Customer Reviews

Best of Bob Welch (Mcup)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Leave it to Rhino Records to produce a "Best Of" that actually tries to cover all the bases, AND provides accurate annotation/liner notes. Though Welch hit the million-selling mark with his album "French Kiss" and produced a handful of Top 40 singles, his career as a successful solo artist was short-lived. The Fleetwood Mac association (including the terrific Lindsey Buckingham arrangement of "Sentimental Lady" and a small assortment of vocal guest spots from the Big Mac) didn't "define" Welch's solo catalog, though it did give him a big push in the music market. The tracks in this Rhino collection span '76 through '91, and give a well-rounded look at Welch as a composer, performer, and Pop "presence."

Welch's first music foray in the post F.M. years was Paris, a power/metal trio that included bassist Glenn Cornick from Jethro Tull, and Hunt (son of Soupy) Sales who went on to join David Bowie's Tin Machine. Though Paris was treading familiar (and somewhat trendy) musical ground at the time, their first (self-titled) album was a murky mess that produced no hits. The followup, "Big Towne 2061" was a measurable improvement, both musically and lyrically, but the album didn't click with listeners. Paris disbanded, but Welch (still under contract to Capitol Records) perservered as a solo artist.

This "Best of" includes four of Paris' better offerings as a prologue to Welch's solo material. Stylistically, the Paris cuts pale next to Welch's rock-solid solo tunes, but their inclusion is nonetheless welcome as neither "Paris" or "Big Towne 2061" ever made it to official CD re-releases. Welch's "essential" hits (tracks 5-9) appear on a Curb Records "Greatest Hits" as well, but this CD includes an appropriate selection of 'near misses' ("Rebel Rouser," "Future Games") and significant album tracks. While not a definitive career retrospective (no Welch compositions from the original F.M. albums and zero cuts from his two RCA Records solo offerings), this "Best Of" is an excellent sampler likely to satisfy longtime fans as well as new listeners. Music lovers in the latter category would do well to purchase one or both of the Demon Records "2fer" discs that are available as import selections here at Amazon. The discs that combine "French Kiss" with "Three Hearts," and also "The Other One"/"Man Overboard" will give fans new and old the very best of Welch's solo output, and keep his hits in their proper context.

-Stoned Soul

I must admit, I got this CD, mainly for the songs "Sentimental Lady", "Ebony Eyes" and "Precious Love". I discovered that there is so much more to Bob Welch that those three songs, I was pleasantly impressed with all of the songs! Bob Welch has so many different styles and he is very versatile. Just my opinion, but I think he sounds just a bit like Glenn Frey, of The Eagles. Anyway, I would recommend this CD to any serious music lover, it is impressive.

For those who are looking for just the big hits, this CD does the job. Bob Welch was an artist of many styles, from hard driving rock music one moment, to mellow ballads the next. This disc represents mostly his Capitol / EMI Records output, which may leave die-hard Welch fans longing for more. As hard as Rhino tried, it's tough to represent an artist of many music styles to one CD.

The disc starts us off with 4 selections from Welch's failed hard rock band "Paris", however, this is the only CD I know of where you can get anything of Paris' material, since both their albums are out of print. Overall not bad, but not the pinnacle of Bob's career either.

Next the big hits came with "French Kiss" & "Three Hearts" which make up the bulk of hit material here. Leading off with the Lindsay Buckingham re-arrangement of "Sentimental Lady", which is the longest running of the 3 or so versions of this song on CD. Also featured is the big hit from 'Three Hearts', "Precious Love"....which has that underlying disco beat to it. Other noteable cuts from this CD include "Ebony Eyes", "Ghost of Flight 401", and "Church".

Finally we come to the last half of the disc, which is really spotty. These tracks come from the 2 most interesting albums in Welch's Capitol output.."The Other One" and "Man Overboard". Because there were no 'hits' off these 2 albums, I'm sure Rhino had a tough time picking and choosing tracks to put on this CD. This is why I docked off a perfect 5 stars for 4....These albums could and should have been represented better. Had this been a 2-disc compilation, that would have been possible. The other Welch compilation (Bob Welch - Greatest Hits, from Curb Records)
has "Spanish Dances" (from "The Other One") and 2 from "Man overboard" ("Jealous" & "The Girl Can't Stop"). Had those tracks, along with what's on this disc, plus the best from his Mac years, and 2 RCA albums (also out of print), this would have been a excellent compilation.

