Favorite Welch-era record?

redbird · #1 03-01-2013, 06:51 PM

I'm new to the board, so please do forgive me if this is a tired topic. The Bob Welch era of the band seems to be the forgotten or lost era, I know that I'd heard the B&N and the Peter Green records before I ever knew about Bob Welch. So when I started recently getting interested in Fleetwood Mac again I decided to check out and immerse in those albums. I am loving a lot of things about that era, it's by turns funky and sublime. Right now I have Bare Trees on, for example, and Christine's "Homeward Bound" has become one of my all-time favorite songs by her. I also think "Why" is a more gorgeous ballad than "Songbird" (!) and Danny Kirwan's guitar makes me swoon. Bob's title track on Future Games is genius.

The only record that hasn't wowed me yet is Penguin. I'm having trouble deciding which is my favorite of the rest though. What do you think? What's the best Mac album of the first half of the 70's? I never know to include Kiln House with this era or the previous, so, your choice

HomerMcvie · #2 03-01-2013, 07:07 PM

Mystery To Me. Hands down!

SteveMacD · #3 03-01-2013, 07:56 PM

Tie between "Mystery To Me" and "Future Games", but for very different reasons.

WatchChain · #4 03-01-2013, 09:10 PM

Mystery to Me is my favorite record from the Bob Welch era. The Welch lineup made some beautiful records together.....simply sublime.

I also love "Come A Little Bit Closer from Heroes are Hard To Find.

Wouter Vuijk · #5 03-01-2013, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbird

I'm new to the board, so please do forgive me if this is a tired topic.

Well, for one thing, welcome here

.

redbird · #6 03-01-2013, 09:43 PM

Thank you very much, glad to be here

I'msoAfraid95 · #7 03-01-2013, 10:29 PM

I'm semi- new here myself. I joined this forum at the first of the year. Anyways my first Welch era album is Penguin. It is soooo underrated.

redbird · #8 03-02-2013, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I'msoAfraid95

I'm semi- new here myself. I joined this forum at the first of the year. Anyways my first Welch era album is Penguin. It is soooo underrated.

Hello

What about Penguin do you love? Which songs? It doesn't stand out to me but I do love the cover

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Tie between "Mystery To Me" and "Future Games", but for very different reasons.

Might I ask the reasons? I love both, and Bare Trees as well.

SteveMacD · #9 03-02-2013, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbird

Might I ask the reasons? I love both, and Bare Trees as well.

I don't think there's a bad song on "Future Games". There's a beautiful folky, jazzy quality that never forgets that it's supposed to rock first and foremost. It's the album the band had been working up to since at least "Then Play On". The songs are more extended, and the beauty of Kirwan's playing really shines through on this like on no other record. As a whole, it's completely unlike anything the Mac has ever done before or since. It may actually be my favorite Fleetwood Mac album ever.

"Mystery To Me" is great because by this record, Welch figured out his role in the band, and was contributing some monster songs. Christine also contributed some monster songs. Bob Weston's leads were a perfect compliment to those songs. It's not a perfect record, but the high points are amongst the highest in Fleetwood Mac's catalogue. "Believe Me", "Hypnotized", "Miles Away", and "Why" are every bit as good, if not better, than any of the "Rumours" singles, IMO. Weston's lead are stunning in a '70s kind of way.

FG is more "roll with it", whereas MTM is more carefully thought out.

I'msoAfraid95 · #10 03-02-2013, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbird

Hello

What about Penguin do you love? Which songs? It doesn't stand out to me but I do love the cover

Might I ask the reasons? I love both, and Bare Trees as well.

I don't really have any specific reasons. Penguin is just a great rock n toll album.

chriskisn · #11 03-02-2013, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I'msoAfraid95

I'm semi- new here myself. I joined this forum at the first of the year. Anyways my first Welch era album is Penguin. It is soooo underrated.

Yes it is the most underrated of the FM albums (well that and "Time").

There are five albums in a row that are great FM albums and Penguin was the first. It was when FM really hit the peak of their abilities between 73 and 77.