Published on May 14, 1998
When I listen to a CD, I want a pleasant musical experience, not
a lecture on human nature. I really wish that Don henley would
realize this and get off his soapbox.
It’s been a long time since I listened to his solo debut
I Can’t Stand Still, but he was up there back in 1982,
mocking the media with “Dirty Laundry”. (Too bad he didn’t wait
until the Jerry Springer-era of ooze we dare to call programming.)
Building The Perfect Beast wasn’t as preachy, but was just
as pretentious.
In 1989, Henley was now pretentious, preachy, pompous and, worst
of all,
boring.
The End Of The Innocence would have ended up packed away
deep in the Pierce Archives were it not for two songs that make the
trip somewhat worth it.
The title track, featuring Bruce Hornsby on keyboards, has lost
little of its fire after almost a decade. It’s not as rocky as I
might have liked it, but it still provides lots of enjoyment every
time I listen to it. And, although it is a bit preachy (and I’ve
never been able to follow the advice Henley gives about letting go
of anger against someone who’s wronged you), “The Heart Of The
Matter” remains undoubtedly his prettiest and most poignant moment
as a solo artist. I have yet to grow tired of this particular
song.
Too bad that’s all on the album that’s worth wasting time on.
For the remainder of
The End Of The Innocence, Henley is nothing more than a
windbag with a stage to get his message across. “New York Minute”
is about as interesting as watching C-SPAN; the tempo drags on and
on, kind of like the Carpenters on Valium. Another single off the
album, “The Last Worthless Evening,” shows no originality at all,
falling into the boredom trap.
And preachy? Geez, if I wanted to be taught a lesson, I’d go
back to living with my parents! From “How Bad Do You Want It?” to
“Little Tin God” to “If Dirt Were Dollars,” Henley spurts his spiel
ineffectively, serving only to anger the listener. (Song title
begging for me to slam-dunk it: “I Will Not Go Quietly.” You
provide your own insult here.)
In a sense, I think Henley got confused; he must have thought he
was a folk musician. If I wanted a lesson, I’d listen to Phil Ochs
or The Kingston Trio – they might have preached, but at least they
were interesting to listen to.
Is it really worth sludging through
The End Of The Innocence for only two songs? Well, the songs
are at the start and the end of the album, so you really don’t have
to wade through muck too much. But these two songs do partially
redeem the whole listening experience, even if they don’t support
the rest of the album (as well they shouldn’t have to).
The End Of The Innocence might be considered Henley’s
masterpiece, but if it weren’t for two very special songs, this
album would be worth next to nothing.