Paris (1976) Blue Robin - LOST 70s GEMS

Paris, Bob Welch's power trio continued for one more album in 76 with Big Towne, 2061, however drummer Thom Mooney was replaced by Hunt Sales for this funkier offering from the Zep clones of the first album. Opening with the twangy guitar lines and streaking downhome backing vocals of Blue Robin before the seductive grooves of the over produced title tracks. The horrible Italo Disco sound in the tinny soulless ARPs on Pale Horse, Pale Rider remind me of the early 80s disco sound to come, and the following track doesn't improve things with more disco and Zeppelin mediocrity. Outlaw Game features atmospheric playing against an airy organ backdrop, while Money Love reminds me of another funk and Zep abomination called Detective and the overly Plant-esque vocals are really starting to grate and make me think of Greta Van Fleet; choose your own vocal style! Heart of Stone mixes a standard disco bass lien to Welch's detached vocals; it does not mix well, we need a defibrillator get some human element back to this music. The steady decline is reversed with Welch's phenomenal flamenco work on the echoey Slave Trader, the closing track Janie mixes a Yes level of Prog synths in with a keyboard flute melody over it like a Camel track.