again, is Walsh's occasional genius with a guitar. The lyrics are compelling, the music is sublime, and it all comes together in a stellar mix that testifies rock and roll will never die. Some artists just say it, others like Joe Walsh play it.

There is one remaining track, the familiar 'Help Me Through the Night', which is a sweet diversion, helping you catch your breath between 'County Fair' and the closer/clincher 'Rocky Mountain Way'. The song served as a segue for Walsh as he reinvented himself in the mid-1970's as the beak and talons of the Eagles. Walsh used several Eagles, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Randy Meisner for background vocals on the number, and soon after took Meisner's perch with the band. To me it represents Walsh's evolution from primordial to prima donna. I prefer primordial, and 'Millenium' is certainly that.

Description of 20th Century Masters (Jewl)

Classic Rock CDs

• Music > Styles
• Classical
• Hard Rock & Metal
• Pop
• Rock