BTM or Time?

[David]

Originally posted by xdreamsunwindx
I'm trying to expand my Mac collection/tastes to more eras of the group and whatnot. My question is, what would be a better choice for my situation, Behind the Mask or Time?

I can't really guide you in one direction or the other because I don't know anything about you or your tastes & inclinations, but I enjoy "Time" a lot more (it's still not a great album, though). Thanks to Richard Dashut, "Time" has clear delineation between instruments & vocals & the mix is sharper & punchier; it's a much better-sounding album than "Mask." Bekka's an R&B belter. If that's your thing, you might like her. Dave Mason is a nonentity on the album. Billy is his typical low-key charming self. He's got a wacky self-depreciatory quality in his vocals & songwriting that are ingratiating if slightly dull. (At times, he seems to disappear inside the band for want of ego & assertiveness.)

The "Mask" material is some of it tuneful & interesting ("Skies the Limit," "When It Comes to Love"), but only Vito's guitar playing & Christine's electric piano really come alive. Many of the tracks just seem ambivalent or uncommitted, & the Ladanyi/Fleetwood Mac production is some of the sludgiest in Mac history.

[Johnny Stew]

Originally posted by David
Thanks to Richard Dashut, "Time" has clear delineation between instruments & vocals & the mix is sharper & punchier; it's a much better-sounding album than "Mask."

Many of the tracks (on 'Behind The Mask') just seem ambivalent or uncommitted, & the Ladanyi/Fleetwood Mac production is some of the sludgiest in Mac history.

I couldn't agree more.

The production on 'Behind The Mask' is the only thing I've ever truly disliked about the album.
I realize that they were going for something more rock than pop, but in the process, the music sounds muddied.
It's the same problem that plagues Stevie's 'Street Angel.'

Dashut's production shines on 'Time.'

If and when Rhino ever gets around to remastering 'Mask,' it would be nice if someone would "brighten" the mix a bit... but then some fans might be upset by that bit of revisionistic history!

Completely un-related... does anyone have any clue how it came about that Patrick Leonard (most noted for his work with Madonna) produced "Love Shines" and "Heart Of Stone" for the boxed-set?

Based on those two songs, his production touches seem to be better suited to Fleetwood Mac's sound than Ladanyi's was (although the latter did do a bang-up job with "As Long As You Follow").

I've often wondered if Fleetwood Mac intended to cut an album with Leonard, and it just didn't happen... or if it was always meant as a one-off thing.

[macfan 57]

Patrick Leonard worked with Madonna? I had no idea. I agree about "Love Shines" & "Heart of Stone". I think they're fantastic songs. I like Behind the Mask, but those 2 songs are far better than anything on Behind the Mask. I have a Goldmine Magazine interview with Christine. She raved about Patrick Leonard. She said she thought he had gotten into "Fleetwood Mac's brain", that he understood their sound. She also said that she hoped they would work together again. But, it never happened.

[wetcamelfood]

Originally posted by Johnny Stew
Completely un-related... does anyone have any clue how it came about that Patrick Leonard (most noted for his work with Madonna) produced "Love Shines" and "Heart Of Stone" for the boxed-set?

Based on those two songs, his production touches seem to be better suited to Fleetwood Mac's sound than Ladanyi's was (although the latter did do a bang-up job with "As Long As You Follow").

I've often wondered if Fleetwood Mac intended to cut an album with Leonard, and it just didn't happen... or if it was always meant as a one-off thing.

Good point Johnny, I'd like to find this out too. If this was the case, then by the same token I wonder if we should assume there may be Mac recordings lying around somewhere that were produced by Nile Rogers and that Power Station dude circa 1987 too?

John

[Johnny Stew]

Originally posted by macfan 57
Patrick Leonard worked with Madonna? I had no idea.

He sure did. In fact, in my opinion, most of the songs they did together, are among her best.
"Like A Prayer," "I'll Remember," "Cherish," "Live To Tell," "Frozen," "La Isla Bonita," "Oh Father"... among several others.

That Goldmine article you mentioned... I've heard about that, but I've never read it.
I need to check the Blue Letter Archives here, to see if I can find it.

(By the way, it's cool to know that Christine and I agree that Patrick Leonard was a good fit for The Mac.)

[Johnny Stew]

Originally posted by wetcamelfood
Good point Johnny, I'd like to find this out too. If this was the case, then by the same token I wonder if we should assume there may be Mac recordings lying around somewhere that were produced by Nile Rogers and that Power Station dude circa 1987 too?

That's definitely a good question.

And I imagine that it's not too far out of the realm of possibility that some elements... however minor... of whatever they may have worked on in their short time with the band, may have even ended up in finished songs that we already have.

[macfan 57]

Originally posted by Johnny Stew
He sure did. In fact, in my opinion, most of the songs they did together, are among her best.
"Like A Prayer," "I'll Remember," "Cherish," "Live To Tell," "Frozen," "La Isla Bonita," "Oh Father"... among several others.

That Goldmine article you mentioned... I've heard about that, but I've never read it.
I need to check the Blue Letter Archives here, to see if I can find it.

(By the way, it's cool to know that Christine and I agree that Patrick Leonard was a good fit for The Mac.)

Chris mentioned in this interview that she had never met Patrick Leonard before, but that he had done some fantastic work with other people. She never mentioned who those other people were, but maybe she was referring to Madonna. Maybe, Christine McVie actually likes some of Madonna's work.

By the way, that Goldmine interview was the best Christine McVie interview that I've ever seen. The reporter asked some terrific questions, not the same old boring stuff that she usually got asked about. There's also an excellent interview with Mick in the same magazine.