Selected Works: 1972-1999 [Box]

Performer: Eagles
Engineer: Elliot Scheiner; ISPLAY MEMORYJay Oliver; Mike Harlow
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: The Eagles: Bernie Leadon (vocals, guitar, steel guitar, banjo, mandolin); Joe Walsh (vocals, guitar, organ); Glen Frey (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Don Henley (vocals, guitar, drums, percussion); Don Felder (vocals, guitar); Randy Meisner, Timothy B. Schmit (vocals, bass). Additional personnel includes: John Corey, Timothy Drury (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Al Garth (violin, clarinet, saxophone); Gary Grimm (keyboards, percussion); Jay Oliver (keyboards); Scott Crago (drums, percussion); Jeremy Janeczko (percussion). Producers include: Glyn Johns, Bill Szymczyk, Elliot Scheiner, Rob Jacobs, Jay Oliver. Includes a 40-page book with liner notes by Bill Szymczyk, David Wild, and Glen Frey. Personnel: Don Felder (vocals, guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, organ); Glenn Frey (vocals, guitar, slide guitar, harmonium, Clavinet, synthesizer); Bernie Leadon (vocals, guitar, steel guitar, banjo, mandolin); Joe Walsh (vocals, guitar, piano, organ, synthesizer); Tomothy Drury, John Corey (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Don Henley (vocals, guitar, synthesizer, drums, tabla, percussion); Randy Meisner (vocals, guitarron); Timothy B. Schmit (vocals); Al Garth (violin, clarinet, saxophone); David Sanborn (alto saxophone); Jim Ed Norman (electric piano); Gary Grimm (keyboards, percussion); Jay Oliver (keyboards); Albhy Galuten (synthesizer); Scott Crago (drums, percussion). Audio Mixers: Elliot Scheiner; Bill Szymczyk. Liner Note Authors: Glenn Frey; Bill Szymczyk; David Wild. Recording information: Bayshore Recording Studios, Coconut Grove, FL (1972-1999); Criteria Studios, Miami, FL (1972-1999); Island Studios, London, England (1972-1999); Olympic Sound Studios, London, England (1972-1999); The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA (1972-1999); The Village Recorder, Los Angeles, CA (1972-1999). Editor: Bill Szymczyk. Photographers: Jeffrey Mayer; Norman Seeff; Henry Diltz. The relative sonic neglect suffered by the Eagles' catalog was the fault of the band's consistent success -- with the original albums and hits collections still selling year after year, why bother to upgrade? Finally, however, longtime Eagles producer Bill Szymczyk remastered their albums in 1999, and the band put together a box set. Including most of their hits (the exception is "Seven Bridges Road") and lots of album tracks, the four-CD set regroups the Eagles' material into three categories: "The Early Days," which consists of 13 tracks from their first four albums; "The Ballads"; and "The Fast Lane," i.e., rhythm songs. The fourth disc is drawn from their millennium concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. While their early albums balanced the contributions of their members, "The Early Days" is dominated by Glenn Frey and Don Henley; that means a few worthy efforts are missing, but the selection is generally good. "The Ballads" is a straightforward collection of popular slow songs. Along with their more uptempo hits, "The Fast Lane" contains what little unreleased material there is, but anyone hoping for greatness is going to be disappointed. The Eagles have gone out of their way in "The Millennium Concert" to perform songs out of their usual repertoire, including several solo hits and both sides of their 1978 seasonal single, "Please Come Home for Christmas" and "Funky New Year." Much of this is minor or atypical material, but at least the unusually animated band members were trying (though it sounds like there was plenty of studio overdubbing). The overall result is a nearly four-hour collection that is something of a hodgepodge. There are enough rarities to bait the hook for hardcore Eagles fans, but not really satisfy them, and casual fans will probably be better off with the two single-disc hits collections. ~ William Ruhlmann This four-disc box set takes the listener on a detailed tour of the Eagles' career. One of the most successful American groups of the '70s, the Eagles combined country-rock roots with the burgeoning L.A. soft-rock aesthetic that reigned in the U.S. at the time. The artfully arranged SELECTED WORKS moves from the early, earthy "Take it Easy" and "Already Gone" to the pure pop balladry of "The Best of My Love," "I Can't Tell You Why," and the roadhouse rock of "Heartache Tonight" and "Life in the Fast Lane." The unerringly infectious melodies and carefully constructed, tight-as-a-drum arrangements go a long way toward explaining why some regarded the Eagles as the "American Beatles." The live material included on the fourth disc offers an au natural glimpse of the band, revealing that they were solid even with all the studio polish stripped away.

Entertainment Weekly (12/1/00, p.95) - "...The case for Don Henley and Glenn Frey as SoCal Lennon and McCartney is certainly made..." - Rating: B+ Uncut (2/01, p.86) - 5 stars out of 5 - "...This is a near flawless tribute to the greatest Seventies American band of them all..."

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