Don Felder - American Rock 'N' Roll FLAC

Having spent twenty-seven years with the Eagles, Don Felder’s song writing and guitar playing is straight up first rate. This is the man who co-wrote the legendary “Hotel California,” “These Shoes” and “Victim Of Love.” And if that weren’t enough for you, his work can be heard on albums by Kenny Loggins, David Crosby, Alice Cooper, Elton John, Bob Seger, along with a host of others far too long to string out here.

American Rock N’ Roll sees Felder in the midst of a who’s who, including Mick Fleetwood, Peter Frampton, Richie Sambora, Slash, Sammy Hagar and more, where the man redefines his abilities. This is Donald’s third solo outing, this time out featuring an assemblage of songs that flow together with a cohesiveness, creating a sonic wholeness, incorporating take it to the wall classic rock, some funky meanderings, along with center stage hooks that will leave you delightfully wasted with this high octane old school crew tightly in tow.

There are many who will hear and see this as sensational musical wisdom, boundless, defying age and pretense … though for me, the record sounds dated, locked into a time and groove that has existed for my entire life, meaning to my way of thinking, it would have be far more pleasurable if Felder had stepped knee deep into the 21st century, rolling with a new set of grooves, envisioned himself with more contemporary players in order to put a fresh face on his sound; rather than hosting a group of, all be them good, dinosaur rockers, doing that old man thing for his geriatric listeners.

The truth to what I say lays between the lines of every review out there if one takes the time to read. Seriously, you know how a ad for a movie comes across your screen embellished by words such as, ‘Not To Be Missed,’ ‘Spellbinding’ or ‘The Movie Of A Lifetime.’ Well, that’s a clue that the movie isn’t really that good, it’s just that no one wants to say so, figuring that word of mouth will define the scope and breadth of the picture, leaving the critics to imply its greatness and pleasing those involved. That’s just what’s happening here, the reviews feature the band and not the songs, the tour, superlatives surrounding and encasing its so called greatness, all while featuring Felder’s history. Felder self produced this record, and that should tell you that there was not a company willing to invest their money in the package. If the music were actually that great and brilliant someone would have ventured in with the capital and others would stop touting only the opening track. So, despite all the accolades, this is a record, as with Don Felder’s other two, that will make a splash, though even before the ripples have smoothed out, be forgotten.

American Rock N’ Roll is a 180 gram trip to the carnival, making for a cotton candy sugar high fun day, but it’s no place you want to live, least of all, allow this album to define you.

Review by Jenell Kesler