I started listening to Fleetwood Mac in late June 2021. Fleetwood Mac has a history that is hard to follow because of their constant lineup changes up until 1975, so if you are interested in a quick rundown, click here. I listened to Tusk two or three times before deciding I had little interest in reviewing a double album from a band I was never that enthusiastic about, so I put the album and band aside and moved on. Also, several months after wrapping up this band, I bought a very clean vinyl of Kiln House for $10 and got very into the album.
Fleetwood Mac (1968): C
Mr. Wonderful (1968): C-
Then Play On (1969): B+
Fleetwood Mac in Chicago (1969): C
Kiln House (1970): A-
Future Games (1971): C+
Bare Trees (1972): B-
Penguin (1973): C+
Mystery to Me (1973): C+
Heroes Are Hard to Find (1974): C
Fleetwood Mac (1975): B+
Rumours (1977): B+
Fleetwood Mac (1968):
I was sure that by ditching Mayall, Green's soaring guitar and the excellent rhythm section from which this band gets its name would make this album a home run, pure and simple. Vocalist and slide guitarist Jeremy Spencer, however, doesn't swing at the lob. His songwriting is lame, his vocals are impudent, and his blues covers are trash--"Hellhound on My Trail" is particularly uninspired. Fortunately, the pitiful Elmore James impersonator doesn't play on any of Green's five tracks but other than "I Loved Another Woman," Green doesn't show any of the spirit he brought to the Mayall record. C
Mr. Wonderful (1968):
Though all of Green's songs are worth panning if we had the time, Spencer's limits, fully exposed on this record, are the biggest contributor to making this an abomination--was he such a dope that he didn't realize four of his songs start with the exact same Elmore James riff or did he just not care? The horn section confuses the project further and the production is shockingly bad. C-
Then Play On (1969):
Since Spencer’s creative input is negligible here, the band finally releases an album that matches the talent of its members. I always knew Green was a gifted guitarist but before this record, his songwriting was merely promising and his guitar playing hadn't been anything special since his days with Mayall. Now, he and Kirwan's twin lead guitar tread uncharted territory as their songwriting become just as inventive as their playing. I'm still not sure about all the songs but where the new direction works--"Fighting for Madge," "Show Biz Blues," "Without You," and "Oh Well"--Fleetwood Mac prove themselves to be one hell of a band. Recommended for guitar aficionados. B+
Fleetwood Mac in Chicago (1969):
It does contain some of their best blues covers but I never cared about this band when they played the blues anyway and this is a double LP of it. C
Kiln House (1970):
Now that Spencer has tossed his beloved blues aside and fully commits to playing rock--rockabilly mind you--his vocals lose any trace of pretentiousness and his guitar playing nicely weaves with Kirwan's. I enjoy all of Spencer's songs, none of them more than the beautiful folk-rock "One Together" or the absurd folk-parody "Blood on the Floor." Though Kirwan continues Green's legacy of textural brilliance and contributes some excellent songs of his own--the crunching guitar on "Station Man" is a major highlight--Spencer surprisingly offers most of the album's memorable moments and leaves me quite impressed and almost sorry for constantly bashing before. Such a pity that both he and Green leave the band once they finally figure themselves out. A-
Future Games (1971):
Bob Welch is a talented guitarist who has a soft spot for soporific music--dreamy, undistinguished vocals backed by music so leisurely even Pink Floyd would condemn it. Unfortunately, Danny Kirwan--who once was a promising rocker--mimics Welch's soft rock bullshit to similar, but slightly better, results. Christine McVie's two songwriting efforts are the saving graces of the record but unfortunately her singing debut isn't. It's quite telling that whenever I finish the album, Spotify thinks I want to listen to the Eagles. C+
Bare Trees (1972):
Along with providing his best songwriting since the Peter Green days, Kirwan accents not only his own songs but also Welch's snooze-worthy soft rock with some of the heaviness that made Then Play On one of the best Mac albums so far. It doesn’t completely counter the humdrum of forty minutes of lethargic rock but it's enough to make this more memorable than their previous Future Games. The songwriting from Christine McVie and Welch also sees a noticeable improvement though Christine's voice still rubs me the wrong way and I'm sure Welch is a just hopeless dope. So once again, the only creative force I have faith in departs the band and leaves their future in great uncertainty. B-
Penguin (1973):
Simply because the band speeds up the tempo, several songs on their third soft-rock affair play as the band's best since Kiln House. Not only do the faster songs sound like a better fit for the band, but I'm more likely to tolerate Welch's dreamy stuff when it does show up. Christine McVie's voice also sounds better in this environment, boasting more personality and femininity. As Welch and McVie get closer to finding their footing though, the new lineup struggles to find confidence and chemistry together. New band member Dave Walker contributes the two worst songs, the production is cheesy, and there are a few very confusing instrument choices--steel drums, really? C+
Mystery to Me (1973):
Once again in a comfortable lineup, the band has retreated to their soft-rock shelter. Dominated by Welch's and Christine McVie's songwriting, it is a little faster than usual and the band has gotten more convincing in the genre--they're now more worthy of admiration than mockery. But without offering anything substantially different on their fourth soft-rock record, this is once again worth skipping. Besides, "For Your Love" is one of the more insulting covers I've heard in recent memory and the fact it doesn't sound too off-kilter in the track list is a tell-tale sign. C+
Heroes Are Hard to Find (1974):
Other than "Silver Heels"--probably the best song from the band since Kirwan left, which isn't a particularly high bar--the album's general lack of direction and weak songwriting is embodied perfectly in the disturbing cover art. C
Fleetwood Mac (1975):
The two newcomers are almost entirely responsible for lifting this band out of the dark ages. Buckingham has a pretty great feel for guitar, laying down very satisfying work on each track. Nicks's two contributions "Rhiannon" and "Landslide" are easily the album's best tracks and showcase a singer and songwriter entirely comfortable and confident at the mike. But neither are perfect: I’m crazy about Buckingham as a vocalist and though Nicks is already a ready-made pop star, she's missing a twinkle of intelligence and maturity that could turn that sweet voice into a dagger. B+
Rumours (1977):
Few guitarists have better chops than Buckingham and the production, mixing, and the consistency of the track-list are all impressive. Nevertheless, while I’ve softened significantly to the voices of Buckingham and McVie, they still don’t move me. Even with lyrics that (supposedly) cut to the bone, I don’t hear any of the tension. To me, it will always just be a pretty pop album that’s a little too perfect. Because my roommates are fans, I play this album a lot. But rarely for myself. B+
