Track Record – Fleetwood Mac

These are my gut reactions when listening to the entire catalog of Fleetwood Mac.🐧

Two things happened in 1977 that affected me greatly. One was immediate, and that was the release of a film called Star Wars. The other was the release of Fleetwood Mac’s stellar album Rumours. The effects of that album wouldn’t hit me for a few more years (I was only seven at the time), but it would have a profound effect on me and the way I thought about music. Then I learned that the band had been around for years before that, with a whole cadre of different members. Not many bands can say they’ve had such an influential career for sixty years. There were ups and downs, but the roller-coaster ride was always fun. There was a lot of drama, and that played into the band’s material. They were smart enough to use it to their advantage when needed. They had myth, musical prowess, a mix of styles, fashion, and of course there were always a lot of rumours. They remain one of my favorite bands, in all its incarnations. Let’s give this catalog a listen.

 

Fleetwood Mac (1968)

Most folks today don’t realize that Fleetwood Mac started out as a straight-up blues band, and a very good one for a bunch of English gents. They were organically spawned from another famous English blues band, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Peter Green and John McVie were members, and Mick Fleetwood had been recently fired for being too drunk at gigs. John Mayall gave Peter Green some studio time and Green then invited Fleetwood and McVie to play on a few tracks that would end up on this first Mac album. Green came up with the band name by combining the names of his new rhythm section. McVie was on the fence about joining the new band, so Bob Brunning was brought in. Jeremy Spencer was recruited shortly afterwards. After the first live gig, McVie changed his mind and joined the band, replacing many of Brunning’s bass tracks.

The resulting album is a very pleasurable mix of blues romps containing both covers and originals by Green and Spencer. The tones and performances on these tracks are great. Peter Green’s edgy style really makes these tunes sing. Spencer’s vocal/piano of Robert Johnson’s “Hellhound on my Trail” showcases his multi-instrumental talents. A high point is the cover of Elmore James’ “Shake Your Moneymaker.” “Looking for Somebody” by Green and the cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “No Place to Go” proved that Green wasn’t just a good guitarist, but also a great harmonica player. A track that would come into play later on is “The World Keep On Turning” which plays here like a traditional blues guitar romp, but was later reworked into an unrecognizable a pop hit for the 1975 album Fleetwood Mac (aka The White Album) featuring the debut of some new members we’ll discuss later.

Honestly, there aren’t any bad tracks on this release, which was a huge hit in the UK, but not in the US.

Line up:

• Peter Green – vocals, guitar, harmonica
• Jeremy Spencer – vocals, slide guitar, piano
• John McVie – bass guitar on all tracks except “Long Grey Mare”, “Hellhound on My Trail” and “The World Keep on Turning”
• Mick Fleetwood – drums on all tracks except on “Hellhound on my Trail” and “The World Keep On Turning”
• Bob Brunning – bass guitar on “Long Grey Mare”

 

Mr. Wonderful (1968)

This is one of those instances where an album was not released in the US, and instead the label released something different with only some of the tracks on it. In this case, it’s a compilation titled English Rose, and I won’t cover it here, except to note that it contains the songs “Black Magic Woman” (later made popular by Santana), and “Albatross” which was an enormous instrumental hit in the UK, and inspired both “Sun King” and “Don’t Let Me Down” by the Beatles. Another one of these compilations I won’t cover here came out in 1969 called The Pious Bird of Good Omen. You can look that one up if you’re interested.

As for the rest of the album, it picks up right where the first album left off. Many of the tracks use the exact same formula and start off the same, but that’s okay. A young woman named Christine Perfect, who was playing in a band called Chicken Shack at the time, made her debut on some of these tracks. She later became Christine McVie. Most people don’t realize just how far back her involvement with the band went.

Standout tracks here include “Love That Burns,” “Need Your Love Tonight,” and “Stop Messin’ Round,” but honestly, there are no bad tracks. It’s the blues, for crying out loud. Enjoy it.

Line up:

• Peter Green – vocals, guitar
• Jeremy Spencer – vocals, slide guitar, piano
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums
• Christine Perfect – piano

 

Then Play On (1969)

It’s time for the first of many line up changes. Danny Kirwan arrives on guitar and vocals. Jeremy Spencer isn’t really on the album, but he’s still in the band. Christine Perfect adds some piano also.

Though Spencer isn’t around, Danny Kirwan easily fills his shoes as the band’s second vocalist. Part of the fun of these early albums is the back-and-forth vocal stylings. You don’t get too many of the same singers in a row. The big difference to me on this album is that it’s definitely not a blues record. There are some blues influences for sure, but the band’s sound starts to venture into psychedelia a bit. They don’t go as crazy as someone like the Grateful Dead, but it’s definitely a little trippier, and drenched in reverb.

