My nit picks for Tusk.

[Wdm6789]

Tusk:

I think the Tusk album could have been cut to 11 or 12 songs.

1. I like the live album version of Over & Over better. The Tusk Over & Over should be more like the live album version.

2. The Ledge is okay, sounds like filler to me, could have been cut.

3. Think About Me is good, but Lindsey like hogs all the vocals away from Christine in the second half of the song. It's also too short. It should be at least three minutes.

4. I like Save Me a Place, but I don't like the other low male voice doing backup vocals. The backup vocals should have been Stevie and Christine. Save Me a Place is also too short of a song.

5. The piano on Sara is my favorite thing about the song, but it sounds like it needed tuned or something. The piano track should be tighter and sharper and just slightly more prominent than it already is.

6. I don't really like What Makes You Think You're the One. I know everyone else loves it. I could do without it.

7. I like the live version of Not That Funny better. It doesn't need to be 10 minutes on the album though. I like it when it's more piano prominent like this video on YouTube

http://youtu.be/1Fi3NGwnE3c

I think this video cut out too much guitar though. I like the guitar on Not That Funny, but it seems to overpower the piano when you listen to other live versions. The piano should be less subtle.

8. I guess I just like their 1979-1980 live arrangements better. Same for Sisters of the Moon.

9. I could do without That's Enough for Me

10. Brown Eyes is good but I don't really like the clicking. I would rather have a subtle drum beat. Maybe Mick could have used brushes like he did on Sara.

11. Never Make Me Cry is also too short. It's a great Christine song, but if I had to cut one of hers, it would be this one.

12. I also don't care for I Know I'm Not Wrong.

13. Honey Hi is okay, I love the ending, but the rest of the song is just okay. It needs more to it.

14. Beautiful Child is a beautiful song, but if I had to cut one of Stevie's songs, it would be this one. There is already Sara and Storms.

15. Walk a Thin Line is really good, but it needs Stevie and Christine on it. Like the rest of Lindsey's songs on Tusk.

16. Tusk is okay. I could do without all the extra sound effects and the USC band and have it be more Fleerwood Mac-y.

17. Never forget is also just okay. It needs some more energy. It needs more bass and drums and get rid of the Brown Eyes clicking. The guitar and keyboard need to be more rocky and poppy

To summarize: Stevie's songs were good, but too many slow teary songs. Lindsey needed Christine and Stevie on his songs. Christine's songs were too laid back, they need to be poppier and rockier.

My Tusk track list would be:
(I used the same order and just cut out songs. This is not the order I would have put the songs in. I didn't feel like going through them again.)

1. Over & Over
2. Think About Me
3. Save Me a Place
4. Sara
5. Storms
6. That's All For Everyone
7. Not That Funny
8. Sisters of The Moon
9. Angel
10. Brown eyes
11. Walk a Thin Line
12. Never Forget

(But with all the changes I suggested.)

[TheWILDheart]

Originally Posted by Wdm6789

Tusk:

5. They should have had the six minute version of Sara on the album instead of the condensed version.

I haven't read through all your post yet, but for info, they had have the full 6:28 version on the original record release. It is only the original CD release and the 7" single release that feature a shorter version. The 2004 remaster also includes the full verison.

[Macfan4life]

Wow, its hard to nit pick about Tusk but I will force myself.
I love all the songs. The only song I would drop is the Ledge. But I could keep it but place it on the 4th side. Its too early in the mix on side 1 and immediately casts Tusk's quirky side. Although there is nothing quirky about Tusk today. Its held up pretty good. I could not stand to remove any songs due to the creativity on each one.
I was never crazy about the album cover or song Tusk.
My biggest nit pick would have been to release Think About Me as the first single. Its a mainstream rock/pop track that would have been huge. The headline would have been "Fleetwood Mac is back." Even though the single Tusk made the top 10, it confused the masses. I believe Think About Me would have cracked the top 10 if it was the first single. I also believe it would have been a good lead single to promote the album better.
So these are my few nit picks

Oh I too prefer the live version of Over and Over. But I also prefer the live version of Sisters. If there was a way to make those raw live versions a recording in the studio then I would add that too

[Wdm6789]

Originally Posted by TheWILDheart

I haven't read through all your post yet, but for info, they had have the full 6:28 version on the original record release. It is only the original CD release and the 7" single release that feature a shorter version. The 2004 remaster also includes the full verison.

I was going with my iTunes. The Sara on Tusk on iTunes is 4:39. My parents won't let me have their Tusk album, they have the original they got in 1979. My dad was a collector back in the day. He's let me take some of his old albums but there's some he won't give up.

[olive]

Maybe they should have made Rumours 2

[aleuzzi]

I love Tusk and see it as a truly remarkable record. However, my concerns with it are more than mere nitpicks (unlike whatever unreasonable complaint I might have about some aspect of either of the the previous two).

