If you had to choose: MIRAGE vs. TANGO IN THE NIGHT

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Nope just you, you are sterile and plastic. (Does that go against the board rules?)

Opinions are just like ewe?

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Opinions are just like ewe?

Go play in the rain!

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Go play in the rain!

Thunder only happens when it's raining.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Two questions posed:

If you had to chose Mirage or Tango...

and

Which one is the better album...


Song for song, I think Tango is a better album. It has a more unified sound and only two certifiable duds (Stevie's songs). Little Lies is also one of the band's best songs. By contrast Mirage is far more uneven.

But...what works on Mirage is truly magical in a way that 95% of Tango lacks. There's an energy, a fire in "Gypsy," "Hold Me," "Love in Store," "Eyes of the World," and "Wish You Were Here" that the band has only intermittently captured in the studio since. Those Mirage songs I mentioned, especially the two big hits, stand up to any of the band's best songs and always trigger in me a genuine enthusiasm (as opposed to mere admiration) for FM as a band.

Funny: 12 years ago when I wrote this, I had no idea a TANGO demo called “Where We Belong” existed. This collaboration between Christine and Lindsey is so warm and charming and catchy as hell. It sounds like the best moments on MIRAGE. They should have put it (as is!) on the album and removed one of the solo-sounding Lindsey tunes. (I mean, all of Lindsey’s songs are better than Stevie’s here, but leaving her with only two songs wasn’t really an option).

In recent years, I’ve listened to “Everywhere” a lot more than I used to. The first three songs really do land.

But MIRAGE still feels more genuine and authentic. The deluxe alternative version of “Only Over You,” plus “Teen Beat” and “Goodbye Angel” are gems.

[SteveMacD]

Dunno if I said it earlier, but Mirage for Stevie, Tango for Christine and Lindsey.

[Villavic]

At this moment it's an exact tie. I thought Mirage would won, even though I voted for Tango. I like Tango more for several reasons, not exclusively music sound, production or artistic quality. It brings me beautiful memories of 1987 associated with listening to those songs. That counts.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Villavic

At this moment it's an exact tie. I thought Mirage would won, even though I voted for Tango. I like Tango more for several reasons, not exclusively music sound, production or artistic quality. It brings me beautiful memories of 1987 associated with listening to those songs. That counts.

When I first joined this board, Mirage was bashed and the least favorite Mac album of many. Tango was praised and I was even afraid to voice any criticism. Its funny that over time this board has warmed up to Mirage and dont see Tango in the same light.
However many members no longer post here and maybe its the newer ones that caused that change? Who knows.
Mirage was a #1 album for 5 weeks. Tango made it to #7 before quickly falling. Tango was a worldwide success and Mirage was not. Was not Tango more successful in Europe? For its 4 hits, Tango grossly undersold in the states. Did not Tango initially sell 2 million in 1987? Was that not Mirage's numbers too?

[jbrownsjr]

74 to 74 in a poll. That's really a fair sample.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

74 to 74 in a poll. That's really a fair sample.

A tie just like it would be Rumours vs Street Angel

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

When I first joined this board, Mirage was bashed and the least favorite Mac album of many. Tango was praised and I was even afraid to voice any criticism. Its funny that over time this board has warmed up to Mirage and dont see Tango in the same light.
However many members no longer post here and maybe its the newer ones that caused that change? Who knows.
Mirage was a #1 album for 5 weeks. Tango made it to #7 before quickly falling. Tango was a worldwide success and Mirage was not. Was not Tango more successful in Europe? For its 4 hits, Tango grossly undersold in the states. Did not Tango initially sell 2 million in 1987? Was that not Mirage's numbers too?

Yes, it was much more successful in Europe, charting very highly in many countries. It reached number 1 in the UK three times and was one of the highest selling albums of the 1980’s. Possibly the highest selling of 1987, but I didn’t check.
Maybe it’s just more ‘European’ sounding (whatever that means)

[Mr Scarrott]

Tango. Maybe I'm biased because it was what first got me into the Mac when I was a student and everybody else was in the cool indie heaven that I could never enter.

The first three tracks just sound epic and really grab you by the whatever. OK, Stevie didn't write SW, but so what? There's nothing that really has that effect on Mirage until Gypsy knocks the preceding four tracks out of the park.

