Eagles (1972) Take the Devil - LOST 70s GEMS

Eagles, the self titled debut album of the definitive Country Rock band of the 70s was possibly the most inventive album of 1972 with it's mix of smooth countrified Folk rock ballads and distorted guitar/ banjo bluegrass flavoured rock. I have chosen this remote and cold little Randy Meisner' track, one of three contributions alongside pop rocker Tryin and waltzy ballad Most of Us are Sad, Meisner was by far the most represented member on show ironically over Glenn Frey who was the lead singer on two of three hit singles off this album. Meisner's penchant for melodic pop rock and his Nebraskan wail was easily along with Frey the sound of the new band particularly as Meisner's high voice would be the fulcrum of the band's distinctive harmonies. Though he is undoubtedly with three writing credits and three lead vocal spots the star of the album, he is also incredibly underrated particularly on Take the Devil with it's fresh hard rock take on Country rock with it's foreboding spirit.

It starts with a lone, rugged acoustic guitar strumming away discontentedly alongside bassist Randy Meisner's wild vocals; a coyote like call of electric guitar whines in the background. Meisner's vocal melody, one I admit is a bit primitive in it's undulating manner with Meisner straining to go up an octave abruptly for the second half of the vocal lines. It's bitterly cold track draped in Glenn Frey's sparse and brooding fuzz guitar notes and mechanical blues playing; hanging over the track with an air of implacability . Frey's solo whines and cries in meaty pull offs while the shiny acoustic guitar glints away in the middle channel. Meisner's lyrics sound like the prose from a Cormac McCarthy novel like Blood Meridian with the 'religion and bloodshed' imagery of a savage tale from the old west. The marauding distorted guitar soon plays a descending set of power chords and drives the tempo up alongside Henley's rudimentary bar band rolls.