"Late for the Sky," Jackson Browne (1974)

“Late for the Sky” is my favorite Jackson Browne album, but it’s not one you want to put on if you’re feeling depressed.  Aside from “The Road and the Sky” and “Walking Slow,” this is pretty heavy stuff, but the songs really seemed to speak to me when I bought it in the Winter of 1977.  Yeah, all those emotional crises one dealt with at 17 could be overwhelming, right?  There are four bona fide Browne classics on the record – the title track, “Fountain of Sorrow,” “Before the Deluge,” and the haunting “For a Dancer.”  All worth taking the time to truly listen closely.

Another thing about the album that needs to be recognized and saluted is David Lindley’s musicianship.  Whether on electric lead guitar, slide guitar or fiddle, Lindley is amazing throughout – adding vibrancy every song.  Jackson lets him take the spotlight on most songs, which is smart – it’s a battle he had no chance of winning.

And a classic cover, no doubt.

Stephen Holden, Rolling Stone review: “Its overriding theme: the exploration of romantic possibility in the shadow of apocalypse.  No contemporary male singer/songwriter has dealt so honestly and deeply with the vulnerability of romantic idealism and the pain of adjustment from youthful narcissism to adult survival as Browne has in this album.”