New Fleetwood Mac tribute album to be released September 14

[vivfox]

Fleetwood Mac tribute album features MGMT, The Kills, Antony Hegarty, and more
By Alex Young on June 17th, 2012 in Guest Heavy News

Fleetwood Mac will be honored with a new covers album featuring MGMT, The Kills, Best Coast, Lykke Li, Antony Hegarty, The New Pornographers, Washed Out, and more, reports Direct Current. The untitled set was produced by Randall Poster, who previously handled the Buddy Holly tribute album Rave On... It will be released on September 14th via Hear Music/Concord.

Direct Current adds that “each of the contributing artists had complete independent control over the style and vision for their songs. The result is a collection of often radically reworked versions of well-known (and some more obscure) Fleetwood Mac songs.”

Previously, Best Coast did a pretty great cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Storms”, but that cover won’t be appearing on the new tribute album.

Fleetwood Mac Tribute Album Tracklist:
01. Entrance Band – Green Manalishi
02. Crystal Ark – Tusk
03. Best Coast – Rhiannon
04. The New Pornographes – Think About Me
05. MGMT – Future Games
06. Marianne Faithful – Angel
07. Antony Hegarty – Landslide
08. Ranaldo and Mascis – Albatross
09. Trixie Whitley – Before the Beginning
10. Washed Out – Straight Back
11. Super Wolf – Storms
12. The Kills – Dreams
13. Gardens and Villa – Gypsy
14. Billy Gibbons – Oh Well
15. Lykke Li – Silver Springs

http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/06/fleetwood-mac-tribute-album-features-mgmt-the-kills-anthony-hegarty-and-more/

[vivfox]

Fleetwood Mac Tribute Album To Feature MGMT, The Kills, Best Coast + More
Written by Mike Hohnen on 18th June, 2012

A tribute album set to pay homage to the amazing career of Fleetwood Mac is well into production, with a release date set for August 14. Being produced by Randall Poster, who worked behind the scenes on the Buddy Holly tribute album Roll on, has ensured that this particular tribute will set itself apart from the others.
Rather than following common convention and employing the use of similar bands from the same era as Fleetwood Mac, Poster has enlisted a series of young, relevant, buzzworthy artists such as MGMT covering Future Games, Best Coast covering Rhiannon, The New Pornographers on Think About Me and a whole lot more indie-infused renditions of Fleetwood classics.

What’s more, according to Direct Current Music website, the bands were given total creative sovereignty over their given song. The result of this is a series of “radically reworked versions of well-known (and some more obscure) Fleetwood Mac songs”.

Best Coast released an absolute gem of a Fleetwood Mac cover that didn’t make the cut for the album but made them an essential band to have on the official release.

Fleetwood Mac Tribute Album Tracklist:
01. Entrance Band – Green Manalishi
02. Crystal Ark – Tusk
03. Best Coast – Rhiannon
04. The New Pornographes – Think About Me
05. MGMT – Future Games
06. Marianne Faithful – Angel
07. Antony Hegarty – Landslide
08. Ranaldo and Mascis – Albatross
09. Trixie Whitley – Before the Beginning
10. Washed Out – Straight Back
11. Super Wolf – Storms
12. The Kills – Dreams
13. Gardens and Villa – Gypsy
14. Billy Gibbons – Oh Well
15. Lykke Li – Silver Springs

http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/fleetwood-mac-tribute-album-to-feature-mgmt-the-kills-best-coast-more/

[vivfox]

A tribute album set to pay homage to the amazing career of Fleetwood Mac is well into production, with a release date set for August 14.


This article says the release date is August 14th and the other one says Sept. 14th, so I don't know which one is accurate. All I know is if it was a brand new FM album they were talking about it would be delayed and delayed forever.

[aleuzzi]

It's practically a Stevie-in-FM tribute! Four Green tunes, two Bob W., one Lindsey, one Christine, 0 Danny...

[vivfox]

Fleetwood Mac Tribute Feat. The Kills, J Mascis, More
June 18, 2012

Be it James Murphy’s oft-mentioned “Sara” obsession or Cat Power’s “Dreams”, indie artists have always had a soft spot for one of the best major-label acts of the ’70s. Now comes the inevitable indie-centric tribute record, but (aside from its impressive lineup) one name producing the project promises an excellent set as a whole: Randall Poster. He’s the music supervisor behind one of last year’s best tribute LPs, Rave On Buddy Holly, and Wes Anderson’s right-hand man on the Moonrise Kingdom OST,among other efforts of note.

This time, Poster recruited Antony Hegarty to sing “Landslide”, the Kills to take on “Dreams”, Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis for “Albatross”, and others. Also among the tracklist (via Direct Current) is a Blake Mills-produced cut by Billy Gibbons and a band perhaps misspelled in the press release as Super Wolf. Something tells me, given a few typos spotted, they might mean Superwolf, the duo Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney formed in 2005. Due out August 14th via Hear Music/Concord.

http://www.twentyfourbit.com/2012/06/fleetwood-mac-tribute-feat-the-kills-j-mascis-more/

[goliath111]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/best-coast-mgmt-the-kills-unite-for-fleetwood-mac-tribute-20120618


Entrance Band "The Green Manalishi"
Crystal Ark "Tusk"
Best Coast "Rhiannon"
The New Pornographers "Think About Me"
MGMT "Future Games"
Marianne Faithfull "Angel"
Antony Hegarty "Landslide"
Ranaldo and Mascis "Albatross"
Trixie Whitley "Before the Beginning"
Washed Out "Straight Back"
Super Wolf "Storms"
The Kills "Dreams"
Gardens and Villa "Gypsy"
Billy Gibbons "Oh Well"
Lykke Li "Silver Springs"

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/best-coast-mgmt-the-kills-unite-for-fleetwood-mac-tribute-20120618#ixzz1y9Wt6wcT

[Dodfather]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/best-coast-mgmt-the-kills-unite-for-fleetwood-mac-tribute-20120618



The New Pornographers "Think About Me"
MGMT "Future Games"
Marianne Faithfull "Angel"

Ranaldo and Mascis "Albatross"
Trixie Whitley "Before the Beginning"
Washed Out "Straight Back"
Super Wolf "Storms"


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/best-coast-mgmt-the-kills-unite-for-fleetwood-mac-tribute-20120618#ixzz1y9Wt6wcT

That is an incredibly random tracklist! Brilliant.

[HejiraNYC]

06. Marianne Faithful – Angel


:thumbsup: I think this has the potential to be amazing.

[sushud82]

Fleetwood Mac Tribute Album Tracklist:

04. The New Pornographes – Think About Me
05. MGMT – Future Games
06. Marianne Faithful – Angel
10. Washed Out – Straight Back
12. The Kills – Dreams
15. Lykke Li – Silver Springs

Pretty excited to hear these tracks! Especially Washed Out...I can finally get my partner to listen to Fleetwood Mac, haha.

Susan

[vivfox]

This is already posted in the Fleetwood Mac forum.

[Macfanforever]

I never heard of any of these artists.I love to see a country tribute to FM Rumours like they were talking about a couple of years ago.

[ButterCookie]

It's practically a Stevie-in-FM tribute! Four Green tunes, two Bob W., one Lindsey, one Christine, 0 Danny...

Mm. My thoughts exactly. Looking forward to Marianne's cover of Angel but I'll probably give the rest a miss.

[Macfanforever]

Wow I never heard of most of these artists.I hope they sound good.

[MacShadowsBall]

It's practically a Stevie-in-FM tribute! Four Green tunes, two Bob W., one Lindsey, one Christine, 0 Danny...

I know seriously only one Christine song!:(

I was assuming "Angel" was Stevie's song or is it Welch's? Anyhow, good for Welch and Peter to have some songs included on this project.

Wow I never heard of most of these artists.I hope they sound good.

Same thing I said...never heard of these artists, but I don't keep up with current music.:shrug:

[britt0308]

Angel is Stevie's from Tusk..

I'm really really excited about this and glad each artist had the artistic freedom to make each song their own. I like a lot of these groups own songs and know most of them have cited FM as very large influences on their work. Can't wait!!

Oh! And also GREAT call to include these groups so it can be introduced to younger (MY ;) ) generation!!

[Sanne2]

Same thing I said...never heard of these artists, but I don't keep up with current music.:shrug:

Not even Marianne Faithfull? She's 65.

[TrueFaith77]

:thumbsup: I think this has the potential to be amazing.

Mm. My thoughts exactly. Looking forward to Marianne's cover of Angel but I'll probably give the rest a miss.

This is the only one that piqued my interest.

Though it's interesting she didn't do GDW (FM's Sister Morphine).

[BombaySapphire3]

I'm looking forward to this one ..It promises to be more interesting than the generic mostly major astist Rumours tribute that came out over a decade ago.

[Richard B]

Cool...love The Kills and other of these indie artists.
The pre-order is up on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Just-Tell-That-You-Want/dp/B005VR9198/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1340048211&sr=8-10&keywords=fleetwood+mac+tribute). Looks like Aug 14, 2012 is the release date.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Fa0xycPGL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
Seems as though Amazon is reporting 17 tracks, as opposed to the 15 tracks from the articles Viv posted.
1. Albatross [Lee Ranaldo Band featuring J Mascis]
2. Landslide [Antony]
3. Before The Beginning [Trixie Whitley]
4. Oh Well Billy [Gibbons & Co.]
5. Rhiannon [Best Coast]
6. Think About Me [The New Pornographers]
7. Angel [Marianne Faithfull]
8. Silver Springs [Lykke Li]
9. Gold Dust Woman [Karen Elson]
10. Storms [Matt Sweeney and Bonnie Prince Billy]
11. Straight Back [Washed Out]
12. Thats All For Everyone [Tame Impala]
13. Sisters Of The Moon [Craig Wedren with St. Vincent]
14. Dreams [The Kills]
15. Gypsy [Gardens & Villa]
16. Tusk [The Crystal Ark]
17. Future Games [MGMT]

[vivfox]

Anyone know what album Before The Beginning is from and who originally sang it?

[MacFan92]

I'm not gonna lie, I'm actually really excited about this. Who would've thought we'd see something like this that wasn't all Rumours album stuff? It does seem very Stevie-centric but I like a lot of the obscure song choices such as Angel and Straight Back.

[vivfox]

Angel is Stevie's from Tusk..


Sometime before Stevie joined the band FM had a song called Angel.

[britt0308]

Sometime before Stevie joined the band FM had a song called Angel.

Oh really?! Thanks for pointing that out Vivfox. I'm pretty familiar with pre-rumours era suff but I'll go check that out. And honestly, since this tribute album isn't "greatest hits" centered, that is totally a possibility. Which I love!!

[vivfox]

britt0308, I'm not saying that the Angel from this upcoming album is the earlier FM Angel. I was just pointing out to you that FM has had 2 seperate songs with that title because you answered someone else's quote asking about the song. More than likely it will be Stevies' Angel on this recording.

[MikeInNV]

This article says the release date is August 14th and the other one says Sept. 14th, so I don't know which one is accurate. All I know is if it was a brand new FM album they were talking about it would be delayed and delayed forever.

Aren't albums always released on Tuesdays? That would mean August 14.

[MikeInNV]

The track listing here includes 17 songs. It adds "Gold Dust Woman" by Karen Elson and "Sisters of the Moon" by Craig Wedren with St. Vincent.

http://www.nickslive.blogspot.com/

[Macfanforever]

Not even Marianne Faithfull? She's 65.

I know seriously only one Christine song!:(

I was assuming "Angel" was Stevie's song or is it Welch's? Anyhow, good for Welch and Peter to have some songs included on this project.



Same thing I said...never heard of these artists, but I don't keep up with current music.:shrug:

It must be my eyes.After posting my statment I just notice Marianne Faithfull's name on the album.I do like her tunes.The others I will give them a try.
Ok are these alt Rock artists or pop artists.

[britt0308]

britt0308, I'm not saying that the Angel from this upcoming album is the earlier FM Angel. I was just pointing out to you that FM has had 2 seperate songs with that title because you answered someone else's quote asking about the song. More than likely it will be Stevies' Angel on this recording.

No i got that! I wasn't aware there was another song with the same title. And who knows, it may very well be a surprise and be the earlier song ;) Just saying it was up for grabs!

[britt0308]

It must be my eyes.After posting my statment I just notice Marianne Faithfull's name on the album.I do like her tunes.The others I will give them a try.
Ok are these alt Rock artists or pop artists.

The majority of the included artists tend to be characterized as indie rock or alternative bands.

[Phil]

What happened to Michelle Branch's version of "Say You Love Me", as produced by Stevie Nicks? Was that due to be included on another FM tribute album?

[Macfanforever]

The majority of the included artists tend to be characterized as indie rock or alternative bands.

Ok Thanks.I'll will check the cd out when it comes avail.

[MacShadowsBall]

Anyone know what album Before The Beginning is from and who originally sang it?

"Before the Beginning" is a Peter Green Mac song from Then Play On album from 1969.

Then Play On could be considered the blues era Mac's "big" album a la Mystery to Me for the Welch era and Rumours for the Rumours era.

Much like Angel and Straight Back for Stevie, "Before the Beginning" is not really one of Peter's top Mac songs, so it's inclusion is kinda obscure. :cool:

[Artemis]

If only their tour setlist could be as varied as this. Although, it does seem ridiculously Stevie-heavy.

Most excited to hear The Kills cover Dreams, I think they'll nail it;

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MgaHy7DYs3g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Sanne2]

You can listen to Think About Me by The New Pornographers here:
http://www.spin.com/articles/best-coast-mgmt-cover-fleetwood-mac-tribute-comp
I like it!

[deribish]

that THINK ABOUT ME is AMAZING!!!! love it!!

[kara]

That's an interesting track list.

[forever]

I was wondering which Angel was on that list, too. It's easier to imagine Marianne Faithfull performing the Stevie Nicks song, though I'd love it if she's chosen the Bob Welch song.

[britt0308]

Rolling Stone posted the Oh Well from the album today..I know Lindsey's version is incredible but this is a slowed down, grittier version that I'm LOVING. Thoughts?
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/song-premiere-billy-gibbons-and-co-oh-well-20120621?stop_mobi=yes

Lykke Li posted this herself on twitter/fb yesterday: http://www.facebook.com/lykkeli/posts/10150895713102199

And I found the radio session she was talking about, check it out!
http://www.rtl2.fr/video/7748322782/silver-spring

Ps sorry for so many links! :)

[TrueFaith77]

What happened to Michelle Branch's version of "Say You Love Me", as produced by Stevie Nicks? Was that due to be included on another FM tribute album?

good point

:lol:

[vivfox]

And I found the radio session she was talking about, check it out!
http://www.rtl2.fr/video/7748322782/silver-spring



The acoustic guitar in this was so monotonous it mad the song boring to me. She's a good singer. I wouldn't call her a great one.

The Billy Gibbons link was gone from the link you posted.

[Street_Dreamer]

Nice to see a variety from different eras of the band. Hopefully it will help attract new listeners to FM.

Matt

[britt0308]

The acoustic guitar in this was so monotonous it mad the song boring to me. She's a good singer. I wouldn't call her a great one.

The Billy Gibbons link was gone from the link you posted.

Totally agree with you..I think more so I'm excited about the potential of her recording Silver Springs from that live clip. Kinda disappointed she didn't get more intense with emotion and vocals at the end like we're used to from Stevie. I can see the 'monotonous' feeling based on that.

Oops! Here it is again, maybe because I posted from my iPhone? SORRY!!!

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/song-premiere-billy-gibbons-and-co-oh-well-20120621

[vivfox]

Oops! Here it is again, maybe because I posted from my iPhone? SORRY!!!

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/song-premiere-billy-gibbons-and-co-oh-well-20120621


No need to apologize, darling. It still doesn't work for me. Maybe it's just my computer because all I get is this and an empty box:
Listen to Billy Gibbons & Co.'s "Oh Well":

[britt0308]

No need to apologize, darling. It still doesn't work for me. Maybe it's just my computer because all I get is this and an empty box:
Listen to Billy Gibbons & Co.'s "Oh Well":

Ah man, anyone else have the same problem or a tip for Vivfox? It's still working for me right now and I'm on my laptop. :shrug:

[vivfox]

Ah man, anyone else have the same problem or a tip for Vivfox? It's still working for me right now and I'm on my laptop. :shrug:

It ain't the end of the world for me. It's like over in the Stevie forum. All the pics that are posted by Dragoon are unseeable to me. The are just boxes with a little red X in them. All of them, all the time, yet others can see them as they comment on them.

[iamnotafraid]

Seems as though Amazon is reporting 17 tracks, as opposed to the 15 tracks from the articles Viv posted.

9. Gold Dust Woman [Karen Elson]


Seeing the original list of artists I was wondering
could there possibly be two tribute albums??? But
no, after receiving an email from Third Man Records
confirming Elson's performance I guess we have only
one. Let's hope it's much better than the Legacy
tribute.

[SteveMacD]

I was going to skip this, but I realize I've met and/or gotten drunk with a few people on it.

[KarmaContestant]

04. The New Pornographes – Think About Me


This is really the only one I'm looking forward to; and really hoping Neko Case is on vocals.

Eidt: And...just listened, and she's not and oh well.

Karen Elson doing Gold Dust Woman could be interesting, if it makes the tracklist.

[SteveMacD]

This is really the only one I'm looking forward to; and really hoping Neko Case is on vocals.

ME TOO!!!

(BTW, f*ck that guy behind the Marshall amp filming this from the band's perspective. He looks like a total douche. Betcha he's a real drunk pr*ck.)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/y3HfgCoL8mY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[gldstwmn]

06. Marianne Faithful – Angel

Can't wait to hear this.

[dougl]

nice

http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a388159/mgmt-lykke-li-the-kills-for-fleetwood-mac-tribute-album.html

[britt0308]

nice

http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a388159/mgmt-lykke-li-the-kills-for-fleetwood-mac-tribute-album.html

Not the version that'll be included but still a nice cover!

