Customer Reviews

I'm Alive

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's said that great artists find inspiration in life's trials and tribulations, and that sure helps to explain the single best album Jackson Browne has produced in the last twenty years. Written while suffering from the well-publicized breakup of a long affair with a most beautiful blond bombshell of an actress, Browne's fervently fertile mind uses the palpable heartache to deliver a song cycle overflowing with blue-eyed California soul. From the opening lines announcing that to his own growing bemusement and amazement "I'm Alive", Jackson lets us know that this is the best that can be hoped for under the circumstances. This is the ultimate in a modern concept album, one that painfully, faithfully and artfully essays the emotional realities of a long-term relationship and giving us a rare view into the interior of life in the emotional fast lane.

All of the songs here are good, but some are absolutely wonderful. I especially like "Take This Rain", "Two Of Me, Two Of You', and "Too Many Angels". As always, Browne's use of lyrics is so masterful that one reels at the power of description and expression he brings to bear on the subject of love gone awry. Of course, there are few words to describe "Sky Blue And Black" other than to say it is easily the most phenomenal song he has written since "Late For The Sky", with guitar work and vocals that are simply magical. The song cycle ends with a soulful summary of sorts with "All Good Things", which he reminds us, must come to an end. So must this review, but not without me giving a high recommendation for this album for any and all Jackson Browne fans. Enjoy.

If "tragedy is the fuel of genius", then the breakup of Darryl Hanna and Jackson Browne is pure Saturn V rocket fuel. I have owned "I'm Alive" for eight years now and every time I go back and play it again after a while, I am always astounded at how much I still LOVE this album! I was born in 1966 so the music of Jackson Browne has, for better or worse, been around me my entire life. "Running On Empty", "Doctor My Eyes", "Late for the Sky", "That Girl Could Sing", among others have been the source of plenty of blissful moments in my years but, even I wasn't ready for the musical joy that emanated from my speakers one night in late 1993 upon hearing "I'm Alive" the first time! The opening notes of the title track set you in the right mood for a fun listen. By the fifth track, you begin to realize that those opening notes were just the tip of an iceberg of musical and lyrical genius. A mixed bag of musicians and background vocalists were assembled for the ten ballads on this 47 minute album yet, they never clutter up or distract the listener from Jackson's central story of a very significant relationship going south. The remarkable thing is how he relates this melancholy theme without depressing you. The songs are wonderfully balanced with trademark Jackson Browne guitars, piano, bass, and drums usually stripped down to near acoustic simplicity with stunning effect. I earnestly do not believe that Jackson has ever sounded as good vocally as he does here, particularly when he is playing piano. "Sky Blue and Black" may just be the most astounding song Jackson has ever done. The other four odd numbered songs make up the rest of the upbeat songs with the title track and "Take This Rain" being standouts. This incredible album ends most appropriately with the soaring "All Good Things" containing the refrain "All good things got to come to an end; The thrills have to fade; Before they come `round again". The album that came after this was a bit of a disappointment but, that is to be expected after a musician comes down off the inspired mountain writing about an intense period in his life.

The bottom line: This is THE Jackson Browne album to own if you plan to own just one. You will not be disappointed in the least. If you decide you would like another of his albums that is also quite good, take a listen to "Late For the Sky".

In the early and mid - 1970's, Jackson Browne released a string of albums (Jackson Browne, For Everyman, Late For The Sky, and The Pretender) that were about as good as it gets, both musically and especially lyrically. His introspective and personal writing style evoked emotion with every spin of the turntable. In fact, had he vanished after Late For The Sky, I still believe he would have to be counted among the best singer - songwriters of all time.

Luckily for Browne's fans, he has returned, some 17 years after The Pretender, to writing songs of love and loss, of hope and despair. I'm Alive is an excellent album, and matches (almost) Late For The Sky, thus only a four - star rating. For anyone else, this would be a five - star album.

Browne has said, that even with the advent of the compact disc, he still prefers to use the word "record" when referring to a recording, as it represents a "record" of his life at the time the songs are written. This is, sometimes painfully, obvious here. The singer leaves pieces of his guts strewn on nearly every track; the songs are at once beautiful and sad, Jackson Browne's trademark.

"Take This Rain," "Too Many Angels" and especially the brilliantly phrased "Sky Blue And Black," which is as good a ballad as this troubador has ever penned, are all guaranteed tear - jerkers.

The only caveat here is that, if you've just had a relationship fall apart, you may want to wait a little while before buying this disc. When Jackson Browne sings of broken hearts, he's also singing FOR broken hearts, and it can hit close to home.

That's why he's the best at what he does.

This is not only clearly Jackson Browne's best album, it is easily one of the best albums I have EVER heard.

