The Ledge - For Blue Letter Archives: FM Live Review #4

Fleetwood Mac's "Live" Album Welcome for Several Reasons
By Bruce Westbrook
Daily Oklahoman
Dec. 30, 1980

Fleetwood Mac's two-record concert album is welcome for several reasons. First, it demonstrates the group's performing prowess for those who haven't seen them live. Fleetwood Mac may be best-known for catchy pop hits rather than rock & roll, but this LP should dispel any doubts about their energy & vitality.

Second, the album is a splendid memento of the band's last tour for those who did see them on stage. It captures concert electricity like few live recordings.

Third, one song was taped in Oklahoma City. The first side closes with "Over & Over," which was recorded at the Myriad on Aug. 22.

Ten other cities from Cleveland to Paris are represented. As on Jackson Browne's "Running On Empty," songs were performed in several ways. Three new songs were taped before friends & crew members in Santa Monica, Calif. The two Paris cuts were recorded during sound checks. The other 13 tunes were taped in conventional concert settings.

Reportedly, overdubs were minimal. As drummer Mick Fleetwood says, "Live albums have become albums that are, in reality, half & half--half live & half studio. We tried to avoid that. We did a few harmony bits & left everything else alone.

"There's a great difference between Fleetwood Mac on record & Fleetwood Mac on stage. We don't duplicate everything we do on record note-for-note. I think a lot of people will be surprised at the band stretching out."

The Oklahoma City track is among the album's best. It's a mellow, moving song, highlighted by Christine McVie's soulful, plaintive vocals & soft keyboards. But the ending builds to a frenzied instrumental climax, thanks to guitarist Lindsey Buckingham.

His vivid licks consistently steal the show, but the record still stands as an ensemble piece. Lead vocals shift from McVie to Buckingham to Stevie Nicks with little lapse in quality, the harmonies are as distinctive as ever & the rhythm section of Fleetwood & John McVie maintains a steady, structured undercurrent.

Though the pace slows with ballads & acoustic guitars, this is mostly a rock record, & the two most powerful rockers are "Rhiannon" & "I'm So Afraid." The first has a dramatically prolonged ending, & Nicks' haunting, wailing vocals are her best of the set. The latter is a loud, long & passionate tour de force for Buckingham.

His overlong, overwrought performance of "Not That Funny" is less successful, & Nicks also has weak moments with her whispery, meandering vocals for "Landslide" & "Sara."

The new tunes aren't arresting, but Nicks' "Fireflies" has an appealing mid-tempo melody, & Brian Wilson's "The Farmer's Daughter" is a hummable homage to one of the band's sources of inspiration, the Beach Boys.

The LP also includes "Oh Well," a tailor-made concert tune by original Mac member Peter Green. But even the pop hits acquire a special intensity & spontaneity on stage, especially "Go Your Own Way," the set's most exuberant song.