The Boston Globe deemed the album "a touchingly personal, commerce-be-damned, low-key masterpiece," writing that "many songs also have a loose, easy feel."[11] The Calgary Herald labeled it "competent enough, if a tad predictable ... Lofgren's been the bridesmaid of rock since 1971, and that's not going to change."[15]Stereo Review determined that Crooked Line is "another album full of guitar doodling and good intentions [that] never quite hitting the mark with the sort of sharp, power-pop material Lofgren turned out with such accomplished ease way back when."[20]
The Austin American-Statesman noted that it boasted "some of his hardest rock and his best band to date."[21]The Kitchener-Waterloo Record opined that "most of this collection is solid rock hopefulness."[22] The Toronto Sun labeled "Drunken Driver" "as scary and disturbing a song as you're likely to hear all year."[19]The State concluded that "the real strengths lie in the meaty material and the bare-bones production and chunky rhythm guitar work of Eric Ambel."[18] The San Antonio Express-News listed the album as the 10th best of 1992.[23]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Nils Lofgren, except where noted.
^ abObee, Dave (August 9, 1992). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
^Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. volume 5. MUZE. p. 296.
^MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 683.
^ abMiller, Michael (August 7, 1992). "Pop and Rock Music Keep Rolling On". The State. p. 10D.
^ abSakamoto, John (August 2, 1992). "Nils Lofgren, Crooked Line". Toronto Sun. p. S14.
^"Popular Music — Crooked Line by Nils Lofgren". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 10. October 1992. p. 86.
^McLeese, Don (July 21, 1992). "In a related vein of muscular melodicism, the 1972 issue of Nils Lofgren's 1+1 album...". Austin American-Statesman. p. D5.
