Penguin
 

I know I read comments by Bob Welch and Christine regarding this album as being obscure and weird, but I don't think it's all bad. I like the Bob Welch stuff on it like Nightwatch and Revelation. I'm just curious as to why this record seems to get kicked around alot? :confused:

I LOVE this album!!!! This is the first pre-rumours album I ever bought so it's special to me.

Two words...Dave Walker.

He didn't fit the band in a live situation...and that carried over into the recording studio, too, obviously. His two contributions are pretty weak. "Roadrunner" especially. "The Derelict" actually sounds better 32 years down the road than it did in 1973. Welch's compositions aren't exactly HIS best, either. "Revelation" is the best of his three, but "Night Watch" & "Bright Fire" are just "ok". Christine had three really strong tunes, but none of them caught any airplay. Weston's instrumental "Caught In The Rain" is pretty good, too. So, between the Dave Walker debacle overshadowing the whole album and the album itself being fairly short from a running time standpoint, the album just didn't do all that well...but, the second album from this crew (minus DW) is probably the best album of the entire Fleetwood Mac catalogue.

YEs I agree. Mystery to Me is right up there with Future games for me. ANd I cant listen to Roadrunner. UGH

Mystery To Me was the second pre-rumours album I got. That's another one I love.

I actually think it's good! One of the best on Penguin. :wavey:

Hey if you like it, that's all that matters. :nod:

What about it don't you like?

That sums it up pretty good. :nod: Dave Walker was out of place in Fleetwood Mac. The album is kind of schizophrenic. I love Christine's three songs & "Caught In The Rain". I can't stand Dave Walker's two songs and I think this is Bob Welch's weakest group of songs on any Fleetwood Mac album(he more than made up for it on the next 2 albums), although I do like "Nightwatch".

I just dont care for the way he sings it. He sounds like a drunk at the bar the way I see it. Just my opinion though.

:lol: :lol:

Yeah, I don't mind that you don't like it. I was just curious because I think it's actually catchy. I also like The Derelict.

No problem. I'm glad we can agree to disagree about it and not have it decend into this big catfight. :lol: :nod:

He WAS a "drunk at the bar" during his tenure in Fleetwood Mac...read what he says about those days in his Q&A here on the Penguin site.

In fact, that is why Welch ended up having to play bass on "Revelation", Walker & John McVie became "drinkin' buddies" during the Penguin sessons...John missed a few recording sessions because he & Dave were down the road at the pub while the rest of the band was working in the studio.

I don't dislike "Roadrunner" as a song...the Jr. Walker & The All-Stars original is killer. I just don't think Fleetwood Mac performed it well at all. "The Derelict" is just so off the wall compared the rest of the album that it doesn't fit. BUT, that said, taken on its own, out of the context of the album, it's actually a pretty good tune.

For me, "Revelation" is Welch's (& Weston's, too...dig the lead guitar on that song!) high point of the album. (and that is despite Peter Green's cameo appearance on "Night Watch")

Penguin
 

I have a soft spot for Penguin because this was the first Fleetwood Mac album I bought. (As opposed to their first Geatest Hits album which was a Christmas present) I had just seen them live in Manchester in May 1973 and I had to save up my pocket money to get it.

I really like Nightwatch and Did You Ever Love Me. Dissatisfied, Remember Me and Caught in the Rain I also like.

Not their best album but brings back memories.

Gail

I like a lot of the songs on "Penguin," but, honestly, it sounds like a demo. A very good demo, mind you.

I like Dave Walker's contributions :wavey: and I'd take them over 'Night Watch' and 'Revelation' any time... but that's opinions for you :D

'Roadrunner' isn't a fantastic cover by any means, but DW makes a much better fist of it than the other members - love that harmonica, man ;) Sounds like the rest of the band were afraid to let rip, but Mac were a bit short of rockers at the time with Danny gone, no Jeremy or Peter... I'd love to have heard those guys have a go at 'Roadrunner'...