Certainly a success for Bob Welch with two hit singles, and an album with catchy material, though somewhat different from his time with Fleetwood Mac and Paris.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Bob Welch
ALBUM: French Kiss
LABEL: Capitol
SERIAL: ST-11663
YEAR: 1977
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Bob Welch – vocals, guitar, bass * Alvin Taylor – drums (all tracks except #1) * Mick Fleetwood – drums (#1) * Christine McVie – background vocals (#1, #2, #12) * Lindsey Buckingham – guitar and background vocals (#1) * Gene Page – string arrangements * Juice Newton – background vocals (#7)
TRACK LISTING: 01 Sentimental Lady * 02 Easy To Fall * 03 Hot Love, Cold World * 04 Mystery Train * 05 Lose My Heart * 06 Outskirts * 07 Ebony Eyes * 08 Lose Your… * 09 Caroline * 10 Dancin’ Eyes * 11 Danchiva * 12 Lose Your Heart
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
This album and the main single off it were a constant companion during my thirst for musical knowledge occurring through my breakout year of 1977. Though a moderate success in the US, in New Zealand the hit ‘Ebony Eyes’ was all over radio. You couldn’t take two footsteps away from the nearest radio without hearing it. I was hooked!
Of course, this review comes to light after backporting some old Paris articles written by dangerzone and eric; this one becoming a nice companion piece, considering it was supposed to be the ‘third’ Paris album had circumstances worked out and the band not fractured during early 1977.
Undeterred, Bob Welch converted these tracks into his own. This was Bob’s debut solo album, and features members from his former band Fleetwood Mac, plus a young Juice Newton.
The Songs
The two key tracks here were the lead off ‘Sentimental Lady’ featuring the aforementioned Fleetwood Mac team, and ‘Ebony Eyes’, which anyone growing up in the mid 70’s should remember with ease.
Both were successful on the US Billboard Charts as well as locations around the world. Juice Newton provides backing vocals on ‘Ebony Eyes’, see if you can pick her out.
‘Sentimental Lady’ is the only track on the album not written by Welch, also it was produced by Mick Fleetwood and Christine McVie. Other than that one track, the rest of the material is of a harder nature, though there are short/sharp orchestral inserts throughout. Especially the cut and thrust violin bursts and plucks. As an example you can hear these on tracks like ‘Easy To Fall’, ‘Mystery Train’ and of course ‘Ebony Eyes’.
There are a trio of songs that seem to be connected somehow. ‘Lose My Heart’ (all of 1min 46), ‘Lose Your..’ (all of 46 seconds) and the finale ‘Lose Your Heart’ which rounds out the whole thing at a respectable 3 mins. Sounds like musical chess, but a connection among the three I’m dead certain of.
Of the remaining tracks, I enjoyed ‘Outskirts’ for its rock quota, while ‘Carolene’ and ‘Dancin’ Eyes’ contain more of a pop/disco vibe, though I’d be inclined to call it symphonic pop, similar to what ELO were doing though with less bombast.
In Summary
Certainly a success for Bob Welch with two hit singles, and an album with catchy material, though somewhat different from his time with Fleetwood Mac and Paris.
Bob would follow this up with his February 1979 second solo called ‘Three Hearts’, containing another hit single in ‘Precious Time’. That album contained pretty much the same team which assembled for this album.
He continued releasing music for years afterward, and sadly passed away in 2012. ‘French Kiss’ though, remains a well worn bookmark on my year of 1977.
Bob Welch on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
