Penguin

nailatixela · #1 07-11-2009, 03:55 PM

I just got this CD today - the last of the pre rumours albums that I needed. I forgot about it and didn't get around to getting it for a while. Thought we could talk about the album a little.

I love Remember Me...my favorite by Christine on this album. I like all her tunes on this though - wish she had more space on the record.

This might be my least favorite album for Bob Welch stuff though...or I may just need to get time to get into his stuff more. Revelation is my fav. of his for now.

I love the album ending with Caught in the Rain...

Dave Walker wise - I HATE Road Runner. I really hate it. Might be the worst song under the Fleetwood Mac title. The vocal just isn't FM to me. On the other hand, I LOVE The Derelict. Simple song but great lyrics. Maybe my favorite on the album. I'm getting the feeling that it might not be too popular though.

Compared to it's peers, I like it better than Bare Trees. However I don't care for Kirwan very much so that might be why. Not as good as MTM, and not as good as Heroes, but close. It's a good album but has it's weak spots. IMO - as good as Future Games. Chris shines more on this CD than she did on Future Games. Worth many listens for sure though.

What are your thoughts on the album?

sjpdg · #2 07-11-2009, 11:58 PM

We're all entitled to our opinion.

This IMHO has got to be the worst FM album in history, bar none! I would agree with you that Christine's contributions are clearly the best on the album though, without question.

I know Chriskin is going to chime in here at some point and he and I have a very friendly back and forth going about Dave Walker, so he'll be expecting my comments on this. I absolutely can't stand either "The Derelict" and "Roadrunner". Just can't hardly stand to have them on the stereo. Sorry. No offense meant to anyone but I just can't. Neither sound like FM songs to me at all. I would agree that Bob sounded better on other FM albums as well.

So, I'm sure you can tell that this is my least favourite FM album. But, I'm sure others have different opinions and, hey, that's cool with me.

chriskisn · #3 07-12-2009, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjpdg

I know Chriskin is going to chime in here at some point and he and I have a very friendly back and forth going about Dave Walker, so he'll be expecting my comments on this. I absolutely can't stand either "The Derelict" and "Roadrunner". Just can't hardly stand to have them on the stereo. Sorry. No offense meant to anyone but I just can't. Neither sound like FM songs to me at all.

Damn I hate being so predictable...

The Derelict for those who don't know is one of my favourite FM songs, and I'm a big DW fan... While I can somewhat understand that (I'm A) Roadrunner isn't for everyone, I do think that the Derelict is just fantastic. There is a reason they promote him these days as Dave "The Voice" Walker.

Dissatisfied, Revelation, and of course The Derelict are the standout tracks. These three middle period albums (along with Heroes and Mystery) are more than equal to what came later.

Oh and totally beside the point - there is an unreleased "Dave Walker Band" album from 1979 that got a limited release a few years back that makes Dave sound something like Billy Joel. There are also a few new songs on Dave's myspace page worth listening to as well...

golddustdrummer · #4 07-12-2009, 11:43 AM

I think "Did You Ever Love Me" is my fav...it has cool calypso vibe that kind of takes me away to another place. I just really love the steel drums in the song.

becca · #5 07-12-2009, 06:16 PM

I can only guess and blame the legal troubles of the time for 'Did You Ever Love Me' not becoming a radio staple like Clapton's cover of I Shot The Sherriff or 10cc's Dreadlock Holiday. Bright Fire grew on me and is one of the best Welch tracks, and The Derelict and the sleeve photo are the two best things about the album. So I thought it was a bit of a weak album for both Christine and Bob but I rate it higher than Tusk which mostly wasn't my thing at all when it came out or now (and I loved a lot of the new wave quirky punk-pop of the day).

**jbrownsjr** · #6 07-12-2009, 07:42 PM

I'm really glad you picked this album up... I love the most of the tunes on the album... I'm gonna go listen to it now... thanks...