Despite their failed attempt at covering everything Welch has done, this is still good for the person who just wants 'the hits' and nothing more.

Bobs rendition of "Sentimental Lady" is a treat. Not the "Big Mac" version. Before Bob joined Fleetwood Mac they were previously a blues band desended from John Mayhalls Bluebreakers. There was more commercial sucess when Nicks and Buckingham joined Mac, but it was Bob Welch that had the band going that way to start with albums such as "Penquin" and "Bare Trees". Besides other good tunes such as "Ebony Eyes" and "Precious Love" I was amazed to see the song "Church" included. As far as I know it wasn't a big single but a message for a girl who has someone to believe in other than the obvious. Buy this album. There isn't a bad track on it. The album would have received five stars if the song " Little Star" had been included. Other than that, buy the CD, relish at the lyrics, vocals and music and have yourself a Bob Welch good time.

The great thing about this disc is that it includes four 'Paris' songs. Paris was Bob's band after he left Fleetwood Mac. Any chance the Paris discs will be re-issued?

The musical stylings of Bob Welch are about as hard to figure as Mandarin Chinese because he is so adept at singing a variety of musical "genres". This also comes by his own admission as he points out in the liner notes of "The Best of Bob Welch". Sometimes rock and roll, sometimes ballad, and sometimes a mixture of blues and jazz, Welch's eclectic style is as entertaining as it is frustrating for the the listener. Who knows how good he would have been if he would have only settled into one musical type? He's also not the luckiest guy in the world or he wouldn't have left Fleetwood Mac in the mid-70's just before they began they ascension into musical superstardom.

With that begin said, "The Best of Bob Welch" is definitely a 4-star album. Welch includes some of his work from his days with the group "Paris" as well as work from his group "Avenue M" and his later solo efforts. The strongest (and most familar) cuts to this album are found near the middle of the set. Those would be: "Sentimental Lady" (with 3 members of Fleetwood Mac assisting), "Hot Love, Cold World", "Ebony Eyes", and "Precious Love". Some of the others are almost as strong (even though not as well known) including "The Ghost of Flight 401", "Big Town 2061", and "Church".

If you enjoy Fleetwood Mac, America, Bread, Pablo Cruise, The Little River Band, and Carly Simon, you will enjoy this album

Bob Welch wasn't an international superstar, but at least Rhino Records tried their best to put together a body of work that at best, makes him worth investigating. The album takes off in a hard rock direction that was indicitive of the short lived Paris group. The real keeper of the 4 tracks from Paris is the "Heart of Stone." A real fluid type, fast-paced ditty that just keeps on trucking. The rest of the album focus' on his more successful solo albums, drawing the most from "Three Hearts" (4 cuts). Tracks such as "B666" and "Future Games" just don't seem to make the cut, but are tacked on anyway for some purpose. The final track is something brand new for fans, which resembles something of a polished Styx number. It leaves us thinking what will come next of Welch.

Some OK, some Good, and some Great songs. Worth checking out if you like 70's sleeze rock smoothed out on the gutiar rhythm tip.

Just for the following tracks "Sentimental Lady", "Church", "The Ghost of Flight 401", "Future Games" this is an excellent buy. The tracks I mentioned have good audio fidelity and good lyrics.

IMHO Mr. Welch is at his best when he sings with a restrained style. He is also very capable playing with intensity when the notes demand it.

In the early 80's I had an LP with a photograph of him on the album cover standing in an empty room in front of a wall - behind him was an empty AC outlet. I thought this was a cool album cover for a highly accomplished rock guitarist. There was no hint of an electric guitar but the AC outlet got the point across. I no longer have the album. At the time I thought this was high quality rock material. I am not sure how it would sound today. I don't remember the title of the LP and I have been looking for a CD version of it. If anyone knows please drop a comment.

this is in no way his best. as a fan for years these were the worst best of choices ive ever seen besides the johnny van zant collection.precious love was the only good choice. what about three hearts?here comes the night or oh jenny? lots of ballads and not the up tempo groovin tunes hes known for. two thumbs down but bob still rules.