Written in the aftermath of a painful breakup, Jackson proves himself a poet in his own right; any one of these songs could easily stand on its own as a poem, but is made much more powerful by the addition of outstanding music. The raw emotion and lyrical quality of this album are very moving.

"Sky Blue and Black" is one the best songs EVER and I also particularly enjoyed "two of me and two of you." What's more, these songs compose a complete cyle, with each song building on the previous one and leading into the next one. It's rare that an album forms such a complete work of art.

If you only every buy one Browne album, this is the one to own. The more I listen to it, even years after the original purchase, the more I love it.

It will hit a nerve with anyone who has ever been through a difficult breakup.

Jackson is a poetic genius!

I've been a Jackson Browne fan since the early 70's, and Saturate Before Using, Late for the Sky, and For Everyman have always been three of my favorite albums. But somewhere along the way in the late 70's Jackson seemed to lose his direction, David Lindley left the band, and his music sort of lost its appeal to me.

I believe this CD is Browne's best work in years. Terrific lyrics, great melodies, nice hooks. I find myself humming a song like "My Problem Is You" while driving in the car, and the reggae rap of "Everywhere I Go" makes me smile -- not the JB people expect. Still, a song like "I'll Do Anything" reminds me of the romantic JB from the mid 70's.

If you haven't listened to a Jackson Browne album in a long time, try this one out. Highly recommended.

I was a big Jackson fan all through the 70's & 80's then got more into country music in the 90's. So now I am trying to catch back up to what Jackson was doing in the 90's. This album although it might not compare to some of his early albums, it isn't too far off. Some of my favorites on the album (sorry still refer to them as albums)are I'm alive, Too many angels, All good things, & a classic Sky blue and black. I am sorry I missed this one when it came out but I am making up for lost time. I will being seeing Jackson for a third time in one year in concert next month on his acoustic solo tour. Even without the whole band he is entertaining and actually quite a funny guy. Me and my wife are back, Jackson, to being a couple of your biggest fans. Looking forward to seeing you in Hammond.

THE NEXT VOICE YOU HEAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITHIN REACH, GOING HOME ALWAYS NEXT TO THE VCR, I'M ALIVE STIRS THE VERY DEPTH OF ONES SOUL. NO NEED TO BE A CURRENT LOVER LOST, JUST THE EMOTIONS OF ONE HUMAN TO ANOTHER BEING IN ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS. THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL MAN. FIRST TO FEEL THESE EMOTIONS, SECOND AND ABOVE ALL TO RELATE AND SHARE THEM. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT HIM.

Having read an article in Q magazine recently about the ten best break-up albums of all time I found many of those mentioned to be particular favourites of mine, though I hadn't heard Jackson Browne's 'I'm Alive' nor any of his other material. With a recent split in my personal life and a propensity for wallowing in past relationships (at least for a week or two) I thought now would be the perfect time to discover Jackson Browne. I am suitably impressed at the material here, classic singer-songwriter stuff, with strong melodies throughout. Particularly good is 'I'll Do Anything'-an urgent,impassioned plea for reuniting with a past love. The track sequence follows closely to the feelings of a break up - with 'I'm Alive's' immediate sense of freedom or liberation, followed by bitterness in 'MY Problem Is You', through jealousy, yearning, loneliness, reflection and finally fading memories. This is ultimately a very enjoyable listen with Browne tackling the central theme perfectly and with a deft touch for melody.

I was eleven years old when this album was released. My dad had been a Jackson Browne fan since his debut, and played this album A LOT on car journeys back in 1993. Being a child, desperate to be cool, I refused this music (everyone knows how uncool it is to enjoy the music your parents like, even though I did like it a lot, in a naive boy enjoying nice music kind of way). Fast forward ten years and I find my dad's old copy and fire it up, eager to reminisce. It simply blew me away. All these memories flooding back, coupled with some truly beautiful music brought tears to my eyes. From the upbeat reggae-pop number "Everywhere I go", to singalong extraordinaire "Take This Rain", this album is a work of songwriting brilliance. Many people speak of "Sky Blue And Black" as being one of Browne's finest songs, and I don't disagree. In my opinion it easily rivals mainstays such as "Late For The Sky" and "Running on Empty", but in a different way. Those two songs are anthems, "Sky Blue And Black" will break your heart. It's impossible to hear this song and not feel *something*. This album is worth every penny just for this song.

My view of this album may be rose-tinted with hindsight, but that can't mask the fact that Jackson Browne is one of the most gifted songwriters out there (I'm a huge fan), and this album does his talent justice.

Jackson Browne has spent an illustrious career articulating the sometimes unsayable. His politics set the world on notice in the 70's 80's and 90's. His sense of loss on Late for the Sky brought words to the unknowable.
On this CD, Browne has articulated what it means to care with every sinew, and to fail. What poetry in music! Try it if you've ever loved and lost. You'll be healed in the hearing.