Daily Telegraph FM playlist

blinker12 · #1 06-24-2005, 12:52 AM

I don't see that anyone else posted this; it's kinda fun.
Very pedestrian choices, but interesting to see what he has to say, and gratifying that there are two selections from SYW. But no "Gypsy," "Silver Springs" or "Sara"? Blasphemy!

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON)
June 02, 2005, Thursday

HEADLINE: PERFECT PLAYLIST Download the ultimate compilation. This week: Fleetwood Mac It wasn't until Fleetwood Mac moved to Los Angeles in the mid-'70s that they found the path to global superstardom - and began to amass one of the greatest catalogues in pop.

BYLINE: By Adam Sweeting

BODY:
1 Sentimental Lady 1972, bare trees

Between the departure of original guru and guiding light Peter Green in 1970 and the arrival of pop alchemists Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in 1975, Fleetwood Mac released half a dozen albums, some of them pretty good. Guitarist Bob Welch was a mainstay during this period, and he wrote this dreamy, hippyish ballad that would have sat comfortably alongside the group's later mega-hits.

2 Rhiannon 1975, fleetwood Mac

The Buckingham/Nicks axis had arrived, and promptly set about transforming the erstwhile British blues-wailers into the acme of mid-'70s West Coast pop. The ghostly, vaguely menacing Rhiannon made the first of many perfect showcases for Stevie Nicks's baleful moaning.

3 Over My Head 1975, fleetwood Mac

Through all the upheavals, Christine McVie (wife of bassman John) had been developing into a quietly impressive songwriter capable of competing with the Mac's new glamour duo. The light, lilting groove and bittersweet melody of Over My Head added up to a sliver of perfect pop, with McVie's vocals strikingly reminiscent of the great folk singer Sandy Denny.

4 Go Your Own Way 1977, rumours

Rumours still stands as one of the Great Pyramids of Pop, a massive achievement that swept around the globe like an epidemic spread via FM radio. Amid a maelstrom of collapsing personal relationships, the Mac were paradoxically brimming with confidence as performers and songwriters. This wry and rueful piece was one of Lindsey Buckingham's, and it'll be on i-Pods until the end of time.

5 Dreams 1977, rumours

One of the album's four massive singles, Dreams was characterised by its limpid melancholy. The guitars seem to be apologising for sounding so sad, while the rhythm section drag themselves along like men being led to the scaffold. It was the perfect setting for Stevie Nicks's rainy-day lyrics and remorseful delivery.

6 Tusk 1979, tusk

Nothing was ever going to top Rumours, but double album Tusk still whooshed up charts everywhere. Lindsey Buckingham had seized control of the production reins, and his title song was an eccentric but fiendishly catchy jugband shuffle. By featuring the marching band of the University of Southern California, it set a record for the most musicians playing on a single.

7 Over and Over 1979, tusk

Meanwhile, Christine McVie was continuing to hone her songwriting skills. With its mood of lugubrious bluesiness, aided and abetted by a swooping slide guitar, Over and Over might have been a glance back to the Mac's long-lost past as a pure blues band.

8 Seven Wonders 1987, tango in the night

Much of the time between Tusk and Tango... had been occupied by the band members' various solo adventures, but the new album would be their biggest seller since Rumours. Seven Wonders was a chip off the Mac's best-loved block, a perfectly paced slice of harmony-pop.

9 Say You Will 2003, say you will

Widely assumed to be defunct after a 15-year silence, the band suddenly girded their loins for this assault on the new millennium. Christine McVie had decided enough was enough, but her absence left more space for Nicks, and the disc's all-round quality was astonishingly high. Nicks's title track, boosted by some growly powerchords, demonstrated that her crowd-seducing instincts remained intact.

10Peacekeeper 2003, say you will

In 2003, Lindsey Buckingham was a man reborn, his writing and arranging feats at times evoking the great Brian Wilson. Superficially, Peacekeeper was merely an archetypal Mac pop gem, but concealed within were hints of rock and funk, cunning arrangements, and something very like a political message.

trackaghost · #2 06-24-2005, 04:23 AM

Fab! Thanks for posting that.
I think that's a pretty good playlist.

golddustwoman77 · #3 06-24-2005, 10:29 AM

I agree with TrackAGhost; it is a pretty good list. I think it is pretty well-rounded, which is a breath of fresh air. I'm glad to see the Say You Will album getting a little more credit alongside the traditional standards.