Behind the Mask: Side 1 or Side 2?

[Villavic]

Following the new poll I've posted at the Rumours Fórum, let's see what side the fans like more:

Side one
1. "Skies the Limit"
2. "Love Is Dangerous"
3. "In the Back of My Mind"
4. "Do You Know"
5. "Save Me"
6. "Affairs of the Heart"
7. "When the Sun Goes Down"


Side two
1. "Behind the Mask"
2. "Stand on the Rock"
3. "Hard Feelings"
4. "Freedom"
5. "When It Comes to Love"
6. "The Second Time"

[vivfox]

I picked side 2 for Behind The Mask and Freedom. To this day those remain my fave tracks on that record.

[michelej1]

I like everything on Side 1, except Do You Know.

Thanks for the sig picture, Viv. She's my angel. Well, Scully is. I don't have the energy to watch any of Gillian's new stuff (The Fall, Hannibal, etc.)

Michele

[whitewingdove]

Totally side one for me because to be brutally honest... Save Me and Skise The Limit are really the only songs I reeeally like from the album. I'm nota huge fan of BTM. Affairs Of The Heart is okay but I just prefer the other 2. I rarely even listen to the album let alone side 2

[aleuzzi]

Option 3: Neither. Worst Mac album to date.

Save Me is a pretty good song but even that suffers from a generic arrangement.

[holidayroad]

I chose side 1 because it has more songs that I like than side 2 does.

Side one:

I really like:

1. "Skies the Limit"
3. "In the Back of My Mind"
4. "Do You Know"
5. "Save Me"

These are okay:

2. "Love Is Dangerous"
6. "Affairs of the Heart"

I dislike:

7. "When the Sun Goes Down"

Side two:

I really like:

1. " Behind the Mask"
5. "When It Comes to Love"

These are okay:

3. "Hard Feelings"
4. "Freedom"

I dislike:

2. "Stand on the Rock"
6. "The Second Time"

[Dex]

Originally Posted by vivfox

I picked side 2 for Behind The Mask and Freedom. To this day those remain my fave tracks on that record.

Those are my favourites too. And Affairs of the Heart is actually one of the few Nicks tunes I consider completely unlistenable. However... I still had to go with side 1. Sad though it may be to admit, even with the cringey Affairs, I just find that side much stronger overall.

[michelej1]

I think Behind The Mask is a pretty strong song and a departure for Chris, like Heart of Stone is. I enjoy it.

When it Comes to Love is fine. Other than that, I dislike everything on Side 2.

Michele

[moon]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Option 3: Neither. Worst Mac album to date.

Worse than Time??
I really don't like BTM, but I go with Side 1, only for In the Back of my Mind.
Regards!

[Dex]

I'll go on the record, moon. BTM is definitely worse than Time.

Time doesn't really work as a cohesive statement, but the songwriting on it is consistent accross the board. Same can't be said for BTM, much as I wish it could be.

[mitzo]

Side two, mostly because of The Second Time. Side 1 is dreary except for When the Sun Goes Down and Love is Dangerous.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by moon

Worse than Time??
I really don't like BTM, but I go with Side 1, only for In the Back of my Mind.
Regards!

Yes, worse than Time. I genuinely like about 2/3 of Time and think the best material on it holds up very well. Not so for BTM.

[Mr Scarrott]

I went for side 2, but only because of the title track, which I think is on a par with Christine's best work on Tango, although how much of the songs from the Tango to Time era where her work or Eddie's, we may never know . There's also something about that track that reminds me of Mystery to Me, and the production really works , unlike on most of the rest of the album. Lindsey's contribution, while welcome, is a bit phoned-in, though, which is a shame.

I honestly think that the Second Time could have been so much better if Stevie had been in a better place at that time. Of the other tracks, too many of them are just Mac rewrites (eg Save me, Freedom) or are just plain boring- (Stand on the Rock, When it comes to love, Skies the limit) but In the back of my mind does at least try to be different, even though it doesn't quite achieve its potential. When the Sun Goes Down is almost fun.

I just remember being so disappointed the first time I heard this album and watched its precipitous fall down the UK charts with no surprise whatsoever.

I agree that Time is generally a more enjoyable and rewarding listen, although not without its faults.

[chiliD]

If only they'd ****canned "The Second Time" & put either "Got No Home" or even "Lizard People" in it's place.

I chose Side 1 only because it is the side WITHOUT "The Second Time". IMO, that's the worst song Fleetwood Mac has ever released (although "No Questions Asked" & "Welcome To The Room...Sara" are pretty damned close, too)

Other than it's slightly muddy production, I like most of BTM quite a bit. The other Nicks tunes have grown on me over the years, making the album more listenable than I had originally thought.

"When The Sun Goes Down" is a great group effort. Strong Zydeco feel from Mick & John, with Rick & Billy alternating verses, Christine & Stevie with VERY strong background vocals. Hasn't quite yet, but it's getting close to replacing "In The Back Of My Mind" as my favorite track on the album.

[FierySequences]

aww, I love BTM. The only songs I could live without is 2nd Time and Hard Feelings. The latter isn't really a bad song, and I don't skip it, it just never grew on me. I also loved most of the duets and harmony singing.

I was disapointed when this line-up broke up. If Heart of Stone and Love Shines were any indication what a second album could have been like, it just may have became my most favorite

If I had to pick a side, then side 2 for Freedom, alone.