A tactical vote doesn't soften the blow, UtW.
I will say though, I don't think they became more jaded at the time of this album or had any more indulgence in the excesses then. They'd been doing all that stuff waaaaay before Joe ever came on board for HC.
Some people do prefer the early country rock sound. I loathe it. Me, I prefer the strung out Sunset Strip 70s/80s dirty sleazy arena rock n' roll sound and I couldn't have been happier they moved on from Bernie, lol. I like the whole Whiskey/Rainbow/LA scene and I wish I could have been there for it. I live it vicariously through the songs, rockstar autobiographies, documentaries, oh - and Pamela Des Barres' book, lol.
It's like Aerosmith. Personally the music from when they cleaned their act up doesn't sound near as good as their 70s output when they were coked out. Not saying someone needs to do that or that is a valid or good reason to do drugs especially considering those that didn't make it, but I do think those excesses (particularly drugs and alcohol) lead to inspiration for great music and lyrics back then, lol. The self titled LP through Draw The Line were all great albums. Most of their 80s/90s output paled in comparison to their harder edged albums of the 70s. Again, not justifying it - but for better or worse it affected the music. Just depends what you like. Perfectionism and clean nosed lyric or a more raw attitude-infused rock n' roll thing. Some people like for lack of better words - a more prettier sound, even in rock music like soft rock.
I'm going to (surprisingly) vote off One of These Nights. While it does have 3 good songs on it, including one of my all time favourites in Lyin Eyes, I feel that the other songs re somewhat weaker than those that are on other albums. This album tends to trade off its 3 big ones.
'I must be leaving soon... its your world now'
Glenn Frey 1948-2016 RIP
I'm voting for Long Road Out Of Eden.
I'm voting for Eagles. The album is very weak and the three hit songs can't help this album.
Brothers for life. RIP Glenn
I'm not sure I believe in fate, but I know that crossing paths with Glenn Lewis Frey in 1970 changed my life forever, and it eventually had an impact on the lives of millions of other people all over the planet. It will be very strange going forward in a world without him in it. But, I will be grateful, every day, that he was in my life. Rest in peace, my brother. You did what you set out to do, and then some." -Don Henley
I vote for Long Road Out of Eden.
I remember being desperate to finally get another album from them and I absolutely love some of the songs on it, I agree with groupie on it just not sounding like a band album. Several songs I can imagine coming from Don or Glenn solo, but not from the band. And it seems they couldn't actually get themselves together to record it together! And Timothy's IDWTHA sounds so similar to his prior songs that I was very disappointed in that. Also Joe's contributions. Personally, I don't think Timothy and Joe were ever really allowed to add anything new to the band as far as their own songs. Don and Glenn doled out what they wanted them to sing.
"They will never forget you 'till somebody new comes along"
1948-2016 Gone but not forgotten
Looks like I don't need to assist the rest of you in taking LROOE out back and executing it (IMO, it would have been way better as a single-disk output with some of the dreadful filler and full-on Preacher Henley stuff left off - you need only look at the War & Peace-length personnel list to tell you it wasn't a band effort at all).
Given that, I will vote for Hotel California. I'll take New Kid, Wasted Time on occasion, Pretty Maids and The Last Resort but you can keep the rest of it. I get that it catapulted them into stardom, but it's not for me. I fell in love with the Eagles for their soaring harmonies, Bernie's obvious country influence and the imagery Helney and Frey could muster from nowhere. By and large I cannot stand stereotypical 1980s rock or the tedious tales of excess or hair metal and arena tat like Motley 'maybe one day we'll actually stop' Crue or Whitesnake, so yes I do yearn very much for the late 60-early 70s and the strong country / folk / blues influences!
Wow, HC and OOTN already under attack. My vote would go to LROOE based on merit but it looks like it’s next to go so I’ll cast a strategic vote.
I vote for The Long Run.
While it has some strong material, it suffers from lack of originality (the co-opting of Otis Clay’s “Trying to Live My Life Without You” as their own in the title track, as well as “Greeks” which sounds like the Beatles’ Birthday Song). It also has two mind-numbingly bad tracks.
The debut album edges it out for me due to its freshness and and clean, balanced sound. I love the production and the way the harmonies play out.
Right or wrong, what’s done is done
It’s only moments that you borrow...
I don't totally disagree with you about this groupie, but I would submit that the Eagles LP suffers from the same problem. In fact, that is pretty much exactly what happened on this album. The band was just forming and each of the four band members were told to bring anything they had to the table. As a matter of fact there are only two song on the entire album that were co-written by any of the band members - Don and Bernie collaborated on Witchy Woman and Randy and Bernie on Earlybird. I would further argue that with the exception of the big three songs, the overall quality of material on the album is far inferior to Long Road Out of Eden. So, even though it won't change the outcome of this round ...
I cast my vote for Eagles.
"People don't run out of dreams: People just run out of time ..."
Glenn Frey 11/06/1948 - 01/18/2016