The guitar work on the slower songs like “Closing My Eyes” is nice, but the song doesn’t really move me. I like “Show-Biz Blues” with its old-school Robert Johnson style. Even Mick and John are credited with writing two complimentary instrumentals on this one, “Searching for Madge,” and “Fighting for Madge.” In fact, there are too many instrumentals on this one, I think. Kirwan’s “My Dream” isn’t very interesting. Green’s “Underway” is underwhelming.

One of the big deals on this album, and I believe it was only on the US releases at first, was the song “Oh Well” which is fabulous in every way. Well, at least “Oh Well, Part One.” The original track is something like nine minutes long. After the exciting first three minutes, it meanders into other instrumental stuff full of Spanish guitar that sounds like the soundtrack to an old Western. I prefer the edited single version that sticks to the good stuff. The riff is iconic, and one of my favorites. I often play it when I’m warming up on guitar. The other big deal for me is “Rattlesnake Shake” which I love.

Many people hail this one as the best of their early records, but I don’t find myself putting it on very often. There’s a long story about all the different versions with different track listings that I’ll leave to you to discover. I find it tedious. The only thing I’ll say is that I’m glad they re-released the album in 2013, splitting “Oh Well” into two parts, and including the excellent and influential non-album single “The Green Manalishi,” which is one of my favorite tracks by the band, and yes, I’m including their later years. I regard this one as a transitional album with some great moments.

Line up:

• Peter Green – vocals, guitar, harmonica, six string bass, percussion, cello
• Danny Kirwan – vocals, guitar
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion
• Jeremy Spencer – piano on “Oh Well (Part 2)”
• Christine Perfect – uncredited piano

 

Kiln House (1970)

It’s probably crazy talk to some Mac fans, but I like this album better than its predecessor. Christine Perfect plays on it, but technically wasn’t asked to join the band until the tour began, which she gladly did. With the absence of their now spaced-out founder, Peter Green (you can look up the story of that drug-related incident and its aftermath), Kirwan and Spencer had to split writing duties. As if the Peter Green incident wasn’t enough, during the tour for this album, Spencer joined a religious cult and did not return to the band. Again, you can look that story up.

“Station Man” from Kirwan is a great little song with a great little riff. It’s probably my favorite song from the album. Spencer’s bluesy “This Is the Rock” is good also. Other standout tracks include their cover of Big Joe Turner’s “Hi Ho Silver,” “Jewel Eyed Judy,” and “Tell Me All the Things You Do.”

It’s just as well that Spencer left. The band was changing, and his pantomime-like show of aping bluesmen and rockabilly artists didn’t work with the band’s new direction. Kirwan’s material is far superior on this album and more contemporary. It felt like Spencer was anchoring them to the past.

Line up:

• Danny Kirwan – vocals, guitar
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion
• Jeremy Spencer – guitar, slide guitar, vocals, piano
• Christine Perfect – uncredited piano and backing vocals

 

Future Games (1971)

This is the beginning of the Bob Welch era. With Spencer gone, the band needed another guitarist and songwriter, and Bob fit the bill. Christine was no longer Perfect due to her marriage to John McVie. Welch brought yet another dimension to the band, slightly more jazz/pop, what you might even call “Yacht Rock.”

“Woman of 1000 Years” is a snoozer of an opener from Kirwan. “Morning Rain” from Christine McVie brings things up a notch melodically. Welch’s first song with the group is the title track, but while it starts off all right, it drags on for over eight minutes and does nothing new or exciting. Also, it’s not recorded very well. The whole album doesn’t sound great, actually. It feels low budget. The band should have hired a good producer. The rest of the album plods along, until we get to the only real “rocker” called “Lay It All Down.” Even that track is a one trick pony, however. The album ends with the McVie penned “Show Me a Smile.”

All in all, I’d call this one a light album with no strong material to write home about. The only two tracks I’d listen to again are “Morning Rain” and “Lay It All Down.”

Line up:

• Danny Kirwan – guitar, vocals
• Bob Welch – guitar, vocals
• Christine McVie – piano, vocals
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums

 

Bare Trees (1972)

This album is definitely a step up. Danny Kirwan moved to more riff-based material and solos, though this would be his final album with the band. He was fired during the tour for unstable behavior and other issues.

