Customer Reviews

Greatest Hits & More

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

 

 

Inferior ? The reason I did these re-records is because the ORIGINAL versions
are inferior...the re-records are better. Why ?...1.I was never able to get the engineers
in the old days, with Fleetwood Mac, and as a Capitol records solo artist, to record my
voice the way I wanted it to sound. 2. The "original" recordings lack "dynamic range", i.e.
the "highs and deep lows" that you're able to record with todays digital equipment because
the "originals", "French Kiss", "Mystery To Me" etc were mixes made for MONO AM RADIO. In other
words, the record companies needed the records to jump out on the crummy radios people
had in their cars in '78....Therefore, the music was highly compressed,and filtered with
shelving eq at the mastering stage, cutting off highs above 7600kz and lows below about
250 kz so the needle wouldn't jump out of the viynl grooves as the record neared it's end,
where the sound quality was the worst.

These re-recordings have full bandwith dynamic range...they will easily drive a modern subwoofer,
and the highs go all the way to 20000 kz. The songs were also recorded very meticulously
so as to be letter perfect as to the original arrangements, tempos etc.And my voice finally sounds
the way I always wanted it to.
If you are nostalgic for old plastic records, that's your right,but, in in my opinion, as Bob Welch,
the artist who recorded (and wrote, except for "Oh Well") the "orignals", these new versions sound MUCH better...and were a
labor of love btw...I don't need the money.(Read the liner notes)

Signed,
Bob Welch
ex-Fleetwood Mac, Capitol Records solo artist

Nowhere in the description did I see the fact that this is all newly recorded digital versions of Bob's best songs. If, like me, you prefer the original versions in all cases, this is not the CD for you. If all you want is good sounding versions of Bob's best, go ahead and give it a try, but, beware. These are NOT the hit versions.

Before you buy a word of caution- this CD is all "re-recorded" songs of Bob Welch's original songs. If your looking for a CD of all the original released tracks then this CD is "not" what you want. Bob should have titled this CD as "Re-recorded in Digital- Bob Welch's Greatest Hits and More".
Bob spent a lot of time, devotion and effort on this CD, and it shows, with all the excellent vocals, instrument playing, etc. It's a great CD. Especially if you've never heard of his original songs from the Albums "French Kiss (my favorite and I have the original LP to prove it) and "Three Hearts".

I was a little put off when I played the CD and found all the songs weren't the original released songs. The CD title implied it was. Call me old fashion but I like originals. That's what I grew up on. Obviously Bob has issues with the original limits of 25 plus year old recording technology. He tells you this very adamantly on the insert inside the CD cover. I wish instead he put the lyrics to all these classics. Kudos to him for bringing his songs up to date with state of the art capabilities. I just wish he reworded the CD title to explain/imply that these songs were not the original release recordings.
It's still a great CD to listen to, but misleading as to what I was spending my money on. It's a keeper with slight twists to the old songs here and there. In lots of ways I agree with him that these songs are better than the originals and I'm glad I got it after all.
Hey Bob, tell Capital to get a "Best of Bob Welch" with these old original recordings and I'm feeling 20 something again cruising Napa, Santa Rosa, Walnut Creek and Hwy 5 to San Diego. Those were the days!

Look, let me just say I actually like Bob Welch a lot. He's a good guy, and I fully understand that he wants to trade on his past successes. I don't have a problem if Bob wants to re-hash his old songs, but to say they are better versions would be grossly incorrect. Sure, on a technical level the songs might be of a better sound quality. They aren't however better versions. Bob is of the opinion that his voice sounds better now - err...reality check here Bob...

As other reviews have said about this album, if you want the original versions then go and buy the original albums. Having said all of that, I bought it because I wanted to hear Bob's modern take on his old stuff as I already have all the relevant original albums.

Should Bob be reading this, then I'm sorry... Oh and how about a new album of NEW material?

