Blue Again Review

[sjpdg]

Originally Posted by OldTimer

Here's another Blue Again review, from the Chicago Sun-Times site:


BLUES-ROCK | Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, "Blue Again" (429i) There were three different Fleetwood Macs, plus various revival efforts. The first, co-founded in 1967 by drummer Mick Fleetwood, was a British blues-rock outfit with an uncanny knack for aping American originators and a guitarist, Peter Green, who had a tone and virtuosity that have never been duplicated. When Green and fellow axman Jeremy Spencer burned out, the band soldiered on in a more experimental vein. Then came the megamillion-selling group that I called Buckingham-Nicks because it bore little resemblance to the earlier incarnations.

Now drummer-bandleader Fleetwood is honoring the first -- and best -- Mac (sort of a 42nd anniversary celebration) with a new blues band fronted by guitarist-vocalist Rick Vito, who supplied the slide work on Bob Seger's "Like a Rock," backed Bonnie Raitt for many years and was in Fleetwood Mac from 1987-91. On "Blue Again," a live album recorded in February 2008 at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis, Vito proves a competent Green imitator-interpreter. The album contains several Green showcases, including "Rattlesnake Shake," "Stop Messin' Around," "Black Magic Woman" (no, Santana didn't create its megahit) and "Albatross," the hauntingly beautiful instrumental that was once ubiquitous on FM radio.

There's every reason to trash a project like this, sight unseen: It's artistically suspect, it can't be as good as the original, and what's the point? But these songs are enduring, and Fleetwood has assembled a quartet that, while a pale imitation of Mac No. 1, is better than most groups working today -- including the high-rent, low-inspiration Fleetwood Mac.

Jeff Johnson

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainmen...pins22.article

Not a bad review overall, but I would take exception to the idea of Rick being a PG immitator. He's not trying to immitate PG. He's interpreting and honoring PG and his contribution to FM. It's not meant to be an immitation and it doesn't sound like one to me. Rick has always played with a similar tone to Peter's. He admits it himself. Peter is one of Rick's biggest inspirations, again by Rick's own admition. As Mick has also said, this isn't supposed to be an immitation of the original Mac, but a tribute, honoring that early history and bringing that music up to date and I think Rick has done that superbly.

I've had "Blue Again" in my car ever since it showed up and can't get enough!! I'm just like OldTimer, "I want my Mick Fleetwood Blues Band!!!!!!!!!!!!" I'm dying to see what they put out next. This is awesome and I look forward to more.