After the success of
Welch's first two albums, 1980's
The Other One failed to net him a Top 40 hit, proving that he had to rely on something other than his balmy vocals to see him through. Evidently, the same radio-friendly allure that draped "Sentimental Lady" or anything close to the subtle riff in the chorus of "Ebony Eyes" fails to turn up here, leaving the tracks colorless and quite bland. "Spanish Dancers" and "Hideaway" seem to be the strongest cuts, but even these efforts fall short of
Three Hearts' approachability.
Welch's writing is mild and flimsy for the most part, and because of this the music wears itself out, teetering on the edge of AM triviality. A few of
The Other One's cuts turn up on a number of
Welch's compilations, which in turn may be the best way to investigate them. Within the same year,
Welch released
Man Overboard, an album that is variably stronger than its predecessor, but he still couldn't imitate the strength of his earlier work. ~ Mike DeGagne