The title track is a cool Kirwan vehicle loaded with great guitar work. Same for his “Child of Mine.” Both tracks contrast his melancholy contributions to the previous album. The only one that sounds like it belongs on Future Games is “Dust,” which is lyrically nice, but otherwise boring.

Bob Welch steps it up this time with the original version of his big hit “Sentimental Lady” which became an even bigger hit when he re-recorded it solo in 1977. I tend to like that version more because it’s recorded better, and I probably heard it on the radio first when I was a kid. The backing vocals on the later one are tighter. Christine’s backing vocals on the original are very loose. His other contribution, “The Ghost,” establishes his vocal and songwriting style that would continue throughout his tenure with the band.

As for McVie, I liked her upbeat “Homeward Bound,” mostly because it’s not a love song, something for which she’s quite known. “Spare Me a Little of Your Love” is a nice song that stayed in the band’s repertoire for a long time after this line up was dissolved. It’s basically the template for all of her other ballads that would follow.

The album ends with an odd bit of poetry read by an old woman. Why not, I guess?

Line up:

• Danny Kirwan – guitar, vocals
• Bob Welch – guitar, vocals
• Christine McVie – piano, vocals
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums

 

Penguin (1973)

Things get a little weird with this album. For some reason, Fleetwood Mac has this weird history of sometimes replacing one departing member with two others. With Kirwan’s departure, Mick Fleetwood brought in Bob Weston and Dave Walker. I was unaware that it was recorded using the Rolling Stones’ mobile recording studio. I was also unaware that Peter Green stopped by one day and added some guitar on the track “Night Watch.” In the end, Walker didn’t do much and left after the tour. Weston would only last one more album.

One of the things Walker contributed was harmonica and vocals on the Junior Walker song, “(I’m a) Road Runner,” a highlight of the album, especially in hindsight of the band’s blues roots. Jeremy Spencer would have done the same thing. His other country-tinged contribution, “The Derelict” is pretty horrible lyrically and the song is just there, with constant banjo picking in the background that gets annoying pretty quickly.

Christine McVie’s songs are starting to hit that stride of sounding similar. They’re either love songs or songs about being let down by love. But her upbeat and sometimes bluesy compositions like “Remember Me,” and “Dissatisfied” are enough to make you bob your head up and down. The better of the three Welch songs is “Revelation,” which sounds like a Santana jam at times. John McVie’s bass playing is extraordinary on this track.

So in the end, while it’s not a bad listen, it’s also not an album I would revisit regularly. It feels a little disjointed. There were too many cooks in the kitchen, I think.

Line up:

• Bob Welch – guitars, vocals
• Bob Weston – guitars, banjo, harmonica
• Christine McVie – keyboards, vocals
• Dave Walker – vocals, harmonica
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

 

Mystery to Me (1973)

This album is my favorite of the Bob Welch era records. Dave Walker was already gone by then, and this was the last album to feature Bob Weston. Welch honed his songwriting a bit and came up with some great stuff.

The big standout track on this album Welch’s spooky “Hypnotized.” The vocals are great, especially the backing harmonies, something they’d be known for later on. Mick gives a great drum performance. There’s more to like about this album, though.

The opener, “Emerald Eyes,” is a catchy mid-tempo soft rocker. John McVie’s bass bounces all over in Christine’s upbeat and Allmans-like “Believe Me.” In fact, if you listen to anything on this album, or maybe even anything from this band, make sure you always hone in on John’s bass lines. You will be rewarded. I had forgotten about “Just Crazy Love.” It’s a typical Christine McVie literal-lyric, but it’s another upbeat love song, which is where she shines, in my opinion. Heavy guitars in the chorus lift the song up a bit.

My favorite track on this album is one of Christine’s ballads called “Why.” It’s a song that’s always stuck with me from the moment I heard it, which might have been a live version with the next line up on the TV show The Midnight Special. “You don’t have to give up. Why is it all wrong? Why don’t you love me? Why don’t you just be strong?” It’s a masterclass in how to write a simple, yet effective and emotional song. I consider it a precursor to what is arguably her most famous composition, “Songbird.”

Other standout tracks include “The City,” “Miles Away,” and a surprise cover of the Yardbirds’ “For Your Love.” This is a really cool album to just put on and chill out to.

As a side note, more weirdness happened around this time. During the tour for this album, Weston was discovered having an affair with Mick Fleetwood’s wife. He was sacked soon after, and the tour was cut short. Because of contract commitments, the band’s then-manager Cliff Davis put together a “fake” Fleetwood Mac band and sent them on the road, claiming he owned the name of the band anyhow. Ah, the 1970s.