DavidMn · #7 07-13-2009, 02:06 AM

Bright Fire and Revelation are the 2 standout songs on this album for my money's worth.

chiliD · #8 07-13-2009, 10:34 AM

If they'd just have put some other song than "Roadrunner" on the album, it would've improved the overall album ten-fold. They could've re-done Savoy Brown's cover of the Temptations' "Can't Get Next To You" (that Dave sang) and it would've been 100x's better. "The Derelict" took about 20 years to grow on me, so it's off the hit-list now.

Christine was in great form on this album. How those songs weren't radio hits is just mind boggling.

Welch hadn't quite hit his stride yet, but you could see that his songs were a step up from his Bare Trees tunes...Mystery To Me was definitely his strongest album.

Just amazing that back in those days, bands could release two albums of all-new material within a year's time. We were so spoiled and didn't even know it.

vivfox · #9 07-13-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

Just amazing that back in those days, bands could release two albums of all-new material within a year's time. We were so spoiled and didn't even know it.

They still can and they still do. It's just that now the genre is in hip hop music.

jenniferuk · #10 07-13-2009, 06:09 PM

So glad that you picked up a copy and had the thought to start this thread. I've dusted off my copy and listened twice today. For some reason I hadn't done that in a long time...been on a BT and FG kick lately.

My thoughts on this one are similar to those posted: I like the album, I don't care for RR. Overall I'd put it in the middle in terms of top to bottom list of my favourite FM albums--if I'd been asked yesterday it would have been toward the bottom as I hadn't listened to it in ages. Need to go and see what else needs a dusting off...

aleuzzi · #11 07-16-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

Christine was in great form on this album. How those songs weren't radio hits is just mind boggling.

Welch hadn't quite hit his stride yet, but you could see that his songs were a step up from his Bare Trees tunes...Mystery To Me was definitely his strongest album.

I entirely agree. Remember Me has one of those melodies that stick in my head. It could be rearranged as a hit for any number of younger stars.

I love Welch's work on Penguin, particularly "Night Watch," which is such a dynamic tune. The lead guitar (not Green's echo fills, but the other one--Welch's? Weston's?) is incredible. And the block chord harmonies (which are definitely strengthened by Walker's presence) are thrilling to hear.

I only wish Penguin was a bit longer.

David · #12 07-16-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chriskisn

The Derelict for those who don't know is one of my favourite FM songs, and I'm a big DW fan...

It's my favorite too. Years ago, I think I posted the chords here. If I ever get rockin' again with others, I want to cover "The Derelict."

sjpdg · #13 07-17-2009, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivfox

They still can and they still do. It's just that now the genre is in hip hop music.

Music?

Really? Looped tracks of the same beat with the same lyrics repeated over, and over, and over again?

No offense intended, but I just can't see how that is music. Some people really love it, and hey they have every right to. I just don't consider it music. Just my humble opinion.

nicepace · #14 07-17-2009, 07:45 AM

To my thinking 'Penguin' is the most uneven of the Bob Welch era albums, but I still love to listen to it. It's true that it's short, only nine songs, one of which is (almost) an instrumental. To my ear the two Dave Walker songs feel uncomfortably out of place, but when you think about the history of the Mac, they were constantly adding new singer/songwriters, and Dave was one they added who lasted for just a blink of an eye. "Derelict" is a good song, I think "Road Runner" is a real throwaway.

I think Chris's songs on here are particularly strong, and I think the wonderful faux-Caribbean treatment of "Did You Ever Love Me" shows the band were trying new musical ideas and branching out. The one defining characteristic of Fleetwood Mac over their history is you can't define them.

David · #15 07-17-2009, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjpdg

Music?

Really? Looped tracks of the same beat with the same lyrics repeated over, and over, and over again?

No offense intended, but I just can't see how that is music. Some people really love it, and hey they have every right to. I just don't consider it music. Just my humble opinion.

I never got into hip-hop, either -- neither the music nor the look.