Nether Lands

Dan Fogelberg’s fourth album, from 1977, is also his artistic statement, which is saying a lot. It melds country, pop, rock ‘n’ roll, balladry, and folk to seemingly complex orchestrations and themes. But it never sounds overbearing or maudlin, and that’s key. Songs lift, haunt, or soothe in equal measure. The title tune is a hushed ode to a lonely place of reminiscence; “Dancing Shoes” metaphorizes loss of innocence; and “False Faces” tells of duplicitous people and the places one finds everywhere but at home. Guest players (including Don Henley, J.D. Souther, Joe Walsh, and Tim Weisberg) add lots of musical weight.