1. The track sequencing is bizarre. That might be part of the point. But it does get in the way of the flow. To start the album with the ultra conventional "Over and Over" and follow it up with music from another planet ("The Ledge") never sits easy with me. I get that Lindsey might have wanted to juxtapose those two worlds--California industry-pop with garage band punk. That's a powerful statement. But it doesn't make for enjoyable back-to-back listening. The result is a fascinating yet frustrating sense of fragmentation.

2. No Christine song on side two is simply wrong. She should have written and performed one in place of "That's all...".

3. Stevie and Christine should be singing harmonies on a number of Lindsey tunes, especially "Save Me a Place" and "Walk a Thin Line." The three harmonies only sound apparent on Christine's songs, and on "Sara" and "Beautiful Child."

4. "Storms" and "Over and Over" give off a strange, echoey vibrato that makes the songs feel chilly when they should feel warm.

I don't know where to start with Tusk. Unlike the previous 2 albums there are plenty of Stevie songs, but she doesn't feature enough in the other songs. I also agree that Lindsey's songs need more Stevie and Christine. IIRC the outtakes of The Ledge, That's Enough For Me and I Know I'm Not Wrong do feature them more which is why I prefer them.

Not that they needed more tracks but I think it's a shame The Dealer didn't make it.

[ryan4136]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I love Tusk and see it as a truly remarkable record. However, my concerns with it are more than mere nitpicks (unlike whatever unreasonable complaint I might have about some aspect of either of the the previous two).

1. The track sequencing is bizarre. That might be part of the point. But it does get in the way of the flow. .

This is largely because this wasnt intended to be a double album, but actually 2 companion albums released virtually at the same time. There was suppose to be a story between the two. When the record company shot it down they approved a single "double album" release. Which explains partly the sequencing.

[secondhandchain]

Originally Posted by Wdm6789

Tusk:

I think the Tusk album could have been cut to 11 or 12 songs.

1. I like the live album version of Over & Over better. The Tusk Over & Over should be more like the live album version.

2. The Ledge is okay, sounds like filler to me, could have been cut.

3. Think About Me is good, but Lindsey like hogs all the vocals away from Christine in the second half of the song. It's also too short. It should be at least three minutes.

4. I like Save Me a Place, but I don't like the other low male voice doing backup vocals. The backup vocals should have been Stevie and Christine. Save Me a Place is also too short of a song.

5. The piano on Sara is my favorite thing about the song, but it sounds like it needed tuned or something. The piano track should be tighter and sharper and just slightly more prominent than it already is.

6. I don't really like What Makes You Think You're the One. I know everyone else loves it. I could do without it.

7. I like the live version of Not That Funny better. It doesn't need to be 10 minutes on the album though. I like it when it's more piano prominent like this video on YouTube

http://youtu.be/1Fi3NGwnE3c

I think this video cut out too much guitar though. I like the guitar on Not That Funny, but it seems to overpower the piano when you listen to other live versions. The piano should be less subtle.

8. I guess I just like their 1979-1980 live arrangements better. Same for Sisters of the Moon.

9. I could do without That's Enough for Me

10. Brown Eyes is good but I don't really like the clicking. I would rather have a subtle drum beat. Maybe Mick could have used brushes like he did on Sara.

11. Never Make Me Cry is also too short. It's a great Christine song, but if I had to cut one of hers, it would be this one.

12. I also don't care for I Know I'm Not Wrong.

13. Honey Hi is okay, I love the ending, but the rest of the song is just okay. It needs more to it.

14. Beautiful Child is a beautiful song, but if I had to cut one of Stevie's songs, it would be this one. There is already Sara and Storms.

15. Walk a Thin Line is really good, but it needs Stevie and Christine on it. Like the rest of Lindsey's songs on Tusk.

16. Tusk is okay. I could do without all the extra sound effects and the USC band and have it be more Fleerwood Mac-y.

17. Never forget is also just okay. It needs some more energy. It needs more bass and drums and get rid of the Brown Eyes clicking. The guitar and keyboard need to be more rocky and poppy

To summarize: Stevie's songs were good, but too many slow teary songs. Lindsey needed Christine and Stevie on his songs. Christine's songs were too laid back, they need to be poppier and rockier.

My Tusk track list would be:
(I used the same order and just cut out songs. This is not the order I would have put the songs in. I didn't feel like going through them again.)

1. Over & Over
2. Think About Me
3. Save Me a Place
4. Sara
5. Storms
6. That's All For Everyone
7. Not That Funny
8. Sisters of The Moon
9. Angel
10. Brown eyes
11. Walk a Thin Line
12. Never Forget

(But with all the changes I suggested.)

That's way more then nit picking. Hardly agree with anything you've said except I don't care for That's enough for me.

[He's So Unusual]

I love the artwork, especially the pictures inside.