After the platinum success of 1977's
French Kiss,
Fleetwood Mac alumnus
Bob Welch obviously decided there was no need to alter the formula for 1979's
Three Hearts. The album was another slick, smartly crafted slice of late-'70s pop/rock, yet it only went gold.
Welch blends richly distorted hard rock guitar hooks, disco-influenced strings, and bright vocal melodies on
Three Hearts, which includes guest appearances by
Fleetwood Mac members
Mick Fleetwood,
Christine McVie, and
Stevie Nicks. The vibrant, insanely catchy "Precious Love" was the album's only Top 40 hit single; the prominent strings and bouncy chorus fuel this gem. "Church," a minor hit, features warm keyboards and smooth vocals. "The Ghost of Flight 401" deviates the most from the pop/rock blueprint, and its sparse acoustic guitar and piano lines add a dark, mysterious feel. "Devil Wind" peaks with a driving rhythm in the coda that also highlights
Nicks on backing vocals. Other decent cuts include the buoyant pop tune "Little Star," "Oh Jenny," and "China." The only misfires are two covers: a quirky, pseudo-funk version of
the Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There" and a fairly straightforward rendering of
the Fleetwoods' "Come Softly to Me." ~ Bret Adams