Fleetwood Mac is a British-American rock band formed in London in 1967. The band's original members included guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood, guitarist Jeremy Spencer, and bassist John McVie. Over the years, Fleetwood Mac went through several lineup changes, with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joining the band in 1974. One of Fleetwood Mac's most iconic albums is "Rumours," released in 1977. The album was a massive commercial success and remains one of the best-selling albums of all time. It features hit singles such as "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," and "Dreams.
Even through all this pandemonium, Fleetwood Mac continued to function. In his 2015 memoir, Play On, Mick Fleetwood wrote, “We were an outfit that could be counted on consistently to move between 250,000 to 300,000 records whenever we put out an album, but that was about it. We never did better, we never did worse.” One day, Mick Fleetwood went to check out the LA studio Sound City, and an engineer played him a tape of a duo called Buckingham Nicks, who’d been recording there. Fleetwood, once again in the market for a new frontman, was so impressed with the idiosyncratic fingerpicked guitar style of Lindsey Buckingham that he asked Buckingham to join the band. Buckingham would do it only if Stevie Nicks, his girlfriend and musical partner, was part of the deal. With Buckingham, Nicks, and Christine McVie, this new Fleetwood Mac had three members capable of writing songs and singing lead. After almost a decade of constant upheaval, Fleetwood Mac had found its lineup.
They had early success in the United Kingdom, hitting 1 with the 1968 instrumental Albatross and getting close with messily ruminative Peter Green songs like Man of the World and The Green Manalishi with the Two-Pronged Crown. As disco took over the Hot 100, the Laurel Canyon musicians combination of bucolic reverie and erudite viciousness held sway over Billboard s album chart.
It features hit singles such as "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," and "Dreams." The songs on "Rumours" are known for their emotional lyrics and catchy melodies, reflecting the personal dramas and relationships within the band. Fleetwood Mac's sound is often described as a blend of rock, pop, and blues.
Fleetwood Mac's Magic 'Mirage'
LOS ANGELES has long harbored some of rock 'n' roll's most reclusive, most brilliant studio wizards: Phil Spector, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson and Steely Dan's Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. Now Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie must be added to this select company. "Mirage" (Warner Bros. 23607-1), the fifth and latest album by the current Fleetwood Mac lineup, carries on this pop baroque tradition splendidly.
Spector, Fagen, Becker and McVie come from elsewhere, but they (and Buckingham and California native Wilson) have found Hollywood the most conducive environment for manufacturing their dreams. This is the appeal of their art: By the sheer force of their imagination they have created complex, new worlds on record where seemingly disparate elements harmonize perfectly. For many American suburbanites--forced to compensate for their drab world by acts of imagination--these records are reassuring proof that it can be done.
If you subtract the three dreary Stevie Nicks tracks, the nine remaining cuts on "Mirage" marry the melodic accessibility of "Fleetwood Mac" and "Rumors" with the experimental boldness of "Tusk." Christine McVie's four songs feature the intoxicating romantic melodies of her famous singles, but Lindsey Buckingham's production fleshes them out with more intricate imaginative detail than they ever had before. Buckingham's own five songs are clearly rooted in the bouncy simplicity of early rock 'n' roll. He then proves how a little jingly melody and basic lyric wish can be musically expanded into the grand importance they have subjectively for the wisher.
The album's first single is "Hold Me" by McVie and singer-songwriter Robbie Patton. Much like the Beach Boys' "Help Me, Rhonda," the song builds from heartbroken verses aching with sustained notes to a punchy, repeating chorus making a plea for love. McVie has constructed one contagious melody for the first verse and still another for the chorus. The body of the song is sung as a duet between McVie's hopeful alto and Buckingham's anxious tenor. Buckingham takes over on the tag: He plays a slow, high guitar solo that extends the plea beyond words; he pits a groaning bass vocal against the pretty, high harmonies.
McVie's "Love in Store" has a couple more gorgeous mid-tempo melody hooks. Buckingham once again expands the romantic moment--this time with layers upon layers of odd, twangy guitars. On "Only Over You" (dedicated to Beach Boy Dennis Wilson) and "Wish You Were Here" (written with John Mayall's drummer Colin Allen), McVie's melodies are suffused with angelic choirs that give the romantic themes the swooning feeling they need.
If McVie's songs are romantic without irony, Buckingham's songs are romantic with irony. Long a musical wizard, Buckingham is finally developing skill at words, too. He now strips his lyrics to simple catch phrases that sound as if they came from "Teen Angel" of 1962, but in fact suggest far more than they explain. "Can't Go Back" suggests in short four-word lines the inevitable but impossible desire to return to one's youth. The irresistible opening theme--a cabaret piano phrase answered by a circus synthesizer phrase over a fast heartbeat rhythm--suggests that it may indeed be possible via one's musical imagination. Buckingham's synthesizer-treated vocal bends in and out of focus magically.
