OTG's Top Ten - 2004
Fleetwood Mac Reissues

OPENING GIBBERISH:

These reissues of the emergence of Fleetwood Mac as the giant hit machine of the Seventies. The band had been around since 1968 with varying degrees of critical praise and mild hits, but when Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were recruited into the band in 1975, everything changed, turning Fleetwood Mac into one of the biggest bands of the 70's. While they continued past these three albums, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, and Tusk are the essential purchases.

The reissues of Rumours and Tusk are double-CDs, each with a bonus CD of previously unreleased material. Fleetwood Mac is still a single disc, with a few bonus tracks on the end. Details below.
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Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac



The revamped Fleetwood Mac came out with hits right off the bat. "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me" and "Over My Head" are perfect pop songs, and the tense "I'm So Afraid", the rocking "Blue Letter", and the delicate "Landslide" are every bit as good as the hits. An amazing "debut".

The bonus tracks on Fleetwood Mac aren't particularly special: A laid back jam and a few single versions.

[ Amazon ]
tracks: "Monday Morning", "Warm Ways", "Blue Letter", "Rhiannon", "Over My Head", "Crystal", "Say You Love Me", "Landslide", "World Turning", "Sugar Daddy", "I'm So Afraid",

bonus tracks: "Jam #2", "Say You Love Me" [Single Version], "Rhiannon" [Single Version], "Over My Head" [Single Version], "Blue Letter" [Single Version],


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Fleetwood Mac
Rumours



As has been well-documented, Rumours marked the breakup of the two couples in Fleetwood Mac with emotional, pointed lyrics that resulted in one of the biggest selling albums of all-time. If you've somehow managed to not hear Rumours, be assured that it's a monster-selling album that actually deserves to be this big. "Don't Stop", "Dreams", "Go Your Own Way", and "You Make Loving Fun" got played to death in 1977 (and have become rock radio staples ever since), but they're still terrific songs. All three of the Mac's songwriters (Buckingham, Nicks and Christine McVie) each contribute stunning material, probably the best of their respective careers. With this reissue, the popular single B-side "Silver Springs" has been inserted into the running order (between what was side 1 and side 2 of the vinyl). The song is good enough to be on the album, although I'll confess it's seems weird to hear that extra song in the middle of a running order that's so familiar.

The bonus disc for Rumors is a real treat. You get rough versions of the whole album, some closer to the finished product than others, along with some of the early demos for the album and a couple of jam sessions. Very interesting listening.

[ Amazon ]
tracks: "Second Hand News", "Dreams", "Never Going Back Again", "Don't Stop", "Go Your Own Way", "Songbird", "Silver Springs", "The Chain", "You Make Loving Fun", "I Don't Want To Know", "Oh Daddy", "Gold Dust Woman"

bonus disc: "Second Hand News", "Dreams", "Brushes (Never Going Back Again)", "Don't Stop", "Go Your Own Way", "Songbird", "Silver Springs", "You Make Loving Fun", "Gold Dust Woman" [#1], "Oh Daddy", "Think About It", "Never Going Back Again", "Planets Of The Universe", "Butter Cookie (Keep Me There)", "Gold Dust Woman", "Doesn't Anything Last", "Mic The Screecher", "For Duster (The Blues)"


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Fleetwood Mac
Tusk



After the massive success of Rumours, Lindsey Buckingham steered Fleetwood Mac into material that was more gutsy (and more indulgent) and the result was a commercial "flop". Tusk only sold several million copies instead of matching Rumors' thirty-million-plus worldwide sales. Lindsey Buckingham's contributions make Tusk much more challenging listening with off-kilter tracks like "Not That Funny", "What Makes You Think You're The One", "The Ledge", and the title track (which famously teamed Fleetwood Mac with the USC marching band). However, Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks contribute songs worth of the first two albums, like the gentle "Over And Over", the catchy "Think About Me", and the hit "Sara" (included in it's full-length version, as opposed to the edited version used on the previous Tusk CDs). Personally, I love the clash of styles on this album. You move from the classic, smooth, perfect Mac sound into more warped material, and then back again. An overlooked gem.

The bonus disc for Tusk is along the lines of the Rumors bonus disc: A collection of demos, rough versions and outtakes. Very interesting as well.

[ Amazon ]
tracks: "Over & Over", "The Ledge", "Think About Me", "Save Me A Place", "Sara", "What Makes You Think You're The One", "Storms", "That's All For Everyone", "Not That Funny", "Sisters Of The Moon", "Angel", "That's Enough For Me", "Brown Eyes", "Never Make Me Cry", "I Know I'm Not Wrong", "Honey Hi", "Beautiful Child", "Walk A Thin Line", "Tusk", "Never Forget"

bonus tracks: "One More Time (Over & Over)", "Can't Walk Out Of Here (The Ledge)", "Think About Me", "Sara", "Lindsey's Song #1 (I Know I'm Not Wrong)", "Storms", "Lindsey's Song #2 (That's All For Everyone)", "Sisters Of The Moon", "Out On The Road (That's Enough For Me)", "Brown Eyes", "Never Make Me Cry", "Lindsey's Song #1 (I Know I'm Not Wrong)", "Honey Hi", "Beautiful Child", "Lindsey's Song #3 (Walk A Thin Line)", "Come On Baby (Never Forget)", "Lindsey's Song #1 (I Know I'm Not Wrong)" [Alternate], "Kiss And Run", "Farmer's Daughter", "Think About Me" [Single Version], "Sisters Of The Moon" [Single Version]




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