by Paul Busch, FasterLouder.com.au
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Here we are in 2008 and Jackson Browne is 60 years old this October. The cover of his latest record Time The Conqueror has a photo of him with a grey goatee. This is the first time I have seen Jackson actually display that time has taken some toll on his youthful appearance. The years of singing and touring and making political noise has taken no toll on his vocal chords. Jackson Browne sounds just as he did when he recorded Take It Easy all those years ago.
Time The Conqueror, his first release of new songs in over six years, is a solid effort. As always, Mr. Browne delves into love, politics and introspection. He knows them intimately and passionately. Just Say Yeah is a classic Jackson love song and the only thing missing from it musically is the sound of David Lindley playing lap steel. But let's not pick this apart too much, because what we have here is Jackson Browne doing it as he has always done. Touching our hearts and making us think a wee bit more about the world then just boy meets girl, girl gets boy, boy and girl go separate ways.
The playing throughout is by his touring band of the last 15 years. Take particular note of the smooth guitar playing by Mark Goldenberg and keyboards by Jeff Young. Their collaboration with Jackson and the rest of the group definitely define this as easy listening with a consciousness. Off Of Wonderland takes a look back at how life has changed in the last 40 years since the Summer Of Love out there in California, while we waited for that something in the air to eventuate into a reality.
Jackson also adds to the already overflowing levee of songs about how New Orleans was ravaged by Katrina and the neglect of the U.S. Government ( Where Were You? ) and gives the present U.S. administration yet another kick with Drums Of War. These two episodes - the failure to look after Americans at home and the unnecessary war in Iraq (which has resulted in over 1.2 million civilian and military casualties) - should never be forgotten.
Jackson Browne is still singing about what matters and the spirit of his generation lives in his music and his thoughts. We need more of that in 2008. We need more of that every day.
http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/music/15225/Jackson-Browne-Time-The-Conqueror.htm
