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Don Henley
I just can’t seem to leave this guy alone. Whatever it is that bothers me must be as much (or more) my fault than his, but Don Henley genuinely unnerves me. He seems to be one of the most intelligent musicians in the business today, but that doesn’t necessarily help his art. His intentions have become too transparent, and it makes him sound strident, overbearing even.
Inside Job is preoccupied with two topics – Henley’s newfound happiness and Henley’s sociopolitical conscience. He doesn’t even try to fool us with pretense. Unlike, say, David Bowie, Don Henley is no Wizard of Oz. With Henley, you can hear the gears turning and see the machinations of his brain chugging along. How ironic is it, then, that the CD’s first song is a rant aimed at an egotist, called "Nobody Else in the World but You"? From this point on, his obsessions take over. His involvement with artists’ rights and Walden Pond are more than admirable, and on this CD, Henley works overtime for his causes. He sings about the state of the world on "Goodbye to a River," and the malicious side of his benevolent nature rears itself on "Workin’ It." Mostly, though the record informs us that he got married since we last heard from him. Hey, I’m glad that he sounds happy (Taking You Home", "For My Wedding", "Everything is Different Now"). But,as he suggests in his lyrics, most fans prefer him when he’s restless or introspective, and so do I.
When Henley was a laid back troubadour with the early Eagles, I loved the guy. As a self-indulgent windbag who seemed to be swallowed up by the excesses of California culture, I thought he had gone crazy. As a self-analytical solo artist trying to come to terms with this crazy world, I loved him again. But, in his current incarnation as a come-back artist who feels compelled to bring us up to date on his self-righteous indignation and his newfound marital bliss, I neither love him nor hate him, I’m just bored.
It’s definitely better to be happy than it is to be famous, so even if Don Henley never makes another album, I hope that he can sustain his state of mind, and I wish him a happy ending. I’m not too sure if I’ll need to know about it, though.
Grade: 
 
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