The Ledge

Go Back   The Ledge > Main Forums > The Early Years
User Name
Password
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read


Make the Ads Go Away! Click here.
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #46  
Old 11-03-2010, 01:33 PM
chiliD's Avatar
chiliD chiliD is offline
Addicted Ledgie
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: In the backseat of a Studebaker
Posts: 9,702
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by michelej1 View Post
Another entry in David Bowling's Fleetwood Mac series for Blogcritics.org, 11/2/2010

http://blogcritics.org/music/article...d-mac-penguin/

Weston would clash with Bob Welch...
Never EVER heard that before...pretty much think that's bulls**t

Quote:
Originally Posted by michelej1 View Post
Christine McVie’s contributions are fine but not outstanding. “Remember Me” has a light and bluesy feeling. “Dissatisfied” moves in a soul direction, highlighted by Fleetwood’s drumming. She and Welch wrote “Did You Ever Leave Me," but the song would have been better served by having Welch duet with her rather than Weston.
No...I don't think so. Weston sounds just fine & dandy on the song. Oh, and BTW, the song is titled "Did You Ever LOVE Me?". Can this article be filled with any MORE BS?



Quote:
Originally Posted by michelej1 View Post
Dave Walker’s “The Derelict” remains one of the worst songs in the Fleetwood Mac catalogue, as it is basically a country tune complete with a banjo and a vocal which does not fit. Likewise, his vocal on the Holland, B./Dozier/Holland, E. tune “(I’m A) Road Runner” is out of place.
I guess the answer to my last question is "yes". Obviously, the writer never heard "The Second Time". And, so what if "The Derelict" is "basically a country tune"...nothing wrong with that, OR having a banjo...obviously, the writer never heard the studio version of "Say You Love Me" either. Who the F*** is this guy and what kind of meds is he on??

Quote:
Originally Posted by michelej1 View Post
“Caught In The Rain” is a Weston instrumental creation which ends the album on a depressing note.
"Depressing"? Again, I think this answers my previous question. If "Caught In The Rain" leaves you depressed, then God help you. I find it leaves ME refreshed like after a midsummer's downpour...breathing clean air and feeling a slight cool breeze.

Quote:
Originally Posted by michelej1 View Post
Kirwan’s subtle guitar playing and songwriting were greatly missed.
Well, he wasn't in the band anymore...so beyond that, not really. Bob Weston is a great guitarist and more than competent replacement. OH, and Kirwan's guitar playing was never "subtle"...he was as "in your face" as anyone else.

Quote:
Originally Posted by michelej1 View Post
Bob Welch did what he could but even with all his efforts, the album only approached average. Penguin is a Fleetwood Mac album only for fans who want everything in the band's catalogue.
Ahhh, the final shovel full of crap on top for flavoring.
__________________
Among God's creations, two, the dog and the guitar, have taken all the sizes and all the shapes in order not to be separated from the man.---Andres Segovia
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old 11-04-2010, 12:38 PM
michelej1 michelej1 is offline
Addicted Ledgie
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: California
Posts: 25,975
Default

[OK, I know Chili, but since I started posting David Bowling's series, I figured I should just go on until the bitter end and get his take on all the albums, even if it's disastrous. The Seattle Post Intelligencer is reprinting all of his reviews, which is interesting, because they are going out there as historic "news"]

Blog Critics.org, David Bowling, November 4, 2010, The Discographer

http://blogcritics.org/music/article...ac-heroes-are/

Music Review: Fleetwood Mac - Heroes Are Hard To Find


Heroes Are Hard To Find was released September 13, 1974 and would find Fleetwood Mac recording almost exclusively as a four person unit for the first time in their career. Bassist John McVie, keyboardist Christine McVie, drummer Mick Fleetwood, and guitarist Bob Welch were still on hand to carry on.

It was Welch who carried the writing burden for the second album in a row as he wrote seven of the eleven tracks. Christine McVie wrote the remaining four. In some ways the Welch compositions, while very good in places, looked to the band's past while McVie’s focused on the future. In The United States music buyers embraced this contradiction of styles by making it their most successful release to date reaching number 34 on the album charts.

The album begins with Christine McVie’s brassy title song and her strong vocal performance enhances the sound. “Come A Little Bit Closer” is a pop masterpiece with her piano sound surrounded by strings. They imported pedal steel guitarist Sneaky Pete Kleinow to play on the track which gives it a dash of country. “Prove Your Love” is the albums best track. It has a beauty reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac’s best pop work. It contains the feeling of sunset as her soulful vocal washes over you. Even the average “Bad Loser” has a pop sheen to it.

Christine McVie could always sing. She had been honored twice as British Female Vocalist Of The Year for her work with the blues/rock band Chicken Shack. Now she had not only evolved into a very good songwriter but was able to create pop excellence which would have great commercial appeal. She was ready for the next phase of Fleetwood Mac’s career.

Welch’s contributions include a number of styles and sounds. “Coming Home” is a spacey semi-instrumental that is mesmerizing in an odd way. “Angel” may be the hardest rocking song in the Mac catalogue. “Silver Heels” shows what a good lead guitarist he could be at times. While he would never be in the Peter Green or Danny Kirwan category, he was more than competent. The albums last song, “Safe Harbour,” is a Welch instrumental.

He would leave the group following this release. He had carried the band through their mid-career period and in many ways was responsible for the band’s survival. He had produced music that filled the transition from blues to pop band. He and Christine McVie had complimented each other well and their time together had increased the band’s popularity.

Bob Welch’s time with Fleetwood Mac served the band well and his parting would leave them better off in the long run as his replacements would be guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and vocalist Stevie Nicks and the rest, as they say, is history.

Heroes Are Hard To Find may not be a classic, but it is more than acceptable and does shine in places. It closed a period in the career of Fleetwood Mac and left them poised to become one of the most popular bands in the world.


Read more: http://blogcritics.org/music/article...#ixzz14KuJbmgf
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


Fleetwood Mac Poster Rogers Arena Vancouver 2018 Hand-Signed Giclee Bob Masse picture

Fleetwood Mac Poster Rogers Arena Vancouver 2018 Hand-Signed Giclee Bob Masse

$39.99



Vintage Fleetwood Mac Artist Signed Poster Framed picture

Vintage Fleetwood Mac Artist Signed Poster Framed

$49.99



Fleetwood Mac signed lp Rumors by 5 musicians picture

Fleetwood Mac signed lp Rumors by 5 musicians

$500.00



Fleetwood Mac / Stevie Nicks  Show  Concert Poster 12

Fleetwood Mac / Stevie Nicks Show Concert Poster 12"x18"

$12.95



Fleetwood Mac: Greatest Hits - Audio CD By FLEETWOOD MAC - VERY GOOD picture

Fleetwood Mac: Greatest Hits - Audio CD By FLEETWOOD MAC - VERY GOOD

$5.37




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
© 1995-2003 Martin and Lisa Adelson, All Rights Reserved