Q Reviews

[michelej1]

From the August 2009 issue of Q.

Fleetwood Mac

Not so much a new beginning, more of a different band entirely as songwriting duo/romantic item LB and SN joined the now LA-based nucleus of Fleetwood and the McVies, providing much-needed blood and ideas. A smooth blend of rock and pop with a distinctly Californian feel, the album yielded three sizeable US hits, including Rhiannon, eventually topping the charts just under a year after the album's release. Setting the standard for late '70s AOR, this is where, for most, the Mac story really swings into action.

Rumours

Punk be damned. Until Michael Jackson's Thriller came along, Rumours was the best-selling album of all time, now topping 30 million sales. Given the infamous shenanigans going on behind the scenes during the recording -- the break ups, messy infidelities and general sensory overload -- it's amazing they had the time or energy. OUt of that emotioinal cauldron came some immaculate adult pop, not just four US Top 10 hits --- GYOW, Dreams, Don't Stop and YMLF --- but also the crafted likes of SHN and GDW.

Tusk

Following up Rumours was never going to be easy. The best part of 2 years in the making and, at the time, reckoned to be the most costly album ever made, Tusk was the band's indulgent response. Masterminded by Buckingham with Brian Wilson-like obsessiveness, it was a double-viny folly of sometimes maddening, sometimes inspired attention to sonic detail that represented the last word in '70s excess and cocaine chaos. Selling only fractionally as well as its predecessor, and too long by half, there's still enough worthwhile going to merit fresh appraisal.

[Still enough worthwhile? Oh, this just might be worth a rescue from the trash heap? Give me a break.]

Tango In The Night

Just when it looked like the game was up, a whole five years after Mirage, Tango in the Night put a reconvened Fleetwood Mac right back in the mix. The hit singles Big Love, Everywhere, Seven Wonders and Little Lies were firmly in the band's finest , hook-laden tradition, while Caroline and Family Man were solid supporting tracks. Not that band harmony had somehow been magically restored; LB departed once again after deciding he couldn't face touring the album, not returning for another 16 years. [Guess we'll ignore the Dance]

The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac

By no means perfect, but the best one-stop hits collection available for anyone wanting a taste of the Mac without the unnecessary trimmings. While at least taking some note of the Peter Green era by including Albatross, Black Magic Woman and Man of the World, it omits Oh Well and Green's mad-as-a-hatter parting shot The Green Manalishi (With the Two Pronged Crown). The emphasis, though, is right where it should be: on the run of hit singles that started with the wafting Rhiannon, transforming British blues survivors into svelte Californian dreamers.

Fleetwood Mac Live

The obligatory double live album, recorded at different venues during the Tusk tour, when the Mac were still very big business indeed. Rather than simply recreating note-for-note replicas of th hits, it's surprisingly a little rough around the edged, with Buckingham' especially relishing the opportunity to rock it up, even pullit out the old Peter Green number, Oh Well. There's just enough new and unfamiliar stuff to keep things interesting too, including Nicks' Fireflies, Christine McVie's bittersweet One More Night and a Brian Wilson obscurity, The Farmer's Daughter, that shows off their vocal harmonies to the full.

[Sanne2]

No Mirage?

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Sanne2

No Mirage?

Oh they did Mirage. I had started talking about that in the Christine forum and then overlooked it here Here it is.


Mirage, Warners 1982


After Tusk's seeming attempt to sabotage their own career a watertreading live double album, plus solo excursions from Fleetwood, Buckingham and most successfully by far, Nicks (her Bella Donna headed the US album charts in 1981), Mirage marked a return to the Rumours formula. Trouble was it sounded forced and insubstantial by comparison, or as Christine McVie later described, like it was, "reeking of insincerity". The two best moments belong to Nicks and McVie herself for Gypsy and Hold Me respectively, the latter a delightful slice of seduction that effortlessly underlined her pop credentials.

[daniellaaarisen]

Rumours and The Dance may have initiated my interest in Fleetwood Mac, but Tusk singlehandedly maintained it when I began to appreciate less commercialized modern work. That is the album that really helped me appreciate Mac as musicians as well as lyricists-- musicians and lyricists with versatility that "casual" fans will never really get to see unless they give Tusk aq try.