Line up:

• Bob Welch – guitars, vocals
• Bob Weston – guitars, banjo, harmonica
• Christine McVie – keyboards, vocals
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

 

Heroes Are Hard to Find (1974)

This is another weird one for me. It’s got a similar tone and feel to the previous album, but something definitely seems off. The band was dragged through some legal red tape, so maybe this had an effect on them. It would also prove to be Welch’s last album, opening the door to superstardom for the band on their next effort.

I admit to really enjoying the title track, with its catchy hooks and horn parts. There’s a little bit of Bonnie Raitt in there somewhere. Welch’s “Coming Home” is more like a jazzy interlude with way too much reverb. You are hit over the head with production inconsistency right from the second track. The opener is clean, clear and lush, but then the album takes weird turns into what sound like extended jams recorded with one microphone on the ceiling. “Bermuda Triangle” sounds like it’s trying to recapture the magic of “Hypnotized” but never quite gets there.

Standout tracks are the title track, “Silver Heels,” and “Come a Little Bit Closer.”

Line up:

• Bob Welch – guitars, vocals
• Christine McVie – keyboards, vocals
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

 

Fleetwood Mac (1975)

This is it. This is the beginning of a historic five-album run that not many other bands could accomplish, loaded with big hits, sold-out tours, and of course, inner turmoil, which only fueled the whole machine. With Bob Welch’s departure, the band needed a guitarist. Enter Lindsey Buckingham, who brought along his partner, Stevie Nicks. They would only join as a couple, so the Mac found itself to be a five-piece band once more. Again, one member departs only to be replaced by two new members. It’s a theme, folks. It’ll happen again.

These two powerhouse musicians elevated the band to new heights. The music improved, the playing improved, the vocals improved, and the production improved. Things clicked, and it’s evident in the music. If you love Rumours, then, like me, you probably refer to this one as the prologue to it. Just about every song is a winner. Many were songs that were supposed to be on Stevie’s and Lindsey’s next album together. The rest were Christine’s, who was starting to feel some songwriting pressure, hearing how good these new songs were. One interesting thing about this album is that the singles that were released were often not the album versions. They were different mixes or maybe even different takes. One memorable single is “Say You Love Me.” I’ve always loved that song, but the single version has these great guitar parts that are absent on the album. The single mix to “Over My Head” is also superior.

“Monday Morning” is a good opener and nice introduction to the new line up. “Warm Ways” isn’t a go-to song for me, but it falls right in line with any of Christine’s usual ballads. “Blue Letter” was written by friends of Lindsey and Stevie for what was going to be their next album. The killer “Rhiannon” is a high point of this record. Interestingly enough, the song went through some evolutionary phases as the band played it live. Stevie almost always sang an alternate second verse, and the song would go into a really intense guitar solo that would eventually lead to some powerful vocal adlibs, making Stevie look almost possessed.

“Over My Head” is my favorite from Christine on this one. It’s simple, but effective and catchy. “Crystal” is a song from Lindsey and Stevie’s first album, repurposed here for the new Mac album. “Say You Love Me” has some great harmonies, and there’s banjo back there too. “Landslide” wasn’t too much of a big deal at the time. Later on, after their big comeback with The Dance, it tapped into the zeitgeist and people started to really appreciate it. It’s a beautiful song. “World Turning” and “I’m So Afraid” are more examples of songs that are fine on the record, but the live versions take them to different places. “I’m So Afraid” contains a composed guitar solo that needs to be seen and heard live.

This is a really good album. Definitely give it multiple listens and check out those live versions, especially the later ones from the 1990s and 2000s.

Line up:

• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Christine McVie – keyboards, synthesizer, vocals
• Lindsey Buckingham – guitars, vocals
• Stevie Nicks – vocals

 

Rumours (1977)

You know it. You either love it or you hate it. Most people love it. There isn’t much I can really tell you about this album that you don’t already know. It’s the band’s peak, and they will never be able to do it again. So, enjoy it for what it is. To put it into perspective, the band was still relatively new to each other in this format. They made a killer album in 1975, and toured behind it successfully. They were all happy on the surface, but for this album, things would turn around. The couples would separate, the music would become a bit more aggressive, and through it all, the band would come together to make the best album they have ever made to date. It was some kind of musical perfect storm that can never be duplicated. It was a snapshot in time. Richard Dashut and Ken Callait found a way to eliminate any unnecessary noise and just let the good sounds dominate. Everything is clear. It sounds like you’re in the room with the band. I’ve heard this album so many times that I don’t need to even listen to it again for this piece, but I’m doing it anyhow because it’s just that good. Production-wise, it’s one of the best sounding albums I’ve ever heard.

