Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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Out of all of the Eagles, Don Henley had the most successful solo career. After the group initially broke up in 1982, Henley released his first solo album, I Can't Stand Still. Although it wasn't as successful as an Eagles record, the album performed respectably, launching the number three single "Dirty Laundry" and going gold. Building the Perfect Beast followed two years later and established Henley as a solo star in his own right. Featuring the Top Ten hits "Boys of Summer" and "All She Wants to Do Is Dance," as well as the Top 40 singles "Not Enough Love in the World" and "Sunset Grill," the album sold over two million copies and stayed on the charts for over a year. Henley's third album, 1989's The End of the Innocence, was his most ambitious record yet, as well as his most commercially successful. The album sold over three million copies and stayed on the charts for nearly three years, launching the hit singles "The End of the Innocence," "Heart of the Matter," "New York Minute," "How Bad Do You Want It?," and "The Last Worthless Evening".

Henley reunited with the Eagles in 1994, embarking on a worldwide tour. The group released a live album culled from an appearance on MTV Unplugged called Hell Freezes Over; the record also featured a handful of new studio tracks. Hell Freezes Over was a major success, selling over five million copies by the summer of 1995. However, the group opted to take another hiatus during the decade's latter half, and Henley continued working on his fourth solo album, finally issued in mid-2000 under the title Inside Job. He then resumed working with the Eagles, contributing to the band's new studio album (2007's multi-platinum effort Long Road Out of Eden) and touring heavily in support of the project.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic.com

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Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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Don Henley's first solo album may still have had the ghost of the Eagles lingering in the corners, but for the most part it showcases his stalwart partnership with producer and songwriter Danny Kortchmar. Lyrically, Henley's songs are a tad weak, but for an inaugural album from a man who had spent most of his career surrounded by multi-talented musicians and writers, on the whole it fairs quite well. His material deals with the hardships of love, the fickleness of the media, and the declining state of education, all induced with a friendly pop sound. The title track, a trouble-in-paradise love song, has Henley pouring his heart out with sugary angst, but is helped along with some avid keyboard work. "Dirty Laundry" is Henley's attack on the shallowness of the network newsperson that peaked at number three on Billboard's Top 40. Its bouncy chorus and contagious organ riffs proved that his role as a musician could conform to any style. His social commentary comes into fruition with "Johnny Can't Read," loosely based on the increasing amount of high-school dropouts at the time and helped bolster Henley's reputation as a musician with a concern for pressing issues. Numerous musicians help him out on this album as well, including former Eagles members Timothy B. Schmidt, Joe Walsh, and J.D. Souther; drummer Jeff Porcaro and guitarist Steve Lukather, both from Toto; and even Warren Zevon. Don Henley's adept combination of lyrical wit and thought-provoking staidness begins to materialize on I Can't Stand Still, paving the way for an extremely accomplished solo career.

Review by Mike DeGagne, Allmusic.com

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Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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After experimenting with synthesizers and a pop sound on his solo debut, Don Henley hits the mark on his sophomore release, Building the Perfect Beast. This album established Henley as an artist in his own right after many successful years with the Eagles, as it spawned numerous hits. While the songs seem crafted for pop radio, it's hard to fault him for choosing arrangements that would get his messages to the masses. Unlike most pop in the 1980s, however, Henley had deep intellectual themes layered beneath the synthesizer sounds and crisp production. In the opening song "Boys of Summer," he talks about trying to recapture the past while knowing that things will never be the same. Henley has a gift for writing about the heart and soul of America and for mixing his love for the country and small-town life ("Sunset Grill") with cynicism about government ("All She Wants to Do Is Dance") and modernization ("Month of Sundays"). Although the politics and the sound of the album make the decade of release easy to place, Henley's earnest delivery and universal messages give many of the tracks a timeless feel, which is no small feat. This is Henley's most consistent album, and it is the place to start for those wanting to sample his solo work.

Review by Vik Iyengar, Allmusic.com

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Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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Don Henley took some time before completing his highly anticipated third album, The End of the Innocence. Although he manages to duplicate much of the magic of his previous album, Henley has backed off of the synthesizers and expanded his musical palette. He uses background vocals to great effect, whether it's the tragic ballad "New York Minute" (with vocal group Take 6) or the angry rocker "I Will Not Go Quietly" (with Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses). His collaboration with Bruce Hornsby on the opening title track show a mature Henley singing about disillusionment over a beautiful piano riff that gives the song a timeless air of nostalgia. While he still tackles political issues and writes about small-town life in America, Henley also mixes in romantic ballads, including the closer "Heart of the Matter." In this epic song, Henley explores the emotional complexity of relationships and coming to terms with oneself during the aftermath. Throughout the album, he manages to balance being cynical yet hopeful, and his great melodies allow his poignant lyrics to penetrate. This album is highly recommended for those who like their pop music with a message.

Review by Vik Iyengar, Allmusic.com

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Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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Don Henley essentially sat out his '90s recording contract, waiting until he could sign to another label that would allow him greater artistic freedom and royalties. He finally signed to Warner and released his fourth solo album, Inside Job, in the spring of 2000. Considering his long absence from recording, it shouldn't come as a total surprise that the album sounds as if it could have been cut in 1990 or even 1986 (check out the obnoxious synth solo on the opening track). That is not entirely a bad thing, however. It would have been rather embarrassing if Henley was trying to run with the young boys, and he sounds very comfortable settling into a role that is something less than an old master and something more than a crotchety old-timer. It falls somewhere between that, since his simmering anger – always apparent but raised to the surface on his solo records – still can be heard, which makes him seem a little cranky on occasion, when he gets carried away with his temper. For the most part, though, he sounds relaxed, comfortable, and reflective on Inside Job, more so than he ever has. The heart of the record is in the slower numbers, where he honestly lays out his feelings about his new love and marriage. Whenever he sticks to personal relationships, and thereby gentler music, Inside Job stays winning. It's brought down when he steps up to the podium to rail against the modern world, but this isn't quite enough to sink the record. Inside Job lacks the melodic craftsmanship that made Building the Perfect Beast a blockbuster, and it isn't as focused as The End of the Innocence, but it is a solid comeback record from an artist who spent a little too long out of the spotlight.

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic.com

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Don Henley - Solo Albums Collection 1982-2009 (6CD)

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Fourteen years separate 2009's The Very Best of Don Henley and Henley's first compilation, Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits. During that near decade-and-a-half, Henley only released one new album, 2000's Inside Job, a record that generated a couple of minor hit singles highlighted by "Taking You Home," which reached number 58 on Billboard's Hot 100 and number 12 on their Adult Top 40 chart. This means that this 2009 compilation doesn't have anything major that's not on the 1995 disc – even the cover of Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows," which debuted on Actual Miles, has been carried over to The Very Best – so there's not much reason to swap hits discs, but anybody in the market for a Don Henley compilation will find this satisfying, as it has all the big hits from Building the Perfect Beast and The End of the Innocence.

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic.com