Matt's Fleetwood Mac Album Reviews

[Nicks Fan]

Fleetwood Mac Album Reviews

1. Greatest Hits: After 13 years and six albums, it seemed the perfect time for the new "Fleetwood Mac" to release their first greatest hits package and for the most part it is well worth a listen. Having established themselves as a blues band in the late 60's early 70's they had yet to establish themselves in the United States until they released the more pop oriented "Fleetwood Mac" in 1975 which introduced Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham to the group of which also consisted of John Mcvie, Christine Mcvie and Mick Fleetwood. Since then they have gone through allot including a 5 year hiatus between albums before staging a massive comeback with 1987's "Tango In The Night". However Lindsey Buckingham was only persuaded to make the album, but left the group after doing so and was replaced by fellow guitar players, Rick Vito and Billy Burnette. They can be heard on two new cuts on the hits album a Christine Mcvie song called "As Long As You Follow" as well as a Stevie Nicks song called " No Questions Asked" both of which are good additions to the Mac repertoire. Overall the album is good with hits ranging from "Rhiannon" to "Hold Me", however one of my favourites “Seven Wonders” is missing from the collection as are the b - side rarity “Silver Springs” and “Gold Dust Woman”. However that doesn't mean that this album is in anyway bad. Best song on the album: Sara Review: **** out of five


2. Rumours: With the release of “Rumours” the second album released from the new and more popular "Fleetwood Mac" it was clear that the band had grown and matured since we last had heard them. While the album was made during a troubling time in the lives of many of the band's members, (Relationships were ending) the album never suffers as a result. Every song is masterful in their own way. Stevie has allot to offer ranging from the rockin "Gold Dust Woman" to the more pop sounding "Dreams". Christine Mcvie is at her best with pop flavoured hits such as "You Make Loving Fun”, but she reaches her peak with the wonderful ballad "Songbird" played with only a piano and her wonderful voice. The band is in full force during "The Chain" one of the best songs on the album and a killer when heard live. Sure the production is basically more of the same from the last album but the production is slicker and grittier. It won the 1977 Album of the year at the Grammy Awards and it was well deserved. Best Song On The Album: Songbird
Review: ***** out of five

3. The Dance: When the original band broke up with departure of Lindsey in 1987 and Stevie in 1993 it was clear that the band's days were numbered with two key factors in their successes gone. The last Mac Album, 1995’s "Time" crashed and burned with no one noticing so when the band announced plans for a reunion concert special (Marking the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking album “Rumours”) and plans for a live album / tour to follow it was speculated that a full fledged reunion was in store. That hasn't exactly happened. (Christine has chosen not to participate in a new album) This live album begins with a great version of their hit "The Chain" which still sounds good even after 20 years. Then it is on to a series of Fleetwood Mac hits ranging from "Dreams" , "Everywhere" (A vast improvement on the original version) Big Love (Another improvement over the original) and "Say You Love Me". Along the way the band treats us to some great new material ranging form Lindsey's Rock and Roll sounding "My Little Demon" and a great new song from Stevie called "Sweet Girl". Christine also submits a great new song called "Temoorary One". The Usc Marching band who recorded "Tusk" the title track from the 1979 album returns to assist in performing that song as well as a rousing new version of "Don't Stop" which ironically was used as Bill Clintons Campaign Song. Other Great stuff includes Stevies Paino /Rock Version of "Rhiannon wich is a classic song. The standout on the album is the crowd pleasing hit that never made it on the classic "Rumours" album, a love song called "Silver Springs", which brought the house down at the taping and is still my all time favourite Mac Track. A landmark Fleetwood Mac album that proves their 70's success was very richly deserved.
Best Song On The Album: Silver Springs
Review: ***** out of five