"Book of Love" and "Oh Diane" are even more rooted in the pre-Beatles' era. But the innocence is lined with irony--Buckingham suspects that God knows no more about love than we mortals; he suspects his Diane is slipping away with time. The potential of the original doo-wop harmonies are heightened by Buckingham's control over his greater options in the studio. As his lead vocal fades on each line in "Book of Love," the harmony vocals rise in a crossing arc. Two of Buckingham's biggest influences have been the Beach Boys and the Kingston Trio. He practices his odd brand of folkie-surf music on "Empire State" and "Eyes of the World."
Stevie Nicks is the album's big disappointment. Once one of the band's best writers, she has deteriorated into penning overly long tales about vaguely defined dream landscapes with minimal melodies and the blandest of chord progressions. Whereas McVie and Buckingham evoke dreams through the lovely complexity of their music, Nicks simply talks about dreams and gypsies and evokes very little. Nevertheless Nicks is still an excellent harmony singer, and her echoing vocals on McVie's "Love in Store" give the song an incredible lift. And let's not forget Fleetwood Mac's two founding members; drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie are still important to their band . The rhythm tracks on "Mirage" are sparer yet far more effective than the rhythm work on the solo albums by Buckingham and Nicks last year.
Heart is another West Coast rock quintet with two female singer-songwriters. This Seattle band's co-leaders, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, have indisputable talent but seem to have little idea of how to apply it. They can rock out as well as any hard-rock band, and they even pen an appealing melody now and then. But too often their ambitions outstrip their intelligence and lead them into totally wrongheaded songs. Heart's newest album, "Private Audition" (Epic FE 38049), contains one great song, a couple near misses and a bunch of embarrassments.
The great song is "Bright Light Girl," a hippie tribute to an idealistic woman. It is graced by a gorgeous melody hook kicked home by the tight-charging band. Ann Wilson's siren voice cries out the catch chorus with convincing sincerity, while Nancy Wilson's echoing vocal brings out the pop harmonies. "Fast Times" is a furiously paced hard-rock charger that never pauses long enough for excess or indulgence. "The Man Is Mine" blends a big beat with lush vocal harmonies.
By contrast, the title tune is an ill-advised attempt to mimic Broadway's backstage songs. Even worse are the ballads that descend to mawkish sentimentality without compensating melodies. Sue Ennis' lyrics awkwardly attempt great meanings and end up sounding silly. "Angels," dedicated to John Lennon's son Sean, is full of trite advice about death over trite acoustic guitars and spacy harmonies. "America" reduces great historic movements to throwaway cliche's and then tries to puff them up with pompous synthesizer chords.
Their music is characterized by intricate harmonies, layered instrumentation, and a distinct rhythm section. Mick Fleetwood's drumming style, coupled with John McVie's solid basslines, creates a unique foundation for the band's songs. The addition of Lindsey Buckingham's guitar skills and Stevie Nicks' powerful vocals further enhanced Fleetwood Mac's sound. Aside from "Rumours," Fleetwood Mac has released several other successful albums throughout their career. These include "Fleetwood Mac," "Tusk," and "Tango in the Night," among others. Each album showcases the band's musical versatility and ability to evolve their sound while maintaining their signature style. Fleetwood Mac's music has had a lasting impact on the rock and pop music scenes. Their songs continue to be loved and celebrated by fans around the world. The band's enduring success can be attributed to their timeless melodies, relatable lyrics, and the chemistry between the band members. In conclusion, Fleetwood Mac's magic lies in their ability to create heartfelt and memorable music. Their songs have transcended generations and continue to resonate with audiences today. Whether it's the emotional ballads or the energetic rock anthems, Fleetwood Mac's music is a testament to the power of great songwriting and musicianship..
Reviews for "Exploring the Legendary Tales within Fleetwood Mac's Mac Magic"
1. Jane Doe - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Fleetwoof mac magic". The story felt disjointed and the characters lacked depth. It seemed like the author was trying to cram too many ideas into one book, and as a result, everything felt rushed and underdeveloped. I also found the writing style to be clunky and awkward. Overall, I found the book to be a confusing and unsatisfying read.
2. John Smith - 1/5 - I cannot understand the hype around "Fleetwoof mac magic". The plot was predictable and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The characters were one-dimensional, and I didn't feel any connection to them. Additionally, the pacing of the book was incredibly slow, making it a struggle to get through. I was hoping for a magical and captivating reading experience, but unfortunately, this book fell flat for me.
3. Emily Johnson - 2/5 - "Fleetwoof mac magic" is a prime example of a promising concept executed poorly. The world-building was weak, and I found it difficult to immerse myself in the story. The author introduced interesting ideas but failed to explore them fully, leaving me with a sense of unfulfilled potential. The writing style was also lackluster, lacking the descriptive imagery I usually crave in fantasy novels. Overall, I found the book to be lacking in substance and depth.
4. Michael Thompson - 3/5 - While "Fleetwoof mac magic" didn't live up to my high expectations, it had its moments. The concept was intriguing, and there were a few interesting plot twists along the way. However, the execution fell short. The characters felt underdeveloped, and I often found myself losing interest in their stories. The pacing was also uneven, with some parts dragging on while others felt rushed. While it wasn't a terrible book, it certainly didn't leave a lasting impression on me.