Bob Welch: His Fleetwood Mac Years & Beyond ()

Seemingly falling into the trap that so many other artists have, Bob Welch has issued a limited edition career retrospective by re-recording a lot of the material he either a: performed with Fleetwood Mac ("Oh Well, Parts 1 & 2"), wrote and performed with them, or wrote for his solo recordings with a piece as recently written as 2003. In the case of his smash "Sentimental Lady," he chose to re-record the 1978 single solo version of the track rather than the one issued on F.M.'s Future Games album. But this is far from the whole story. Given how closely these versions resemble the originals-the arrangements are exactly the same, only the sonics are different-this record comes off as a bit of a cipher. Welch understandably wanted to do a real career retrospective (though nothing from his band Paris is present here) and licensing proved to be its own nightmare. He also decries the sound of the old recordings and therefore wanted to get the feel of those songs with today's technology. And there can be no doubt that they all sound infinitely better than they did on their original releases. Welch is also a far better singer than he was 30 years ago, or even 20 years ago. These performances are very inspired, and in some cases quite remarkable. So what's the problem? There isn;rt one, really. While these new takes and new songs, are phenomenal and the record stands on its own as a meritorious effort of songcraft, perforqnce and production, as much as Welch would like them to, they stuill do not replacer the orignal versions. Welch is wondrously candid in his liner notes about everything from the way he feels about the way the old tracks sounded, the way these versions trounce the old ones and tons of Fleetwood Mac apocrypha and gossip. His feeling that these versions are indeed better-and in many cases they are-that the originals is only presupposed by one thing: the innocence and excitement of issuing those tracks for the first time in their original contexts cannot be replaced by removing them. Therefore, while "Sentimental lady," Hypnotized," "Oh Well, Parts 1 & 2" (sung by Welch for years with Mac after Peter Green left)"Miles Away," Revelation," "Emerald Eyes," "Bermuda Triangle," etc., are indeed moving, beautiful and wonderful in this new setting, they are still supplemental versions, covers, as it were. But make no mistake, despite that fact, this album is more than worth owning if you are a Welch fan (actually, it is if you are a fan of wonderfully produced, well written pop songs); in fact, it's almost like a brand new, freshly conceived Welch album of all new material. The 15 songs in this context, may read like a "greatest hits' package; but sounding as they do so awesomely warm and deeply atmospheric, this set is a blissed-out masterpiece of dreamy, shimmering pop, kissed by lovely guitar and keyboard sounds, and graced with the inherent weathered angel tenderness of Welch's voice. All the evidence one needs to hear that this is true is to listen to the final track, the gorgeous "Like Rain," and contrast it with "Future Games." Highly recommended.