Fleetwood Mac (1968)

The debut, released in February 1968 when Fleetwood Mac consisted of Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood (with Bob Brunning playing bass on Long grey mare). This was retitled Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac for the CD, presumably to avoid confusion with the 1975 album of the same name. We'll forget the CD version though and it's messing around putting different takes of the tracks on it, here I am reviewing the original album cuts as they appeared on the vinyl, a few years before I was born I have to add!

The album kicks off in style with the feel-good My heart beats like a hammer, a Jeremy Spencer composition that immediately dispelled my beliefs that blues music had to have you reaching for the nearest razor blade. The song leaves you hungry for more, and Peter Green's Merry go round satisfies that hunger despite being not so upbeat. His track Long grey mare follows suit and then you are hit with the more sombre Hellhound on my trail, which was originally recorded by Robert Johnson in 1937 who died a year later aged just 27 (courtesy of Wikipedia) and is just beautifully sung here.

After that you're left wanting something more uptempo, and that comes full throttle in the form of Shake your moneymaker. This catchy as hell song was originally recorded by Elmore James in 1961 (wikipedia again). It rocks along like a goodun' and I can guarantee you won't stay still while it's on. Green's Looking for somebody finishes off side one a bit more slowly, but still at a pace that will have you shaking your stuff to the instruments. I have to say here that I really know nothing about blues, as is probably evident, but I know what sounds good and that is all of this album so far.

Side Two kicks off in the same bluesy vein with a Howlin' Wolf number called No place to go, then there's the Spencer composed My baby's good to me. I've listened to this album a few times now and the songs really do get better with each listen. I've also noticed that in most of the songs the title is repeated quite a few times throughout, this is no exception.

The real jewel in the crown is with Peter Green's I loved another woman, a blues ballad which is easily my favourite song on the album. This is in the same vein as their hit 'Need your love so bad' and I do feel that this could have been a big hit had it been released as a single. Proof if it were needed that Green was as much of an asset to Fleetwood Mac in the early days as Buckingham/Nicks were later on.

Jeremy Spencer was an asset also, and his Cold black night is another great blues number. I've noticed that his tracks have a familiar ring to them on this album, which is no bad thing. These should all really be blues standards now. Green's final offering on the album is the rather good The world keeps on turning, and then we end on a real high with another Elmore James classic in the shape of Got to move. This is catchy as hell and sounds like something the Rolling Stones would have done back then.

All in all there is not one duff track here, and is a must for any serious Fleetwood Mac fan - if only to see how it all began. It's a real insight if you only know the Buckingham/Nicks era stuff. There are no hit singles but don't let that put you off as there are a few tracks that could have been, especially in the 60's when this sort of blues rock was popular.