November 15,1976, Retriever, Page 5 Review

J~E~s~e~~!1 Br?ced'!:~ ~~ ":!h~e~ ~d!u~!~Y ~e~~p~~ucePn!ta!.t~ !g~! artist in dead and living thing, time runs like a Springsteen's "Born To Run"). the real world, a plea for a "prayer for the "The Pretender" - Jackson Browne fuse, and the fuse is burning." The sound is "Sleep's Dark And Silent Gate" is sheer pretender, who started out so young and (Asylum Records) reminiscent of the tunes on "Late For The poetry. Jackson Browne redeems the strong, only to surrender." The song . ~here is definitely something about Sky", particularly "Fountain of Sorrow". album's weaker moments in this one contains some of Browne's more powerful hvmg a~ong the ~an Andreas Fault that Russ Kunkel on drums, Leland Sklar on beautifully crafted song. There is such lyrics bu~ once again. he fails to come b~ee~s mtrospectIon. Over the course of bass, Craig Doerge on piano and the ever- eloquently stated despair in the lyrics and across WIth a melody to match. hIS fl~St thr~ albums, Jackson Bro~e present David Lindley on slide provide the the somber melody. "The Pretender", the . "T~e Pretender", as much as I would estabhshed himself as a master of In- sound which is characteristically Jackson title track, is just a wee bit tJO ambitious. like It to be Jackson Browne's master- Browne's. "Your Bright Baby BlUes" is Jackson Browne Paints a picture of life piece, is decidedly uneven. Like a book of Browne's plea for release from daily when over lon~ed-for dreams are lost or short stories, it has both its rewards and stru~~les throu~h the redemptive powers waylaid. Browne plants himself firmly in frustrations. The dull sheen of com- of love. Lowell George and Bill Payne of the midst of the "happy idiots" caught in placency and off-target production mar an Little Feat sit in on this track and George the "struggle for the legal tender". It's album that otherwise sparkles with the plays some exqUisite slide guitar and lends Jackson Browne, the "pretender", who is insight and flair we have come to expect of his bluesy voice to the ha·rmonies. caught in the middle of this waking this gifted songwriter. "Linda Paloma" is a true touch of .---'------.. . genius. The song is a south-of-the--border love song scored for Spanish guitars, violin and Mexican harp. The effect is both romantic and comic in ~ . tongue--in-cheek way . It's a nice departure from the traditional elements of Jackson Browne's sound. "Here Come Those Tears Again" is' just a bit too strident, too bouncy and trite. In spite of contributions by the likes of Bonnie Rait and Orlean's John Hall, the u ior! song ends up sounding too calculatedly commercial. As for the lyrics, Jackson Jackson Browne once again engages in breast-beating, trospection and Californian angst. "The which is fine and goo~ if the tune carries Pretender", his fourth and latest release, them through. Unfortunately the song isn't makes no significant departures from his up to the task. well-defined stvle and is sufficiently well "The Only Child" is a lovely piece of Maximus put together to take its place as the next adv·ice to a growing child. "Let the chapter in the continuing story of Jackson disappointments p~ss, let the laughter fill Browne. your glass, let your illusions last until they The album opens with "The Fuse" and shatter." Harmonies provided by John the first surprise lurks in the album Da vid Souther and Don Henley lend a Super. credits. Producer Jon Landau, former beautiful, soft quality which pervades the editor of Rolling Stone Magazine, has song. "Daddy's Tune" is the answer to surrounded Browne with the cream of "The Only Child" but this time it's L.A. 's studio musicians and Jackson Jackson addressing his own father, Sute, t•• te I Browne relingquishes his role as musician bridging the chasm that stretches over the on all but one cut. It's a surprising tum of years. The idea is a good one but the lyrics events but it frees him to concentrate are not as strong as they might be and the M.ximum tle •• u,e I entirely on his singing. But back to "The song is drowned it) a morass of horns , Fuse". The son is a cry of despair in the which are totally unfitting. That blunder wilderness, an invocation of faith when has got to be chalked up to producer ... your store on campus for

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