Downhill from Everywhere

Browne stays in his – and our – comfort zone for much of the album while still finding new avenues to explore.

The second half of Downhill From Everywhere reaffirms how Jackson Browne has mastered the art of uniting issues personal and political, then turning the dual meaning(s) universal (albeit not without some difficulty, circa 1986’s Lives in the Balance).

Downhill from Everywhere provides plenty of evidence of that relit spark, delivering the sheer joy of hearing a master songwriter with the wind in his sails.

As ever, Browne leavens his harder-edged songs with gentler fare. The Caribbean-flavoured, Haiti-inspired Love Is Love has a distinct hint of Paul Simon to it, while My Cleveland Heart attempts to build a whole song around the premise of being given an artificial ticker.

Some of Browne’s lyrical whole-earth concerns seem to be ladled on thickly and by rote, just as some of his instrumental rock-outs can on occasion feel faceless (weird, considering that Bill Frisell, co-guitarist Greg Leisz and CSNY bassist Bob Glaub are part of the album’s core band). Beyond the quick bland asides, Browne sounds invigorated as he hasn’t since the ’80s.

Downhill from Here is well attuned to that template, flush with troubled tones and unyielding urgency. Whether rocking or reflective, the sound is well served by many of the same session players that have played with him in the past—bassist Bob Glaub, guitarist Val McCallum and pedal steel player Greg Leisz chief among them. Several women share the singing, altering the dynamic but not the intention.

Musically, tracks like My Cleveland Heart achieve an effortless quintessence with the swing of a practised elbow. [Aug 2021, p.81]

While Downhill From Everywhere climaxes with the ham-fisted “Until Justice Is Real”, the 72-year-old singer-songwriter has otherwise managed to thread the needle by embedding his compassion in consummate craftsmanship. [Aug 2021, p.24]

Captaining the expected band of L.A. studio stalwarts with easy grace, it's an album full of strong performances, few missteps, and the weary charisma that has been one of the singer's hallmarks.

Jackson Browne is one of the boldest talents in American music, his first four albums standing as understated classics. Downhill from Everywhere, however, fails to recreate that magic, although the first three tracks come close. Browne is an intelligent artist with valid thoughts and concerns to address, but Downhill from Everywhere does not serve as a strong vehicle for such statements.