Bernie Leadon was a founding member of the Eagles. After leaving the band fifty years ago, he’s kept a fairly low profile through the years. Too Late to Be Cool comes more than 20 years after his last solo album, a relaxed, generally acoustic flavored album. This album would feel at home around Poco, Neil Young, Jimmy Buffett, Loggins & Messina, Pure Prairie League, The Stone Canyon Band and even early Eagles.
If you looking for an earthy, kick-back kind of sound, getting rowdy occasionally, this album has that liven-in, comfortable, easy rollin’ pleasure. The more I listened to it, the more I enjoyed it. Engineered and produced by Glyn Johns (Rolling Stones, Beatles, The Who), who was the Eagles’ first producer.
Leadon and Johns recorded the album using older analogue technology, and yes, you can feel the warmth in the recording. Johns is an old school producer and the first notes you hear are an indication that he was placing the mics and rolling the tape. If you’ve listened to The WHO By Numbers, you will at once recognize that warm, raw, organic sound. I applaud Leadon for selecting Johns and using the analogue techniques, the recording style fits the songs.
Speaking of songs, these are campfire songs, a far cry from the polished and finely crafted work of the Eagles, even their early stuff. Leadon was not known for his songwriting skills, or his silky lead vocal style, or even his muscular lead guitar skills. Leadon is like Ronnie Wood – a versatile guitarist who can play slide, bluegrass fingerpicking, banjo, bass and other Americana-flavored sounds, he can play lead guitar but that’s not his strength; Leadon’s voice fits into a sweet harmony, but he’s not an amazing lead vocalist; as a songwriter, Leadon doesn’t write hits, rather his songs have breath and have nuance, and take time to pull you in.
Too Late to Be Cool has that relaxed vibe of Natural Progressions (1977), the one album he recorded with Michael Georgiades. My review of Natural Progressions.
All songs written by Leadon. Song listing:
- “Zero Sum Game” – Nice, mid-tempo ballad, with great choruses.
- “Telescope” – Features some fine guitar playing.
- “Just A Little” – If you enjoy J.J. Cale, you will like this gruff, noisy guitar tune.
- “Take It As It Comes” – Slow as molasses, bluesy tune.
- “Everyone’s Quirky” – Bluesy shuffle, rootsy flavor.
- “Go On Down to Mobile” I think of a Roger Miller country song when I hear this.
- “Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool” – Good guitar-picking.
- “Too Late To Be Cool” – Nice country rocker.
- “Fathom” – Smooth sailing song, again, great guitar work.
- “Coast Highway”
- “Too Many Memories” – Autobiographical, nice gentle song of reflection.
The personnel:
Bernie Leadon, vocals, guitars, bass
Greg Morrow, drums
Glenn Worf, bass
Tony Harrell, piano, electric piano, Hammond organ
Herb Pedersen, harmony vocals, vocal arrangement
Kevin Moore, Hammond organ
Ticket 2 Ride 
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