Despite being a rather inconsistent act, the Eagles were one of the most successful rock bands of the ’70s. Made up of five fine musicians (each with unquestionably superb vocal talent), the band blended impressive but often simple music with mellow vocal harmonies. This 1985 release attempts to collect the best tracks from the seven Eagles albums prior to this compilation. While it does succeed in compiling 13 of the finer songs, there are a few exclusions that are detrimental to the album. Greatest Hits clearly retains the Eagles magic that permeated their finer moments, however. For those unfamiliar with the Eagles’ music, this release will open eyes as to why the band is so revered. Opening with the fresh sounding “Take It Easy,” the album goes from strength to strength and only takes a small drop in quality over the final few tracks. It’s “Hotel California” that really steals the album, however. The opening arpeggios link perfectly to Don Henley’s thoroughly American vocals. Guitar solos take up the last few minutes, with all of the lads taking part in turn. The song closes with a near-perfect fadeout that leaves the listener wanting to hear the track all over again. “Hotel California” is certainly one of the finest Eagles moments, and a definite landmark in rock music. Greatest Hits portrays the band’s career with reasonable accuracy, dropping much of the dross that is featured on other Eagles compilations, and because of this will please those looking for a bare minimum collection. [The import edition features a fairly different track order but still includes the big hits and three extra songs] – Ben Davies