Jackson Browne
In all forms of pop art, it's a short trip from sentimental to sappy. Browne has taken that trek with this album. In the '70s he was the patron saint of sensitive singer-songwriters. Actually, he was more of the martyr of the set; his best work (such as 1974's Late for the Sky) overflowed with disconsolate beauty. Today, Browne's ability to pluck the heartstrings has largely deserted him. It doesn't help that his voice seems slightly curdled.
There has been much speculation about which of these songs were inspired by Browne's bruising breakup with Daryl Hannah. The likeliest candidates seem to be "Miles Away" ("I want to be your friend but I got no choice/ Than to fight when you're so mean and wild") and "Two of Me, Two of You" ("So like a fragile little child/ More than a little lost and wild/ How the light would leave the sky when you cried"). Overall, I'm Alive is a total Browne-out. (Elektra)
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