As for the songs, you don’t need me to tell you that this is a perfect album. The weak point for me on this record is “Oh Daddy,” which never grabbed me. After The Dance in the 1990s, they added the amazing Stevie Nicks track “Silver Springs” to all future pressings. This was a wise move. They should have found a way to have that on the original album in place of “Oh Daddy” but I’m guessing they didn’t want to remove one of Christine’s songs, or perhaps it was a runtime issue, since “Silver Springs” runs an extra minute.

“Second Hand News” opens the album with a galloping beat and nice harmonies. “Dreams” went through some production troubles to become the band’s only number one hit, cementing Stevie Nicks as a star. “Never Going Back Again” is a Buckingham showpiece that is a fan favorite, even after all these years. “Don’t Stop” is a positive Christine McVie bluesy shuffle. I used to listen to this on the way to gigs to get psyched up. I love the guitar solo. Things get angry on “Go Your Own Way.” Lindsey and Stevie are just singing to each other at this point. “Songbird” is a very tender and emotional piano ballad from Christine, who arguably does her best work on this album. John McVie had said many times that he would tear up on the side of the stage watching her sing this.

“The Chain” is one of the only songs credited to the whole band, ever. It’s been used in so many things, I’d be amazed if you haven’t heard it by now. The driving rhythm, the bass break, the solo buildup, it’s all there. “Silver Springs” was added later, as I mentioned. “You Make Loving Fun” is quite possibly my favorite Christine McVie song. It’s got a great groove. Listen to those angelic harmonies in the background too. The guitarwork is fantastic. “I Don’t Wanna Know” brings it back to Lindsey and Stevie doing their thing, much like “Second Hand News.” I could do without “Oh Daddy,” but it doesn’t take anything away from the album. “Gold Dust Woman” is another cowbell-driven classic that devolves into somehow appropriate chaos to close out the album. It’s like all their relationship turmoil rears its head for a minute, then fades away.

Artists and bands old and new look to this album for inspiration, and hail it as a masterpiece in pop/rock music. I agree.

Line up:

• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Christine McVie – keyboards, synthesizer, vocals
• Lindsey Buckingham – guitars, vocals
• Stevie Nicks – vocals

 

Tusk (1979)

Hot take: I love this album. It’s not Rumours, and that was the whole point. The band was at a crossroads. Should they try to make a second pop album on par with the hit album they had just released and toured behind, or should they try and go in a new direction? There were a lot of things happening in the musical world. It was an exciting time of new wave, punk, rock, pop, disco, and other genres bursting onto the charts. Lindsey Buckingham noticed this, and thought it would be better to venture out into new areas than to rest on the band’s laurels. The band disagreed, but ultimately relented, resulting in what I’ve always referred to as a split personality collection. With three writers in the band, the songs are the most eclectic of any Mac album. Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie tended to hover around familiar ground, while Lindsey moved into the obscure and Avant Garde. Everyone was pushed a little to the left of their comfort zones, pushed by Buckingham. The album wasn’t a great success, but definitely made an impact.

It’s a double album with twenty songs, so I’m sure that didn’t help record sales either. I’m sure critics probably place this in that “could have been a single album” category. I’ve often thought about that but never tried to reduce this to ten tracks. If I had to, I’d use the following: “Think About Me,” “Sara,” “Not That Funny,” “Sisters of the Moon,” “Angel,” “That’s Enough for Me,” “I Know I’m Not Wrong,” “Tusk,” and maybe “The Ledge.” I might miss some of those other tracks, though.

It’s a difficult album to listen to if you’re a Mac fan, I’ll admit. You get ups and downs, highs and lows. There are moments of familiarity and then moments of “what is this?” To me, that’s exciting but I understand how it could put off some people. It took me multiple listens to get used to it all.

When it comes to the songs, I think the writer who comes off the best here is Stevie Nicks. She goes for the straight ahead, poetic songwriting for which she’s known. Christine McVie also sticks to her musical guns here, but some of her songs are a little uninteresting until you get to know them. Lindsey Buckingham just goes bananas on every track. I’ve always said that a lot of his songs here sound like unfinished demos instead of songs. His best guitar work ends up on other people’s tracks. That said, it is definitely a unique set of songs worth listening to when you’re feeling risky and want to challenge your ears a bit.

My favorite Stevie Nicks track on this album is “Sisters of the Moon.” I love the eeriness of it. Her whole witch persona takes point here, the same way it does in “Rhiannon.” “Sara” is another one I like a lot. I always find myself swaying to it. “Storms” and “Beautiful Child” are deeply personal and mellow. I like the lyrics to “Storms” quite a bit. “Angel” is upbeat and fits her template nicely. Listen to John McVie bounce his way through that one. It’s great.

