Browne’s new CD a Conqueror

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ At the dawn of a new year, the latest from Jackson Browne explores the age-old… ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ At the dawn of a new year, the latest from Jackson Browne explores the age-old concepts of government, love and self-exploration. ‘ ‘ ‘ Rivaling the likes of Paul Simon and Bob Dylan as a first-class song writer in caliber, Jackson Browne somewhat lacks the notoriety of the dorm wall-hanging songsters. But look out vintage poster stores ‘mdash; Jackson Browne is back. ‘ ‘ ‘ Time the Conqueror, Browne’s first collection of new tunes in six years, is a solid continuation of the artist’s soulful, sometimes melancholy style of singer/songwriter material. Browne has been serving up politics with a side of heart since the early ’70s and does the same on his most recent endeavor. ‘ ‘ ‘ Browne is famous for classic songs like ‘Stay,’ ‘Running on Empty’ and the original version of The Eagles’ hit ‘Take It Easy.’ While none of the songs on Time the Conqueror rival his early works, they retain the bonafide Jackson Browne charm and sincerity. ‘ ‘ ‘ Fresh off rallying behind Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards, Browne does not hide his disdain for the Bush administration and ongoing overseas conflicts. ‘The Drums of War’ and ‘Far From the Arms of Hunger’ both directly insult the Iraq War as nonsensical violence with uncensored lyrics. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Who gives the orders, orders to torture? / Who gets to no bid contract the future? / Who lies, then bombs, then calls it an error? / ‘ ‘ ‘ Who makes a fortune from fighting terror?’ questions Browne in ‘The Drums of War.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Browne makes no effort to hide his opinions, which makes this an incredibly one-sided record. But, the aged hipster always has tried to throw his voice into the political foreground. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Where Were You?’ continues Browne’s tirade against President George W. Bush harder than Kayne West on live television. This 10-minute Hurricane Katrina anthem asks the U.S. government, ‘Where were you when you heard the stranded / The injured and the empty-handed / Running out of food and water at the Superdome?’ ‘ ‘ ‘ While the majority of the album oozes liberal agenda, Browne does show his softer side on several of the tracks, crooning poignant love ballads and performing some verbal introspection. ‘ ‘ ‘ Browne’s acoustic ability shines through on ‘Just Say Yeah,’ as the artist relates a story of wanting more than companionship from a close female friend. The pleasant, soft strumming of Browne’s guitar meshes with a background organ and light electric guitar solos to create a complex love song. ‘ ‘ ‘ Lyrical ability is something that Browne truly possesses, although that might get overshadowed in his more liberal tunes. Browne’s lyrics sparkle in ‘Just Say Yeah’ in lines like,’ ‘I never met another woman who / Possessed your particular charms / I want to be that man who will see that / You never come to harm.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Already in his 60s, Browne has been pumping out powerful songs since the beginning of the counterculture movement, and he does not appear to be stopping anytime soon. Title track ‘Time the Conqueror’ reflects his youthful exuberance. ‘ ‘ ‘ The opening soul-delving track has Browne questioning his place in the world and new music scene. ‘ ‘ ‘ Bouncing along with lyrics like, ‘Time in my mind, the past of least resistance / The future almost blind, both in need of assistance / In my mind the question: Sunrise or sunset? / In my mind I’m certain: Nothing’s certain yet,’ Browne should be able to find his niche. ‘ ‘ ‘ The normally baby-faced musician sports a more salt than pepper beard on the album’s cover, but his ageless voice sounds just as good as it did on Running on Empty.