Analog Man (album)

After touring with the Eagles and struggling with alcohol and drug addictions for many years, Walsh decided that it was time to record a new album while being supported by his wife, Marjorie Bach (sister of Ringo Starr's wife, Barbara). To pursue making the album, she also gave Walsh Jeff Lynne's contact number.[3] When Walsh was asked about his collaboration with co-producer Jeff Lynne, he said "Jeff and I met socially, and at one point he said, "Why don't you bring your tracks over sometime and we'll have a listen." That led to some comments and ideas that he had. Gradually, we worked on some stuff and checked out some of his stuff too. It ended up that he really helped me finish it up and ended up producing. He really put his stamp on my music and took it in a direction I never would have gone, and I'm really grateful to him."[4]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	57/100[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
American Songwriter	[7]
Classic Rock	[8]
Drowned in Sound	6/10[9]
Nash Country Weekly	[10]
Rolling Stone	[11]

The album received mixed reviews, with review aggregator Metacritic assigning an overall rating of 57/100.[5] Reviewing the album in Rolling Stone, critic Jon Dolan wrote of the album "life's clearly been pretty good to Walsh: He's sober ("One Day at a Time"), loves his family ("Family") and still has good command of his guitar chops (check out "Funk 50," a reinvention of the James Gang's 1970 killer "Funk #49," complete with new, carefree lyrics)."[11]

Reviewing for AllMusic, critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote of the album "apart from the odd lyrical reference to an iPod or Walsh's ongoing recovery, Analog Man sounds like it could have come out in 1992 and that's all due to Lynne, a man who makes a record in one particular way: crisp, clean, hook-laden, and sequenced so tightly there's no room to breathe."[6]

All songs written by Joe Walsh, except as noted.

All songs written by Joe Walsh, except as noted.

• Joe Walsh – guitar, vocals, bass (track 10), drums (track 10), piano (track 6)
• Jeff Lynne – drums (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 11), bass (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 11), keyboards (tracks 1, 2, 11), guitar (tracks 1, 7), backing vocals (tracks 2, 4, 7, 11)
• Steve Jay – percussion (tracks 1, 2, 4)
• Bruce Sugar – percussion, programming
• Ringo Starr – drums (tracks 3, 5)
• Rick Rosas – bass (track 3)
• Kenny Passarelli – bass (track 5)
• Joe Vitale – keyboards, sitar (track 5)
• Greg Leisz – pedal steel guitar (track 3)
• Jay Dee Maness – pedal steel guitar (track 3)
• Tommy Lee James – backing vocals
• Graham Nash - backing vocals (track 6)
• David Crosby – backing vocals (track 6)
• Richard Davis – synthesizer, programming (6)
• Tim Armstrong – guitar (track 8)
• Little Richard – lead vocals (track 12)
• Dale Peters – bass (track 12)
• Jim Fox – drums, background vocals (track 12)

• Producers: Jeff Lynne, Joe Walsh, Tim Armstrong
• Engineers and mixing: Steve Jay, Bruce Sugar, John Morrical, Jeff Lynne, Ken Hammon
• Mastering: Howie Weinberg & Dan Gerbarg
• Art direction: Jeri Heiden/Smog Design, Inc.
• Package design & Background photography: Ryan Corey/Smog Design, Inc.
• Management: Irving Azoff, Azoff Management, Los Angeles, CA

• List of albums released in 2012
• Joe Walsh's discography