My favorite Christine McVie track has got to be “Think About Me.” It’s a cool rocker and I always love when she duets with Lindsey a bit. The rest of her contributions all fall on the mellow side and sometimes blend together in my mind. “Over & Over” starts the album and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why. I like the song, but “Think About Me” would have been a much better opener instead of being relegated to third position. I feel like the album starts off weak instead of strong. As for her others, they are decent enough, but I think Stevie has her beat. “Brown Eyes,” “Never Make Me Cry,” “Honey Hi,” and “Never Forget” are all what you’d expect from her. Why they closed the album with “Never Forget” is also beyond me. The title track would have been a better choice.

Now with Lindsey, things take a left turn. His contributions are “The Ledge,” “Save Me a Place,” “What Makes You Think You’re the One,” “That’s All for Everyone,” “Not That Funny,” “That’s Enough for Me,” “I Know I’m Not Wrong,” “Walk a Thin Line,” and “Tusk.” “The Ledge” is fun, and very quirky with a sort of new wave country vibe. I’ll admit that “Save Me a Place,” “That’s All for Everyone,” and “Walk a Thin Line” are sleepy, but they’re not bad melodically. The production on these tracks could be better. Mick Fleetwood’s drumming on Lindsey’s tracks is unconventional, with lots of herky-jerky beats and fills. Christine and Stevie seem to disappear at times. The only solid mainstay on the whole album is really John McVie who just plays his best through it all. “Not That Funny” is a fun song that sounds like something Talking Heads might have put out. “That’s Enough for Me” and “I Know I’m Not Wrong” are good tracks, and very reminiscent of his later solo work. I’d say “I Know I’m Not Wrong” is probably my second favorite of his on the album, right after the crazy title track, which I love. There’s a live version from the 2000s of “Tusk” that is twice as fast and I love it.

So the thing is, it’s an experimental album most of the time, until you get to something from one of the ladies. It’s best digested all at once instead of listening to one track at a time. My suggestion is to listen to this album a few times before casting it aside as “not as good as Rumours.” I mean, it certainly is not, but I think time has been good to it.

Line up:

• Lindsey Buckingham – vocals, guitars, keyboards, drums, percussion, charango, kalimba
• Stevie Nicks – vocals, tack piano on “Sara”
• Christine McVie – vocals, keyboards
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

 

Mirage (1982)

With the experiment of Tusk behind them, the band decided to play it a little safer and make a more traditional album. This would be their third album in a row with a completely different production sound. Rumours was perfectly produced, Tusk went back and forth between unsettling and smooth, and this album is lusher and more modern than either of them. They needed another win, and I think they knew the experimental nature of Tusk would not work.

While the final album isn’t regarded as a high point in the band’s career, and is often dismissed by even the band member’s themselves for being too predictable and safe, it did spawn a couple of my favorite singles. Both of these are the highlights of the album and they are “Hold Me” and “Gypsy.” MTV was new at the time and the videos for both of these were on constant rotation. The first one was “Hold Me” which is a McVie composition with help from Lindsey. I like the dual vocal thing they do. The video is bonkers but really fun. Apparently the band was very sick of each other at the time, which is why you don’t see many of them in the same shots together except for John and Mick, who are pretty hilarious.

“Gypsy” is another story. I’ve said many times that Stevie Nicks was my first rock and roll crush, and it’s because of this video. She’s just drop-dead gorgeous to me, playing to the camera, twirling around, doing those big step dance moves in those giant boots, and looking right at this twelve-year-old dweeb through the television. The video is amazing to me as well. It’s one of my favorites from that era. Lindsey really took that song to another level with his guitar lines, also.

As for the rest of the album, standout tracks include “Love In Store,” “Straight Back,” and “Eyes of the World.” The other tracks on that album took me a long time to get used to, and I enjoy them now, though I don’t visit this album as much. I consider it a good album, though.

Line up:

• Lindsey Buckingham – guitars, vocals, additional keyboards
• Stevie Nicks – vocals
• Christine McVie – keyboards, vocals
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

 

Tango in the Night (1987)

Now we come to the last studio album of this epic line up, and what a run they had. Things wouldn’t end on a positive note, but many hits were made and the band’s legacy remained intact. Lindsey Buckingham did not want to tour behind the album, which led to inner turmoil and his being replaced (it’s a theme, folks) by two other musicians for the tour. The album was a huge success, but the tour must have been odd for fans. Buckingham showed up in the videos, at least.