Yes, Tango is uneven, we all know that, but there's a shimmering quality to Lindsey's production that evokes the feel of the title of the album throughout. It's like they're all calling out to and misunderstanding each other, on a hot summer's night across the waves in some Mediterranena idyll. The occasional lapse like WTTRS is banished by a glorious IIM which is nearly as strong as the second side's opener, LL. Lindsey rescues a fragile Stevie who again reveals her confusion in WISYA; he ends the whole thing with a cheery, almost music-hally ditty that seems to mask an inner fear, he's still looking out for love but not in quite so menacingly a manner as in the opener. Somehow, the whole album, although it occasionally creaks, hangs together.

But it's Christine that seems to own it with two anthems, a soothing lullaby that echoes tracks as far back as SMAS, and a beloved joyous song that will forever remind us she's everywhere, despite leaving us.

So Tango, then. Mirage is a pleasant rag-bag of ideas but it was no attempted equivalent to Abbey Road as Tusk was to the White Album and Rumours was to Sergeant Pepper. Maybe the Mac had to wait another album to make that comparison make some sort of sense.

[BLY]

Originally Posted by Mr Scarrott

Tango. Maybe I'm biased because it was what first got me into the Mac when I was a student and everybody else was in the cool indie heaven that I could never enter.

The first three tracks just sound epic and really grab you by the whatever. OK, Stevie didn't write SW, but so what? There's nothing that really has that effect on Mirage until Gypsy knocks the preceding four tracks out of the park.

Yes, Tango is uneven, we all know that, but there's a shimmering quality to Lindsey's production that evokes the feel of the title of the album throughout. It's like they're all calling out to and misunderstanding each other, on a hot summer's night across the waves in some Mediterranena idyll. The occasional lapse like WTTRS is banished by an glorious IIM which is nearly as strong as the second side's opener, LL. Lindsey rescues a fragile Stevie who again reveals her confusion in WISYA; he ends the whole thing with a cheery, almost music-hally ditty that seems to mask an inner fear, he's still looking out for love but not in quite so menacingly a manner as in the opener. Somehow, the whole album, although it occasionally creaks, hangs together.

But it's Christine that seems to own it with two anthems, a soothing lullaby that echoes tracks as far back as SMAS, and a beloved joyous song that will forever remind us she's everywhere, despite leaving us.

So Tango, then. Mirage is a pleasant rag-bag of ideas but it was no attempted equivalent to Abbey Road as Tusk was to the White Album and Rumours was to Sergeant Pepper. Maybe the Mac had to wait another album to make that comparison make some sort of sense.

Very well put and I agree with many of your points. I think as I said in an earlier post that Mirage went back to the “basics”. The one thing that Tango has that Mirage doesn’t is the consistency or “thread” that ties all of these tracks together.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by BLY

Very well put and I agree with many of your points. I think as I said in an earlier post that Mirage went back to the “basics”. The one thing that Tango has that Mirage doesn’t is the consistency or “thread” that ties all of these tracks together.

I would disagree with your last point. Mirage is very consistent. That is its weakness IMHO. Critics called it "music box" like. Rolling Stone called it the perfect album to have a romantic dinner and drink a bottle of wine to. I think one reason Smile At You was left off the album because it was angry and would have interrupted that music box flow. I find Mirage very consistent and that would be my only complaint about it. Its very very safe.
Tango is also very very safe. It has a little boldness here and there but its just too programmed for my tastes. Tango is not "music box" but "computer box" or too programmed. Tango has a few excellent songs. I just think Mirage has a better flow and the songs are better lyrically and musically. But both albums are not that daring and both tried to accomplish the same thing: commercial success and radio hits.
The Tusk over-correction went way too far IMHO. Lastly, Mirage has fantastic vocals by Stevie and Chris. Stevie's vocal bridge on Gypsy is phenomenal. The harmonies on Love In Store give you butterflies in your stomach. On Tango we get whatsa matta babies.

[Mr Scarrott]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I think one reason Smile At You was left off the album because it was angry and would have interrupted that music box flow. I find Mirage very consistent and that would be my only complaint about it. Its very very safe.
.

Yes, that's word I was looking for re Mirage, safe. I so wish Smile at You had replaced WTTRS on Tango which to me is its nadir. Lindsey gave some Tango-ish flourishes to it on SYW. I could imagine a suitable version of it working as a bitter riposte to Family Man before Isn't it Midnight kicks in. A missed opportunity.

[BLY]

I agree with the “Music Box” feel of Mirage. The vocals of all three were at their best on Mirage . Tango has a “ thread” with that “Lindsey studio magic “ that he used for an original solo album plan that actually ties all the tracks together better than Mirage IMO. ✌️❤️