After saving rain forests and flying like an Eagle, Don Henley released his fourth solo record that placed the singer under a new set of circumstances — domestic bliss and peace of mind. Co-written and produced with former Heartbreaker drummer, Stan Lynch, Inside Job features satiated and textural arrangements, extra special guests like Stevie Wonder, Randy Newman and Glenn Frey, and the unmistakable soulful wisp of Mr. Henley himself. After one listen, it’s easy to determine Henley set aside the stinging, acerbic taunts of “Dirty Laundry” and the slick, pensive observations of “The Boys Of Summer,” and settled down for an in-close observation of numero uno.
Because much of the album was recorded in Henley’s home state of Texas, a bulk of the material seems to allude to life-altering changes that somehow swung him back full circle. The first single, “Taking You Home,” is a simple ode where Henley declares he has finally found a love that “is like nothing I have ever known.” From there, he gets downright maudlin with “For My Wedding,” but follows up quickly with another declaration: “Everything Is Different Now.” It becomes profusely clear he’s thrown in the towel, when he sings, “I bit that bullet and I took that vow, and everything is different now…”
Thankfully, Henley still has some bark after biting the bullet. The title track, co-written with Heartbreaker guitarist, Mike Campbell, unleashes some of the singer’s venom toward whatever foe may be moving in on his territory. A lot of his rage was directed at the record industry, copyright lawmakers and conspiracy theorists (listen to “They’re Not Here, They’re Not Coming”). In the end, Henley steps down from the podium and settles back into his easy chair. “My Thanksgiving” confirms that for the man who has always been known as the thinking man’s Eagle, he’s thankful for “every day of living” while he’s “welcoming the fall.”
~ Shawn Perry
