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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Real nice try, but no cigar, September 13, 2003
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.
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