ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 77 FLEETWOOD MAC - FLEETWOOD MAC (1975)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Fleetwood Mac

Album: Fleetwood Mac

Producer: Fleetwood Mac And Keith Olsen

Band Members: Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie/John McVie/Mick Fleetwood

Singles: Over My Head/Rhiannon/Say You Love Me

Best Single/Best Hidden Gem: Rhiannon/Monday Morning

Best Of The Rest: Blue Letter/Crystal/Say You Love Me/World Turning/I'm So Afraid

RIAA Certification: 5 X Platinum

Album Cover: 8/10

 

Well, Jon and I are teaming up again to bring you Fleetwood Mac month.  I'm kicking the month off with their second self-titled album, this one from 1975.  Of course, it's the first with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in the band.  It became the band's first Number One album in the U.S. and eventually sold over 5 million copies.  The album spawned 3 U.S. singles, with Rhiannon and Say You Love Me reaching the 11th spot on the Billboard Pop Singles chart.

 

So Nicks and Buckingham join the band and bring instant popularity and stardom.  Of course the album that followed would take that to another level altogether, but that's another story.  I've only owned this album for a couple of years.  I was familiar with the singles, but that's all.  When I saw the band a couple of years ago in Charlotte, I heard Monday Morning and I'm So Afraid for the first time.  Man, those two songs are fantastic.  The guitar playing on the latter is phenomenal. 

 

My least favorite voice in FM is Chritine McVie's.  She just doesn't do it for me like Nicks/Buckingham.  One exception to that is the song Say You Love Me.  That's another one that I gained a new appreciation for after the concert. 

 

The album is still easily available.  I would definitely recommend it. 

 

Did You Know:  The song Landslide was released as a single long after the album was released, in 1998.  This was due to the song's popularity generated by the live reunion album "The Dance".  I probably should have mentioned earlier that it's not a favorite of mine.  It's way overplayed today, in 2011, on a local radio station that gets piped in through the overhead speakers at work.

 

 

1. Monday Morning

2. Warm Ways

3. Blue Letter

4. Rhiannon

5. Over My Head

6. Crystal

7. Say You Love Me

8. Landslide

9. World Turning

10. Sugar Daddy

11. I'm So Afraid

 

[Scott]

First album I ever purchased!  So this is classic rock at its best as far as Im concerned.   Monday Morning was the first track I ever heard from it and the reason it was the first album I bought (well tehchnically I bought two albums at the same time but this was one of them)

 

Not a bad track on here, and I hate to say it but RJ is wrong when it comes to Christine McVie and her voice.  She fits perfectly.  Listen to the band with her and then without, theres not only the voice missing but the song writing shifted as well.  She was a driving force wether singing, writing, or just playing ...

 

World Turning, Monday Morning, and Say You Love Me have all been featured on SHT, in fact Ive posted Monday Morning twice.  Blue Letter has been on several of my short lists and Warm Ways has always been on my favorite ballads list.

 

No need to listen for me, Ive memorized this oen note for note!  'bout time it got some spotlight around here!

[Jon]

I have this album and some days I like it, some days I don't like other albums. I haven't played this and the followup for a long, long time, kinda tired of them both.

 

Now "Tusk"...that album was weird then and it is still weird now.

 

Anyway, nice pick Rjhog even though I don't respect or like you. Only doing this for "the fans". 

[Scott]

Tusk always sounded to me like a Buckingham/Nicks album, I own it on vinyl but have never purchased on CD. 

 

Mental Note:  Add a Mac tune to Jon's upcoming SHT post...

[Jon]

I don't hate Fleetwood Mac so no need. Save you some time?

 

Tusk has always seemed like an experimental album. Grab some songs, toss them in, see what sticks. I had it when I was a kid (because of that one song which I thought was cool) and when I picked it up a few years ago I couldn't imagine why I liked the album when I was that young. There's some wacky stuff on there, or maybe it's just me as usual.  

[Niels (Mod)]

Another album, I almost bought. What I've heard from it, is a BIT boring, but if I get some time, I'll get it another shot.

[Alan Christensen]

I have this on Cassette only thanks to an online friend. One day I'll go ahead and download it to a CD. Landslide - I knew the Smashing Punkins cover before the original-  but the original is better.

I'll revisit the cassette today! Thanks for positng.

On a side note, I recently picked up a copy of Stevie Nicks solo debut on Vinyl, I remember and like the song Stop Dragging My Heart around with Tom Petty, a GOOD release!

Also, recent vinyl finds, a few from April Wine, Animal Grace and First Glance.

I'm sure I would remember more from Fleetwood, but I don't own any.

 

In the meantime, going to watch a few movies today, add them to my trade pile. Hoping to find an Eddie Money CD (and whatever else) in exchange for them! :)