Search - Bob Welch :: His Fleetwood Mac Years & Beyond

Real nice try, but no cigar

J. Collins | 09/14/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'll admit some skepticism to the idea of an artist 'updating' their own catalog, particularly when the original music has withstood the test of time (and changing tastes) well. I think this is true of Welch's tunes as they appear in various FMac and solo recordings, though as Welch states in his interesting liner notes, today's technology DOES show the limitations of those analog originals. Welch's aim with this recording seems two-fold: he re-creates hundreds of sonic details from his older tunes, while fashioning new arrangements or instrumentation. He also plays every instrument you hear in this collection.So, given good intentions, ample talent, and a songlist that includes both hits and great Welchian nuggets, how could this album possibly go wrong ? For my part, it's entirely a matter of execution. While there are some great self-covers I'd gladly play over and over, there are at least as many sour listening experiences. And though this album is mixed with richer sound than any other in Welch's repertoire, the added musical dynamic casts his singing voice in poor light.I'm not a vocal purist, but I am a realist...and when Welch claims (again, in his liner notes) that his voice has never sounded better, I must respectfully disagree. In this context it doesn't matter if he can hit all the right notes if he's singing with a stuffed nose. I don't mean that as a dig, and will freely admit that a few of his vocals here ("Revelation," "Bermuda Triangle," "Angel") are among his best. But elsewhere his nasal tone is simply grating.The updated arrangements are hit and miss. To my ears, his FMac tunes fare best: "Revelation" kicks and cooks, "Hypnotized" is given a light jazzy feel and deep rhythmic pulse, "Bermuda Triangle" is actually danceable in this take, and "Angel" never sounded this good. But Welch's stylistic re-treads of "Miles Away" (with it's annoying big beat syndrum), and "Ebony Eyes" (think cheesy 80's new wave synth) are uninteresting genre experiments that do nothing for the songs. Welch's most familiar solo hits, "Sentimental Lady" and "Precious Love" are all but unlistenable in these versions. Kudos to Welch for his attempt to re-create Lindsey Buckingham's arrangement for the former, but the track sounds flat and tinny. "Precious Love" is my pick for worst song here...his multi-tracked vocals are out of time (not to mention relentlessly nasal), and the backing track is so homogenized that it sounds like it was lifted from a Karaoke collection.I've been following Welch's music for about 25 years, and with a couple of exceptions ("Silver Heels" and the new track, "Like Rain") I wouldn't change the tune selection if I were making my own compilation of the originals. Such a collection would easily get five stars from me, not to mention a prominent spot in my CD rack. This disc is problematic for me in a number of ways that I think are worth mentioning to other longtime fans. Most will probably buy this album any way, and I hope they find at least as many gems as I have. But if you're a newbie, or just looking for Welch at his best, I'd suggest you look elsewhere."

The Art of Musical Re-Invention

E. Fuhr | Illinois | 08/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you appreciate catchy 70's pop rock or if you are one of the few people on this planet who appreciates Fleetwood Mac's pre-Rumours material~ this is an album I highly recommend. Bob Welch completely redoes his old Fleetwood Mac material as well as gems from his solo career. This is more than just a rehash. Technical advancements in recording, in addition to Bob Welch's musical creativity, make this a package worth checking out. The tunes on here are familiar to many of us but now they have a distinctly atmospheric and jazzy feel, without losing the original spirit of the songs. A case in point is the first track, as Bob revisits and re-interpretes Peter Green's classic "Oh Well" . Clocking in at 9 minutes, the second half of this song evolves into musical ecstasy as guitar exploration blends beautifully with ethereal musical effects. The funky sound of "Angel" and the up-tempo "Silver Heels" stand out vibrantly, much moreso than they did on Mac's 1974 dog of an album "Heroes are Hard to Find" If you are a purist, then fret not: The songs on this collection are still as catchy as you remember, only now Welch has kicked it up a notch and brought'em into the 21st century. Besides, the production and the sound quality are so much better! This album is a testament to Bob Welch as a musical artist and a producer."

Bob Welch: That was then...This is NOW

K. Lesko | Hillsborough, NJ United States | 08/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fans of Bob & Fleetwood Mac will absolutely fall in love again with new renderings of these timeless classics. While many solo re-recording projects tend to be rather self-indulgent re-hashings of past glories, this one NAILS IT. The production value is first rate. The songs are all readily familar however, using today's technology, they have never sounded more dynamic and bold. My favorite aspect was to listen to the songs while reading Bob's enlightening liner notes. You'll discover what a brilliant singer (better than 20 years ago), musician, lyricist, and producer Bob is. Yup, you heard it all before, but NEVER this good! A previously un-released song,"Like Rain" is included in this compilation. It melds just beautifully with the overall flow of this album. Finally, the packaging,is limited addition, hand signed,with excellent graphics together with the tremendously personal liner notes. There are only 2,500 of these gems available. Don't wait too long!!"