Ive been at a conference for 2 days so I was unable to respond, though i can see the comments I cant access the comments on my blackberry. So in short i was unable to come dashing to the defence of Jackson Brown ...As Mike pointed out Brian, Your enthusian was tepid at best, i sure hope I dont need you to describe my best asetts to others in the future...( well yes ,you know, I wouldnt say Stuart is uninteresting, and hes not really dull usually but etc...)
at any rate Running On Empty with the aforementioned "load out song " was an anchor record for me and still is.. I also love his first record (saturated) very much which has doctor my eyes on it as the single but it very solid throughout almost as good as runni9ng on empty. I then branched out to the raved about record at the time (this was late seventies) Pretender which frankly was very dull. I then gave up on looking furhter until a few years ago.

A few years ago I discovered Lucinda Williams back catalogue to be fantastic. I hated Car wheels on broken gravel which all the critics adored , so i never looked at her early work after that disapointment. i then saw her live opening for Neil at the ACC and then I went and found that all her other albums were very good, it was just car wheels that sucked. This eurka moment has made me go back to assess some earlier major artisits that I had given up on and jackson browne is one of them.
I have picked up all the albums you mention Brian and I agree they are great sat afternoon music. Most heartily recommended...
I will also second Something Anything by Todd Rundgrin, A long cherished record of mine too.
I gave another green world by Eno from late seventies which I like well enough and listen too semi regularly, but it is not essential listening for me..