Bernie Leadon -Mirror

Mirror

For anyone who thought that it was Don Felder and Joe Walsh who provided the hard rock guitar sound in the Eagles, Bernie Leadon's new album will dispell that myth fast.

While it was Leadon's guitar spearheaded the Eagles' laid-back California Country sounds on "Take It Easy", "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "Lyin' Eyes", remember - he was also the lead guitarist that swirled and stinged and solo'ed through songs like "James Dean", or sounding much more like Keith Richards than Clarence White on the Burritos' "Older Guys".In short, Bernie played guitar to the limit, not those chug-chunk-chug sounds emanating from the guitars of mrssrs. Frey, Felder and Walsh.

This "Mirror" ain't Country by a long shot, as the first chords of "Vile and A Profane Man" signify. It is straightforward Rock and Roll, with some edgy "New Wave" sounds thrown in for good measure on "God Ain't Done With Me Yet" (with interesting harmonies courtesy of Miss Emmylou Harris)

While Leadon doesn't entirely neglect his past on songs like "Backup Plan" (a beautiful song about life decisions which also features Miss Emmylou which could easily fit into either the Burritos or Eagles catalogue), the thoughtful "Rich Life", or the Scottsville Barker-like opening mandolin (courtesy of Tommy Burroughs)-guitar sounds on "What Do I Owe", the emphasis here is on those rock guitar-driven songs like "Vile and Profane Man", the rockabillyish "Everybody Want" and the autobiographical "Hey Now Now". The whimsical "Sears and Roebuck" catalog is much more fun performed live than on record.

Just don't expect something akin to "Train Leaves Here This Morning" or even "Corduroy Road" which he cut and sang for the Dirt Band back in '88. There's no banjo either, which is a strange omission from someone, who is, along with his friend and contemporary Herb Pedersen, the best banjo player in Rock and Country music.

What you can expect here, and should expect is a rollicking album full of life, the songs are strongly personal, humorous, fun, insightful, (listen to the lyrics carefully on "Backup Plan") with a touch of sardonic wit. Leadon is an outstanding guitarist (and multi-instrumentalist, though not here)and while he might not be a powerful vocalist, he is certainly a more than competent one - . This is a rich, colorful album by a man who has seen a lot, played a lot, and it is music much more authentic and much, much better than anything his former Eagle bandmates have churned out recently.