This stinks. This is the first digitally remastered that I've heard that has very POOR quality

Normally, I don't care for re-recordings, but I have to agree with Bob on this one (see his comments of April 17, 2008). I understand that the reviewer who called the new recordings "inferior" is probably used to the originals, and we all have a tendency to expect songs to sound exactly the way we first heard them, especially after they've been burned into our memories for years, or even decades. In this case, the new album sounds much better than the originals, and listening to both versions (on CD) of each song on a good sound system, there's no comparison.

Obviously, the production is better, considering it was done thirty years later and Bob had total artistic and technical control, but what struck me the most is how clean the vocals sound. Not that his voice was bad in the 1970s, but now it sounds smoother and more consistent throughout the songs.

There are a couple of exceptions, though. I do prefer the crisp, lively, slightly edgy guitar in the original recording of "Precious Love" (it sounds a bit muffled and subdued on the new recording), but the rest of the instruments sound better in the new recording of the song. Also, I prefer the high-pitched vocals singing "ahhh-ahhh ebony eyes" (twice) toward the end of the original recording of "Ebony Eyes," but on the new recording, both the lead guitar and bass are tighter.

I never disliked the originals, but right now, I'm really enjoying this new album. If you're a fan, you should check out the new recordings.

This disk could be rated good or bad. Bob Welch himself over saw and produced this compilation and is
a "note by note" recreation (his words). These songs are not exactly the same as the ones released back
in the 70's so the buyer should know that ahead of time. If you are looking for the same cuts from years
ago, the original French Kiss or Three Hearts albums are what you need to search out. With that said, the
new recordings sound crisp and will add another dimension to Bob Welch collections.

I've been waiting for this for years, a Welch collection that includes all his great recordings with Fleetwood Mac and the best of his solo career. I always felt this guy was underrated from "day one." This collection really shows you the talents of the man as a musician and composer.

This is a wonderful idea for a recording project. To go back and re-record your songs to increase sound quality of those songs with today's equipment. But, there is also a price to be payed after the new sound is introduced to your ears. After so many listens to the original versions, the new versions will be at least a bit uncomfortable to your brain.

Take a song like: Future Games. Will a modern version of this song that changed this band so much, sound better than the original version from 1971? The answer is both YES and NO. This production that Bob has built on a monster multi-track digital board, is a HUGE musical soundscape. But, even with a less than steller mix in 1971, there is more depth and downright soul to be found in the mirky earlier edition. And when the lead guitar bursts forth outta the sludge at 5:31 minutes into Future Games {the 71 version} it is nothing short of majestic. Your ears perk up, and grasp at every note, you are soaring here. In the new version Bob, changes some of the lead playing, and you are left wanting to hear what you would expect to be there, and it's gone.

The Good: "Oh Well" shows Bob, to be a guitar player of some great talent, {as good as Peter Green, yes I said as GOOD as Peter Green!} and when he rolls into Part 2, the notes and the that he selects are nothing short of glorious, this is an incredible version of this classic. The mix is alive and spacious....everything get's BIGGER.

The Bad: "Hypnotised" was a bad mix in it's original form in 1973, but under all that sludge, the song has such a 'feel' that cannot be denied, and it does pull you along, and when you throw in Christine McVie's dreamy harmonies, it is BLISS. The new one, sounds like it was recorded on this planet, it is bright as sunlight, but it can't find the groove and escape from that computer, it feels sparse, when it should be surrounding you like a blanket. The brain, is searching for what ISN'T there.

I am mixed on this CD, as I will say Bob, has done quite a lot of work here in the presentation of his music and brings forth a modern interpretation of his art. The big sound is sometimes great to hear, but it can also be unsettling to have something so comfortable become so altered. This is still great music, and Bob has improved greatly as an artist. But, for me, there will be a process of getting used to these changes to his music. This will take some time to grow into the changes that I found here in these familar favorites....
Four Stars.

This cd captures the core of bob Welch. This is worth putting into your collection. I guess we will never see any release of the Paris stuff, so grab ahold of this to sufice. He was a great addition to the Fleetwood Mac after Peter left and before Lindsey & Stevie joined. alot of really nice stuff came from this fine gentleman.