The idea is a good one, so good that it's surprising
Jack Tempchin hasn't done it before: sit down and record his own versions of hits that other musicians had with his songs. The reason why
Tempchin is doing this in 2017 and not, say, 1997, is that his friend and colleague
Glenn Frey passed in early 2016, and the singer turned plenty of
Tempchin tunes into smashes, either on his own or with
the Eagles. So many of the 14 songs on
Peaceful Easy Feeling: The Songs of Jack Tempchin are associated with
Frey -- not just the title track but "The One You Love," "Already Gone," "Party Town," and "You Belong to the City" -- that it can sometimes play like a de facto tribute album to
Tempchin's old friend, and that is part of its charm. Sometimes,
Tempchin comes close to re-creating elements of the original recordings -- the keening sax line and icy sequenced drums of "You Belong to the City," the crunching six-strings of "Party Town," the sunset vibes of the title track -- but these versions are distinguished by his genial murmur, a crisp production, and heartfelt contributions by
Janiva Magness,
Chris Hillman,
Herb Pedersen, and
Rita Coolidge. The presence of these four musicians helps underscore that
Peaceful Easy Feeling comes from a place of warmth, and that cozy, laid-back vibe helps accentuate the fine construction of
Tempchin's songbook.