Meh, people annoy me.

[Black_Moon]

"Tusk" is absolutely my favourite Fleetwood Mac album. I hate when reviewers push it to one side because it's 'not as commerically accessible'. Get a grip, most of the best albums by artists are their least commercially accessible. "Tusk" is one of the most creative, interesting albums I've heard, and definitely my favourite of all-time.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by daniellaaarisen

Rumours and The Dance may have initiated my interest in Fleetwood Mac, but Tusk singlehandedly maintained it when I began to appreciate less commercialized modern work. That is the album that really helped me appreciate Mac as musicians as well as lyricists-- musicians and lyricists with versatility that "casual" fans will never really get to see unless they give Tusk aq try.

Meh, people annoy me.

Same here, on all counts. Tusk completely broadened all my musical horizons... it turned me onto the whole world of indie bands, and helped me appreciate and LOVE musical experimentation, even if it doesn't always quite hit it's intended mark. If I had to give up every last one of my Mac albums (including pre 1975, and all the various solo albums) except one, Tusk would be the one I'd keep. There's just so much variety, so much soul, so much heartache, love, and angst in those songs. It may not be the perfectly balanced, tightly packaged pop precision that is Rumours and Tango, but it's still one of the best damn albums of all time!

[michelej1]

I remember when I first heard Tusk I was disappointed. I listened to Sara and I guess I thought the whole album would be like that and, when it wasn't, my reaction was: "What is this??"

Other than Sara, I think the title track is the only one I liked upon first listen.

But I was 16. I'm going to give myself a bit of a break. I grew up.

Michele

[mylittledemon]

That's okay...I didnt like TUSK at first either.

[Black_Moon]

"Tusk" for me was love at first listen. Now "Mirage"... it's only in the last few months that I've grown to like more songs off it than "Gypsy" and "Hold Me".

[FMlex]

Like you guys have said, I didn't like Tusk that much when I first heard it.

Honestly, the first few times I listened to it, these are the only songs I didn't skip:
5. Sara
7. Storms
11. Angel
15. I Know I'm Not Wrong
19. Tusk

Isn't that ridiculous?!

Now though I love each song for different reasons. I think it's a great album. Sure there's some non-commercial material on there, but who cares?! I understand bands are all about selling records and this was a "let down" after the success of Rumours, but even Tusk's odd experimental (Lindsey) songs are great!

[dnightshade]

Originally Posted by Black_Moon

"Tusk" is absolutely my favourite Fleetwood Mac album. I hate when reviewers push it to one side because it's 'not as commerically accessible'. Get a grip, most of the best albums by artists are their least commercially accessible. "Tusk" is one of the most creative, interesting albums I've heard, and definitely my favourite of all-time.

I always love hearing this sort of thing. Tusk is so underrated and yet filled with such amazing music.

[daniellaaarisen]

I've been listening to the album all day because this thread really got me thinking about it.

I've never appreciated "Brown Eyes" until about 30 minutes ago.

[PenguinHead]

It's not that I didn't like Tusk when it was first released. I was just a bit confused about it, much like the rest of the public. We were thrown off by expectations based on Fleetwood Mac's two previous albums.

I recall being very intrigued by the album artwork. If you had the original vinyl version you will know what I mean -- sleeves within sleeves, bizzare photos and graphics...it was all very mysterious to me. At the time I thought that some of the songs could have been even better if they sounded more polished, like the previous albums. There were less harmonies, and Lindsey's songs were challenging and not intially accessible.

Of course, as time passed I (and the rest of the world) began to see the brilliance of Lindsey's vision and production, and had a newfound respect for the album as a whole. This stands as a good example for why I fear for state of music in general, and the artform of the album -- all courtesy of the iTunes generation.

What if an album, such as Tusk, was only released piece-meal, as seperate songs? Would you give the entire body of work the chance to grow on you, or would you give each song a 25 second preview and just buy the several songs that hit you at that moment? Instant gratification is just that, but in the process you may dismiss things/music that you otherwise would grow to appreciate and love, if you just gave them some time.