Behind The Mask turns 31

[Macfan4life]

This is a few weeks over due but cant believe its been 31 years. The album was much anticipated and had extremely mixed reviews:

The album received very mixed reviews. AllMusic retrospectively gave the album 1.5/5 stars, their lowest rating of any Fleetwood Mac album, calling Buckingham's departure "a severe blow" for the band and saying that "the songs are among the least inspired the band ever recorded." Other critics, however, praised the new line-up. The Los Angeles Times gave the album 3.5/5 stars, commenting that "without Buckingham's obsessively unique vision, the group has embraced an all-for-one, one-for-all attitude for what sounds like the most truly group effort since Rumours, or perhaps even since 1972's Bare Trees." Rolling Stone rated it as 4/5 stars, claiming that "the addition of Rick Vito and Billy Burnette is the best thing to ever happen to Fleetwood Mac" and that "not since Rumours has Fleetwood Mac recorded pain so unwaveringly and sounded this together.

IMHO, half the album is very good while the other half is forgettable. What I do love about the album is the cohesive sound of the album. You can hear everyone playing (again). I love hearing Chris play her keyboards again. We missed so many of these elements on Tango. The album suffered by some pretty dull songs IMHO. Stevie was in a fog so yet again her contributions are not great. As usual, Chris came prepared to play because her songs shine like they always do. I love hearing that bluesy rhythm section humming again on several songs. Its very Fleetwood Mac sounding which is something Tango never was. I dont think you can judge an album by commercial success either. Many flame it for not producing hit singles. Part of me admires them not chasing Top 40 radio and sticking to their sound. Having said that, the album went to #1 in the UK and Save Me landed in the top 10 in Canada. I loved the video for both singles.
Of course I much prefer Lindsey in the band but these concerts were some of my favorite Mac concerts ever. I much prefer them over The Dance. This was the last of the "arena rock" sound live. In the late 90s too many bands esp the Mac preferred to tone it down and play like the studio in concert. Mick and Billy partying too much. Stevie in a fog. It was up to Christine to keep the band focused.

[On Ice]

Now I feel old a whole generation has turned over since BTM. . I really enjoyed the album at the time and felt it was the most cohesive effort since at least Mirage. In retrospect though, it's really a glass half full, some amazing tunes and others not that memorable. Christine shines like a diamond though. I enjoy Save Me more than her awesome Tango songs, it's great all around, and the title track, she really went for it. For Stevie, it was parts of songs, my favourite moment is the last minute or so of Freedom where she lets her voice soar and melds perfectly with Rick Vito's stellar guitar. Love is Dangerous was a lessor precursor to the great Desiree from Vito's solo album. I find Billy a bit bland but he turned in the Floyd like In the Back of My Mind which the band took some risks on the road and opened their show with. I think another album or two this line up could've had a great run into the early 2000's, a return to Olsen Dashut production would've taken the tinny sounding edge off and Stevie had some great songs at the time (no pun intended). Not a bad moment in the band's history all in all, the concerts during the period were truly great.

[UnwindedDreams]

Awesome post. I'm not enthusiastic about BTM. I like Freedom. Chris' songs are very good as usual.
The majority of Stevie's songs are co-writes, right? I guess that means Rick came up with the music like Mike always does in his collabs w. Stevie. Affairs of the Heart sounds like it could've been on Rock a Little so I'm guessing that's all her.

Did Stevie sing any of her BTM songs live?

[On Ice]

Hi Unwinded, except for Affairs Stevie's other 3 were co-writes. They did do Love is Dangerous at the show I saw in Toronto but none of the others made it to the set list.

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by On Ice

Hi Unwinded, except for Affairs Stevie's other 3 were co-writes. They did do Love is Dangerous at the show I saw in Toronto but none of the others made it to the set list.

That's cool! I guess the show was at Maple Leaf.
Love is Dangerous is a duet with Rick, right?
I liked the guitar for that, it's messy but also rhythmic and the song is a slower burner.
I guess it's a Stevie take on blues?

[Macfan4life]

The first few songs really blew my mind. We get album opener with Chris playing keyboards and her usually peppy love song. But the harmonies of all 4 were spectacular. Then OMG the guitar opening on Love is Dangerous. Its a very raw and bluesy song. Then In The Back of My Mind. I just love that opening and using 3 vocalists the way they did was outrageously good. Stevie echoing back and then Chris singing the bridge. After this song you knew it was a new Fleetwood Mac. If they could have put the title track on side one, Side 1 would be the bomb. After the first 4 songs, the album fades with Stevie's klonopin vocals on Affairs of the Heart. If you could put Freedom instead of Affairs and BTM instead of Do you know on side 1, it would really have been something. Side 2 has a few gems like When It Comes to Love and BTM but that's it really. Second time around is filler IMHO.

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

After the first 4 songs, the album fades with Stevie's klonopin vocals on Affairs of the Heart. Second time around is filler IMHO.

Isn't the title "The Second Time"? Second Time Around is a perfect song by Shalamar

If you had to put Affairs on a Stevie record, where would it fit? I said RAL because I think guitars and keys sound more 85 than 89.

[greendaze5]

Originally Posted by On Ice

They did do Love is Dangerous at the show I saw in Toronto but none of the others made it to the set list.

I was at the Toronto show too.

I also saw the 3 back-to-back concerts they did at Great Woods, MA. No 'Love is Dangerous' there, but they did do 'In the Back of My Mind', which I don't remember hearing in Toronto.

At Great Woods, the instrumental and the voices of 'In the Back of My Mind' played as show started. There was like a big semi-transparent net-gauze concealing the stage, and when the band took their places and Billy B. started singing 'Well, I try and I try...', the net suddenly dropped and the lights went up as the crowd went wild. Very dramatic!