As a live album, Hell Freezes Over is fairly disappointing. The Eagles have always been meticulous about recreating their studio cuts precisely, so few of the older songs are presented in a fresh or interesting way. The lone exception is “Hotel California”, which gets a very interesting acoustic arrangement with an extended instrumental introduction. “New York Minute” is also worth mentioning because it was never previously recorded by Eagles. The strings and Schmit’s fretless bass provide an excellent backdrop for Henley’s song of death and mourning.

The real meat of the album is the four new songs, which are of uneven quality. “Get Over It” is a rollicking good time, but impossible to take seriously. “Love Will Keep Us Alive” is an excellent ballad in the style of “I Can’t Tell You Why” despite being written entirely by outsiders. “The Girl From Yesterday” is a pleasant slow country song, but breaks no new ground. “Learn To Be Still” is a more effective slow song, combining folksy strumming with hard rock stylings.

If this were released in 1980 it would have been a questionable follow-up to The Long Run. As a statement that one of the greatest rock bands to ever record is reforming after a “14-year vacation”, however, it cannot be ignored.