The Eagles were known for their hits in the 1970’s, and Don Henley was part of the hit making sensation as drummer and co-lead vocalist. When he went solo, he released several hits including The Boys of Summer and The End of Innocence. Now, he’s ready to release his new album Cass County, which is an incredible album that the fans have been waiting to hear.

The colorful collaboration with Mick Jagger and Miranda Lambert in Bramble Rose makes this song a lovely track to start this album. Henley and Merle Haggard’s vocals work perfectly in harmony and compliment one another in The Cost of Living. Henley says No, Thank You to an offer that seems to be “too good to be true” in a country rock track.

Henley tells the sad story of a young waitress who learned about life the hard way in Waiting Tables. The piano and background vocals give a gospel feel to Take a Picture of This. The slow strumming of the guitar and the melancholy strings in Too Far Gone will leave you feeling the same heartbreak Henley experiences. That Old Flame is an upbeat song about former lovers. The strings and strong vocals of Henley and Allison Krauss in The Brand New Tennessee Waltz make it an amazing and quick paced song.

The softly played piano and guitar in Words Can Break Your Heart add to the sad sound of this track.  When I Stop Dreaming is a heartbreaking song about a love that has moved on. Praying For Rain has the perfect mix of voices performing in perfect harmony. Too Much Pride is a combination of jazz and gospel with a down home sound. The guitar and vocals give She Sang Hymns Out of Tune a sweet and relaxing melody. Train in the Distance has Henley fondly reminiscing about his youth and contemplating the present. A Younger Man is a heartrending realization that the woman he loves wants to love a man younger than himself. Where I am Now has a hint of rock and makes you want to get up and dance.

Don Henley has kept us hooked on his every word since his days with The Eagles and he still does it now with Cass County. This album will excite his dedicated fans introduce a new generation of fans to his music.

Final Grade: A

About The Author

Lauren Beverly

Music Reviewer

I love to write and have been doing so since the age of eight. Fictional stories have always been a favorite of mine, because it gives me a chance to be creative and to express myself in a multitude of ways. On more than one occasion, a song proved to be the inspiration to several stories I have written. Believe it or not, some of those songs were on soundtracks! That’s mostly what I listen to, aside from hits from the 1950’s up to the 1980’s. I’ve learned that anything can be the inspiration to a story, even a poster from the 1990’s or a DVD cover.

I’ve lived in Upper Marlboro all of my life and spent much of my childhood watching cartoons of all kinds, and listening to my older sister’s cassette tapes. Growing up, I listened to everything Jackson related, Paula Abdul, Elton John, and even the controversial group Milli Vanilli. As a teenager, I continued to listen to old-school hits and that was pretty much all I liked, aside from listening to all of Michael Jackson’s music. To this day, I still love old-school hits. That hasn’t changed.

I own a variety of CDs from artists such as Styx, The BeeGees, Michael Jackson, Queen, The Yellow Submarine Soundtrack, and many others. When a soundtrack comes out, there will always be one specific song from that album that I’ll love. It never fails.

I’ve graduated from Bowie State University in December 2013 with a B.A. degree in English.

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