[Christopher]

NPR's All Songs Considered is streaming Best Coasts cover of "Rhiannon"
http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2012/06/26/155728703/song-premiere-best-coast-performs-fleetwood-macs-rhiannon?sc=tw&cc=twmp

"Best Coast covers Fleetwood Mac's 1975 smash "Rhiannon" on a forthcoming tribute album — a task which clearly requires quite a bit of reverence, to the point where singer Bethany Cosentino even channels Stevie Nicks' warbling rasp. And, while the song's familiar guitar line is replaced with a dramatically simplified piano melody, the result captures the melancholic yearning of "Rhiannon" — its mystical side, its understanding of unattainable love — without losing the beach-bound giddiness of Best Coast's simple, shiny sound. (Which should come as no surprise: Few albums this year mix shininess with melancholy quite like Best Coast's The Only Place.)

Best Coast's "Rhiannon" cover will appear on Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, out August 14. The New Pornographers' version of "Think About Me" is already kicking around, while other album participants include Antony Hegarty, MGMT, Marianne Faithfull, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, St. Vincent, Lykke Li, The Kills and many others."

[nailatixela]

You can take a listen to Oh Well, Rhiannon, and Think About Me.

http://www.justtellmethatyouwantme.com/

Think About ME sounds awesome!

[chiliD]

"...And, while the song's familiar guitar line is replaced with a dramatically simplified piano melody...."

Ummmm...I guess they meant "just like the song was original written". :shrug: :nod:

[WildHearted]

Ummmm...I guess they meant "just like the song was original written". :shrug: :nod:

Yes, the song was written on piano, but that's not how the song was originally written... the chord progression in the Best Coast version is totally different.


Not to mention that their cover is the most horrible thing I have ever laid ears on and I wish I had never clicked play. So many questions: namely, WHY.

[BombaySapphire3]

Not to mention that their cover is the most horrible thing I have ever laid ears on and I wish I had never clicked play. So many questions: namely, WHY.

It is bad ..but to be fair Stevie Nicks originals are very difficult to cover .For the most part La Nicks herself is the only one that can make them really work.A testament to her originality.

[britt0308]

It is bad ..but to be fair Stevie Nicks originals are very difficult to cover .For the most part La Nicks herself is the only one that can make them really work.A testament to her originality.

^THIS. :thumbsup: I agree 100%.

Here's a soundcloud link for all 4 songs now officially available. On my way to work they had also released Landslide & Future Games, but have since updated and removed them when I just went to post the link!

http://soundcloud.com/concordmusicgroup/sets/just-tell-me-that-you-want-me/

Giving major props to Silver Springs..WAY better than the live post I found last week. Stays true to the original yet makes it sound 'modern' if that's even accurate. I don't know but I'm digging it!!

Rhiannon..not so much :shrug: but then again what would we be satisfied with?!

[AliceLover]

^THIS. :thumbsup: I agree 100%.

Here's a soundcloud link for all 4 songs now officially available. On my way to work they had also released Landslide & Future Games, but have since updated and removed them when I just went to post the link!

http://soundcloud.com/concordmusicgroup/sets/just-tell-me-that-you-want-me/

Giving major props to Silver Springs..WAY better than the live post I found last week. Stays true to the original yet makes it sound 'modern' if that's even accurate. I don't know but I'm digging it!!

Rhiannon..not so much :shrug: but then again what would we be satisfied with?!

Really, I think SS blows hard!

[Artemis]

I really like Silver Springs by Lykke Li, Rhiannon by Best Coast is something of a disappointment though, but there are no words to describe how much I like the New Pornographers cover of Think About Me, I've had it blasting in my car all week. :D

[Christopher]

^THIS. :thumbsup: I agree 100%.

Here's a soundcloud link for all 4 songs now officially available. On my way to work they had also released Landslide & Future Games, but have since updated and removed them when I just went to post the link!

http://soundcloud.com/concordmusicgroup/sets/just-tell-me-that-you-want-me/

Giving major props to Silver Springs..WAY better than the live post I found last week. Stays true to the original yet makes it sound 'modern' if that's even accurate. I don't know but I'm digging it!!

Rhiannon..not so much :shrug: but then again what would we be satisfied with?!

Thanks for the Link!

"Silver Springs" is incredible! It has a very Phil Spector "wall of sound" quality. And I love the melancholic sonic quality -- beautiful and haunting --without trying to imitate the yearned for angst of Stevie's performance.

"Think About Me" has really grown on me! And Billy Gibbons & Co. successfully turned "Oh Well" into a swampy lizard dirge with TEETH!

Now, I have to say the first time I listened to Beast Coasts "Rhiannon" I was appalled & turned away in disgust. Upon 2nd & 3rd listen, it has some charm, but ultimately, to me they reduced it to a nursery rhyme, 1st grade attempt devoid of any feeling or maturity.

[UndoingTheLaces]

NPR's All Songs Considered is streaming Best Coasts cover of "Rhiannon"
http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2012/06/26/155728703/song-premiere-best-coast-performs-fleetwood-macs-rhiannon?sc=tw&cc=twmp

"Best Coast covers Fleetwood Mac's 1975 smash "Rhiannon" on a forthcoming tribute album — a task which clearly requires quite a bit of reverence, to the point where singer Bethany Cosentino even channels Stevie Nicks' warbling rasp. And, while the song's familiar guitar line is replaced with a dramatically simplified piano melody, the result captures the melancholic yearning of "Rhiannon" — its mystical side, its understanding of unattainable love — without losing the beach-bound giddiness of Best Coast's simple, shiny sound. (Which should come as no surprise: Few albums this year mix shininess with melancholy quite like Best Coast's The Only Place.)

Best Coast's "Rhiannon" cover will appear on Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, out August 14. The New Pornographers' version of "Think About Me" is already kicking around, while other album participants include Antony Hegarty, MGMT, Marianne Faithfull, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, St. Vincent, Lykke Li, The Kills and many others."


I like this a lot but I'm surprised on the few covers of Rhiannon I've heard over the years that nobody seems to venture into the uncharted territory of the live versions or the piano demo. It would be really cool to hear a punk band do it in the style of the Buckingham Nicks live performances. Or maybe a goth band start out with the piano demo and move into the wild ferocity of the Rosebud live version. There's so many great versions to be inspired by but when the let it fade at "dreams unwind" it always makes me wish there was more.

[WildHearted]

I like this a lot but I'm surprised on the few covers of Rhiannon I've heard over the years that nobody seems to venture into the uncharted territory of the live versions or the piano demo. It would be really cool to hear a punk band do it in the style of the Buckingham Nicks live performances. Or maybe a goth band start out with the piano demo and move into the wild ferocity of the Rosebud live version. There's so many great versions to be inspired by but when the let it fade at "dreams unwind" it always makes me wish there was more.

Obviously I'm completely insignificant, but the few times I've played Rhiannon at coffee houses and such I've done it acoustically but I went the whole way through, down to every last "all the same" lmao.

[tothegypsy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxnFNiugdb8&feature=player_embedded

I love Antony, and this version is quite nice, but I'm surprised how faithful he was to Stevie's rendition.

[Bryan]

The more tracks I hear from this "tribute" album the more of a travesty it appears to be. YIKES. Just a load of the trendiest "cool" artists trying to say heyy dudes FM was a total inspiration to us.I bet ya half 'em never listened to an entire Mac album in their lives

[shackin'up]

This tribute is one of the coolest things FM could hope for. It's real impressive list of indie artists from today and long ago. I'm totally psyched about Gibbons deconstruction of Oh Well, brilliant, The New Pornographers captured the soul of Think About Me in an impressive way, so did Lykke Li, and I'm touched by Antony's Landslide. But who's not touched by Antony and the Johnsons. MGMT really freaks out ( I love that!). I'm looking forward to hear Tame Impala, who I like very much just as Bonnie Prince Billy and my old heroes Ranaldo from Sonic Youth and J. Mascis from Dinosuar Jr.

This is a very deep bow to FM's history, all their innovative era's are represented, by a string of very influencial indie-acts. This is what I call a tribute.

[michelej1]

Comments on Hegarty's rendition
http://www.twentyfourbit.com/2012/07/antony-hegarty-landslide/

July 2, 2012

In which Antony makes hitting the bittersweet mark on “Landslide” seem easy with a solid rendition of Stevie Nicks’ great breakup tune. Had a feeling this would be a standout from the new Fleetwood Mac
covers set, and it did not disappoint. Hegarty keeps things understated with light, fingerpicked guitar faithful to the original and his fragile-as-glass voice. “Well, I’ve been afraid of changing, ’cause I built my life around you.” That’s still one of the best overt yet completely moving lyrics ever in my book. Hear his cover above (via Noisey).

http://www.prefixmag.com/media/antony/landslide-fleetwood-mac-cover/66856/

Despite all their other hits, Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" is very arguably the band's finest moment, a Stevie Nicks-led lament with beautiful finger-picked guitar. And for his contribution to the 16-track Fleetwood tribute JustTell Me That You Want Me, out August 14, Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons took the 1975 track for a spin. Overall, Antony's is very much similar to the original, save for his familiar, androgynous tone that's hard not to get carried off with.

http://exclaim.ca/MusicVideo/ClickHear/antony_hegarty-landslide_fleetwood_mac_cover

By Josiah Hughes

As we learned last month, a large group of indie artists have teamed up to cover Fleetwood Mac on a new compilation called Just Tell Me That You Want Me. We've already heard contributions from the New Pornographers and Lykke Li, and now Antony Hegarty's contribution is available to stream.

Taking on the 1975 classic "Landslide," Hegarty sounds a lot like himself, pushing out his haunting and unique vocals atop some gently picked guitars. It's straightforward, but it works like a charm.

[michelej1]

Lykke Li Covers Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Silver Springs’

by: Dave Kim July 1, 2012
http://diffuser.fm/lykke-li-fleetwood-mac-silver-springs/

Fleetwood Mac have the honor of seeing a tribute album full of some of today’s best indie rock artists cover songs spanning their entire career. One of those artists is Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li, and you can listen to her faithful rendition of ‘Silver Springs’ below.

Li manages to make her version of ‘Silver Springs’ sound like a dream-pop track. The song is done in a Best Coast-style presentation, which is appropriate since that band also covered a Fleetwood Mac song for ‘Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac,’ choosing ‘Rhiannon’ as their contribution. Li’s ‘Silver Springs’ excludes the piano strokes as well, but her voice is almost identical to Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks’ vocals on the live version that was released in 1997.

The original ‘Silver Springs’ has an interesting place in Fleetwood Mac lore. The song was originally supposed to appear on the band’s 1977 album, ‘Rumours,’ but was kept off the final cut due to time constraints. It was kept as a B-side to the first ‘Rumours’ single, ‘Go Your Own Way,’ and didn’t see a proper release on its own until 20 years later. This was one of the first signs of growing tensions within the music legends’ camp in the late ’70s.

‘Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac’ will be available on Sept. 14. Aside from Lykke Li and Best Coast, other covers were recorded by MGMT, the Kills, the New Pornographers and more.

[TrueFaith77]

I am not touched by Antony. BUT did you hear his production of the most recent Kid Creole & The Coconuts album? The album was pretty wonderful.

[Bryan]

This is a very deep bow to FM's history, all their innovative era's are represented, by a string of very influencial indie-acts. This is what I call a tribute.

*rechecks artists on tribute album* ... *scratches head in confusion*

lololololololol:blob2:

[shackin'up]

*rechecks artists on tribute album* ... *scratches head in confusion*

lololololololol:blob2:

If you don't see that Marianne faithful, Dinosaur JR, Sonic youth, MGMT, Antony and the Johnsons, Bonnie prince billy (Will oldham, palace brothers) and Billy gibbons are influencial indie acts, you simply don't know what influencial indie- acts are.

[TrueFaith77]

If you don't see that Marianne faithful, Dinosaur JR, Sonic youth, MGMT, Antony and the Johnsons, Bonnie prince billy (Will oldham, palace brothers) and Billy gibbons are influencial indie acts, you simply don't know what influencial indie- acts are.

Influence is not necessarily a good thing. It shares the same route as influenza. And I don't know why I anyone would want to know who are influential indie acts (I presume that means: they influence OTHER indie acts lol).

Anyway, I think Marianne Faithful might influence indie acts, but I don't consider her an indie artist. Anybody catch her cameo in MADE IN USA? It's one of the peaks of cinema--and if you don't know it, you simply don't know what peaks of cinema are.

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/johndemetry/25_favourite_movies_of_all_time_

[shackin'up]

Influence is not necessarily a good thing. It shares the same route as influenza. And I don't know why I anyone would want to know who are influential indie acts (I presume that means: they influence OTHER indie acts lol).

Anyway, I think Marianne Faithful might influence indie acts, but I don't consider her an indie artist. Anybody catch her cameo in MADE IN USA? It's one of the peaks of cinema--and if you don't know it, you simply don't know what peaks of cinema are.

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/johndemetry/25_favourite_movies_of_all_time_
I was not talking to you. And yes, she was an indie act as a singer.

[Bryan]

If you don't see that Marianne faithful, Dinosaur JR, Sonic youth, MGMT, Antony and the Johnsons, Bonnie prince billy (Will oldham, palace brothers) and Billy gibbons are influencial indie acts, you simply don't know what influencial indie- acts are.

If you say so.
I am a fan of Marianne Faithfull,& Dinosaur Jr are great, but largely the others I don't care for,and MGMT raped Future Games,that is unforgivable.
The Legacy-Rumours Tribute in the 90's was much more appropriate and at least the label & artists on that one weren't aiming for the ''cool'' indie cred.
This one is so transparent it's laughable.. ALL of those acts are looking to gain some much LOST ground in the music world following heavy flops.
They 'aint gonna get it back this way....

[shackin'up]

If you say so.
I am a fan of Marianne Faithfull,& Dinosaur Jr are great, but largely the others I don't care for,and MGMT raped Future Games,that is unforgivable.
The Legacy-Rumours Tribute in the 90's was much more appropriate and at least the label & artists on that one weren't aiming for the ''cool'' indie cred.
This one is so transparent it's laughable.. ALL of those acts are looking to gain some much LOST ground in the music world following heavy flops.
They 'aint gonna get it back this way....

I like it. I bet you didn't care for camper van beethoven's Tusk ? I can see that you don't like MGMT's take, i did not mean that i will like every contribution on this. I just meant that this is à cool tribute. But you seem to know what is appropriate. That legacy album was incredibly dull. The indie approach irritates you, but I've always looked at FM as an indiepopband outside of their worldwide hits.

[Bryan]

I like it. I bet you didn't care for camper van beethoven's Tusk ? I can see that you don't like MGMT's take, i did not mean that i will like every contribution on this. I just meant that this is à cool tribute. But you seem to know what is appropriate. That legacy album was incredibly dull. The indie approach irritates you, but I've always looked at FM as an indiepopband outside of their worldwide hits.

I liked CVB doing Tusk. Again it makes more sense to take a whole album and tip their hats to Fleetwood Mac through new versions in their own style.
But this bunch hand picking songs to desecrate in a cynical attempt to leech off the name Fleetwood Mac in order to get their foot back in the very door that was slammed in their hipster faces not too long ago.
These versions are just note for note copies of the originals,what is the point in covering these songs if they don't even have the creativity to make the song their own? It's a waste.

[britt0308]

http://nickslive.blogspot.com/2012/07/listen-now-karen-elsons-take-on-gold.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FleetwoodMacNews+%28Fleetwood+Mac+News+and+Reviews%29&m=1

[WildHearted]

Gold Dust Woman was weird, but pretty good, and still had that kind of spooky vibe going on until the chorus and then it kind of lost it.... I think it really needs the bottom harmony which it didn't add in until the very end.

I appreciate the wacked out arrangement though. It's different yet still pretty true to the original in an odd sort of way.

Not something I would ever listen to again probably (the only one I like enough for that is the Think About Me Cover, so far), but it's pretty good.

[Artemis]

I really like this cover of Gold Dust Woman, probably one of the harder Stevie songs to cover really. I can't help but feel this album's biggest strength and weakness is going to be the abundance of Stevie songs :laugh:

[michelej1]

[You can click to hear]

http://exclaim.ca/MusicVideo/ClickHear/karen_elson-gold_dust_woman

By Sarah Murphy

The Fleetwood Mac covers just keep rolling in. This time it's Karen Elson's version of "Gold Dust Woman," which also appears on Just Tell Me That You Want Me: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac.

The new version of the track by Jack White's ex-wife was produced by recent White colleague Beck, bringing the collaborative love full circle.

We've previously heard Fleetwood Mac covers from Antony Hegarty, Lykke Li and the New Pornographers off the same album, but you can check out Karen Elson's contribution "Gold Dust Woman" below now.

The tribute disc arrives August 14 via Hear Music/Concord Music Group.

[TrueFaith77]

My editor wants me to write about the CD.

[kenzo]

Of the tracks available for preview so far:

Great
Best Coast – Rhiannon
Karen Elson - Gold Dust Woman

Good
The New Pornographers – Think About Me
Billy Gibbons – Oh Well

OK
Antony Hegarty – Landslide

Abysmal
Lykke Li – Silver Springs
MGMT – Future Games

As always, IMHO, YMMV, etc.

[David]

If you don't see that Marianne faithful, Dinosaur JR, Sonic youth, MGMT, Antony and the Johnsons, Bonnie prince billy (Will oldham, palace brothers) and Billy gibbons are influencial indie acts, you simply don't know what influencial indie- acts are.
"Rhiannon" had me laughing out loud. I really enjoyed it that much. If "indie" means anything these days, it means melding incommensurate elements. In this case (Best Coast), it's the humor at the root of all these elements you would never expect to hear: Fleetwood Mac gets criticized for being a I-IV-V pop-song band that's too repetitive, so this Best Coast band turns the song into a I-IV-V pop song with a ridiculously repetitive piano (in a major key, no less, unlike the original). It's kind of stupid-brilliant. It's quite ironic and quite funny. That's the true deconstruction—you pull the suppositions apart until you uncover the irresolvable bias beneath (the musical aporia). What could be less mystical than this Rhiannon?

It also made me think of the game most musicians play at some point (usually when they're bored out of their everloving minds)—they turn a minor song major, or a major song minor. It's a garage band's parlour game.

[Christopher]

"By my count, we’ve now heard about a third of the forthcoming indie-rock Fleetwood Mac tribute Just Tell Me That You Want Me, and the tracks just keep on coming. Today, we get the Kills covering the iconic “Dreams.” I think Alison Mosshart is an excellent stand-in for Stevie Nicks, although the Kills’ raw minimalism is a stark contrast to the Mac’s robust studio instrumentation. Check it out below."
http://stereogum.com/1089701/the-kills-dreams-fleetwood-mac-cover/mp3s/

[Christopher]

LISTENING BOOTH: MATT SWEENEY AND BONNIE (PRINCE) BILLY COVER FLEETWOOD MAC
Posted by The New Yorker
"Fleetwood Mac is firmly cemented as an influence on today’s pop music, not just the band’s late-seventies to early-eighties glory period but the blues-rock that preceded it and the A.O.R. that followed. Next month, “Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac” will collect Mac covers from artists like Lee Ranaldo and J Mascis, Lykke Li, the Kills, and MGMT. One of the most hypnotic tracks on the tribute is “Storms,” which originally appeared on the gnomic 1981 album “Tusk” and is covered here by Matt Sweeney and Bonnie (Prince) Billy. We are pleased to offer this exclusive preview of that song."
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/07/listening-booth-matt-sweeney-and-bonnie-prince-billy-cover-fleetwood-mac.html

[Peestie]

Storms is lovely. Not as good as the original (hardly a surprise) but I'm a Bonnie 'Prince' Billy fan and think this is good. It perhaps gets a bit busy at times but I think it portrays some of the emotion. Of course, portraying the kind of emotion in Storms is something BPB has spent his career doing.

[iamnotafraid]

If "indie" means anything these days, it means melding incommensurate elements. In this case (Best Coast), it's the humor at the root of all these elements you would never expect to hear: Fleetwood Mac gets criticized for being a I-IV-V pop-song band that's too repetitive, so this Best Coast band turns the song into a I-IV-V pop song with a ridiculously repetitive piano (in a major key, no less, unlike the original). It's kind of stupid-brilliant. It's quite ironic and quite funny. That's the true deconstruction—you pull the suppositions apart until you uncover the irresolvable bias beneath (the musical aporia). What could be less mystical than this Rhiannon?


David,
Where did you buy your brain at?

[Wing24]

http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/track-of-the-day-127-marianne-faithfull

[Sanne2]

^^^ I don't love it, I'm just not a big fan of Marianne Faithfull's voice, but I do like it. The first half is actually not that differrent from the original, the second half is quite different but still has the same "feel" as the original, imo.

[porkpie]

I like it! Very relieved - am a big Marianne fan so very happy with this

[blinker12]

Really love "Storms" and "Angel," especially "Angel." I think the performers in both cases find genuine emotion in the songs. And of course that's a huge part of what makes Stevie's songs so special.

[nailatixela]

I love this cover of Angel! That and Think About Me are the only ones I really care for and might want to listen to, repeatedly.

[Christopher]

Washed Out – “Straight Back” (Fleetwood Mac Cover) (Stereogum Premiere)

http://stereogum.com/1094052/washed-out-straight-back-fleetwood-mac-cover-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/

[wondergirl9847]

Storms (live) by Best Coast on Jimmy Fallon (http://soundcreeps.blogspot.com/2012/07/watch-best-coast-storms-7172012-live-on.html)

I haven't watched this yet, since I am at work, but I did see it online and brought it over here. :)

[shackin'up]

I don't like this version at all. But the version on the tribute album from Bonnie prince Billy et al. is pretty. I like Dreams by the Kills and I really dig Lee Ranaldo & J. Mascis' take on Albatross. Fabulous.

[Peestie]

I don't like this version at all. But the version on the tribute album from Bonnie prince Billy et al. is pretty. I like Dreams by the Kills and I really dig Lee Ranaldo & J. Mascis' take on Albatross. Fabulous.

I'm on the same page as you but I just assumed it'd come out as a Lindsey solo album. As I said in the other forum:

"Lindsey solo stuff (hopefully) with Mick on drums would be fantastic. Mick on 8 songs that have a bit of oomph and another 2-3 with Lindsey doing his solo guitar and voice thing and we've got an album there!

Never mind wasting time on the Mac tour, Lindsey, just release that album and tour behind it!"

[henryscutter]

I'm on the same page as you but I just assumed it'd come out as a Lindsey solo album. As I said in the other forum:

"Lindsey solo stuff (hopefully) with Mick on drums would be fantastic. Mick on 8 songs that have a bit of oomph and another 2-3 with Lindsey doing his solo guitar and voice thing and we've got an album there!

Never mind wasting time on the Mac tour, Lindsey, just release that album and tour behind it!"

Nah, we have gotten plenty of lindsy solo recently, it has been almost 10 years since SYW- New FM all the way! I hope they take a different approach, but I would take another SYW over solo stuff now. It is time for Fleetwood Mac to make new music.

[elle]

I don't like this version at all. But the version on the tribute album from Bonnie prince Billy et al. is pretty. I like Dreams by the Kills and I really dig Lee Ranaldo & J. Mascis' take on Albatross. Fabulous.

really? i've only listened to it twice, and that's because i really hated it slowed down like that. Albatross can be slow, but not the way they did it imo. (of course Mick seems to like it so you and he are on the same page :p)

[elle]

Nah, we have gotten plenty of lindsy solo recently, it has been almost 10 years since SYW- New FM all the way! I hope they take a different approach, but I would take another SYW over solo stuff now. It is time for Fleetwood Mac to make new music.

i guess i agree that it might be nice for their legacy to have a new FM album, but who cares about it if they can't get their behinds in gear / on the same page. (well, i know Lindsey seems to want new FM, but that's his problem not mine :p)

Lindsey is almost as old as the rest of them and there's no time to waste. if he's inspired and writing and recording new stuff he should get it out, not sit around and wait like he did in the 90s. plus, last 6 years did wonders for his artistic reputation. nobody is talking about LB solo artist paradox anymore, everybody seems to be referring to him these days as amazing solo artist and performer.:nod::nod:

GOS1 should have been a solo record, not split around like it was... that material is so fabulous that even just a third of it was enough to make SYW a great, interesting and edgy album. :shrug:

[michelej1]

Perez Hilton http://perezhilton.com/2012-07-10-mgmt-cover-fleetwood-mac-future-games-tribute-album
July 10, 2012

Hmmmm. Very… deconstructive? Noisy? A work of pure distorted genius?

We're not really sure WHAT to make of MGMT's etherial, cacophonous cover of Fleetwood Mac's Future Games, especially as it felt like our brainz were being munched on by some peircing musical insect within the first few minutes!

Take a listen (above) and if you can stick through the ENTIRE nine-minute medley, then so many props to you.

MGMT are one of the many talented contemporary bands twerking their favorite Fleetwood Mac songs as part of a tribute album titled Just Tell Me That You Want Me, to be released August 14th in the US.

And now that we've heard this interesting number, our appetites are whetted for SO MANY MORE Fleetwood Mac infusions!

Future Games was originally written by the late Bob Welch, who committed suicide in early June (R.I.P.).

Sad sad sad.

[michelej1]

Spin July 18, 2012
http://www.spin.com/#articles/best-coasts-fleetwood-mac-cover-leads-busy-night-late-night-tv

Fleetwood Mac comparisons are inherently overblown. The Los Angeles pop-rockers' luxurious legend and staggering sales belong to another era; groups held up to them, from Rilo Kiley to Best Coast, deserve to be taken (or not) on their own unique merits. The Mac's Stevie Nicks-led "Storms," though, a deep cut from 1978's famously coke-hollowed double-LP Tusk, casts Bethany Cosentino in an appropriately bewitching light: No one, after all, slams Stevie for being overly codependent in her songs.

Cosentino, who appears on SPIN's latest cover alongside Wavves' Nathan Williams, sang "Storms" last night on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon like it was one of her own songs. And it almost could've been: Best Coast's excellent, Jon Brion-produced new album, The Only Place, shines with sunny Southern California imagery, but as on L.A. transplant Frank Ocean's Pharrell-assisted "Sweet Life," the beach is partly there to distract from a deep pain. Which, in Cosentino's case, tends to involve a level of soul-crushing romantic longing that can seem quaint. "Storms" has both, the "blue calm sea" and the broken heart.

Best Coast's cover of the Nicks ballad, the B-side of the album's first single and one of two Mac covers recently by the group, shows that you don't have to be Patsy Cline to be completely destroyed by love — as another figure of L.A. lore might put it, strong women also cry. Live, in a tender yet forceful three-piece arrangement, Cosentino blows you away.

[BombaySapphire3]

Can't these queens get the release date of Tusk right ?so far in just this thread it's been it's release date is anywhere between 1978 and 1981.:rolleyes:

[vivfox]

Storms (live) by Best Coast on Jimmy Fallon (http://soundcreeps.blogspot.com/2012/07/watch-best-coast-storms-7172012-live-on.html)

I haven't watched this yet, since I am at work, but I did see it online and brought it over here. :)


Very good performance vocally and guitar wise. She got a couple words wrong but I can live with that.

[elle]

Storms (live) by Best Coast on Jimmy Fallon (http://soundcreeps.blogspot.com/2012/07/watch-best-coast-storms-7172012-live-on.html)

I haven't watched this yet, since I am at work, but I did see it online and brought it over here. :)

thanks for sharing it. such beautiful song, especially with those harmonies during Unleashed. unfortunately, this live version is just boring (not too mention occasional off-key note every now and then). hopefully the version they have on the album is better.

[Peestie]

Nah, we have gotten plenty of lindsy solo recently, it has been almost 10 years since SYW- New FM all the way! I hope they take a different approach, but I would take another SYW over solo stuff now. It is time for Fleetwood Mac to make new music.
Oops, I meant to post this in the Lindsey forum. I obviously had too many tabs open.

I won't be disappointed if we get new FM instead of Lindsey but I could only just make it through a listen of IYD so I'm just not excited about Stevie. That said, I love her stuff from SYW so bring some more of that and I'll be more than happy.

[JamieSPC]

I've been happy with everything so far, even Future Games. Maybe it's the fact that an act as prominent as MGMT would take on such an obscure track in such a controversial manner; that says something about Welch's influence that somehow makes me happy for him.

Has anyone found Angel on any site besides Clash/Soundcloud? It seems to be gone from there and a Google search turned up nothing. I'm dying to hear it.

[shackin'up]

really? i've only listened to it twice, and that's because i really hated it slowed down like that. Albatross can be slow, but not the way they did it imo. (of course Mick seems to like it so you and he are on the same page :p)

i don't think you are talking Albatross here, elle, but Oh Well by Billy Gibbons, which, by the way, is totally brilliant in my opinion. No the Gods of noiseguitar, Sonic Youth and Dinosaur jr. Provided members for a collaborative take on Albatross. Drenched in fuzz, this very respectful take drove me to tears.

[elle]

i don't think you are talking Albatross here, elle, but Oh Well by Billy Gibbons, which, by the way, is totally brilliant in my opinion. No the Gods of noiseguitar, Sonic Youth and Dinosaur jr. Provided members for a collaborative take on Albatross. Drenched in fuzz, this very respectful take drove me to tears.

no i was talking about Albatross, i didn't like it. but i think you are right re Mick, his quote may have been about Oh Well, i'm too lazy to go look it up. i don't like these takes of either song. maybe i just love the originals too much. :shrug: the other one i think is horrible is the Landslide version.

[henryscutter]

Oops, I meant to post this in the Lindsey forum. I obviously had too many tabs open.

I won't be disappointed if we get new FM instead of Lindsey but I could only just make it through a listen of IYD so I'm just not excited about Stevie. That said, I love her stuff from SYW so bring some more of that and I'll be more than happy.

Yeah Im kinda the same way with SWS, I downloaded the 3.99 special and listened to it a couple times. I like his FM stuff better. Hopefully they get together, make new music and make us both happy :laugh:

[MikeInNV]

In every issue, Rolling Stone publishes a Playlist of their favorite songs, albums, videos, etc. In the new issue, No. 3 is Antony's "Landslide." They state, "Antony Hegarty's spare, emotional take on Fleetwood Mac's classic 1975 ballad is the sweetest of all the must-hear Mac covers on the just-released all-star tribute LP, Just Tell Me That You Want Me.

[Artemis]

I've listened to the Straight Back cover several times... and I still have no idea what the hell to make of it :|

[britt0308]

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2012/07/premiere-gardens-villa-gypsy.html

[porkpie]

The album has now leaked online and it sounds awesome. I like the running order too. Still think Katen Elson's cover is rather pointless.

[MacShadowsBall]

I'm afraid with all the leaking that people won't buy the album. For me I'm not interested in buying the album, though listening to the songs once or twice for me is enough. :shrug:

[BombaySapphire3]

I'm afraid with all the leaking that people won't buy the album. For me I'm not interested in buying the album, though listening to the songs once or twice for me is enough. :shrug:

I'll buy it even if there are a few covers I like and it seems that there are.I still think I like it better than the Rumours cover album Legacy by the more mainstream performers.Fans will probably buy it anyway.I had all of Tusk on tape when they palyed the entire album in '79 and still bought it on day one.

[michelej1]

Guardian (UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/jul/25/fleetwood-mac-tribute-album

Fleetwood Mac: magic you just can't cover

Most of the artists on a new Fleetwood Mac tribute compilation are a million miles away from capturing the band's pure emotion


Fleetwood Mac memory No 1: I'm in a job interview for a hot, new indie music magazine. The editor asks which CDs I've bought recently. "Fleetwood Mac's live album The Dance," I beam. "After 20 years, they've finally let Stevie [Nicks] do Silver Springs. The onstage tension with Lindsey [Buckingham] is totally audible!"

The editor glares at me in a way that suggests he almost certainly doesn't want to hear my Christine McVie impression. I didn't get the job.

Fleetwood Mac memory No 2: Interviewing a hot, new indie band.

Me: "What's your favourite Fleetwood Mac song?"

Indie band guy: "[Knowing eye roll] Of course, I'm only into the Peter Green era. It's got to be Albatross or Oh Well … You don't like Rumours do you? [Another knowing eye roll]."

I offer these memories to illustrate the point that, for a long while, "indie" and Fleetwood Mac (post-1975) were never happy bedfellows. The stink of the 80s hung around them for years. It was the decade when the chart dominance of these rock aristos meant they were lumped in the same pile as Chris Rea and Eric Clapton. Rock dinosaurs who occupied a different universe to "real" music, a place synonymous with studio excess and Thatcherite bombast. New tribute compilation Just Tell Me That You Want Me makes me think of this period, before the likes of Courtney Love, the Strokes and Billy Corgan came out of the closet as Mac-lovers and the band was reappraised.

Bands such as Best Coast and the Kills perform terrible Mac covers. Bethany Cosentino chirps through Rhiannon as though it were a song from Sesame Street and not about a Welsh witch (and apparently playing completely new chords to the track). While listening to the Kills' version of Dreams, you can't shake the feeling they'd rather pay tribute to Throbbing Gristle instead of the acrimonious Nicks/Buckingham break up of 1976. Hipster posing and heartfelt sincerity don't mix, and they break the heart of Dreams until it's crying in the corner of the room.

It's left to Antony (who covers Landslide), Lykke Li (Silver Springs) and the New Pornographers (Think About Me) to show some sort of understanding of what made the Buckingham/Nicks-era Fleetwood Mac so great. They tackle their songs with a respect for the skill that went into creating the originals.

At the heart of Fleetwood Mac were three astounding songwriters and vocalists who were steeped in blues and folk traditions. Attempts to recreate this magic tend to get lost among the rhetoric of its retelling. Inevitably, the sonic and emotional distance between the cover and original is massive.

The songs resonate with an emotional specificity that make them hard to replicate. (Who else but Nicks could sing a line as boldly hippy-dippy as "Back to the floor, that I love/ To a room with some lace and paper flowers" from Gypsy, and make it sound convincing?). These covers show that many mistake the Mac's bloody-heart-on-sleeve honesty for slick Californian pop.

May I suggest investing in a copy of Tusk instead?

[michelej1]

Chart Attack
http://www.chartattack.com/listen/2012/07/24/craig-wedren-and-st-vincent-sisters-of-the-moon-fleetwood-mac-cover/

Sisters of the Moon, July 24, 2012 Craig Wedren

Just Tell Me That You Want Me, the upcoming tribute album to Fleetwood Mac, has an impressive roster (including Lykke Li’s haunting cover of “Silver Springs”), but if you are the biggest mega-fan in the world of the most beautiful indie-godess, you’ve been probably holding your breath waiting desperately for St. Vincent’s contribution. Time to breathe. Bringing an ominous fuzzy razor edge to “Sisters of the Moon,” Annie Clark and Craig Wedren (of Shudder to Think and Baby) turn the Stevie Nicks penned track into lavish claustrophobia. Produced by TV on the Radio’s David Sitek, Wedren leads the track with some soft cooing, while Annie Clark provides warbled vocals in the latter half of the song and presumably, the distorted crash of a guitar solo that ends the dark affair.

[pattyfan]

Hmm, I just listened to bits and pieces of some of the songs, so it's hard to have an informed opinion, but my first impression is that I like it a lot more than the Rumours cover CD. I love the cover of Think About Me. I think that's my favorite. I also kind of like Gypsy, Sisters of the Moon, and Dreams too. It's funny how they chose such a preponderance of Stevie songs. The one I really didn't like was Rhiannon. For me you can do whatever you want to a cover BUT you can't change the words (maybe one or two) or the chords. They changed the minor chords to major chords. I don't get it at all. Horrible. Also, I was really looking forward to Angel because it's one of my favorite Mac tracks and Marianne Faithful was the only person whose name I knew, but I have to say that I don't really like her version very much. I think if you really really like a song, it's hard to like a cover of it.

I think we should start a thread of...if you got to chose a 10 song Fleetwood Mac Cover CD. Anyone up for it?

Kevin

[vivfox]

Chart Attack
http://www.chartattack.com/listen/2012/07/24/craig-wedren-and-st-vincent-sisters-of-the-moon-fleetwood-mac-cover/


Wow! This is really very good!!!(SOTM)

[michelej1]

[Well, it's not a Nicks tribute:(. ]

Hold Me

A. V. Club
http://www.avclub.com/articles/av-club-exclusive-listen-to-haims-take-on-fleetwoo,83027/

Over the past few months, the Internet has been barraged with cuts off Just Tell Me That You Want Me, a new Fleetwood Mac tribute album featuring some of today’s indie darlings like St. Vincent, Antony, Best Coast, and The Kills. Today, The A.V. Club gets in on the track pile-on with our exclusive download off the record, Haim’s “Hold Me.” The California-based sister trio’s take on classic Mac is trippy, harmonic, and a little out-there, just like all good Nicks tributes should be.

Prefixmag
http://www.prefixmag.com/media/haim/hold-me-fleetwood-mac-cover/67513/

The heavily-promoted Fleetwood Mac covers album Just Tell Me That You Want Me comes out August 14, and the digital version includes a bonus cut from another indie band. The California sister trio HAIM tackles "Hold Me," off Mac's 1982 album Mirage.

The original was co-written by Christine McVie about her troubled relationship with Beach Boy Dennis Wilson. In HAIM's hands, the ballad turns smokier, as compared with Lindsey Buckingham's take.

[WeepingWall]

I enjoyed that one more than many of the others. It was almost like they did a Tusk interpretation of a Mirage song.

[shackin'up]

I enjoyed that one more than many of the others. It was almost like they did a Tusk interpretation of a Mirage song.

Spectacular cover of Hold Me by HAIM (totally unknown for me). This Will not be on THE cd?? Only à digital bonustrack? Ridiculous!! If there is one cover on this album that beats the original, it's this one!

You described it perfectly, WeepingWall. It sounds like if lindsey was left alone with it in his bathrooms during the preparation of his Tusktracks.

[britt0308]

If I weren't already recently obsessed w L.A. sister band Haim..hold me would catch my attention!!! I LOVE this cover. Deserved to be more than a bonus track.

Check them out..all reviews pen them as a FMac/TLC sounding band. And all of the girls love FM. They've worked w Jackson Browne, Blake mills, Dawes, Benmont tench and jonathon Wilson as of late. Legit!

[vivfox]

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2012/07/premiere-gardens-villa-gypsy.html


Very good vocal and music. I loved the last few minutes of this track as well.

[vivfox]

Washed Out – “Straight Back” (Fleetwood Mac Cover) (Stereogum Premiere)

http://stereogum.com/1094052/washed-out-straight-back-fleetwood-mac-cover-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/


Loved it. This is a great track for the stoners.:laugh:

[vivfox]

http://nickslive.blogspot.com/2012/07/listen-now-karen-elsons-take-on-gold.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FleetwoodMacNews+%28Fleetwood+Mac+News+and+Reviews%29&m=1


I liked it. Another stoner sounding song or a lull me to sleep(in a good way)track.

[vivfox]

Landslide sounds awful. It sounds like Tiny Tim is singing it.

[vivfox]

Think About Me is awesome! I pray that this turns out to be the first single. I would love to hear this on the radio.

[Jondalar]

I"m buying this album. I really like it. People are complaining about it, but I love it.

[Macfanforever]

I listen to most of the tunes.They are ok.I have to give it a longer listen to review and post my opinion about it.I see they post complete tunes of the whole album online for free for the freeloaders..How are they going to make any money on this cd.

[michelej1]

Filter Magazine
http://filtermagazine.com/index.php/news/entry/look_npr_streams_just_tell_me_you_want_me_a_tribute_to_fleetwood_mac/

LOOK: NPR Streams “Just Tell Me You Want Me: A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac”

For all you Stevie Nicks lovers, NPR has something special for you for the next two weeks. NPR First Listen will be streaming the highly anticipated Fleetwood Mac tribute album for the next two weeks leading up to its release date on August 14.

[michelej1]

News Ok

Read more: http://newsok.com/music-review-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac-various-artists/article/3697569#ixzz22srQL8qh

BY GENE TRIPLETT Entertainment EditorStaff Writer | August 3, 2012 0

ROCK

Various Artists ‘Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac’ (Hear Music)

Fleetwood Mac has been through many phases over the years, evolving from a bruising British blues-rock bunch in the late ’60s to a slick pop-rock hit-making ensemble of the ’70s and early ’80s, and “Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac” gathers a lineup of artists as eclectic as the storied band’s songbook, all putting their own stylistic stamps on hits and album tracks alike for this excellent all-star cover album.

And when it all shakes out, gypsy seductress Stevie Nicks is the most-favored song scribe of all the composers who’ve come and gone, covered on 10 of the 17 tracks, with founding guitarist Peter Green running a distant second.

The best of the Nicks numbers is model-turned-singer-songwriter Karen Elson’s psych-blues revamping of “Gold Dust Woman,” set against a spacey background of acoustic slide guitar, electronic beats and synthesized white noise supplied by Beck Hansen. Antony’s dramatic warble and Rob Moose’s folky acoustic guitar bring wistfulness and wonder to Nicks’ melancholic “Landslide,” Shudder To Think’s Craig Wedren teams with Tulsa’s Annie Clark — aka St. Vincent — to turn “Sisters of the Moon” into an exhilarating electronica-fueled rocket ride, and alternative garage-rockers the Kills bring bluesy tremolo- and reverb-enhanced atmospherics to Nicks’ “Dreams.”

Meanwhile, the Lee Renaldo Band hooks up with Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis to turn Green’s two-chord instrumental “Albatros” into a cinematic sunset theme fit for the soundtrack of a Bruce Brown surfing film.

The low, husky voice of Trixie Whitley (daughter of the late Chris Whitley) lends a noir-blues tension to Green’s “Before the Beginning” and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons puts a growling Texas-boogie twist to Green’s blistering “Oh Well.”

Christine McVie gets her due when the New Pornographers apply their trademark male-female harmonies and multicolored keyboard accompaniment to a rocking reconstruction of “Think About Me,” and Lindsey Buckingham’s “That’s All For Everyone” gets a mesmerizing dream-pop treatment from Australian neo-psychedelic trio Tame Impala.

And finally, Bob Welch, the creative sparkplug of Fleetwood Mac’s transitional middle period who died tragically in June, is remembered in MGMT’s beautifully eerie electronic recasting of “Future Games,” produced by the Flaming Lips’ favorite studio wizard, Dave Fridmann.

In all, it’s a brilliant nod to a great band, assembled by noted film and TV music supervisor Randall Poster, who brought us 2011’s wonderful “Rave On Buddy Holly.”

— Gene Triplett


Read more: http://newsok.com/music-review-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac-various-artists/article/3697569#ixzz22sr3d9oE

[shackin'up]

Landslide sounds awful. It sounds like Tiny Tim is singing it.

This is the most obnoxious thing I've ever heard about Anthony. I think it's beautiful.

[michelej1]

Contact Music, August 7, 2012

http://www.contactmusic.com/album-review/just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tribute-to-fleetwood

Tribute albums are often considered musical minefields. All too often, a collection of a band's contemporaries take apart a selection of their classic tracks before being packaged and released in their own right. Occasionally, these albums offer a handful of excellent cover versions but the majority take away more from the originals rather than offering something new and exciting. This release sees Fleetwood Mac's back catalogue get a 21st Century reworking.

The most interesting point to note about this album is the wide range of artists included as part of the compilation. On very few occasions will the likes of Billy Gibbons be included alongside Marianne Faithfull and MGMT on one album, making for a potentially very interesting listen. Unfortunately, Just Tell Me That You Want Me fails to break the tribute album mould.

The majority of the tracks on the album do offer a degree of inventiveness and a willingness to move away from the original songs, however instead of offering a selection of reinvigorated versions, it leaves more of a yearning feeling for the originals. The rendition of Rhiannon by Best Coast is a shadow of the original, the iconic guitar lines stripped away and replaced by piano in an attempt to place their stamp on a timeless classic. The first half of the album is largely pop-centric, the likes of Marianne Faithfull and The New Pornographers offering their talents to Angel and Think About Me respectively. From there the tracks take a turn for the alternative, culminating in a sprawling nine-minute rendition of Future Games by MGMT. This second half makes for intriguing listening and in some moments, it's easy to forget that these tracks once belonged to Peter Green and Stevie Nicks such is the modern feel of these covers.

That isn't to say that the album is void of great songs. Billy Gibbons & Co's take on Oh Well is excellent, offering a drawling and whisky-soaked rendition that oozes Deep South swagger. In complete contrast (sonically at least), the version of Sisters of the Moon by Craig Wedren & St. Vincent wouldn't sound out of place on a Muse album, an anthemic stomp combined with excellent vocal melodies and inventive electronic touches providing an unexpected surprise late in the album.

Just Tell Me That You Want Me is by no means a bad album, every song is an individual take on a classic act, but there is very little in terms of replay value; the aforementioned tracks by Billy Gibbons and Craig Wedren being two exceptions. If nothing else, the record serves as proof that tribute albums are difficult to perfect and, unfortunately, leaves the listener begging to hear the original tracks.

David Straw

[Doctor]

Really enjoying some of these songs. Angel is probably my favorite.

[cliffdweller]

I Love: Angel by Marrianne Faithful, Storms by Will Oldham (this version blows me away!) Dreams by The Kills (including the brilliant Alison Mosshart), Oh Well by Billy Gibbons, Think About Me by The New Pornographers, and Gold Dust Woman, surprisingly, by Karen Elson. All in all, a pretty good album!

[shackin'up]

I Love: Angel by Marrianne Faithful, Storms by Will Oldham (this version blows me away!) Dreams by The Kills (including the brilliant Alison Mosshart), Oh Well by Billy Gibbons, Think About Me by The New Pornographers, and Gold Dust Woman, surprisingly, by Karen Elson. All in all, a pretty good album!

I knew that you would pick my faves too. I'm very happy with this endresult too.

[vivfox]

'Tribute to Fleetwood Mac' album review
Aidin Vaziri
Updated 3:06 a.m., Sunday, August 12, 2012

Rock

The last thing the world needs is a Fleetwood Mac tribute album with a hand-drawn penguin on the cover staring back at us every time we order an iced caramel macchiato. Still, here it is: the Starbucks-sanctioned "Just Tell Me That You Want Me," which sees a diverse group of performers - young, old, indifferent - take on the hirsute songs of heartache and treachery that fueled the 1970s. Washed Out, MGMT and Tame Impala offer reinterpretations worthy of countless blog posts. But given the source material, it's no wonder the women shine the brightest, whether it's Best Coast putting a bubblegum pop spin on "Rhiannon" or Trixie Whitley adding layers of blue smoke to "Before the Beginning." Only transgender New York performer Antony takes it further, sinking every ounce of emotion into the best remake of "Landslide" since the Smashing Pumpkins attempted it two decades earlier.

http://www.sfgate.com/music/article/Tribute-to-Fleetwood-Mac-album-review-3778860.php

[cliffdweller]

I knew that you would pick my faves too.

Great minds think alike! Really into the Lee Renaldo/J. Mascis version of Albatross as well. They stayed true to the beauty of the song while adding a bit of noise/fuzz and distortion. Nicely done.

[michelej1]

Pop Matters
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/161363-various-artists-just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tribute-to-fleetwood/

By Dan Mistich 13 August 2012

Given the mythos created by the band’s in-fighting, love affairs, and line-up changes over the span of four-plus decades, it’s little wonder that young people continue to discover Fleetwood Mac in karaoke bars and in their parents’ dens after blowing off dust on hardly-played LP records. By including several indie contemporaries alongside already-established rock and roll heroes, Just Tell Me That You Want Me will likely provide yet another way for both younger and more nostalgic generations to connect with Fleetwood Mac’s back catalog.

Just Tell Me That You Want Me leads off with “Albatross” by the Lee Ranaldo Band with a little help from J Mascis, proof that Fleetwood Mac’s corpus is in very capable hands throughout the album. Although the spooky, instrument cover from Fleetwood Mac’s earliest incarnation is beautifully done, one wonders why the “day-job” bands of Ranaldo and Mascis didn’t contribute to the compilation—can you imagine Sonic Youth or Dinosaur Jr. working through renditions “Go Your Own Way” or “Say That You Love Me?”

Unsurprisingly, Billy Gibbons & Co.’s offering, the Peter Green-penned “Oh Well” is one of the better tracks to grace the collection. The veteran ZZ Top guitarist offers a slowed-down, sludged-up rendition of the song that retains the bluesy texture of the original while still managing to sound fresh. Gibbons’ selection is a natural one, but it’s done with just enough panache to both honor and reinvent the song, breathing new life into the iconic lead guitar and vocal parts while still keeping the melody recognizable.

Although the song is perhaps one of Fleetwood Mac’s most widely-recognized tracks, it is still surprising that “Landslide” makes an appearance. The Smashing Pumpkins, the Dixie Chicks, and Tori Amos have already adequately covered the song, and there’s nothing particularly novel about Antony’s cover of the song written and sung by Nicks on the Mac’s self-titled 1975 release. Antony’s offering isn’t bad by any criteria, it’s just unnecessary and could’ve been substituted by another track of equal or higher quality. Best Coast’s treatment of “Rhiannon” is also a misfire, but for altogether different reasons. As good as her playful performance of the song may be, it still comes off as being a mockery of the much-celebrated tune, sounding far too much like the original recording to warrant its inclusion on a tribute like Just Tell Me That You Want Me.

The New Pornographers find a way rework “Think About Me” in fun, upbeat ways without being ridiculous, another gem on the tribute. Matt Sweeney and Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s stripped-down acoustic cover of “Storms” from Tusk is even better, providing further evidence that there are no slouches on this collection. Although Nicks handled the lead vocals magnificently in the original, the crooning found on this version by two men works just as well.

“Straight Back”, “Tusk”, and “Future Games” are given electro-pop treatment on the second-half of the tracklisting, which gives the impression that the disparate genres were compartmentalized at least semi-consciously on the compilation. The layers of synthetic sound work well on Washed Out’s “Straight Back” and the Crystal Ark’s treatment of “Tusk”—the vocal harmonies on this particular track are performed in the spirit of Buckingham-Nicks while the rhythm section is surpassingly pleasant without big-band percussion—but not so much for MGMT’s “Future Games”. The swirling, spacey sounds that round out the album are fun, but the essence of the song is almost totally lost. It’s bold, but perhaps too bold to be called a tribute.

The most disappointing thing about the compilation, however, isn’t what’s included on the album—it’s what is noticeably absent from the tracklisting. To be sure, the essentials from Mac’s 1977’s Rumors are included here. The bases (“Gold Dust Woman” by Karen Elson and “Dreams” by the Kills) are adequately covered, but cuts like “The Chain” and “I Don’t Want to Know” could have easily replaced some of the lesser-known songs from Fleetwood Mac’s repertoire included on the album. But these omissions don’t render the tribute album an unsuccessful one. The choice to even out the songs throughout Fleetwood Mac’s existence is a good move, one that will surely inspire fans of the group’s many different to get ahold of the collection of songs included on Just Tell Me That You Want Me.

Rating: 7 out of 10

[michelej1]

NME Album Review
http://www.nme.com/reviews/various-artists/13561
August 8, 2012

Various Artists - 'Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac'

Each generation discovers the brooding magic of the Mac anew

7 out of 10

Fleetwood Mac were always cool. Their recording sessions had more sexual tension than a book club reading of Fifty Shades Of Grey. The band members treated private jets like Boris Bikes. They tried to credit their dealer on an album sleeve. They recorded an album, 1977’s ‘Rumours’, that’s sold over 40million copies. Always, always cool. And in 2012 The Mac are having a moment again, what with dangerously ace all-girl trio Haim confessing a debt and Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino turning fangirl. Now comes the tribute album with NME faves Tame Impala and MGMT putting a spin on their favourite Fleetwood chestnut.

Of ‘Just Tell Me That You Want Me’’s 17 tunes, only seven weren’t written by Stevie Nicks. Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham gets a couple of dedications as Tame Impala faithfully replicate ‘That’s All For Everyone’ with a psychedelic hue and The Crystal Ark take on ‘Tusk’, which fails to out-weird the original, which was recorded live with a marching band in an empty football stadium. Keyboardist Christine McVie is given some love from The New Pornographers, who make ‘Think About Me’ sound dirtier than it is. Original guitarist Peter Green, meanwhile, has ‘Albatross’ taken on by Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and Dinosaur Jr’s J Mascis, but they can’t add to the magnificence of the chart-topping instrumental despite elongating it by a minute. Meanwhile, MGMT bring the vocoder weirdness on ‘Future Games’, written by Fleetwood Mac’s most underrated bod, Bob Welch. It swirls about in Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden’s rainbow spirals before collapsing in a heap of bleeps and fuzz.

But in the main it’s all about Nicks’ 1975-to-’82 heyday. It’s hard to fault any artist who falls for her intoxicating songwriting, all romance, witchiness and self-mythology, but tapping into it is tricky. The Kills misread ‘Dreams’, and Karen Elson never owns ‘Gold Dust Woman’. But when someone gets it, the results are remarkable. Antony Hegarty doing ‘Landslide’ is heartbreaking, Craig Wedren and St Vincent spook up ‘Sisters Of The Moon’, and Washed Out do a remarkable job of making ‘Straight Back’ seem as if a hazy beach scene was what Nicks was going for all along. It’s not what Best Coast were going for on the piano plink-plonk of ‘Rhiannon’, which seems slight until Bethany’s vocal wins you over. But without doubt the album’s greatest moment belongs to Marianne Faithfull, whose own mythology is powerful enough to make ‘Angel’ her own. If you don’t already know the Mac, treat this as your way in. You won’t be coming out in a hurry.

Nick Levine

[BombaySapphire3]

NME Album Review
http://www.nme.com/reviews/various-artists/13561


But in the main it’s all about Nicks’ 1975-to-’82 heyday. It’s hard to fault any artist who falls for her intoxicating songwriting, all romance, witchiness and self-mythology, but tapping into it is tricky.

Nick Levine

I find it interesting that Stevie was usually singled out as the weak link by critics during the Rumours band's heydey .The span of the decades has acquitted her nicely though.

[michelej1]

The New York Times New Music
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/arts/music/new-albums-include-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac.html?pagewanted=all

17 Takes on Legacy of a Band

By BEN RATLIFF, August 13, 2012

With few exceptions, multi-artist tribute albums are irritatingly patchwork, too sympathetic or too perfunctory, overthought or underthought. They age badly or aren’t worth a second thought. (The producer Hal Willner has created more than his share of the exceptions.) Sometimes they want to be liked by the wrong people: those receiving the tribute, not the audience. The respecters move respectfully toward the respected, suggesting that they are — all in their own way, of course — carrying on a similar spirit for new ears. Too much of this makes you gag.

But here’s such a tribute album that might claim your attention for a little longer. “Just Tell Me That You Want Me,” with 17 tracks by 17 artists — mostly indie-ish, rock and electronic, many-striped, individually produced and organized into a whole by Randall Poster and Gelya Robb — has Fleetwood Mac as its subject. What’s the spirit there, exactly?

Fleetwood Mac was a strange entity. (Since sputtering out in the ’90s, the band has reunited a few times, but without forward purpose.) It changed lineups frequently, in big and small ways. It made about four and a half very good records — if you combine “Fleetwood Mac” and “Rumours” with the best of everything else — using dry, wakeful rhythm; grandiose emotional bloodletting; and rich long-tone vocal arrangements.

In the history of aesthetics the band’s music doesn’t represent a movement. It did grow into a kind of Los Angeles sound, though many of those songs were things in and of themselves, driven, decadent, argumentative, finely detailed in small spaces.

Anyway, which songs are we talking about? Fleetwood Mac started in 1967 as an English band playing black music, and through various mellow moves became an American band playing white music — the trebly, melodic, AM-radio slick mysticism of “Rumours” or the FM arty ramshackle of “Tusk.” How can all that be bowed to?

At its best, Fleetwood Mac was an intense, obsessive band. The last third of “Just Tell Me That You Want Me” is completely skippable, but at its best stretches, new obsessions complement those of the originals. Washed Out — the electronic artist Ernest Greene — takes “Straight Back,” a post-disco dirge from the 1982 album “Mirage,” and fills it with more hiss and sheen. (There could be an album of Fleetwood Mac covers by people like him: lovers of reverb and twinkle and the sound of the human voice singing, “Ahhh.”)

The New Pornographers claim “Think About Me,” from the super-pop phase, and replicate it closely, adding backward-sounding guitar phrases. The young, husky-voiced Trixie Whitley sings the early “Before the Beginning,” with Marc Ribot supplying clouds of slide guitar.

Antony quietly and carefully sings “Landslide” with spare guitar backing. Karen Elson, produced by Beck, with Cole M. Greif-Neill playing various instruments, roughs up “Gold Dust Woman”: Los Angeles revisionist auteurs wishing “Rumours” were more like “Tusk.”

A few of Fleetwood Mac’s contemporaries show up nicely. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top remakes Peter Green’s “Oh Well,” from first-version Fleetwood Mac, dense and dirty, protecting and controlling his slow tempo. Marianne Faithfull does Stevie Nicks’s “Angel,” yielding to expanses of guitar, from Mr. Ribot and Bill Frisell, and vibraphone, from Kenny Wollesen.

This is all very tasteful. What’s needed is defiance, which is what Best Coast provides with “Rhiannon.” Like so many of these cover versions, it borrows Mick Fleetwood’s drum groove; the register and tone of Bethany Cosentino’s voice comes reasonably close to Stevie Nicks’s, minus some witchiness. But it uses no minor chords, which defined the song as it was. More often, we’re used to hearing somebody finding the moody shadows of a happy thing. This does the reverse, and transforms an almost official piece of American art.

[David]

The New York Times New Music
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/14/arts/music/new-albums-include-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac.html?pagewanted=all

By BEN RATLIFF, August 13, 2012

This is all very tasteful. What’s needed is defiance, which is what Best Coast provides with “Rhiannon.” Like so many of these cover versions, it borrows Mick Fleetwood’s drum groove; the register and tone of Bethany Cosentino’s voice comes reasonably close to Stevie Nicks’s, minus some witchiness. But it uses no minor chords, which defined the song as it was. More often, we’re used to hearing somebody finding the moody shadows of a happy thing. This does the reverse, and transforms an almost official piece of American art.This guy read my post! http://ledge.fleetwoodmac.net/showpost.php?p=1057484&postcount=83

[michelej1]

A.V. Club C+ Rating
http://www.avclub.com/articles/various-artists-just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tr,83767/
by Noel Murray August 14, 2012

Various Artists
Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac

Even when Fleetwood Mac was one of the most popular bands in the world, its sound wasn’t always easy to pigeonhole. Hailed (and in some cases dismissed) as the epitome of laid-back SoCal soft rock in the mid-’70s, the Fleetwood Mac of Rumours and Tusk relied on three songwriters with differing visions. While Christine McVie delivered bright, AM-ready pop, Stevie Nicks served as McVie’s mystical, FM-after-midnight counterpart, and Lindsey Buckingham ranged toward the arty, trying to see if Brian Wilson, Donald Fagen, and David Byrne could co-exist within a song. And even before Buckingham and Nicks joined the band, Fleetwood Mac had Peter Green penning some of the fiercest blues-rock in a competitive English scene, and Danny Kirwan and Bob Welch (among others) filling in the gaps with solidly middle-of-the-road hippie soul.

So it’s not all that surprising that the Fleetwood Mac tribute album Just Tell Me That You Want Me fails to do justice to the diversity of the band’s output. Of the disc’s 17 tracks, 10 are Nicks songs, leaving only three by Green, two by Buckingham, and one each from McVie and Welch. The lineup of musicians on Just Tell Me That You Want Me is askew as well, with alt-rock superstars like The New Pornographers, MGMT, Best Coast, and Bonnie “Prince” Billy sharing space with veterans like Marianne Faithfull and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, and relative newcomers like Trixie Whitley (daughter of the late blues legend Chris Whitley). Nearly everyone on the record is worthy of inclusion, but their respective styles don’t exactly cohere. And no matter how eclectic Fleetwood Mac’s contributors could be, the band’s albums always sounded like the work of a single unit.

Granted, disjointedness is hardly unusual for tribute albums like these; what matters most is the quality of the covers. But even on that score, Just Tell Me That You Want Me falls a little short. If this record were a contest, the should-be-better-known band Gardens & Villa would win outright for a buzzy, synth-driven version of “Gypsy” that captures the wistful regret of the original without sounding like a slavish copy. The New Pornographers would be a close second for their exultant take on “Think About Me,” which could easily pass for one of their own songs. And Matt Sweeney and Bonnie “Prince” Billy deliver a gorgeously stripped-down “Storms” that’s more about mood than about making sure the notes all fall into the right place, or that the arrangements are sufficiently clever.

That ends up being the major problem with much of the rest of Just Tell Me That You Want Me: The tinkering these acts do with Fleetwood Mac’s songs is mostly on the surface, making them sound either more electronic and alien or more old-fashioned and rootsy, without really illuminating them in any significant way. With Nicks’ songs especially, there’s a fragility to the melodies and the lyrics that can be crushed if a band comes at them too hard or too mechanically. (Best Coast’s “Rhiannon,” Lykke Li’s “Silver Springs,” and Karen Elson’s “Gold Dust Woman” all fall prey to a kind of dogged monotone, which drains the songs of much of their nuance.) Most of the contributions to Just Tell Me That You Want Me sound just fine, and a few of them—like Lee Ranaldo and J. Mascis’ dreamy collaboration on the classic instrumental “Albatross”—are downright sublime. But Fleetwood Mac was a band with many facets, and too many of the people paying tribute here stopped at only one.

[michelej1]

The Courier-Journal, 6:47 PM, Aug 13, 2012
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120814/SCENE04/308140007/New-releases-Tribute-Rock-Country

The basic concept of tribute records goes back quite a ways, but they seemed to really start breeding in the 1990s. The things were coming out every two weeks, and a fairly fun idea soon turned into a cash grab and huge waste of time.

These days, they’re more spread out. It could be that everyone worth a tribute already has one, but it’s more likely that a burned-out nation stopped buying them. The result is that the ones that do get made are generally worthwhile, which brings us to “Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac.”

The cast of artists involved is genuinely engaging, including Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney, Lykke Li, MGMT, Best Coast, Marianne Faithfull, The New Pornographers, Lee Ranaldo, The Kills, Washed Out and Antony Hegarty.

The songs chosen are often surprising, too, such as MGMT tackling 1971’s “Future Games.”

[michelej1]

USA Today, August 13, 2012
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/story/2012-08-13/listen-up-fleetwood-mac-tribute-album/57041336/1

Fleetwood tribute album is less than Mac-nificent
By Elysa Gardner

2 1/2 out of 4 Stars

How do you bring fresh insights to some of the most accomplished, infectious pop recordings of the past 50 years? That's the main dilemma plaguing Just Tell Me That You Want Me, a new tribute album pairing mostly alt-pop artists with Fleetwood Mac songs.

While the collection aims to acknowledge the band throughout its evolving phases and lineups, it's worth noting that more than half of the 18 songs were written by Stevie Nicks, and the majority are drawn from the group's commercial and creative peak years, when Nicks, Lindsay Buckingham and Christine McVie were principal songwriters.

[Jondalar]

I really like this album, so many varied artists. My only complaint is too much Stevie. Where are the Christine songs. Hold Me sounds great.

Don't get me wrong. I totally understand why Stevie is an Indie Queen. In a way she was Indie. However, there are many Christine songs they should of done. I for one would of loved a version of Sugar Daddy, or Wish you Here or Mystified.

[michelej1]

Hit Fix
http://www.hitfix.com/news/review-fleetwood-mac-tribute-just-tell-me-you-love-me-mixes-up-the-formula
Review: Fleetwood Mac tribute, 'Just Tell Me You Love Me' mixes up the formula By Melinda Newman Tuesday, Aug 14, 2012 6:35 PM

As is usually the case with such endeavors, “Just Tell Me You Love Me,” a tribute to Fleetwood Mac, is a total mixed bag.

Out today, it’s just the sort of album for which iTunes was invented. Fans of Antony (of Antony & The Johnsons) poignant, faithful rendition of the gentle, lovely “Landslide” may not want the fuzzy version of instrumental “Albatross,” delivered more than capably by Lee Ranaldo Band featuring J Mascis.

As a whole, the 17-song tribute breaks down into two specific camps: fans of the ubiquitous hits from “Fleetwood Mac” and “Rumours” will gravitate toward the songs they grew up with while followers of the band’s earlier bluesier, pre- Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham incarnation will dig the more experimental material provided by folks like ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and his swampy take on “Oh Well” or MGMT’s nine-minute trippy version of “Future Games.”

This collection was curated for Concord by the same folks who put together the “Rave On Buddy Holly” last year and it is squarely aimed at the Pitchfork crowd with such artists as Lykke Li, on a haunting “Silver Springs,” and Karen Elson, who provides an echo-y, spare take on “Gold Dust Woman.” To their credit, it feels like the producers allowed the artists free rein to interpret these songs as they wished.

Some acts take the originals and turn them into their own creations: The Kills twist “Dreams” into a harder, darker, much more menacing tune than the original; Best Coast gives “Rihanna” a sunshiny bounce; The New Pornographers reinvent “Think About Me” as a power pop tune via Cheap Trick; Gardens & Villas’ spaced-out, dreamy take on “Gypsy” works better than it should; The Crystal Ark find a nice work around to the marching band on “Tusk” that still provided a full-bodied sound.

There are few flat-out disasters here, but, sadly, there are just as few home runs that make this collection feel like a must-have. It will appeal more to fans of the acts featured here who will want to see how their favorite artist reinterpret a track rather than to Fleetwood Mac fans. For them, this collection will just send them scurrying back to the originals.

[MikeInNV]

^^^^ Yet another reference to "Rhianna" :mad:

[Serrart]

I'm listening. I loved Angel, Storms is nice, I could have done without Craig Wedren on SOTM (liked St. Vincent though, would have been way better with only her) . Quite flat Kate Elson on GDW (ok, only Stevie can sing them), better Lykki Li on Silver Springs . I really enjoyed the Kills on Dreams. Antony very good (predictably) on Landslide :thumbsup:

[michelej1]

New York Daily News 3 out of 5 Stars August 14, 2012
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/hail-fleetwood-mac-a-tribute-disc-stevie-lindsey-zz-top-marianne-faithfull-article-1.1135375#ixzz23dhvP4SX

All hail Fleetwood Mac: A tribute disc to Stevie, Lindsey and more with ZZ Top & Marianne Faithfull

Like the Bible, people can read into Fleetwood Mac whatever they want.

With a storied, 45-year history involving 16 musicians and seven key songwriters — each of whom had a turn at the helm through five distinct incarnations — there’s an uncommonly deep trove of material to interpret to your heart’s content.

That cuts a virtual blank check to anyone wanting to make a Mac tribute CD. Happily, the one concocted by music supervisors Randall Poster and Gelya Robb takes a playful and creative approach to its love object.

It does, however, have a bias. Given the fact that 10 of the 17 songs came from the pen of Ms. Nicks, the set can sometimes seems like a CD answer to the Night of a Thousand Stevies. But it makes sense that the focus would fall on the original Gypsy. She’s the band’s most quirky, vulnerable and known star. By contrast, her onetime paramour, Lindsay Buckingham, drew just two salutes, while poor Christine McVie gets the loneliest number one. The set delves deep into history to give three cuts to Mac’s first guitar hero, Peter Green. These yield a revelation.

Green’s classic, snaking blues riff in “Oh Well” has always been played frantically. But ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons slows it down into a deliberately funky grind that’s pure sex. Why didn’t anyone think to do it like this before?

Alterna-guitar gods Lee Ranaldo and J. Mascis gorgeously distort Green’s dreamy instrumental “Albatross” (Mac’s first hit in 1969), making it even more haunting, while Trixie Whitley brings her magnificently throaty alto to Green’s little-known “Before the Beginning.” It bristles with need.

Nearly all the stars playing Stevie fiddle smartly with the arrangements and intentions. The Kills deliver “Dreams” as punk blues, flipping its focus. Where Stevie’s used anger as an undercurrent, here it’s front and center, curdling lyrics that once offered advice into a curse.

Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino lightens “Rhiannon” with a Beach Boys-like bounce, while Marianne Faithfull shoots out the lights on “Angel,” moving it from wistful to world-weary.

It’s nice to hear men’s voices on one Nicks song. Will Oldham and Matt Sweeney give “Storms” a demo’s intimacy. The quaver of the transgender Antony makes “Landslide” even more crushing.

By album’s end, things do start to get noodly and meandering, collapsing into MGMT’s perverse, nine-minute slog through Bob Welsh’s “Future Games.”

Then again, it’s nice that someone thought to do a Welsh song at all — and not the obvious one, either (“Sentimental Lady”). It would have been even nicer if someone tackled songs by Jeremy Spencer or the criminally overlooked Danny Kirwin, who penned a host of great pieces, both rocking and gorgeous. Luckily, what’s here has enough striking moments to make fans pine for the best thing a tribute could inspire: A sequel.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/hail-fleetwood-mac-a-tribute-disc-stevie-lindsey-zz-top-marianne-faithfull-article-1.1135375#ixzz23diHgkdX

[michelej1]

Guelph Mercury, August 15, 2012
http://www.guelphmercury.com/whatson/artsentertainment/article/780681--artists-pay-homage-to-fleetwood-mac

Various Artists (Hear Music)

Compiling a tribute record to an artist is a lot easier when the artist in question has many different phases of its career. Yes, Fleetwood Mac became one of the biggest bands in the world by selling a kajillion copies of the 1977 California breeze-pop album Rumours, but they also started out as a British blues band and took post-fame detours into experimental weirdness. This is why artists as disparate as ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, power pop band the New Pornographers, chanteuse Marianne Faithfull and synth-pop goofs MGMT can all rally around the Fleetwood Mac flag for this album, which holds together much better than far too many similar star-studded projects do.

That’s partially because it’s obvious these artists are huge Fleetwood Mac fans — they’re more than ready to go for deep cuts instead of well-worn greatest hits. It’s telling that there are three times as many songs here from the much-maligned weirdo favourite Tusk (six) as there is from Rumours (two), though Lykke Li deserves credit for breathing life into the forgotten Rumours-era b-side Silver Springs. Shockingly, no one touches the group’s last big album, 1987’s Tango in the Night, whose sonic landscape sounds like it was a direct inspiration for several artists here. Only three artists dare dip back to the band’s blues period, including Black Dub’s Trixie Whiteley and a team-up of ’80s alt-rock guitar legends J Mascis and Lee Ranaldo. Groups like Washed Out and Tame Impala take Fleetwood Mac’s sun-fried Californian vibe to extremes, substituting synths for acoustic guitars to achieve otherworldly, dreamlike states.

Of the more popular songs here, Best Coast turn Rihannon into a jaunty, hand-clappin’ ’50s number, while the Kills pull apart Dreams to just a lead vocal, the most minimal guitar possible, and a single drum beat every two bars in the verses. The unknown Gardens & Villa do Gypsy, and plenty of other second- and third-tier artists deliver fine performances and interpretations. If a tribute album is supposed to enhance your appreciation of the artist in question while bringing out the best of everyone involved, than this is a swinging success.

[BombaySapphire3]

I thought it was kind of odd as well that there was nothing from Tango and three from Mirage if you include the great bonus track Hold Me.I really like the album .It is much much better than Legacy..didn't Mick oversee that one :rolleyes:

[michelej1]

http://www.scpr.org/blogs/newmedia/2012/08/14/9422/fleetwood-mac-tribute-album-gets-little-love-criti/

By Tony Pierce for Southern California Public Radio, August 15, 2012

There's a scene in Alex Cox's 1986 punk rock film "Sid and Nancy" where Chloe Webb's Nancy gets into a fight with Gary Oldman's Sid. They are at Sid's mother's house and Nancy is trying on his mom's scarves and frilly things and bouncing on a bed when Sid slaps her. Suddenly we see Nancy running down the street still in the woman's clothes when she catches her reflection in a window and yells, "AAGGHH! I look like [expletive] Stevie Nicks in hippie clothes! Help me! Help!"

And she immediately strips down to her underwear right there in the street.

The critics' reaction to the Fleetwood Mac tribute album "Just Tell Me That You Want Me" is much like Webb's character: One minute it's fun and games with the idea of groups like Best Coast, MGMT, and The New Pornographers reimagining deep cuts from the Mac, but when reality sinks in, it just isn't as fulfilling as what was hoped for.

"The tinkering these acts do with Fleetwood Mac’s songs is mostly on the surface, making them sound either more electronic and alien or more old-fashioned and rootsy, without really illuminating them in any significant way," Noel Murray complains in his A.V. Club review where he gives the compliation a C+.

The new release was produced by Randall Poster, a hugely successful music supervisor who struck gold last year with a well-received Buddy Holly tribute, "Rave On Buddy Holly."

Unfortunately, this record isn't that one, which may not be the fault of Poster, or any of the artists, argues Rachael Maddux in Pitchfork. "The fact that the collection is a bit of a mess is a shame, but also a tribute to the band in its own way," she says, rating the collection a 5.6 out of 10.

Many critics noted that despite the fact that Fleetwood Mac has been around 45 years (!) 10 of the 17 tracks covered on "Just Tell Me That You Want Me" are songs penned by Nicks.

Nicks, it turned out, is a tough act to follow. USA Today's Elyse Gardner wrote that "The Kills turn 'Dreams' into a lifeless dirge, and Best Coast messes around with the chords in 'Rihannon'. But both tracks end up pale reflections of the originals, down to the dusky vocals." Gardner's headline read, "Fleetwood tribute album is less than Mac-nificent".

So why so many Nicks songs?

"We put together our master list of songs that we would have to have in consideration," Poster told the Wall Street Journal recently. "We tagged about 30 tracks. The Stevie songs are the most magnetic, in a way, and the most famous and challenging. A lot of those songs were taken on by singers who have a distinct sound themselves. We didn’t want this to sound like bands sitting around a campfire singing Fleetwood Mac."

To quote a famous banner, Mission Accomplished.

[michelej1]

Las Vegas Weekly 3 out of 5 stars
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/aug/15/cd-review-just-tell-me-you-want-me-tribute-fleetwo/
Smith Galtney, Wed, Aug 15, 2012 (4:10 p.m.)

Brought to you by the same folks who curated last year’s Rave On Buddy Holly, this Fleetwood Mac tribute seems a tad unfair in its obsession with Stevie Nicks. Of its 17 tracks, a whopping 10 are Nicks compositions, with four tipping their hat to Mac’s pre-California/pre-platinum early years and only two giving it up for Lindsey Buckingham. Poor Christine McVie appears only once (!?!), but the New Pornographers manage to right that wrong by turning her radiant “Think About Me” into the album’s greatest bit. Other highlights include Best Coast’s clap-along recast of “Rhiannon,” Lykke Li’s lovely, echo-drenched reading of “Silver Springs,” Antony’s faithfully spare performance of “Landslide” and Marianne Faithfull’s devilish spin on “Angel.” But despite some winning blues and psychedelic detours, the second half gets bogged down with about three too many ho-hum interpretations of lesser Nicks songs. And the covers of “Gypsy” and “Dreams” are pretty useless.

[vivfox]

Poor Christine McVie appears only once (!?!), but the New Pornographers manage to right that wrong by turning her radiant “Think About Me” into the album’s greatest bit.


I agree wholeheartedly. It's my favorite remake on this record.

[Macfanforever]

Las Vegas Weekly 3 out of 5 stars
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2012/aug/15/cd-review-just-tell-me-you-want-me-tribute-fleetwo/
Smith Galtney, Wed, Aug 15, 2012 (4:10 p.m.)

Brought to you by the same folks who curated last year’s Rave On Buddy Holly, this Fleetwood Mac tribute seems a tad unfair in its obsession with Stevie Nicks. Of its 17 tracks, a whopping 10 are Nicks compositions, with four tipping their hat to Mac’s pre-California/pre-platinum early years and only two giving it up for Lindsey Buckingham. Poor Christine McVie appears only once (!?!), but the New Pornographers manage to right that wrong by turning her radiant “Think About Me” into the album’s greatest bit. Other highlights include Best Coast’s clap-along recast of “Rhiannon,” Lykke Li’s lovely, echo-drenched reading of “Silver Springs,” Antony’s faithfully spare performance of “Landslide” and Marianne Faithfull’s devilish spin on “Angel.” But despite some winning blues and psychedelic detours, the second half gets bogged down with about three too many ho-hum interpretations of lesser Nicks songs. And the covers of “Gypsy” and “Dreams” are pretty useless.

Sounds like the reviewer is not a Stevie fan.But.

I agree.They could of add more of Christine tunes on it.

[michelej1]

Toledo Free Press, August 16, 2012
http://www.toledofreepress.com/2012/08/16/mack-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac-uneven-but-worthwhile/

Mack: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac uneven, but worthwhile
Written by Jason Mack | | [email protected]

Various artists, “Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac”

With so many hits and lesser-known gems, Fleetwood Mac is the perfect candidate for a cover album. Few of the artists featured are recognizable, but there is a good blend of unique takes and direct covers in the compilation.

The Lee Ranaldo Band opens the album with the instrumental track “Albatross.” The peaceful, bluesy cover is an interesting way to kick off the album but might work better as a closer.

British singer Antony was smart to do a straightforward take on “Landslide.” He sounds more like Tracy Chapman than Stevie Nicks, but it works. It doesn’t come close to the original, but no cover of “Landslide” ever will.

The great thing about this album is it got me listening to Fleetwood Mac songs I never heard before. The best example is Trixie Whitley’s Led Zeppelin-esque cover of “Before the Beginning.” It’s the best song on the album with an early ‘70s trippy rock feel, strong vocals and smooth guitar riffs. I only knew a handful of the artists featured on the album going in, but I plan to get to know a few more of them now with Whitley at the top of the list.

Best Coast’s upbeat cover of “Rhiannon” sounds like it belongs on a CD for kids. It completely misses the point of the song and is a low point of this album. The vocals are reminiscent of Nicks, but the music is far from Fleetwood Mac.

Karen Elson, former wife of rocker Jack White, also sounds just like Nicks but with much better results on her cover of “Gold Dust Woman.” It’s dangerous to stick so exactly to the original when doing a cover, but Elson’s vocals are solid enough to make it worth a listen.

MGMT went in the exact opposite direction, using a heavily synthesized and electronic sound in their cover of “Future Games.” The background music is cool, but the robot singing ruins the track. This would have been an amazing and imaginative cover if they had used regular vocals. More than nine minutes of the robot voice is too much to handle.

With 19 songs, you’re going to have some hits and misses. The ratio is nearly split down the middle, but the hits are good enough to make the album worth a listen for any Fleetwood Mac fans.

**1/2 out of 5

[michelej1]

Globe and Mail, August 17, 2012, 3.5 out of 4 stars

A tribute album that rethinks and rehears Fleetwood Mac’s greatest hits

Brad Wheeler

The Globe and Mail,Published Friday, Aug. 17 2012, 5:00 PM EDT

The thing about a tribute album to Fleetwood Mac is that the songs of the Go Your Own Way people have always been intertwined with their lives and complicated inner-band loves. The iconic material is not so standalone. But it is not even just that. Fans attached their own circumstances to the outpourings of Stevie Nicks and the others. “Like a heartbeat, drives you bad,” Nicks sang, “In the stillness of remembering what you had, and what you lost.”

Some of us were in the shine of our lives when Fleetwood Mac rode the FM dial and soared platinum-disc high. Stuff was summer music, all year long. But Just Tell Me That You Want Me, from the same curators who a year ago brought us Rave On Buddy Holly (a commendable salute to the genius Texas hiccupper), isn’t an exercise in nostalgia. Rather, like the best tribute albums, instead of being a retread or a retreat, it is a mission to rethink and rehear the originals. Can you deal with that? Are you open, or are you closed?

The 17-song release (plus bonus tracks Hold Me by the L.A. sister act Haim, and The Green Manalishi by the psychedelically inclined Entrance Band) begins with an instrumental written by Peter Green, Fleetwood Mac’s guitar-playing co-founder. Albatross is rendered by Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis, who respectfully admire the original’s haunting, cinematic feel. It’s only a little over four minutes long, but it feels like forever – and that is meant favourably.

Another Green-written number from 1969, Oh Well, is heavier fare, with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons going purplish into the blues. Excellent cowbell dangling happens. Gibbons croaks like he’s swallowed his beard, and the whole thing screams for a Quentin Tarantino zombie movie. It’s the harshest and most devastating of shrugs: “Don’t ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to – oh, well.”

Then comes the sunny Best Coast, who work with hand-clapped beats and bopping girl-group pop on Rhiannon, lightening up the original and representing the California side of Fleetwod Mac’s duel citizenship. Stacking it next to the deep-in-the-cellar blues preceding it is what some people call artful juxtaposition. Others might call it jarring. Oh well.

What I would call the New Pornographers’ version of Think About Me is bright, colourful andjust a stitch twee – an irresistible thrum, as was the Christine McVie-sung original. “Baby, once in a while, think about me,” is the lightly suggested petition, from a lover on the more giving side of a relationship.

And by all means, let’s think about McVie, who resists Fleetwood Mac reunions. Two of her songs appear here, compared to 10 by Nicks, four by Green, two by Lindsay Buckingham and one by the late Bob Welch (Future Games, which receives a synthetic, softly cathartic treatment from MGMT).

Highlights include the ethereal Swedish songstress Lykke Li, who sings blue-green on an echo-laden Silver Springs, an elegant curse set upon an ex-lover (Buckingham), issued by Nicks – “Time casts a spell on you, but you won’t forget me.”

Most poignant is Antony Hegarty, the high-voiced talent who warbles affectingly on the acoustic-picked Landslide, another penned by Nicks. “Can I handle the seasons of my life?” is the question. It’s a song about growing up. And that never gets old, even if we do.

[michelej1]

August 16, 2012, mxdwm.com by Alyssa Fried
http://www.mxdwn.com/2012/08/16/reviews/various-artists-just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac/


Tribute to Greatness A Little Less Than Great

A band that’s been around 40 years has seen its share of covers, and Fleetwood Mac is no exception. Recent memory bears Smashing Pumpkin’s haunting “Landslide,” and Hole’s snarling “Gold Dust Woman.” Just Tell Me that You Want Me – A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, the 17-track tribute album to the legendary band, eschews known entries for the all-new, and embraces fellow classic artists alongside the newbies, the traditionalists with the experimentalists, to offer a wide array of artistic interpretations of Fleetwood Mac songs. The end result is hit-or-miss, with some artists going for straight covers, where others achieve reinvention.

The best tracks are seemingly grouped together. Early on we get the 1-2-3 punch of Trixie Whitley, Billy Gibbons & Co., and Best Coast. Whitley–a 25-year-old Belgian with the lived-in voice of a woman twice her age–adds soulful bite to “Before the Beginning,” where the original relied on an easy groove to do all the work. Gibbons similarly transforms “Oh Well” by removing the fast giddy-up of the original to create a dark, stomping slow burn built over a single writhing bass riff, making the original sound cartoonish by comparison. Best Coast rounds out this group with a sunny, upbeat “Rhiannon.”

The next winning streak kicks off with Lykke Li who applies her own echoed vocal to lovely effect, bringing out the hurt, loss and eventual threat of “Silver Springs.” Karen Elson’s delicate voice makes the crashing doom of “Gold Dust Woman” all the more potent, while Matt Sweeney and Bonnie “Prince” Billy bring a sweetened acoustic “Storms.” Just past this half-way point, the album takes an electronic bent, updating the 80’s synths of “Straight Back” with Washed Out’s layered guitars and vocals. Electronic sound–whether retro or modern, spacey or noisy–continues throughout the rest of the album with Tame Impala, Gardens & Villa, The Crystal Ark and album-closer MGMT. For some reason, The Kills are placed in the middle of this second half to break the trance with a spare “Dreams,” featuring an undercurrent of violence weaved into the distortion.

The majority of artists on Just Tell Me that You Want Me evoke fresh life out of songs by a band with their own long, storied career.

[michelej1]

For Folks' Sake
http://www.forfolkssake.com/reviews/18614/compilation-just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-fleetwood-mac-tribute

Compilation | Just Tell Me That You Want Me – A Fleetwood Mac Tribute

17 August 2012
By For Folk's Sake

For a band with such an inspirational back catalogue, it is a crying shame that many of the young generations would not know ‘Tusk’ or ‘Go Your Own Way’ unless it appeared on an episode of Glee or Geordie Shore (apparently the former have already “paid tribute”). So you can breathe a sigh of relief that today’s folk community have contributed heavily to a new tribute to the great Fleetwood Mac.

The album starts off in a very pleasant fashion with Lee Ranaldo Band’s (featuring J Mascis) version of ‘Albatross’. Next appears one of the more celebrated artists on the compilation, Anthony, singing one of the more well known songs, ‘Landslide’. Whilst Anthony’s trademark vocals are a perfect match for this poignant number, I would have liked to have seen him do something a bit different with it, instead of playing it safe.

One of my personal highlights on this album comes from Trixie Whitley and her take on ‘Before the Beginning’. Sleek, soulful and brilliantly produced, Whitley’s beautiful vocals almost cause you to forget the original.

Other notable contributions come from Tame Impala. As expected, the Australian band offer up one of the more unique covers on the record. Love it or hate it, no one can fault their innovation. Best Coast brings us an upbeat poppy ‘Rhiannon’, whilst Matt Sweeney and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy create a stunning, tender version of ‘Storms’ in which their voices blend beautifully.

The likes of the legendary Marianne Faithfull and The Kills offer up very credible takes on their respective songs and for the most part this is a great tribute to a great band. One negative aspect of Just Tell Me That You Want Me is the glaring omission. Where is ‘The Chain’? Or ‘Go Your Own Way’? Or even ‘Songbird’?

Like every compilation, there will be songs on here that you will only listen to once. And there will be others that potentially replace the original in your hearts. One thing is for certain: this record reaffirms the greatness and importance of Fleetwood Mac and is a must-have for any past, present or future ‘Mac’ fan.

Words: Carly Goodman

[michelej1]

Hitfix, Review: Fleetwood Mac tribute, 'Just Tell Me You Love Me' mixes up the formula

MGMT, Lykke Li, Best Coast, and the Kills reinterpret classic tunes

By Melinda Newman Tuesday, Aug 14, 2012
http://www.hitfix.com/news/review-fleetwood-mac-tribute-just-tell-me-you-love-me-mixes-up-the-formula

As is usually the case with such endeavors, “Just Tell Me You Love Me,” a tribute to Fleetwood Mac, is a total mixed bag.

Out today, it’s just the sort of album for which iTunes was invented. Fans of Antony (of Antony & The Johnsons) poignant, faithful rendition of the gentle, lovely “Landslide” may not want the fuzzy version of instrumental “Albatross,” delivered more than capably by Lee Ranaldo Band featuring J Mascis.

As a whole, the 17-song tribute breaks down into two specific camps: fans of the ubiquitous hits from “Fleetwood Mac” and “Rumours” will gravitate toward the songs they grew up with while followers of the band’s earlier bluesier, pre- Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham incarnation will dig the more experimental material provided by folks like ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and his swampy take on “Oh Well” or MGMT’s nine-minute trippy version of “Future Games.”

This collection was curated for Concord by the same folks who put together the “Rave On Buddy Holly” last year and it is squarely aimed at the Pitchfork crowd with such artists as Lykke Li, on a haunting “Silver Springs,” and Karen Elson, who provides an echo-y, spare take on “Gold Dust Woman.” To their credit, it feels like the producers allowed the artists free rein to interpret these songs as they wished.

Some acts take the originals and turn them into their own creations: The Kills twist “Dreams” into a harder, darker, much more menacing tune than the original; Best Coast gives “Rhiannon” a sunshiny bounce; The New Pornographers reinvent “Think About Me” as a power pop tune via Cheap Trick; Gardens & Villas’ spaced-out, dreamy take on “Gypsy” works better than it should; The Crystal Ark find a nice work around to the marching band on “Tusk” that still provided a full-bodied sound.

There are few flat-out disasters here, but, sadly, there are just as few home runs that make this collection feel like a must-have. It will appeal more to fans of the acts featured here who will want to see how their favorite artist reinterpret a track rather than to Fleetwood Mac fans. For them, this collection will just send them scurrying back to the originals.

[michelej1]

Various artists: Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
By Piet Levy of the Journal Sentinel August 16, 2012
http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/cd-spotlight-hc6fqab-166417836.html

Contrary to breathless pitches from music writers and publicists over the years, there will never be a "next Fleetwood Mac." However, the closest heir apparent to emerge from "Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac" is most certainly the New Pornographers.

The Canadian power-pop supergroup, featuring Neko Case, Carl Newman and Destroyer's Dan Bejar among its ranks, doesn't flirt with psychedelia or blues the way Fleetwood Mac did, but its sweet, coed harmonies and peppy instrumentation are a match for Mac's pop spirit, evident through its relatively straightforward but fitting cover of "Think About Me." It's the most arresting cover on a 17-track compilation that is, inevitably, a mixed bag.

The most interesting interpretations include a more brooding "Sisters of the Moon" from Craig Wedren and St. Vincent, with fuzzy electronic ambience and pounding drums, and the guitars on "Rhiannon" have been swapped for poppy piano on Best Coast's cover.

On the downside, Antony's theatrical warble robs "Landslide" of its simple majesty, and the Crystal Ark sinks Mac's once mighty "Tusk," swapping the bold marching band section for lifeless electronica.

The rest of the tracks fall somewhere in between - and of course, nothing beats the originals.

- Piet Levy

[michelej1]

[Ha, Stevie said that in 1991. She wasn't even half way through the mini-series at that point]

USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/story/2012-08-15/take-5-weekend-picks-gunsnroses-fleetwood-mac-bloc-party/57095176/1

Indie faves honor Fleetwood Mac on 'Just Tell Me That You Want Me'

In a 1991 interview quoted in the liner notes for Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks says that the band that made her a star "goes on like a miniseries." The group's different seasons, and lineups, are acknowledged in this new collection, which includes covers by the New Pornographers, Marianne Faithful, MGMT, The Kills and Craig Wedren with St. Vincent, among other alt-pop artists. But emphasis is put on the band's creative and commercial peak years, which yielded classics such as Rihannon, Dreams, Gold Dust Woman, Silver Springs and Tusk, all included here. — Gardner

[michelej1]

I think Dodfather's post may have been lost, but he asked where he could stream the album. Here are 9 of the songs:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac-20120814

[Dodfather]

I think Dodfather's post may have been lost, but he asked where he could stream the album. Here are 9 of the songs:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac-20120814

Thank you! Listening now. By the way, if you scroll down on it you see the whole album is there :cool::thumbsup:

[michelej1]

Consequence of Sound
http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/08/album-review-various-artists-just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac/

Album Review: Various Artists – Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac


By Jon Hadusek on August 20th, 2012 in

On New Year’s Eve 1974, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac. This solidified a lineup of musicians that would become one of the most enduring pop ensembles of all time, but that was only one incarnation of Fleetwood Mac. The band had existed since 1967 as a blues-rock outfit fronted by Peter Green, but the group couldn’t hold down a consistent lineup, losing guitarists and songwriters to drugs, legal entanglements, and even religious conversions. Instrumentalists came and went; drummer Mick Fleetwood remained the only constant.

During the early years, the band’s fluctuating membership resulted in an ever-changing sound from album to album. Oft-forgotten (but worthy) LPs like 1970’s Kiln House and 1972’s Bare Trees proved that despite the turmoil, Mick Fleetwood knew how to scout songwriting talent. This culminated with the addition of Buckingham and Nicks, who would lead the band to pop stardom with 1975’s Fleetwood Mac and pop superstardom with 1977’s Rumours.

Rumours was ubiquitous; music pundits loved it and the general public adored it, as the album sold over 40 million copies worldwide — an almost unheard-of number in today’s landscape of MP3s and digital singles. Rarely does a record trigger such consensus. It’s not hard to see why: the songs were addictive (“Don’t Stop”, “Go Your Own Way”), romantic (“Dreams”, “Gold Dust Woman”), and angsty (“The Chain”). Combine brilliant songwriting with emotions that everyone can relate to, and you’ve got a smash hit. But what’s truly poignant about Rumours is how it reflected — with 100% transparency — the situation of its creators. Once a cute singer-songwriter couple, Buckingham and Nicks had broken up, John and Christine McVie were recently divorced, and Mick Fleetwood was in divorce proceedings with his wife, Jenny. Rumours channeled everything tragic about romance.

To mark the 35th anniversary of Rumours, the Hear Music/Concord label rounded up some current artists for Just Tell Me That You Want Me, a Fleetwood Mac tribute album. These 17 tracks span the entirety of the band’s discography, and the artists were given full liberty to rework the songs from the ground up (which is what makes a quality tribute album: why cover a song if you’re not putting your own spin on it?).

Lee Ranaldo and J Mascis open the record with their take on the Peter Green instrumental “Albatross”, which inexplicably hit No. 1 on the UK singles charts in 1969. Phasing and tweaking their guitars as only they know how, Ranaldo and Mascis provide a pleasant intro for what follows: Antony Hegarty’s quivering rendition of Stevie Nicks’ “Landslide.” His fragile vocals are perfect for such a poignant, downbeat song, making for arguably the strongest cover on the album. But after that pleasant start, Just Tell Me That You Want Me falters due to mediocre renditions and some serious song selection issues.

While it can certainly favor the late ‘70s/early ‘80s material, a Fleetwood Mac tribute should fairly represent all of the band’s various songwriters, or at least most of them. Of the 17 tracks on Just Tell Me That You Want Me, ten of them were written by Stevie Nicks, three by Green, and a mere two by Lindsey Buckingham (Christine McVie and Bob Welch each got one). That’s criminal. Sure, the featured artists probably chose the songs, but that doesn’t make it fair. Fleetwood Mac was defined by their tandem songwriting, which this album fails to illustrate. And some of these Nicks covers are just plain bad. Best Coast lazes through “Rhiannon”, Karen Elson boringly replicates “Gold Dust Woman” note-for-note, and Marianne Faithfull delivers a very un-Marianne Faithfull vocal performance on “Angel”. These musicians can do better. Only The Kills and Lykke Li turn in Nicks-worthy efforts. The former breaks “Dreams” down to its sparse essentials (guitar and drums) and vocalist Alison Mosshart handles the melody with elegance and respect. Lykke Li’s shoegazer arrangement on “Silver Springs” actually suits the song better than the original instrumentation.

The success of a tribute album (or a cover song in general) comes down to a pair of questions: are these songs preferable to (or at least as good as) the originals, and can they stand alone as separate versions? No and mostly no, in the case of Just Tell Me That You Want Me. Though there’s a handful of great tracks, the covers here are either too similar (“Gold Dust Woman”), awkward (MGMT’s vocoder butchering of “Future Games”), or flat (“Rhiannon”). But this project was doomed from the beginning. How can a Fleetwood Mac tribute have only two Lindsey Buckingham songs? It’s baffling and unforgivable.

[michelej1]

Hear Rachael Maddux discuss the album here:

http://www.rawkblog.net/2012/08/rawkblog-presents-episode-7-fleetwood-mac-tribute-albums/

[michelej1]

Philadelphia Inquirer, August 19, 2012
Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20120819_New_Recordings.html#ixzz2472RRaan

3 stars

It's rare that you pick up a tribute album with no idea what you're going to get. But this celebration of Fleetwood's Mac's music uses many alternative bands (Washed Out, Tame Impala, Gardens & Villa). And they've ventured into the remoter regions of Mac's catalog - the collection closes with, of all things, a Bob Welch song covered by MGMT - so it's all pretty revelatory. Highlights include Antony's tremulous, votive take on "Landslide," the Kills' merciless deconstruction of "Dreams," and the New Pornographers' fizzy, fuzzy do-over of Christine McVie's "Think About Me." A tribute? It's more of a transformation, with moments both strange and wonderful.

- David Hiltbrand

[Travisevian]

Does anyone know who produced Marianne Faithfull's version of Angel? Although, I am questioning why some of the lyrics were omitted, it's a well-produced track. By the way, I'm a bit surprised that Ms. Faithfull didn't record Beautiful Child, which would be very suitable for her voice and so interesting to hear.

[MikeInNV]

The latest issue of Rolling Stone has a review, which I won't transcribe here but maybe it's available on the website. It calls "Landslide" sparkling and cites "Before the Beginning," "Oh Well," "Rhiannon," and "Silver Springs" as high points. It also says that "Dreams" fizzles.

[michelej1]

By Will Hermes, August 14, 2012

Wes Anderson's music guru Randall Poster produced this tribute with Gelya Robb, and it's as inspired as their 2011 LP Rave On Buddy Holly. Aside from Antony's sparkling "Landslide," the less-familiar stuff is most striking. Trixie Whitley turns "Before the Beginning" into a howling séance; Billy Gibbons steers "Oh Well" away from the Ren Faire. Some radio staples – including the Kills' leaden "Dreams" – fizzle, but Best Coast give "Rhiannon" a Courtney-meets-Darlene Love vibe. And Lykke Li's synth-y "Silver Springs" shows all those dream-pop texture sluts dominating indie rock the magic ingredient: songwriting.


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac-20120814#ixzz24A0CRZkT

[michelej1]

Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-fleetwood-mac-20120821,0,3672329.story
Fleetwood Mac is summer listening with pop and heft

Fleetwood Mac albums last. So listen. You can also read about one ('Making Rumours' by Ken Caillat) and listen to tributes ('Just Tell Me That You Want Me').

By Randall Roberts, Los Angeles Times Pop Music Critic

August 21, 2012
Summer listening, like summer reading, entails a commitment to leisure and comfort, especially considering the volume of pop music genres producing so many fresh sounds at such a huge volume. But despite the reflex to check out with a beach-burning romance novel, or a breathtaking thriller, choosing a vacation diversion certainly doesn't mean abandoning reason completely and indulging in the collected works of, say, LMFAO. There needs to be enough heft to keep the brain's internal jukebox engaged, but not to Zappa-esque proportions.

For that reason and more for a few weeks this summer while working my way up and down the Mississippi River I listened to, and read about, Fleetwood Mac. At the end of that time, I was convinced anew of the ever-evolving genius of a band able to not only reinvent themselves where others vanished into obscurity, but to come together amid pressure, heartbreak and mounds of cocaine to create music that lasts.

The Fleetwood Mac choice wasn't necessarily out of the blue. Stevie Nicks recently confirmed a Fleetwood Mac reunion tour for 2013. Too, this year marks the 35th anniversary of "Rumours," the 1977 rock classic, a record that its co-producer Ken Caillat documents in the recently published "Making Rumours."

And a new tribute album, "Just Tell Me That You Want Me" (Concord) curated by music supervisor and longtime Wes Anderson collaborator Randall Poster, offers Mac reinterpretations from across the band's four different incarnations. Artists including present-day tastemakers such as MGMT, Lykke Li, Antony Hegarty and Best Coast, and vets like ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, Marianne Faithfull and the New Pornographers, tackle the myriad stylistic gems that can still pop when they burst from the radio.

Two founding members of Fleetwood Mac, drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, have guided the band with fluid power since their birth in England in 1967 while their singers, keyboardist and guitarists — including Peter Green, Bob Welch (who died earlier this year), Christine McVie and, since 1975, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks — have come and gone.

"Just Tell Me You Want Me" co-producer Poster (with Gelya Robb) grew up following the many incarnations of Fleetwood Mac, he told me during a recent phone conversation. He thinks one overlooked aspect of the group is the depth within each lineup. "On the one hand, there's so much familiarity, and yet on the other hand there's almost so much of it that's really been shrouded over time." That familiarity arrived via the classic roster of Nicks, Buckingham, Fleetwood, John McVie and his then-wife, Christine McVie, who created the brilliant triumvirate of the self-titled "Fleetwood Mac" (1975), "Rumours" (1977) and "Tusk" in 1979.

But the music stretches back 45 years, when guitarist Green and drummer Mick Fleetwood left John Mayall's Bluesbreakers to start their own band. Soon McVie followed, and the new group forged a sound that channeled American electric blues through a maturing, post-British Invasion music exploring volume. Hear the band's late '60s work, represented by ZZ Top's Gibbons on "Oh Well," and you'll understand where Led Zeppelin got early inspiration.

Poster said that the Green period is often ignored, and believes that guitarist Green was "the first person who took American blues and filtered it through the British blues movement, and it came out rock and roll."

After Green departed, McVie and Fleetwood hired singer/guitarist Danny Kirwan, later added Welch to the lineup and released a few decent transitional records. Within three years, though, both Welch and Kirwan were out, and the remaining members hired a San Francisco duo who went by the name Buckingham Nicks to take over on guitar and vocals.

This most fruitful period is documented in "Making Rumours," Caillat's version of the 1976 creation of "Rumours," Fleetwood Mac's 11th (!) album. "Rumours" is nearly as well-known for the inter-band relationships, three different ones, in various states of dissolution during recording as it is for the music.

Caillat's book unpacks those destined-to-be classics, "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," "The Chain," "Dreams," "Gold Dust Woman" and others, in ways that cast light on the often discordant (and cocaine-, marijuana- and gin-fueled) process. One great tidbit: Nicks wrote "Dreams" in Sly Stone's rehearsal space, which Caillat describes as having "a four-poster bed covered in black fur and an entrance resembling two furry red lips."

Poster said that inhabiting the emotions that created "Rumours" and its even-better follow-up, "Tusk," made covering these songs difficult, a truth that's exemplified at times on the album. British duo the Kills' version of "Dreams" suffers from this: After hearing their tentative, by-the-numbers version, the only absolution is to wash it away with Stevie. More engaging is L.A. hard pop band Best Coast reimagining "Rhiannon" as a defiant, melodic rock anthem.

And best, and strangest, is MGMT's nine-minute, album-closing version of "Future Games," the title track of a Bob Welch-era album."It's like music from outer space, really," said Poster of MGMT's version, and Mac's influence, "and it does speak to how these songs evolve, and live on, and are filtered through another sensibility."

[MikeInNV]

By Will Hermes, August 14, 2012

Wes Anderson's music guru Randall Poster produced this tribute with Gelya Robb, and it's as inspired as their 2011 LP Rave On Buddy Holly. Aside from Antony's sparkling "Landslide," the less-familiar stuff is most striking. Trixie Whitley turns "Before the Beginning" into a howling séance; Billy Gibbons steers "Oh Well" away from the Ren Faire. Some radio staples – including the Kills' leaden "Dreams" – fizzle, but Best Coast give "Rhiannon" a Courtney-meets-Darlene Love vibe. And Lykke Li's synth-y "Silver Springs" shows all those dream-pop texture sluts dominating indie rock the magic ingredient: songwriting.


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac-20120814#ixzz24A0CRZkT

Thanks Michele. Seeing it posted it seems so short. Looked like a much longer piece in the magazine. :D

[louielouie2000]

Just listened to all the songs a few times, and here are my initial impressions. I seemed to like every song more with each additional listen; after I threw out my notions of what the original songs sounded like.

Here's a rundown of my favorite cuts:

Though I'm hugely biased (I've long loved Marianne) I still think Marianne Faithfull's rendition of Angel is my favorite track of the album. And I don't even like Fleetwood Mac's version of Angel! :p To me, she captures the essence that the original was going for, but could not. Marianne's is simpler, folksier, and wonder of wonders, it actually has a climax at the end! The Fleetwood Mac original just wandered aimlessly & never went anywhere in my opinion.

I thought it was really cute & cheeky what Gardens & Villas did with Gypsy. I would have never picked out the very Asian melody running throughout Gypsy, but these folks did & brought it to the surface.

Craig Wedren and St. Vincent's version of Sisters was appropriately spooky and rocking. I thought it would have benefitted from a single singer, though.

I very much liked the spacey yet literal take on Straight Back.

Same with Green Manalishi. The Entrance Band's version is sort of a more elaborate version of the original... on acid. :laugh: I can't stop listening to it. I didn't think a whole lot of it until I really cranked the volume & let the vocals, bass, and drums hit hard (those are the best parts of the original, IMO). This probably ties as my other favorite on the album.

HAIM's version of Hold Me is just pure fun. :D

Tame Impala's version of That's All For Everyone is pretty cool. This is probably the sound Lindsey was going for originally, but somehow didn't attain. The ending goes on way too long, though.

Honestly, the rest of the album falls pretty flat for me, though:

The autotuned robot vocals on MGMT's version of Future Games utterly ruined that song for me (I *HATE* that effect with a passion. It's the dumbest production "trick" in the book).

I've heard Landslide far too many times to like any rendition of it anymore.

Rhiannon was a pure hipster farce.

Billy Gibbons' version of Oh Well is exactly what you'd expect it to sound like (not that this Texan doesn't adore ZZ Top). Yawn.

I really like The New Pornographers version of Think About Me, sans the harmonies... they're very amateurish.

Lykki Li's version of Silver Springs was fine until I realized the song would not ramp up & take off like the original. Silver Springs IS the crescendo that the song builds up to.

Karen Elson's Gold Dust Woman is predictable, even though I know not who she is. Some of the production elements are fantastic, others are not.

Storms would have been fine sans for the insincere vocals/harmonies. The original is so raw & emotive. These guys just sound like they're going through the emotions here. And everything after the vocals stop at the end of the song is just filler noise. I do like the rain at the end, though. :)

The Kills version of Dreams reminds me of Bekka Bramlett covering Stevie's songs with the Mac during the Time Tour. Great voice, but wrong singer to be covering Stevie Nicks... the whole thing just comes across trashy.

The cover of Tusk is interesting until you realize it doesn't have a climax. Mick's crazy drum solo is what makes that song.

[cliffdweller]

Just listened to all the songs a few times, and here are my initial impressions. I seemed to like every song more with each additional listen; after I threw out my notions of what the original songs sounded like.

Here's a rundown of my favorite cuts:

Though I'm hugely biased (I've long loved Marianne) I still think Marianne Faithfull's rendition of Angel is my favorite track of the album. And I don't even like Fleetwood Mac's version of Angel! :p To me, she captures the essence that the original was going for, but could not. Marianne's is simpler, folksier, and wonder of wonders, it actually has a climax at the end! The Fleetwood Mac original just wandered aimlessly & never went anywhere in my opinion.

I thought it was really cute & cheeky what Gardens & Villas did with Gypsy. I would have never picked out the very Asian melody running throughout Gypsy, but these folks did & brought it to the surface.

Craig Wedren and St. Vincent's version of Sisters was appropriately spooky and rocking. I thought it would have benefitted from a single singer, though.

I very much liked the spacey yet literal take on Straight Back.

Same with Green Manalishi. The Entrance Band's version is sort of a more elaborate version of the original... on acid. :laugh: I can't stop listening to it. I didn't think a whole lot of it until I really cranked the volume & let the vocals, bass, and drums hit hard (those are the best parts of the original, IMO). This probably ties as my other favorite on the album.

HAIM's version of Hold Me is just pure fun. :D

Tame Impala's version of That's All For Everyone is pretty cool. This is probably the sound Lindsey was going for originally, but somehow didn't attain. The ending goes on way too long, though.

Honestly, the rest of the album falls pretty flat for me, though:

The autotuned robot vocals on MGMT's version of Future Games utterly ruined that song for me (I *HATE* that effect with a passion. It's the dumbest production "trick" in the book).

I've heard Landslide far too many times to like any rendition of it anymore.

Rhiannon was a pure hipster farce.

Billy Gibbons' version of Oh Well is exactly what you'd expect it to sound like (not that this Texan doesn't adore ZZ Top). Yawn.

I really like The New Pornographers version of Think About Me, sans the harmonies... they're very amateurish.

Lykki Li's version of Silver Springs was fine until I realized the song would not ramp up & take off like the original. Silver Springs IS the crescendo that the song builds up to.

Karen Elson's Gold Dust Woman is predictable, even though I know not who she is. Some of the production elements are fantastic, others are not.

Storms would have been fine sans for the insincere vocals/harmonies. The original is so raw & emotive. These guys just sound like they're going through the emotions here. And everything after the vocals stop at the end of the song is just filler noise. I do like the rain at the end, though. :)

The Kills version of Dreams reminds me of Bekka Bramlett covering Stevie's songs with the Mac during the Time Tour. Great voice, but wrong singer to be covering Stevie Nicks... the whole thing just comes across trashy.

The cover of Tusk is interesting until you realize it doesn't have a climax. Mick's crazy drum solo is what makes that song.

I agree with you about "Angel." It's my favorite on the album as well.

I DON'T agree with you on The Kills and Bonnie Prince Billy (Dreams, Storms). I think both versions are brilliant. I love the menacing quality of the The Kills' version, I think it's a great, dark twist on this very familiar old song. As for BPB, I think his voice is just as heart-breaking and tragic as Stevie's on Storms, but then again, I'm a huge fan of his.

[michelej1]

Purdue University Calumet
http://www.pucchronicle.com/fleetwood-mac-gets-the-indie-rock-treatment-1.2885266
Fleetwood Mac gets the indie rock treatment

By Jessica Gerlich, August 21, 2012

After 45 years of music-making and 17 studio albums, the possibilities offered for a Fleetwood Mac tribute are almost endless. The latest, “Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac,” produced by Randall Poster and Geyla Robb and released August 14, starts out strong with bone-chilling renditions and ends on a much more interpretative note with electronic-sounding explorations. The indie rock artists involved in this collaboration take their own liberties with each track, and the product is mostly beautiful.

Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth and J Mascis set the stage for the first half of the album with a drawn-out and heartfelt take on the instrumental “Albatross,” which begins with an ambience-like feel and slowly moves into the well-known tune. This is immediately followed with Antony Hegarty’s (Antony and the Johnsons) version of “Landslide.” Hegarty’s timid yet earnest tone evokes a deep feeling of vulnerability and intimacy that rings true for the entire album. Other highlights include a version of bluesy “Oh Well” stripped raw by Billy Gibbons and Co and an eerie-sounding “Silver Springs” by Lykke Li.

As the album progresses, it becomes more and more experimental. Gardens and Villa put together a version of “Gypsy” that is easily recognizable, yet completely different from Stevie Nicks’s original song. It begins with a woodwind instrument and continues into an electronic-sounding tune.

Consequently, the last two tracks, Crystal Ark’s “Tusk” and MGMT’s nine-minute “Future Games,” are the most experimental on the album, and it shows. “Tusk” sounds a bit jumbled at times, and it is hard to listen past the four-minute mark. During “Future Games,” on the other hand, MGMT uses some dissonant tones in places that do not sit well on the ears. Aside from those moments, the band pulls it off.

“Just Tell Me That You Want Me,” which takes its title from a line of “Tusk,” is full of artists taking risks with music that has stood the test of time, and this works wonders. The sheer number of singers on the album is incredible. Producer Poster, a lifelong lover of Fleetwood Mac, succeeds in telling a story through the arrangement of these songs. This is a must-listen for Fleetwood Mac fans and fans of indie rock bands alike.

[WeepingWall]

Does anyone know who produced Marianne Faithfull's version of Angel? Although, I am questioning why some of the lyrics were omitted, it's a well-produced track. By the way, I'm a bit surprised that Ms. Faithfull didn't record Beautiful Child, which would be very suitable for her voice and so interesting to hear.

I believe it is Joe Henry. Unfortunately it seems artists were approached to cover pre-selected songs. Beautiful Child would have certainly been a better choice for Ms. Faithfull.

[michelej1]

Variety
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118058174

Randall Poster offers tribute to the music

Music supervisor equates soundtracks, tribute albums

By Christopher Morris

According to veteran music supervisor Randall Poster, a tribute album is nothing more than another kind of soundtrack.
"I really think of these tribute records as movies -- that might just be my own vocational habit," Poster said. "By putting certain artists and certain songs up against each other, hopefully, if somebody plays it through, there's a sense of story that comes through. When I do soundtrack albums for movies, I try to do the same things."

Over nearly two decades, Poster has gained a top rep supervising music for feature directors like Wes Anderson and Todd Haynes; earlier this year, he won a Grammy for his work on HBO's mob drama "Boardwalk Empire."

But Poster has moved into the tribute biz in a big way. Last year, he and co-producer Gelya Robb helmed the Buddy Holly homage "Rave On," a starry collection led by Paul McCartney (who owns Holly's copyrights). The success of that Concord Music project spurred "Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac," released last week on Concord's Hear Music imprint.

Poster says his work on the soundtrack for Haynes' 2007 feature "I'm Not There" -- which featured a diverse cast of musicians interpreting the songs of Bob Dylan, the pic's ever-morphing subject - was ideal preparation for his tribute work.

"That was a rare opportunity to really take on an artist's repertoire in a very thorough and dynamic way," Poster says. "It was really a Bob Dylan tribute record."

Given the opportunity to plumb the oeuvre of another rock institution after the Holly set, Poster was drawn to the long, twisting history of Fleetwood Mac, which began life in the late '60s as a British blues band.

Poster notes, "For a band of so many styles and generations, it seemed rare and right to take on. We wanted to musically draw the connective line from (founding guitarist-singer-songwriter) Peter Green up through the last, prime version of the band."

Green's 1967-70 era gets its due in bluesy renditions of his compositions by ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, Trixie Whitley of Black Dub and the guitar duo of Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) and J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.)

While other songwriting members of the band like Christine McVie and the late Bob Welch are represented on "Tell Me That You Want Me," the lion's share of the repertoire comprises songs by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, whose tenure in the group spawned the '70s hits "Fleetwood Mac," "Rumours" and "Tusk."

In fact, the album is virtually a Nicks tribute, for the female vocalist accounts for 10 of the album's 17 tracks. Her erstwhile partner Buckingham -- often cited as the band's driving creative force in its heyday -- is represented as a writer on just two tracks.

Poster notes that renditions of several Nicks classics -- Marianne Faithfull's "Angel," Antony's "Landslide," Lykee Li's "Silver Springs" -- were earmarked early on, and her writing dominance on the package "kinda snuck up on me."

In the immediate future, Poster will be busy with his main gig. "Spring Breakers," a new collaboration with writer-director Harmony Korine, premieres in Venice in September. Work is wrapping on the third season of "Boardwalk Empire." And, fresh off ecstatic reviews for "Moonrise Kingdom," Poster and Anderson will begin their eighth film together in early 2013.

But Poster has also set a couple of album projects for the near future. Given his work on Anderson's "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" and Hayne's "Velvet Goldmine," it's unsurprising that his next tribute subject will be David Bowie.

"Then, I don't know if this is a tribute record, but I'm going to make a record of Civil War music," he says.

"These things, as you must imagine, are really fun to do," he adds. "Hopefully, this is the dividend of working so hard doing these movies, and having enough creative good will that people will trust that the thing will work as a whole."

[michelej1]

DFW.com
http://www.dfw.com/2012/08/21/668511/cd-review-multi-artist-cover-album.html

By Ben Ratliff, The New York Times
Posted 10:22am on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012

With few exceptions, multi-artist tribute albums are irritatingly patchwork, too sympathetic or perfunctory, overthought or underthought.

They age badly or aren't worth a second thought. (Producer Hal Willner has created more than his share of the exceptions.) Sometimes they want to be liked by the wrong people: the tributees, not the audience.

Just Tell Me That You Want Me, with 17 tracks by 17 artists -- mostly indie-ish, rock and electronic, many-striped, individually produced and organized into a whole by Randall Poster and Gelya Robb -- pays homage to Fleetwood Mac but also brings a few new dimensions to the band's music.

Fleetwood Mac started in 1967 as an English band playing black music, and through various mellow moves became an American band playing white music -- the trebly, melodic, AM-radio slick mysticism of Rumours or the FM, arty ramshackle of Tusk.

The last third of Just Tell Me That You Want Me is skippable, but at its best stretches, new obsessions complement those of the originals. Washed Out -- electronic artist Ernest Greene -- takes Straight Back, a post-disco dirge from the 1982 album Mirage, and fills it with more hiss and sheen.

The New Pornographers claim Think About Me, from the super-pop phase, and replicate it closely, adding backward guitar phrases. The young, husky-voiced Trixie Whitley sings the early Before the Beginning, with Marc Ribot supplying clouds of slide guitar. Antony quietly sings Landslide with spare guitar backing. Karen Elson, produced by Beck, with Cole M. Grief-Neill playing various instruments, roughs up Gold Dust Woman.

A few of Fleetwood Mac's contemporaries show up nicely. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top remakes Peter Green's Oh Well, from first-version Fleetwood Mac, dense and dirty, protecting and controlling his slow tempo. Marianne Faithfull does Stevie Nicks' Angel, yielding to expanses of guitar, from Ribot and Bill Frisell, and vibraphone, from Kenny Wollesen.

This is all very tasteful. What's needed is defiance, which is what Best Coast provides with Rhiannon. The register and tone of Bethany Cosentino's voice comes reasonably close to Nicks'. But it uses no minor chords, which defined the song as it was. More often, we're used to hearing somebody find the moody shadows of a happy thing. This does the reverse, and transforms an almost official piece of American art.

[michelej1]

Cover Me Songs
http://www.covermesongs.com/2012/08/review-just-tell-me-that-you-want-me-a-tribute-to-fleetwood-mac.html

Review: Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac

Posted by Abigail Covington

Aug 23, 2012

Fleetwood Mac is not easy to pigeonhole. Part of this is due to their talent and timelessness; more significantly, the band’s leader and line-up has changed 3 times over, taking the band from its incarnation with Peter Green at the helm as one of the fiercest English-blues bands on the scene, to a more adolescent stage with Bob Welch steering and producing hippie-of-the-times songs, to its final incarnation in which the ferocious duo of Buckingham and Nicks turned Fleetwod Mac into what it has now been hallmarked as. Point is, the band is more than Nicks and Buckingham, and the hope is that any Fleetwood Mac tribute album would duly recognize the band’s colorful history with remarkable covers that are juxtaposed in a way that reflect the unique unfurling of the band’s growth and self-discovery.

Well, the hard truth is that Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac doesn’t quite satisfy that tall order. With legendary soundtrack aggregator and tribute album curator Randall Poster (hot off of his hit Buddy Holly tribute album Rave On) presiding over the project, there was a lot of promise and built-up press, but the finished project falls flat. Of the 17 tracks, 10 are Nicks songs, leaving the remaining seven to be divvied up unevenly between McVie, Welch, Buckingham, and Green. Even with this skewed sampling, there was still a lot of room for creativity when it came to the assemblage of this album. For instance, it could have been done according to incarnation – the blues tracks coming first, the McVie and Welch tracks serving as the filler, and the Nicks/Buckingham selections dominating the second half, as they did in the band’s literal history. Instead, it feels as if these covers were randomly assigned a track number without much discernible consideration of the band’s awesome history. The end result: an uneven album with the first half being more approachable and listener-friendly and the second half being far more left of center and experimental.

Of course, it isn’t entirely fair to judge this album based on an expectation of unity and cohesion. Tribute albums rarely make history for the exact reason that it is nearly impossible for them, by nature, to have a singular point of view. Rather, a look into the actual merits of each individual track serves as a much better way to gauge the greatness of a tribute album. Still, even after doing that, the album underwhelms. Some tracks transform and inspire, like rising star Trixie Whitley’s bold and breathy take on Green’s “Before the Beginning,” and the New Pornographers’ modernized and power-pop painted rendition of “Think About Me.” Others that don’t disappoint include Antony and the Johnsons’ completely ethereal version of “Landslide,” which features Antony’s signature sensitive warbling, and Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney’s stripped-down and haggard version of “Storms.”

But these tracks are the exception and not the rule. The majority of the covers are just… fine, and this blandness seems to particularly afflict the Stevie selections; Best Coast’s “Rhiannon,” Marianne Faithful’s “Angel,” and Karen Elson’s “Gold Dust Woman” all fail to achieve anything beyond insipidness. Whereas these middle tracks fail to breathe new life into some of the Mac’s catchiest songs, the majority of the tracks (especially Washed Out’s rendering of “Straight Back”) featured on the back half of the album over-inflate the selections and festoon them with one too many effects.

Of course, when it comes to the art of cover songs, to experiment is indeed a compliment- and it’s clear that all of these tracks, whether overdone, underdone, or done just right- were born from a deep sense of reverence for the Mac. Though the album fails to congeal into a unifying and well-directed “Thank You!” to Fleetwood Mac, it does provide the band with the ultimate testament of appreciation: a genre-bending collective that features interpretations of all different shades.

[Livia]

From the 8/19/12 issue of Parade:

Mac and Cheers

Some of the coolest musical artists around pay tribute to Fleewood Mac [who say they'll tour again in 2013] on Just Tell Me that You Want Me. Highlights include the Kills' bluesy cover of "Dreams" and MGMT's electrifying nine-minute "Future Games."

[skcin]

I agree with you about "Angel." It's my favorite on the album as well.

I DON'T agree with you on The Kills (Dreams). I think both versions are brilliant. I love the menacing quality of the The Kills' version, I think it's a great, dark twist on this very familiar old song. .

YES! I think so too! For example, GDW & SS on this album are very predictable, and sound way too familiar. But Dreams is really fantastic - really unique & new take on the song. :nod:

[jwd]

Just got my copy from Ebay a few days ago. Stand out tracks for me so far are "Angel", "Straight Back", and "Gypsy". Overall though I think this whole project sounds pretty 'effin cool! Long live FM!

[Richard B]

I'm also really enjoying the bonus track "Hold Me" with Haïm.

[michelej1]

Corpus Christi Caller Times
http://www.caller.com/news/2012/sep/07/artists-show-big-love-for-fleetwood-mac/

Artists show big love for Fleetwood Mac
By Jesse De Leon/Special to the Caller-Times, Posted September 7, 2012

CORPUS CHRISTI — Even though they started out as a blues-oriented rock band back in 1967, Fleetwood Mac attained an astounding level of fame when the group steered its musical direction squarely into the mainstream. The addition of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in 1975 forever transformed the quintet, which also included Mick Fleetwood and John and Christine McVie, into one of the world's most successful rock and pop entities.

Their sunny melodies often betrayed their songs' darker lyrics, but singles like "Say You Love Me," "Go Your Own Way" and "You Make Lovin' Fun" showcased the group's unparalleled knack for creating near perfect pop that always sounded fresh. There is no doubt that Fleetwood Mac's unique brand of song craft has influenced countless composers and performers since their heyday in the late 1970s. In fact, the Mac's legacy gets revisited and reinterpreted by some of today's most musically adventurous acts on a new tribute project, "Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac" (Hear Music). While this eclectic cross-section of singers and musicians breathes some decidedly new life into some classic melodies, the album is most definitely packed with plenty of sonic surprises.

The track list features an equal measure of obvious choices as well as an interesting smattering of obscurities that keep the disc from being too safe and predictable. While Antony's understated reading of "Landslide" doesn't stray too far from the stark allure of the original version, Best Coast's take of "Rhiannon" jump-starts the song's familiar melody with a hopscotch rhythm section that turns it into a jaunty ride that really shouldn't work, but it actually does. Elsewhere, Lykke Li and Karen Elson sound interchangeable while channeling Stevie Nicks on paint-by-numbers readings of "Silver Springs" and "Gold Dust Woman," respectively.

Even though the majority of the songs covered here focus on the band's Rumours-era material, the old-timers prove to be in fine form, as ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons' version of "Oh Well" and the Lee Ranaldo Band featuring J Mascis impressive recasting of "Albatross" are impressive nods to the band's Peter Green-era. The quirkier Buckingham tunes prove to be a more comfortable fit for alt rockers like New Pornographers, as their run-through of "Think About Me" is a joyously noisy slab of power pop. Another tune for Buckingham's pen, "Tusk," gets an interesting makeover by the Crystal Ark who reshapes the song's original left-of-center melody and reclaims it as their own. Not every one of these seventeen updates is completely convincing but the spirit of adventurousness that inhabits the performances on the disc make it an interesting if somewhat unfocused collection of curiosities.

[BombaySapphire3]

This reviewer clearly is not much of a Mac fan..Think About Me does in no way seem like Lindsey could have written it any more than SOTM seems like a Christine ditty.