The Dance

The Dance is a live album that was recorded for an MTV special in California and released in August 1997. For the first time in ten years we saw the return of the classic line-up of Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, although unfortunately it marked the last time that Christine would tour or record with the band. On the plus side, Stevie and Lindsey were to rejoin for at least one more studio album.

The concert is available in its 22 track entirety on DVD, with the CD version being cut to 17 tracks - missing are Gold dust woman, Gypsy, Go insane (a Lindsey Buckingham solo album track that would eventually appear on the 2-disc version of The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac), Over my head and Songbird (which was the show closer). The running order has been changed slightly on a couple of tracks too - most notably Rhiannon. The album reached #15 in the UK and #1 in the US.

On with the show then, and it starts with a rousing performance of The Chain, with great harmonies from Lindsey, Stevie and Christine that are faultless throughout the concert. If you watch the DVD then you can see that the band are at so much more ease with each other, especially the interaction between Stevie and Lindsey. At the end of the song Stevie welcomes everybody before breaking into a stunning performance of Dreams, in which Lindsey's added vocals give the song new meaning. They'll never top the version on Rumours but this is decent enough.

Christine thanks everybody for coming and says "Welcome to our little soiree" before introducing Everywhere, which is one of only two songs here from Tango in the night. This is a brilliant version with Christine's perfect vocal. On the DVD she is mostly stood behind the keyboard and letting Stevie and Lindsey hog the limelight, but she manages to shine just as much throughout. They've changed the chorus slightly and it really works with the others putting their own spin on it. A definite highlight for me.

Gold dust woman should have been next but is replaced by a great take on Rhiannon (which is track 17 on the DVD), this is presumably to spread the Stevie Nicks vocals out a bit. It has a harder, more rockier feel and this leads us into I'm so afraid, always a crowd pleaser and one that is heavy on the guitars. In fact it is seven and a half minutes of ace guitar work, heartbreaking vocals by Lindsey and a lot more guitar brilliance at the end. It's very atmospheric and one I would love to hear in the flesh - if I ever get to see them now. The finish is phenomenal, and the crowd go wild.

A brand new song follows called Temporary one, written by Christine and her husband Eddy Quintela and sung mainly by Christine. Stevie and Lindsey join in the chorus though and provide a feel-good performance of a positive sounding song that has the makings of being an anthem. Shame it was never released in any other form as I love it. Bleed to love her follows, which Lindsey explains was intended for a solo album and that him and Mick working on the track together was how the whole reunion idea came about. It was to eventually end up on the band's 2003 album Say you will, and this is a heartfelt version that doesn't sound too different to that.

The version of Big love on here was actually included on the 2002 Very best of album in place of the original, and I can sort of see why as it's a great performance. The intro is a lot faster and it's sung as more of a rock song, and more heartfelt. Stevie then sounds amazing on Landslide and gives such a tender, but powerful, vocal that it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end when I hear it. You could hear a pin drop in the crowd, until the end when they go absolutely wild. Then you have to watch the DVD to see Lindsey kiss Stevie on the lips, which is a great moment.

Christine brings ex-husband John McVie out to the front now where he shares the backing vocal (apparantly for the first time ever) with the rest of the band on an energetic performance of Say you love me. "It's a new take on a very old song" as Christine so beautifully puts it. Lindsey then takes a minute, amid Mick's tomfoolery, to introduce a new track of his called My little demon, which opens with demonic noises and Lindsey's vocals lead to another anthemic catchy little number that also should be more famous than it is.

Stevie delivers another flawless vocal on the gorgeous Silver springs, with great harmonies from Christine and Lindsey on the chorus. It's unbelievable that not many people would have known this at the time as it is just incredible, or as Stevie puts it "Silver springs is a great old song". A rocking performance of You make loving fun moves from it's original place after Say you love me, but you hardly notice the join. Then a new Stevie Nicks song called Sweet girl follows. It's quite an upbeat track with a positive feel which would have sounded great on one of her solo albums, although it sounds great sung live on here.

The big anthemic rock numbers are saved for the end, and Go your own way is the last one before the encore. Stevie bounces well off Lindsey here, despite being the subject of the song when it was written twenty years previously. It's a powerful hard rock performance and the guitars smash it.

Tusk brings the band back onto the stage, together with the USC Trojan Marching Band, who add a whole new dimension to the track. I would have loved to have been there for this as it's magnificent - although you need to watch the DVD to get the full effect. Mick's drumming is spot-on, as is John's bass and Lindsey's guitar. The whole thing continues on the CD closer, Don't stop, which Christine says "They've never done with a brass section before, so this should be interesting". Interesting doesn't even begin to cover it, the whole thing is a masterpiece of epic proportions. Again you really need to see it on the DVD to get a proper feel of how it comes together on the stage, but the harmonies on the chorus along with the brass band give a whole new feeling of positivity to the song, which I would rate as my favourite from the whole show. On the DVD everybody leaves the stage now, leaving Christine on her own to do a solo of Songbird, but this is left off the CD.

