At the turn of the century,
Don Felder split from both his longtime wife and from
the Eagles, two tumultuous events that took some time to process. First, he wrote a memoir -- Heaven and Hell, published in 2008 -- then he set about writing and recording his first solo album since 1983's
Airborne.
Road to Forever, released in the fall of 2012, certainly bears the production hallmarks of its time -- it's precise, shining, and clean, lacking the warm analog air of 1983 -- but musically
Felder pledges allegiance to classic rock, either through propulsive guitar-fueled arena rockers or soft, sweet folk-pop. There may be the occasional good-time anthem -- the thudding strut of "Girls in Black" -- but
Felder also works out the pain of the last few years, giving
Road to Forever more than one emotional dimension, something that suits the nicely shaded, craftsman-like pop/rock on this enjoyable, reflective record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine