Mirage vs. Tango In The Night
 

I went CD shopping yesterday at Borders & in the Fleetwood Mac section (which I had to clean up a little; they had CDs in there that shouldn't have been in there) was Mirage & Tango In The Night, neither of which I own. So after much debating, I choose to buy Tango In The Night, only b/c it had more hits on it I thought. But my brother who has both & isn't too much into the Mac now, says he used to favor Mirage. So my question is, if you own both of these, which do you prefer & why?

Lee :)

Re: Mirage vs. Tango In The Night
 

I think this comparison has been mentioned in a recent thread. For my money, if I had to make the choice, I would also choose Tango. Not necessarily because it has more "hits", but because I think the song quality, from certain members, is better.

Lindsey doesn't give his best effort, in my opinion, on Mirage. On Tango, probably some of his best songs (save Family Man) other than Tusk.

I like Stevie's songs from Mirage better, although Seven Wonders and When I See You Again are pretty good songs from Tango.

Christine is Christine. She has the same poppy songs on both, but my preference again is her work on Tango. Everywhere and Little Lies are 80's radio staples, with Isn't It Midnight being another good number.

One warning...Mirage is decidedly middle of the road as far as it being rock or pop. Hard to place it as being an "80's album" as far as sound goes. Tango, on the other hand, is VERY 80's and VERY pop.

I prefer Mirage...I love all of Lindsey's songs. Tango is to pop 80s.

I prefer Mirage as it was the first Mac album I purchased in 1982:)

For me it's sort of a toss up-

I love Stevie's songs on Mirage (I've recently grown quite fond of That's Alright), but I can't stand any of Lindsey's or Christine's with the only exceptions being Hold Me and Eyes of the World, which I do like.

The opposite is true for Tango. I love all of Lindsey's and Christine's songs (except Family Man) but I can't stand Stevie's. Plus Little Lies is one of Christine's all time best! So they each have their strong points I guess.

I look at it this way. Mirage has some goos stuff from each member (Hold Me and Love In Store - Chris, Gypsy and That's Alright- Stevie, Can't Go Back- Lindsey) The rest of the album sucks. Tango has alot of good stuff from the band (Everywhere, Little Lies, Isn't It Midnight - Chris , Seven Wonders, Welcome To The Room Sara- Stevie , Caroline Big Love Lindsey. The rest of the album is so -so. Still for what it's worth Tango has a wider array of good songs to choose from. I have to go with Tango.

I prefer Tango just barely over Mirage, mainly because Tango has a few more great songs than Mirage. "Hold Me", "Wish You Were Here" & "Gypsy" are fantastic, while Lindsey's songs are merely OK, except for "Empire State" which is terrible. Stevie's songs are way better on Mirage. Her Tango songs are pretty terrible. But, all of Christine's songs plus the title track on Tango are so good that they make up for that. Both Tango and Mirage are good pop albums. In my opinion, there is never anything wrong with a good pop album.

MIRAGE...

On "Tango"... Stevie was at her worst... Lindsey with "Caroline"... but Christine was "Perfect" heh yeah pun intended... Don't get me wrong I love the album and almost all the songs but "Mirage" is definetly a much much better album overall. Plus I don't like "80's music" all that much.

Although I have to admit "Mirage" took time to grow on me as a album whole...

I've never heard Tango (besides Everywhere, Little Lies, Big Love, and Isn't It Midnight) , but I'd probably take Mirage for better sound quality alone.

The tracks I've heard from Tango could have been great if they didn't sound so cheap. Little Lies slides by with no complaints though. Nevermind that. Too much reverb. The rest of them sound cheap. Good songwriting, god-awful production. So yeah, Mirage for sound quality! :D

I'd have to go with Mirage too.

I agree with EricBliss...the production on Mirage was much better than Tango....which is classic '80's pop-synth sound which grated on my nerves then and still does.

But still, Tango is not an awful album by any means...Christine McVie was the albums saving grace IMO....her songs on there were the best.

Tango
 

I don't skip as many songs on Tango as I do on Mirage so my vote goes to Tango. Song for song, Tango is just better, and I happen to like Stevie's Tango songs, especially "Seven Wonders!"

Tango. Every track is at least solid. And i happen to enjoy Stevie's material. Seven Wonders may not be the caliber of Stand Back or Gyspy, but its close. Welcome to the Room... Sara has its moments. Also, its very personal. You can listen to the words and know exactly what she's singing about. And to me, that's better than a lot of the stuff on Mirage. WTTR...S is a very interesting look at her stay in Betty Ford at that time. and When I see You Again is stevie at her most vulnerable. I absolutely love that track. Its her at the depths of her addiction, and it brings intimate to a whole 'nother level. I also love Lindsey's tracks (all of them!) and Christine.. well, Everywhere and Little Lies, everybody knows how great they are. Mystified is... stomachable. But maybe my favorite Chris song on the album is Isn't it Midnight. Ok, stop laughing, I'm serious! Her voice on the chorus is so sad, and I love how the song is very general and yet you still know what she's talking about. Its almost parallel to her life and how many men have been in her life, and how well she's been treated by them. It rivals Oh Daddy, in my mind, for the melancholy Chris. Conclusion: I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!

I believe that Mirage is a better record. To me, the three Stevie contributions are incredible pieces of music, one being majestic ("Gypsy"), another one an underrated rocker ("Straight Back") and the third one a country-ish melancholic ballad ("That's Alright"). Christine has the anthem ("Hold Me"), the cheerful opener ("Love In Store") and "Wish You Were Here", which is a song that I love, because of its musical construction. "Only Over You" is easily my least favorite of her compositions. Lindsey shines on three tracks: "Eyes Of The World", "Can't Go Back" and my favorite "Book Of Love". The fact that "Oh Diane" is mainly crap, and that "Empire State" is quite annoying sums up for three songs that I skip.

Tango, on the other hand, has Stevie at her weakest. Her best song here wasn't even written by her, and while "Welcome To The Room... Sara" is sort of catchy, I don't like it all that much. "When I See You Again" used to be my least favorite of her contributions to Fleetwood Mac but now it lost its place thanks to "Silver Girl"... Then there's Lindsey dominating the album. Whilst I do like "Big Love" and "Tango In The Night", I find that "Family Man" is incredibly annoying; "You And I, Part II" has good lyrics but terrible music; "Caroline" has good music but terrible lyrics (as someone said); and "Mystified" (mainly his song - you can hear it in the demo) is his own "Only Over You"... Christine saves the album with "Everywhere", "Little Lies" and especially "Isn't It Midnight", my favorite. So there you go, I only hear this album entirely when I have time and patience, and when I do not, I skip four or five tracks.

Simple maths, Mirage is better for me.





Song of the moment - Green Manalishi

I always thought this song sounded like it could be a Christmas song (in the vein of Jingle Bells) if it had different lyrics.

I was going to post, but I have the EXACT same thing to say as you did...including a fairly recent fondness of "That's Alright." I started to get into that one about a year ago, but that's pretty recent I would say! "Gypsy" is by far one of, if not THE, best track Stevie has ever recorded. Tango was when I first heard the Mac at the age of 7...."Little Lies" and "Everywhere" were mainstays in my seven year old musical selection.

Mirage versus Tango
 

I'm listening to Mirage as I type this (Hold Me JUST ended....going into Oh Diane) so I'll respond to this thread now. LOL

I haven't heard this album straight through in a LONG time (I made a set of fave FM songs CD so I usually listen to that along with SYW lately). It's like a relaxation tape, IMO...every song on it is very soft, smooth and relaxing. I would listen to Mirage when I'm ready to go to sleep. By the time I got to Only Over You, I'd be out!! :laugh: If you like Rumours best, you'll prefer Mirage over Tango, if you like Tusk best, I think Tango is your album.

Tango is my fave of the two because Lindsey and Christine REALLY shine on it!! Lindsey's guitar playing is UNBELIEVABLE on Big Love (that riff!!), Tango and Isn't It Midnight in particular. It's SURGING with that great 80's energy....the only "downers" are Mystified (I love it tho!) and WISYA (Ugh. LOL). This is the FUN album..the one you play at parties. Granted, it's the most dated-sounding of all FM albums, but I still think it's VERY strong.

I would say without a shadow of a doubt...

Tango In The Night

With the exception of the two Stevie songs on side two, it really is a perfect album, imho (I fall into the minority of thinking that Family Man is a great, great, track.) Side one is perfect...Big Love, Seven Wonders, Everywhere, Caroline, Tango In The Night, Mystified............pure Mac magic.:)

I love all the songs on Mirage too, but TITN is exceptionally good...my 2nd fav. FM album.

:wavey: :wavey: :wavey:

Stevie's stuff is weak. I like Seven Wonders, and the ending solo in WISYA, that's it. Lindsey's & Chris's stuff is good.

"Tango in the Night" really does not hold up over time. "Mirage" only survives because of Stevie and Christine's contributions- Lindsey's worst songs are on both of these albums.

Consider this:

GREAT SONGS:

"Gypsy"
"That's Alright"
"Only Over You"
"Wish You Were Here"

STANKY SONGS:

"Everywhere"
"Mystified"
"Little Lies"

I have a soft spot for "Welcome to the Room... Sara" and "When I See You Again". Sorry, those two tunes are just soooo vulnerable I can't not like them.....

Mirage for me.

I like Tango, but Stevie's absence is a minus. Everywhere is overrated, and Caroline is catchy but has some of Lindsey's worst lyrics. (I'm glad that rhyming was not his priority on SYW.) Mystified is alright but a bit bland. I cannot stand Family Man. I love Seven Wonders, Tango in the Night, Little Lies, and WTTRS. Isn't it Midnight, Big Love, and WISYA are okay. I like You and I Part II, but I always picture Martin Short's Ed Grimley doing his hip dance with the arms up when I hear the guitar on it.

On Mirage, I love Stevie's songs, though Straight Back had to grow on me. I like all of Lindsey's songs except for Oh Diane, which is slightly annoying but otherwise harmless. I have no problem with Empire State. All of Christine's songs work, though I did not like Love in Store until I saw the Mirage concert video. I admit that I am not a very big fan of Hold Me, but I love the video. Wish You Were Here is underrated. I really like the piano at the end.

Mirage has greater variety that the Tango album, IMO. Also, Tango is cohesive due to the production; Mirage songs are connected by the harmonies that are the Mac trademark.

- Jake

Why does everyone hate When I See You Again so much?! It is one of my all-time favorite Stevie songs! Forgive me, but if you are not moved by it, I fear you are listening to music with your brain instead of your heart. We're not writers for Rolling Stone, people...we're supposed to be FANS!
All of this analyzing stuff drives me crazy. But, then again, it's my fault for reading it!:o

Well, I feel the same way (and have said as much here on The Ledge).

I know the repetition of the line, "what's the matter, baby," sends many people running in the other direction, but that part of the song only pulls me in that much deeper.

And I think to truly appreciate "When I See You Again," you have to allow yourself to FEEL the song... to go to (or at least understand) that place of desperation, despondency, and vulnerability, that Stevie is writing from.

This song is a prime example of why I've always been so much more enamoured with Stevie's writing, than with any other songwriter out there.
She's really not at all afraid to let us peek into her soul. She doesn't back off, or gloss over things, or take a cynical viewpoint... she allows herself to be vulnerable, and exposed.

Sure, it's all wrapped up in her vague imagery, but, again, I think that if you allow yourself to feel the songs, rather than to just simply intellectualize them, you'll appreciate them far more and you'll have a better understanding of what she's singing about.


"Don't listen to her... listen through her...."

as "terrible" as Stevie's voice was on "Tango... "When I See You Again" sounds beautiful in a painful way... I can feel her singing her pain and all the stuff she has been through during that time in her life... It comes out so much on that song and it is one of my favorite Stevie songs because the way she sings it... it makes you FEEL the pain... This song has brought me to tears during some tough times in my life... I understand what the song is about and the way she sings it... it is just "beautiful"... and hearing her an lindsey at the end... what else can I say...

What's wrong with Little Lies? I think it's one of Chris's best! I really like the dark, gloomy atmosphere of the song. It's a really nice change of pace from somebody who usually turns out the smiley-faced ray-of-sunshine stuff that she does. Isn't It Midnight does as well, but not nearly as effectively.

Plus, I really like the keyboard work on this song, and that says a lot coming from someone like myself who is a huge admirer of Tony Banks, Rick Wakeman, and Kieth Emerson. It's not an impressive display of chops that impresses me, but that little analog synth line is so catchy and memorable, and very atmospheric and reminicent of 80's Genesis style keys. Even though I'm not a big fan of the glossy, tinkly 80s keyboard sounds the ones she uses here are really tasteful and don't date the other Tango tracks (at least the ones I've heard) near as badly. It's one of my favorite FM songs. Did her husband have something to do with this?

Everywhere I could see how somebody couldn't like, as it is REALLY corny. The verses do have an oafy feel to them and the song is pure 80's cheese all the way. Unfortunately, it's also really ****ing catchy. :laugh: I always find myself craving some clavinet on the choruses but then again, Christine is NOT Stevie Wonder.

Sorry to go off topic. Just wanted to defend a cool song. :)

I really understand what you're saying here. I wish I had the ablitity to do that with this song, but I just can't get through it. I find the melody dull and the lyrics awful/uninteresting, but I guess I can see where others might find some meaning in them. But I just can't get past the lyrics and melody, and those are really the meat of the song, and the feeling is buried deep within them. That's why the song has so many critics I think: it's way too hard to scratch the surface without hitting the skip button on your cd player.

I'm with you on this. This is really the only Stevie song I like from Tango, and her voice is just awful on everything, but that fact lends itself well to this song. And you're right about her and Lindsey at the end. The way Lindsey's voice is so distant really adds to the song.

To answer the original question, the casual fan might pick Mirage over Tango because Tango's production is very 80s. However, if the casual fan doesn't mind that sound, he/she will pick Tango because it has more recognizable songs. Tango songs I remember hearing on the radio: Big Love, Seven Wonders, Everywhere, Isn't It Midnight, Little Lies, Family Man. Only one other FM album (perhaps until now) had as many songs that were played on the radio with any regularity--Rumours.

To me, Tango is better. Yes, Stevie's songs are mediocre. Seven Wonders is OK and the guitar work on When I See You Again is brilliant. In fact, the guitar work throughout the album is fantastic. Lindsey was obvioulsy having trouble with lyrics, but he had been working on his guitar playing.

To me, Tango opens the door to Cradle and the Dance, the GOS tracks and SYW. It was then that Lindsey very obviously decided to take his guitar playing in different direction, a much higher level. More so than ever, he carved out a signature sound. From the first lick on Big Love, you knew you were in for something quite different. I even like You and I, Part II because it reminds me of the Caribban, though I wish they had used Part I in the album instead because it's a better song. People get hung up on the lyrics in Caroline and Family Man, but you have to see past the words because those songs are really not about the words. Musically, Caroline was one of the most interesting songs Lindsey had done up to that point. It was a transition song, in which he is phasing out the Go Insane sound and reining in the Cradle sound. In fact, when I picked up Cradle I had this great expectation that the whole album would sound like Caroline. Of course, it was better.

Christine's contributions are wonderful. I don't tend to skip to Christine's songs in other albums but here I want to listen to Everywhere and Little Lies. Mystified is a great song; I've always liked it. Isn't It Midnight is a rare rocker from her. Great stuff.

Mirage today sounds more contemporary because of the production. It will sound even better when it is remastered. I'm not sure why people diss Book of Love or Oh Diane. I like those songs. Book of Love has amazing melodies; the chorus lyrics are unfortunate, granted.

Overall, I think I'd still got with Tango over Mirage. But that could change when we ge the new Mirage.

Once again, Johnny Stew, :nod: :nod: :nod: .

Thank you.

Also, as sited on Burnish, Stevie says "What's the matter, baby" 11 times in 11 different ways and I love that.

Yes, Chris co-wrote "Little Lies" with her then husband, Eddy Quintela.

I love both TANGO IN THE NIGHT and MIRAGE quite equally.... great production work by Buckingham on both.....but the latter disc I like a bit more because it's less "synth."

I adore Buckingham’s luvly clear-voiced crooning on the melodious “OH DIANE” (made the top ten in the UK) and where he gently sings “Will I love you, I will, always. Will you stand by me always?”............... and his raw, fast-paced “EYES OF THE WORLD.” ............... And love his “CAN’T GO BACK” where he sings “a face as soft as a tear in a clown’s eye” ----and his “tore a page of my heart”- Yes!!! in the poignant “BOOK OF LOVE.................

Enjoy “I never did believe in time” that Nicks sings in her beautiful “THAT’S ALRIGHT............and the wonderful production of her cool number STRAIGHT BACK where she sing “the dream has just begun and hours of waiting for you in hopes of meeting"-- love that!!!..........& GYPSY is one of my favorite Nicks’ tunes, highlighted by Buckingham’s fine electric finale.................

Love McVie’s love song to lover Dennis Wilson entitled, HOLD ME, ............as well as her uplifting opener, LOVE IN STORE...........her pure-voiced, romantic ONLY OVER YOU with "I'm out of my mind, and it's only over you" is awesome with its stellar melody....... And McVie’s WISH YOU WERE HERE makes the perfect epilogue for MIRAGE...........

:nod:

There are many reasons why I, and I'm sure many others, don't like WISYA. I know that Stevie writes in an honest, truthful way and that she allows herself to show her true colors and vulnerability, but it doesn't necessarily mask a bad song.

The vocals are very poor. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: it's as if Stevie forgot how to sing when they recorded this. Her vocals are lousy. They're whiny, sharp, and too scratchy. The only good vocal comes from Lindsey.

The lyrics are lazy and among the worst she's ever written (and I don't think she has written many bad songs). I think this is the worst part of the song:

"So she walks slowly
down the hall
There are many doors
in the hallway
And she stares at the stairs
Ooh there are many things
to stare at these days"

The repetition of "Whassamattababay" grates on the nerves. Any song that just repeats itself over and over, regardless if it's a Stevie/Mac song, is obnoxious. The fact that she starts off singing it and then whispering it and then screeching it and then caterwauling it doesn't help.

I love Stevie and understand all of her lyrics like the rest of y'all. However, for people who are not fans that hear a song like WISYA, it won't make them a fan and I think the lyrics are a big part in that. WISYA and WTTR...S would be incomprehensible to someone who isn't a fanatic like us on the board. Frontline, baby? It's not home and it's not Tara? Deja vu? Upstairs where the stars laugh and shine? They'd be scratching their heads in bewilderment, asking how all this mess ties together. I expect most people would laugh hysterically at the "Whassamattababays" and the staring at stairs in WISYA. The song just doesn't come together.

Just my opinion though! :)

I'm sorry Eric, but "Little Lies" is very {boppy} and {dated}.... It's just not good like "You Make Loving Fun" or "One More Night"....

Christine's contribution to this record was very . She, herself, has stated that if a song doesn't work from the beginning, she will discard it.

I still think "Little Lies" is an abysmal, mid-80's stinker.

I love ev'ry moment of these lyrics.... Especially, the heartbreak in her voice. LORD!! It was HER standing there in her house realizing that everything (that she knew of at the time) was GONE ....

Especially, "There are many things to stare at- these days..."

Stevie had a lot of courage to be able to go back to Lindsey with herself in that state and present songs without running away or breaking down.

When I first heard Tango in the Night, I REALLY didn't like it... However, the only things that saved the album for me were

Isn't It Midnight
Tango in the Night
When I See You Again
Welcome to the Room... Sara

Otherwise, the album was Lindsey unabated. Before his masterpiece, Out of the Cradle.

This is always the most interesting thing... to me, at least... when people are discussing "best" and "worst" songs, because in a lot of cases, it varies so much from person to person.
"When I See You Again" is most definitely one of those songs.

I love everything about the song, and I don't see anything bad about the lyrics at all.
Are they the most brilliant lyrics ever written? No, but the brilliance is in how deeply they can affect someone.
I can feel and hear the aching and longing in every single word, and in every nuance of her vocal.

That second verse kills me....

"So she walks slowly down the hall...
There are many doors in the hallway.
And she stares at the stairs....
Ooh, there are many things to stare at these days."

Maybe it's just me, but because of my panic/anxiety disorder, I have spent many nights just walking the floors, because I can't sleep and don't know what to do with myself.
I know EXACTLY what Stevie must have been feeling as she wrote those lyrics.

And yes, her voice is scratchy and raspy... and that's the beauty of it.
A singer with a textbook perfect voice could never pull off a song like this. Stevie's flawed little voice brings something to this song that all the perfect notes in the world, couldn't hope to.

I feel the same way about "I Sing For The Things"... that hoarse, whispered vocal just slays me every time.

By the way, I was a relatively "new" fan when 'Tango' was released. I was familiar with the bigger hits, and grew up loving those songs... but I was so young when they were released, that I paid little attention to who sang them, etc.
It wasn't until 'Rock A Little' was released in late 1985, that I really took notice.
So that album, and 'Tango In The Night,' were the two albums that REALLY introduced me to Stevie and Fleetwood Mac, in a big way. And "When I See You Again" was definitely one of the songs that permanently sealed my fandom.
And I was only a teenager at the time. :)

I don't expect everyone to like "When I See You Again" (though I do believe the possibility is there, if someone truly immerses their self in the song), but it does mean a great deal to me... so it can't possibly be the "worst" anything. :)

Well she obviously liked these songs, or she would have discarded them! :laugh:

If Little Lies had come out in the 70's, and not had that annoyingly glossy mid-80's production and keyboards from the worst era ever for keyboard instruments, I bet you any money that you'd like this song. Just the sound alone of "Everywhere" made me completely hate the song for a while. But it's strangely catchy.

