Bernie Leadon, ‘Too Late to Be Cool’: Album Evaluate

Too Late to Be Cool includes a telling archival cowl picture shot by Henry Diltz again in 1979. Each album and picture took a very long time to disclose themselves, and ultimately – like that flashlight educated on his face by the fastidiously hidden artwork director Gary Burden – they each present welcome publicity to the often-overlooked Bernie Leadon.

After all, even when he was younger, Leadon was by no means regarded as cool. That is to not say he did not maintain key attributes. Leadon proved to be a remarkably proficient multi-instrumentalist throughout pre-Eagles tenures with bands just like the Flying Burrito Brothers. All the time keen about his rootsy craft, he then helped outline the early Eagles sound. Nonetheless, after serving because the nation picker on their first 4 data, Leadon left when Don Felder arrived and so they began leaning extra towards rock. That spoke to his intense dedication to custom however it actually wasn’t seen as all that cool. Buck Owens ended up masking the Leadon co-written “Hollywood Waltz” from 1975’s Considered one of These Nights. Cool, you recognize, however not cool.

Alongside the way in which, nevertheless, the tradition stored shifting towards Leadon. The Americana vibe he helped create again then holds much more resonance into a brand new century than rock music does. So, regardless of the title, Leadon’s uncommon new solo mission is definitely the sound of somebody who’s reclaiming his personal off-handed legend. It occurred in a equally offhanded manner, too. Leadon won’t have accomplished this primary new music since 2004’s surprisingly rock-influenced Mirror if former sparring accomplice and bandmate Glenn Frey hadn’t known as to ask him to take a seat in. Leadon ended up enjoying some 175 exhibits through the Historical past of the Eagles Tour in 2013-15 – and he instantly felt the artistic itch. He constructed a studio and commenced working in an appropriately old school analog setting with early Eagles producer Glyn Johns, bassist Glenn Worf, keyboardist Tony Harrell and drummer Greg Morrow.

READ MORE: Rating All 11 Bernie Leadon Eagles Songs

Leadon had amassed a backlog of round 100 concepts after greater than 20 years away. They selected properly. Leadon did not write or co-write many Eagles songs, but nonetheless contributed to a pair of acknowledged classics in “Witchy Girl” from 1972’s Eagles and “Saturday Evening” from 1973’s Desperado. Too Late to Be Cool follows the identical slyly impactful sample – and, as with Mirror, it rocks greater than anticipated. Leadon shakes his fist on the sky on the surprisingly Stones-y “Only a Little” earlier than counseling us all to take the occasional calming deep breath on “Too Many Recollections.” Regardless of their affiliation with the realm, not one of the authentic Eagles was from southern California. Nonetheless, the Minnesota-born Leadon gives a winking reminder that he grew up there with the enjoyable “Coast Freeway.”

He exhibits he can nonetheless pull off a superb yarn with “Go On Right down to Cellular.” Within the latter, Leadon sings: “I’ve lived many lifetimes in a single go,” and that hard-won expertise provides him the latitude to dabble a bit in jazz on “Everybody’s Quirky.” However Too Late to Be Cool most frequently works within the now-timeless musical palettes which have outlined Leadon – and, in no small manner, the broader Americana motion – since he emerged as a key collaborator with ex-Byrds member Gene Clark a long time in the past in Dillard and Clark. Seems, Bernie Leadon was cool all alongside.

Take heed to Don Felder on the ‘UCR Podcast’