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UNDERRATED!
Review written by david, November 8th, 2007
This is one of my favorite albums. I wish Paris would've been more popular. This disc is a gem! And as fate would have it, Paris 3 turned out to be French Kiss. Win, Win........
Paris Second Attempt Outshines Predacessor
Review written by Edward R. Schwab, November 1st, 2004
Big Towne, 2061 is a futuristic blend of Heavy rock and techno which has never really been duplicated the same since. This is the second recording by the power trio of Welch, Glenn Cornick, and this time Hunt Sales who would later become a member of David Bowie's Tin Machine (it is worth noting that Bernie Marseen was also listed in rock journals at the time as the extra musician heard on the live track "Slave Trader"). This time, Welch learned from the mistakes made on the previous power raunch. Here, the first correction is obvious - the production is very smooth and sharp, unlike the first venture (Bob Hughes, who produced the Mac's Heroes Are Hard To Find album produced this one) and the subject matter, although still esoteric and VERY Bob Welch, tends to lean a little to the seedy side. "New Orleans" talks about mixed breeding, and open invitation to cause general mayhem, among other things. "Outlaw Game" is the predacessor to the song "Outskirts", which was released on his first solo lp, and the aforementioned "Slave Trader" highlights Welch's amazing jazz guitar skills, structured in a song about selling your soul. But without a doubt, the raining princess out of the collection is "Janie", a song obviously written about his then-wife Jane Robinson, whose brother had mixed the first album. "Blue Robin", "1 in 10", and "Heart Of Stone" are pure rock n roll (Welch-ized, of course), and "Pale Horse, Pale Rider", uses heavy synthesizer waves to guide the movements. And finally, the album's tribute to dead presidents, "Money Love" starts off side 2, and showcases Hunt Sales' vocal talents. One should also add that another song "China" came out of this batch of music, and was later released on Welch's second solo LP, Three Hearts. Big Towne, 2061 is simply good from cover to cover. There isnt a single weak link here, and it is actually some of Welch's greatest arrangement masterpieces, probably his best excluding Looks At Bop. A very approachable attempt at heavy rock, this lp is not one to be missed, especially for those Welch fans who want to see him challenge himself to the fullest musically, lyrically, and even vocally. It certainly should be part of every Mac collection