Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski might not have had much patience for them, but that the beloved Coen brothers character at odds with many Americans. After all these years, The Eagles 1976 greatest hits compilation is still the single best selling record in the history of the country—a statistic that to this day confounds music fans born after, well, 1976. Buoyed by their never-ending play on classic-rock radio, The Eagles milked a fortune out of their on-again/off-again ’90s reunion tours, but it was only in 2007, after a 28-year absence, that they returned to the studio for a new album. If there was any doubt that the Eagles were comfortable with their legacy, Long Road Out of Eden eliminates it. Unlike some oldies band—say, America—who have released youthful-guest-laden new albums in unveiled attempts to earn the band a critical reappraisal, Long Road sticks to the big, self-satisfied ’70s country-rock sound Eagles will always be known for, frequently evoking—what else?—“Hotel California.” The Eagles play the Bradley Center tonight at 8 p.m.
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