4. Fleetwood Mac: When a new line-up was announced for the UK band Fleetwood Mac it was unclear whether the new line-up would be able to finally parlay their Success overseas in The United States. They did finally find success with the top 10 hit "Rhiannon" as well as hits ranging from Christine Mcvie's "Over My Head" to a cover of Lindsey and Stevie's "Crystal" from their 1973 album "Buckingham Nicks" which did so poorly their record company dropped them. Other hits like "Landslide" and "Say You Love Me" are also featured on this album, which marks a turning point for the band who had no idea just how big they would become in a little over a year.
Best Song On The Album: Rhiannon Review : **** out of five

5. Tango In The Night: With the release of "Tango In The Night" in the summer of 1987, it marked a stellar return for the band that hadn't released anything since 1982's "Mirage". While Lindsey Buckingham did not tour with the band he did sing and produce the record with long-time Mac collaborator Richard Dashut and they have done a good job for the most part. “Big Love” and “Everywhere” are the only real misfires (Better heard live on "The Dance") The tracks are all over the map with a great Mac song called "Seven Wonders" and another good one called "Little Lies". Stevie succeeds with "Welcome To The Room... Sara" a song with profound lyrics and great rhythm. Lindsey even gets his trademark Guitar solos with the albums title track. Unfortunately it was to be his last album with the band before returning ten years later for the reunion album / tour.
Best Song On The Album: Seven Wonders
Review: **** out of five

6. Mirage: After the band explored new musical styles and met with mixed results on their last album 1979's "Tusk" (Not counting the 1980 live album they made) they went back to the drawing board and they have come up with an offering that should please most Fleetwood Mac fans but more discriminating listeners may find this offering too safe. The band tries many different musical styles and comes up with only one really good tune, the intriguing "Gypsy" which seemed tailor made for Stevie's raspy voice. Other songs do impress like the lead single "Hold Me” with Lindsey and the band seemingly having a good time on the song, which has no conviction but is a fun tune just the same. Other standouts include "That's Allright" and "Can't Go Back" The problem for me is that some of the songs are just average. Most of the album just doesn't have any depth or conviction in the musical numbers. The songs, which range from the slow love song "Oh Diane" to the disappointing "Eyes of The World" just, do not play well to any kind of audience. The album is a good one , but don't expect anything in the vein of "Rumours" or even "Tango In The Night"
Best Song On The Album: Gypsy

7. Tusk: With the bar set so high for Fleetwood Mac after the enormous success of their last studio album "Rumours" it was surprising just how different a direction they took musically. It has long been known that most people treated this album as a mediocre album however die hard fans and even non fans found this harder edged rock in roll album quite good. "Tusk" was the idea of guitar player / singer Lindsey Buckingham who wanted to make an album on a smaller budget and the result is a 2 record set with a varying degree of songs. "Tusk", the albums title track recorded with the USC Marching Band is a great rock tune while the ballads "Storms" and "Sara" are magical songs that prove just how much of an enchanting voice Stevie Nicks has. Christine Mcvie fares best with "Brown Eyes" and "Never Forget" while Buckingham does a good job with the hit single "The Ledge". Overall the album is good, but since allot of the material is radically different then the usual it makes it a tough sell.
Best Song On The Album: Sara Review: *** out of five

8. Behind The Mask: With the absence of key writer Lindsey Buckingham it was assumed that prolific writers Christine Mcvie and Stevie Nicks would pick up the slack, but they did not. Unwisely choosing to allow the new recruits to write songs for the bands first studio album of new material (Not counting the 1988 "Greatest Hits Album which had the two new singles "As Long As You Follow" and "No Questions Asked" included) proved to be a mistake. The album went gold but was the first Mac album not to be certified Double Platinum which was a shame since what songs made the cut are all pretty good. What works is the fact that even though it was 1990 the band still manages to come up with some good material ranging from the top 10 lead single "Skies The Limit" to the Stevie Nicks tune "Affairs of The Heart". "Love Is Dangerous" a duet between Nicks and fellow band member Rick Vito is a good little rock song with a good use of guitars and drums. One disapointment is that none of Stevie's contributions to the album were relased as singles even though "Affairs of The Heart" and "The Second Time" are both solid efforts A solid effort from the group even without Lindsey Buckingham. Best Song On The Album: Skies The Limit
Review: **** out of five