Any money though, if Little Lies had Rumours and Mirage-style punchy analog 70's production, and Chris played a Rhodes electric instead of that squeeky Yamaha DX-7 and played a vintage Minimoog or something for those synth lines, I guarantee you'd like the song.

I think that applies to ALL of her "Tango" tracks.

It's funny because most every opinion I've read stated that Christine basically saved the album as far as quality of songs is concerned. Interesting.

Sound quality and production has more an influence on how people percieve music, whether they know that or not.

Next to Lindsey's Tango In the Night, I think Little Lies is the best song on the album! :nod:

My curiosity got the better of me and I DL'ed When I See You Again.

Yow! So coke not only rots your nose to the point of having to have somebody imbibe it up your cornhole, but it can also fool an extremely talented songwriter into thinking this kind of stuff is passable.

The song does have one very positive merit to it though. If I didn't want to do coke ever again anyways, I sure the hell don't want to do it now.

How pathetic. :distress:

You can chalk me up for Mirage.

The synthy 80's thing just bugs me too much. Probably why I'm among the minority that likes WISYA; it's simple, vulnerable, and raw. I really dig how Lindsey comes in on the end too, both the vocal and the guitar. I won't bother y'all with the video I have in my head for this song, but it's just so lonely, and I think Lindsey's counterpoint heightens that.

I'll solidify my place in the minority and say I don't really like "Little Lies" (so cliche and insubstantial), and I DO like "Family Man" (LOVE the guitar, the energy and the moodiness) and WTTR...S (I dig gritty Stevie, it ain't all chiffon and lace!). "Isn't It Midnight" is a rocker for Christine and I wish I liked it more, but I just can't connect to it. The rest is just OK to me.

"Mirage", while hardly stellar, just has stronger songs IMO. Both "Wish You Were Here" and especially "Love in Store" are simple yet solid. I mean, c'mon, who among you doesn't sing along to this chorus? "Only Over You" reminds me of "Over My Head" in both atmosphere and theme (damn that Dennis Wilson making Chris so mixed up!). It just reminds me of someone languishing by their window about that bad relationship. Maybe a bit of "Over and Over in there too (what's with these "O" titles?). "Hold Me" is lovely, from that little piano in the beginning to that fabo Chris/Lindsey combo, and those sexy, lusting lyrics!

Lindsey is the weak link here; I can do without almost everything but I really like "Book of Love". I HATE that I like this song, 50's feel AND named "Book of Love" for God's sake! But his vocal in the chorus, right down to those "Ha,ha,ha,ha's"...love it.

I can't say any more about "Gypsy", but I do skip it sometimes just because of the extensive radio play it's gotten. "That's Alright" is OK, but "Straight Back" is SO underrated! It's stronger than SOTM (which I don't think we would talk hardly at all if it hadn't been for the "Mirage" video), and again I dig gritty, fed up Stevie! Direct and to the point..."hours and hours of waiting for you"...smart and angry, at him and herself...I had forgotten about this song for a while, but it may be one of my all time favorites of Stevie's.

I suspect us older folks prefer Mirage because it's closer to the classic FM sound. Tango brought a lot of fans in, so I suspect younger fans like it because it was their first initiation to FM. Just MHO.

I confess it's hard for me to listen to Tango beginning to end now, but for years it was one of my favorite albums. Of course, Cradle supplanted Tango as my most-listened-to record. Curiously enough, I don't have any records now that I play over and over. I'm more democratic in how I listen to my music now.

I believe that in both Mirage and Tango Lindsey was struggling with lyrics. He had hit an apex with Tusk, only to slide in the following years. It must have had something to do with the creative problems he has said he was having. Cradle changed everything. Not only was he writing way better, very deep lyrics, his playing and production had gotten better than ever.

Mirage for me

It contains 3 of my favourite stevie songs, my favourite Lyndsey song and 2 of my favourite christine songs

Mirage is my #1 album
Tango probably 5th for FM albums, though I do love seven wonders, Tango in the night and isnt it midnight very very much, though Mystified makes me want to commit hari kari