Once again, the band was a bit of a mess around this time. Mick Fleetwood’s coke habit was the worst it had been to date. Stevie Nicks only showed up for two weeks even though it took a year and a half to record the album. She was working through rehab but still drinking, so a lot of her vocals were not up to snuff. John was out of practice. Most of the album was put together by Lindsey and Christine, the main songwriters. Somehow, they pieced together a decent album. I enjoy it, but I do admit that it falls prey to the times in which it was recorded. There’s a lot of programming, resulting in a lot of mechanical sounding songs or sounds that don’t sound like people playing instruments in a studio setting, especially the drums and percussion. It made me question how much Mick actually drummed on the thing.

“Big Love” was the lead single and video. Both are stellar to me. The band never played this song live as it appeared on the album, unfortunately. Once Buckingham returned to the group for The Dance, he created a solo acoustic version, and that remained the definitive version. This still bothers me. I would have loved to have heard this done with the full band. I like his tracks “Caroline” and “Tango in the Night,” especially the latter. There’s some great guitar and vocal work, plus some powerful drumming.

Nicks’ “Seven Wonders” is another winner for me, though it does feel like a “light” version of “Gypsy” at times. Stevie’s other tunes on the album aren’t some of her best, though they have grown on me in later years. “Welcome to the Room… Sara” isn’t bad, but “When I See You Again” might be a skipper if you’re not in the mood. It’s pretty depressing.

Christine benefitted from two big hits on this album that ended up being the most memorable tracks, probably because they are a little more upbeat. “Little Lies” and “Everywhere” became radio staples almost immediately. I think they’re fine, but I like her rocker “Isn’t It Midnight” better than either of them.

They ended this run with a hit album, but it was bittersweet.

Line up:

• Lindsey Buckingham – guitars, vocals, keyboards, bass, percussion, programming
• Stevie Nicks – vocals
• Christine McVie – keyboards, vocals
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

 

Behind the Mask (1990)

One thing Mick Fleetwood should be credited with is always finding a way to keep the band going. When Lindsey Buckingham decided not to tour and leave the band after the previous album, Mick recruited two new members (it’s a theme, folks!) named Billy Burnette and Rick Vito, transforming the Mac into a six-person band once again. As a result, the sound of the band changed, but Mick probably figured this was just what the next chapter of the band would sound like. It happened before, and would again.

That said, the album sounds a little more grounded than the previous efforts, but the songs sound more like generic rock. There are a few good moments, but on the whole, it’s not an amazing effort, though it did achieve mild success. Vito and Burnette are good songwriters and players and turned in some decent efforts, though. I’ll be listening to this one with new ears, having only visited it now and again. I’m curious as to if I’ll like it better.

“Skies the Limit” and “Save Me” are both good, upbeat tracks from Christine McVie. I actually like “Love is Dangerous,” a duet between Vito and Nicks. “Affairs of the Heart” from Stevie Nicks isn’t terrible. I feel like it should have been a single. There’s a cool rockabilly-ish tune written by Vito and Burnette called “When the Sun Goes Down” that’s pretty enjoyable. It feels a little out of place here, actually, but it’s a nice mid-album high point.

Other standout tracks include “Behind the Mask” (with a surprise appearance on acoustic guitar by Lindsey Buckingham), “Stand on the Rock,” and “Freedom,” which was written by Nicks and Mike Campbell.

So while it’s not a bad album at all, it’s not a great Fleetwood Mac album. It feels a bit over produced and less edgy. Line up changes have happened before, but usually there’s some kind of impact that’s immediately felt and this line up change lacked that impact.

Line up:

• Stevie Nicks – vocals
• Christine McVie – vocals, keyboards
• Rick Vito – vocals, lead guitars
• Billy Burnette – vocals, guitars
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

 

Time (1995)

Mick Fleetwood had a problem on his hands. Stevie Nicks and Rick Vito called it quits. Mick was having trouble finding a guitarist, ultimately settling on former Traffic guitarist Dave Mason. He then brought in Bekka Bramlett to replace Nicks. Billy Burnette also left but was persuaded to return later on in the recording process. It was an odd line up to be sure. Christine McVie did not get along with Dave Mason and phoned in the bare minimum. Bekka Bramlett also did not get along with Mason.

If I had to pick a favorite track, I’d have to go with “I Do.” The album ends with a Mick Fleetwood spoken word track called “These Strange Times” where he refers to previous Mac songs and other things. It’s a bit dramatic.

