Album Review – Fleetwood Mac (Deluxe) – Fleetwood Mac (Warners)
Review by Geoff Jenke
1974 and Mick Fleetwood’s band Fleetwood Mac were a mess. After the Heroes Are Hard to Find album, guitarist Bob Welch announces he was leaving the band. The Mac had had reasonable success in America but the Heroes album only made number 34 on the chart and the title track, released as a single failed to chart.
Mick Fleetwood had recently heard a tape by Lindsey Buckingham and particularly enjoyed his guitar playing. Mick invited Lindsey to join the band but he would not accept unless his partner Stevie Nicks was also hired. Luckily for the world, Mick agreed. Within three month the band had recorded an album, although there was a lot of tension in the studio with Buckingham and Nicks on the verge of breaking up romantically and bassist John McVie noticing Buckingham being very assertive when it came to teaching other member parts of his songs, including the bass parts. Apparently, McVie told Buckingham, “The band is Fleetwood Mac. I am the Mac. And I play the bass”.
Upon release in 1975 the album experienced modest success but continued touring and single releases finally saw the album reach number a year after release. It became the second biggest album of 1976, falling behind Frampton Comes Alive! By Peter Frampton. Interestingly, all singles released from the album were remixes or alternative takes, being slightly different from the songs released on the album.
Re-reviewing the album, the songs speak for themselves. Monday Morning, Rhiannon, Over My Head, Say You Love Me, Landslide, World Turning and the very underrated I’m so Afraid all speak volume as to the quality of the album. Many of these songs remain in the live set today and have not aged at all.
It all comes down to the “extras” these deluxe releases include and I am glad to say this set does not disappoint. Besides the original album, which has been remastered and sounding better than ever, you get the album songs again using early takes and demo’s. Some of these “different” versions are very similar to the ones used on the final album but occasionally you get songs that are different sounding, like I’m So Afraid which sounds less menacing that the final take. While it is interesting listening to these versions, there is usually a reason they didn’t make the final cut.
Also included are the “alternative version” of the four singles. Fleetwood Mac used songs from the album on the “B” sides so no extra’s there. In fact, what is missing from the set are songs that were not used on the final album. Maybe they only recorded these eleven songs although I find this a bit hard to believe. There is a Jam#2 track that is just a bit of a jazz feel instrumental and also an early instrumental take of I’m So Afraid.
But the real bonus gold is in the live tracks recorded at various venues in October of 1975. Due to the fact this line up had only recorded one album to date, there are older Fleetwood Mac tracks played showing they still played the blues brilliantly. Station Man, the classic Oh Well, Hypnotized, The Green Manalishi, amongst others all get an airing. Lindsey Buckingham’s playing on these songs is superb, showing Mick Fleetwood decision to hire him was the right one.
This is how bands should do re-releases. It is available in three physical formats (as well as digital download and streaming services).
Remastered CD – original album with remastered sound
Expanded 2CD – original album expanded with rare and unreleased studio and live recordings.
Deluxe 3CD/DVD/LP – The original album with newly remastered audio on CD and LP; rare and unreleased studio and live recordings; plus, a DVD with 5.1 Surround Sound and high-resolution mixes of the original album.
The whisper is we will see Fleetwood Mac in Australia this year. Let’s hope we do. They still have a lot to offer the fans.
A bit of trivia! Fleetwood Mac up to this album had never had a picture of the whole band on the cover of their albums. They continued this practice on the Fleetwood Mac album with only Mick and John on the cover. In fact, they carry on this tradition going forward as well.
No Comments