Search - Timothy B Schmit :: Feed the Fire

Long-overdue showcase of a hidden talent.

Themis-Athena | from somewhere between California and Germany | 06/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Timothy B. Schmit is one of the most prolific musicians out there - he has played with just about everybody from Ringo Starr and Crosby, Stills and Nash to Steely Dan, not to mention his contributions to Poco and the Eagles, and to the various solo projects of his fellow band members. Yet, the guy who said in a recent "Rockline" interview that music is really all he lives for ("I have no hobbies") has only published four albums of his own, and like fellow-Eagle Don Henley, he has let a full 11 years go by between his last release, 1990's "Tell Me the Truth," and this year's "Feed the Fire." Long-awaited by fans, the album, now finally published on Lucan Records (the label he founded specifically for this purpose) showcases Timothy B. Schmit's incredible musical versatility. Written for the most part over the course of the past 4 or 5 years, the 11 songs are masterfully arranged, from the album's opener "The Shadow" (the closest thing to a title track because it contains the line "We need to feed the fire") to "Song For Owen," the last track, dedicated to Schmit's daughter. They range in style from beautiful ballads ("Running") to not-entirely-soft rock with slightly edgy guitar solos ("Moment of Truth," "I'll Always Let You In" - lead guitar: TBS's Eagles buddy Joe Walsh - and "I'm Not Angry Anymore," co-written by Stan Lynch who also makes a cameo background appearance) to Hollie-esque tunes ("Give Me Back My Sight" and "Top Of the Stairs," an amazing a-cappella piece where Timothy B. Schmit single-handedly performs every last one of the multiple vocal layers) to faster tunes ("Every Song Is You") and, last but not least, two warm and tender covers of Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love" and 1971's "You Are Everything," which has been recorded by artists representing such different genres as the Stylistics, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart and David Sanborn, and which TBS now presents in his own effortless style.True to his modest ways (on stage with the Eagles, even after having performed his signature "I Can't Tell You Why" and "Love Will Keep Us Alive," he will rarely do more than deeply bow and thank his fans), Schmit has said that while all the musicians who have joined him on "Feed the Fire" are first rate, few of them are really well-known. However, Eagles, Bob Seger, Tom Petty and James Gang fans will know Scott Crago (drums), Stan Lynch and, of course, Joe Walsh; fans of Aerosmith know TBS's long-time friend Mark Hudson, who co-produced the album and co-wrote and played guitars on four of the songs; and fans of America know Hank Linderman, who co-wrote two of the songs and played guitars and various other instruments on those and two other pieces. And these are just a few of the many outstanding people appearing on this record. The fact of the matter is that Timothy B. Schmit is so well-connected (and -respected) in the industry that he had the ability to assemble a truly exceptional group of musicians for the production of an album which, for the longest time, he says he did not even seriously pursue. And of course, he himself is much more than the Eagles' and Poco's bassist and sometime singer - he plays all instruments save drums on "The Shadow" and guitars in addition to bass on "I'm Not Angry Anymore," "Moment of Truth" and "Song For Owen," and he stands in for nothing less than an entire a-cappella choir in "Top Of the Stairs."While none of the great rock bands can survive without the collaboration of all of the extraordinarily talented musicians they consist of (as seen not least by the example of the Eagles' painful 1980 break up and subsequent 14-year hiatus), sometimes it takes a solo album to fully bring to shine the stars that are otherwise overshadowed by the more flamboyant members of their respective groups. "Feed the Fire" is a wonderful and long-overdue portrait of a musical talent who deserves a lot more public attention than he has claimed in the past."

The best solo work yet from Timothy!

Jon Eric Davidson | Redmond, WA, USA | 06/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Being a huge Eagles fan, it was a no-brainer to purchase bassist Timothy B. Schmit's latest solo effort. Sure, I may have a bias toward the Eagles and the individual members' music, but I dare say even the ordinary, average music fan will really enjoy "Feed The Fire".Mr. Schmit's overall musicianship is in fine form here. He has put together a wonderful collection of songs - most self-written but also including two covers. The music is catchy and is produced beautifully. The vocals are crisp and clean, showing that Mr. Schmit still has a wonderful voice that, like the rest of the Eagles, may just be getting better with age. Lyrically, it doesn't contain the depth, cynicism, and thought-provoking stylings of a Don Henley or similar songwriter, but it's no matter; sometimes simplicity is a good thing, and it is here. There are definitely a few songs here that sound a lot like tracks that could be sung in an Eagles concert (perhaps possible, given their current European tour). However, there are more than plenty that are definitely unique to Mr. Schmit, and could only be heard in his solo format.I always like to factor in a CD's "first listen" appeal in my overall review. In the case of "Feed The Fire", Mr. Schmit passes this test with flying colors. The music catches you from the first note and carries well to the last track. As I said, it is eminently listenable from front to back, though personally I think the first half of the disc is slightly stronger than the last few tracks. But, there isn't any place in this CD where one would be skipping around clunkers to get to the good stuff. Avoiding these clunkers makes this CD that much stronger.I must say, too, that I am always leery of covers, but in this case, there are two very nice renditions performed by Mr. Schmit. The Bob Dylan-penned "To Make You Feel My Love" is the best of the two; an absolutely wonderful track that puts to shame the Garth Brooks' cover of the same song from a few years ago, while also doing nice justice to the legendary Dylan. "You Are Everything" would seem like an odd fit initially, but Mr. Schmit's version is woven in seamlessly to the songs on this disc.All in all, this is far and away Mr. Schmit's best solo work to date. Eagles fans should snap this up in a heartbeat, because they will not be disappointed. But for the non-Eagles fan and other music lovers, this will make a fine addition to your collection. It will provide many hours of - dare I say it? -a "peaceful easy feeling"."

A Musical Masterpiece!

musiccritic0001 | Chicago, IL USA | 03/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This latest TBS solo work really shines in the category of quality music. To put it summarily: FTF is a body of work that showcases his musical genius and unique style. The vocals are, as usual, very strong, melodic, and expressive. The bass lines are innovative and very catchy, and he also plays some very good guitar on several songs. The covers - Make You Feel My Love and You are Everything - are very well done; his versions may well be the paragon for these songs. He has infused these covers with a musical flavor that is 100% his own (read: quality and excellence), thus his takes on these songs totally warrant outstanding remakes of these classic tunes. The acapella song - Top Of The Stairs - is creative and engrossing in its elaborateness. Song For Owen is an extremely expressive and beautiful piece. It really does justice to the idea of a musical expression of a loving parent-child relationship. The Shadow (one of the songs on which TBS plays guitar) has some hauntingly beautiful guitar lines and a powerful, inspirational message. The other songs on this album are, similarly, masterpieces. Each one is so extremely intricate in composition that after months of listening to this album on a regular basis I am still finding new reasons to appreciate it. Positively recommended!!!"