The album sold very poorly and soon after, the line up was dissolved. It’s not a great album, and if not for the familiar voice of Christine McVie popping up every now and again, you’d never know this was a Fleetwood Mac album. It’s some other band. Even Mick regretted trying to keep this machine moving. The album was a mistake on all levels. Things were about to look up, though.

Line up:

• Bekka Bramlett – vocals
• Billy Burnette – guitars, vocals
• Dave Mason – guitars, vocals
• Christine McVie – keyboards, vocals
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

 

Say You Will (2003)

In 1997, a reunited Rumours line up happened soon after the band got together to support the Bill Clinton Presidential campaign. The resulting live album and tour called The Dance was highly successful, and there were even new songs added to the set list. I liked Christine McVie’s “Temporary One” and Lindsey Buckingham’s “My Little Demon” and “Bleed to Love Her.” Stevie Nicks added “Sweet Girl” to the mix. It was an enjoyable set list full of hits. So it was only logical that the band would head to the studio, right? They did, minus Christine McVie who did not want to be involved any longer. The band respected her decision and forged ahead with a new album, spawned from one of Buckingham’s solo efforts (as had happened before.)

As for this album, I’ll admit I was skeptical when I heard it was coming, but I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to it. I’m sure there were many trials and tribulations making it, as seen on the documentary DVD Destiny Rules, which I recommend. There was a Live in Boston album released in 2004 that cemented my love for this album even further, bringing deeper cuts to the forefront. Christine McVie did some overdubs on a couple of songs which made me giggle because since that 1975 album, both Lindsey and Christine have at least touched each album that’s been released, even though they weren’t in the band at the time.

It was supposed to be a double album, but was paired down to an 18-track CD. As a fan, I’ll admit that a few of these tracks could have been left off the release, but over time I’ve grown to admire almost all of them. Without Christine, most of the writing duties fell to Lindsey and Stevie, and they both shine here. Lots of previously completed demos were either added to or reworked, and they did a great job with the more modern production. There are some amazing guitar solos. Stevie’s voice is better here than it had been in previous years. This was a much-needed high point for the band, always riding that roller coaster of highs and lows.

“What’s the World Coming To” might be my favorite track on here. It was a thematic influence on a song I wrote called “Will We All Be Friends at the End of the World?” which was originally called “The World’s Gone Crazy.” “Murrow Turning Over in His Grave” is a stark warning about media with a biting solo and an ending that echoes songs like “I’m So Afraid” or “Tango in the Night.” “Thrown Down” is catchy and I still find it humorous that Lindsey and Stevie are speaking directly to each other via song.

The singles “Peacekeeper” and “Say You Will” are decent mid-tempo songs with some catchy hooks. The song “Come” is pretty intense, especially the live version, and floats the idea that God is a woman. “Steal Your Heart Away,” is one that caught my ear as well. I like the melody of it. “Bleed to Love Her” has some great guitar work and is loaded with passion. Two of my favorite Stevie Nicks tracks on this album are “Everybody Finds Out” and “Destiny Rules.” She’s always been great with lyrics, and these songs are no exception. The rest of the songs warrant a listen, but aren’t on my favorites list. I wish they could have recorded a studio version of Christine’s “Temporary One” and Lindsey’s “My Little Demon” and included them here instead of songs like “Red Rover” and “Silver Girl.”

Overall, I really like this album and regard it highly. If you don’t know it, please give it a shot.

Line up:

• Lindsey Buckingham – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass, percussion, programming
• Stevie Nicks – vocals, keyboards
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

 

Extended Play (2013)

Ten years after their previous album, Lindsey got the itch to do another Mac album, but Stevie wasn’t that interested. After some poking and prodding, a few sessions took place and some things were recorded, but the result was this EP instead, which had no involvement from Christine McVie at all. It’s not that wonderful of a punctuation mark on the band’s legacy, but to me it’s worth it, if only for the stellar rocker “Sad Angel.” Great song.

“Without You” was a track leftover from Stevie’s and Lindsey’s pre-Mac days. It’s nice to hear them singing together in that duet style again. “It Takes Time” is an emotional piano ballad from Lindsey that plays out like a long apology to Stevie. “Miss Fantasy” sounds like an outtake from Say You Will. Not terrible, but not memorable either.

Line up:

• Lindsey Buckingham – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass, percussion, programming
• Stevie Nicks – vocals
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion

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The Gut Check

• Peak Album: Rumours
• Deep Cut: “Station Man”
• Skip It: Time
• Companion Playlist on Spotify

 

Leave me a comment below with your favorite album, track, or album ranking.