Well, what an album! There are definite highs, but the whole thing uplifts you like no other Fleetwood Mac album does - especially the last two tracks. I don't give enough credit to Mick's drumming skills, as they makes some of the tracks sound so much better, John's bass playing is also out of this world, and Lindsey and Stevie just own the stage most of the time. Christine hides behind her microphone a lot but her presence is definitely felt and it would have been a much less special event without her. I would definitely recommend buying the DVD as well though, as it will make you listen to the album in a whole new light.







Time

October 1995 finally saw the release of a new studio album for the band, and for the sixteenth studio release we lost Stevie Nicks and Rick Vito, and gained in their place Dave Mason (former guitarist with Traffic) and Bekka Bramlett (daughter of sixties duo Delaney & Bonnie). They joined Billy Burnette and long-time members Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie to form another six-piece. Christine however had given up touring by this stage and was soon to quit the band, which collapsed altogether shortly after this release - before reuniting with the full Rumours line-up two years later on The Dance.

Back to this album though, and an open mind is required to listen to it - ie. don't be put off by the many negative reviews that you have no doubt read. You need to forget about Fleetwood Mac line-ups of old and remember that that is what they have always been about - constant change. The album scraped into the UK charts at #47, and didn't even chart in the US, but I feel this is probably due to lack of promotion and no single releases.

Billy Burnette delivers a more countrified sound on album opener, Talkin' to my heart, which he co-wrote with Deborah Allen and Rafe VanHoy. It's certainly a leap from anything he did on Behind the mask, although his vocals are instantly recognisable. Bekka's background vocals add a completely new sound to the band, who only ever had two female vocalists in its entire history until now, and the song itself is undeniably catchy and instant.

The first of five compositions by Christine McVie and husband Eddy Quintela is Hollywood (some other kind of town), which is another infectious vocal, that is unmistakeably Christine and an underrated gem that reminds me of some of her earlier work before Stevie Nicks joined the band. It is also evident from the lyrical content that she has had enough of the bright lights and wants to get out of the band. Blow by blow follows, which Dave Mason co-wrote and delivers like a catchy eighties rock track. It gives the band yet another new sound but it's welcome. Another version of the track had previously been featured in the 1994 World Cup.

Bekka Bramlett shows off her vocal range next on the Kit Hain composed Winds of change (not to be confused with the Scorpions song), which is a gorgeous country ballad that eases her nicely into the band. Her voice is powerful and flawless and I can't imagine why she hasn't become a massive star. Christine strikes gold again on I do, which was released as a promotional single only. Shame as it, along with a few others, deserved to be a massive hit.

Bekka then reveals her rocky side on Nothing without you, which she co-wrote with her father Delaney and Doug Gilmore. It's a show-stopping little country-rock number that is a massive grower. It then all gets serious on Dreamin' the dream, which she wrote with Billy, a beautiful tender ballad that has always been a stand-out track for me and could have been a #1 in my eyes. Stunning is the way I would describe her vocals on this.

Christine delivers another monster ballad on Sooner or later, another stand-out track, and the long instrumental fade-out at the end fills me with longing for more. Another immediately catchy track is I wonder why, a rock song that Dave gives a powerful performance on, aided by Bekka's glorious backing vocals. Nights in Estoril is just beautiful, and another credit to Christine on an album where she more than proves her worth without Lindsey and Stevie. It's sad that this is her last studio album with the band, but then who knows?

Billy delivers another great country rock vocal on I got it in for you, which is one of the heavier tracks on the album, and then Christine delivers her fifth and final performance with the goodbye song, All over again. It is absolutely gorgeous and another lost classic, even if it is tinged with sadness with her talking about 'finally breaking the chain', suggesting a clean break from the band.

These strange times is the album closer, which at over seven minutes is the longest track here. Written by Mick Fleetwood and Ray Kennedy, this is Mick talking about how bad his life is at this point and he gives reference to Peter Green on the line 'They said he was a man of the world'. Bekka's backing vocals and the mix of instruments make this a stunning track, which brings a lump to the throat and finishes the album on a completely different tone to how it began.

Strange then, that an album which is constantly reviewed in a negative light, and which Q magazine deemed no tracks worthy of downloading, is one where I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to every track on this occasion - and I have always been quite fond of it anyway, despite missing Stevie Nicks originally. Now I have come to realise that she is only part of an ever-changing chain and it is in fact Christine McVie who has proved to be a vital link during most of the changing periods. Bekka's contribution is stunning, and I'm sure another album with her, Dave and Billy would have gone down quite well. All in all, I think this is a totally underrated gem of an album that you have to give a chance to, and at least eight of the tracks would have been worthy singles.



Live At The BBC

We're in between studio albums again. In September 1995 a 2 disc, 36 track album was released called Live At the BBC which contained various BBC radio sessions recorded between 1967 and 1971 when the band was made up (in varying stages) of Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood and Danny Kirwan. Many of the tracks featured were otherwise unavailable so I thought it definitely worth me reviewing.

The first disc kicks off with Rattlesnake shake, first broadcast on Radio One in April 1970. Peter Green jams his way through but at over seven and a half minutes long I was waiting for the end - I can't say I'm particularly looking forward to the two 24+ minute versions on the Live in Boston albums which I've yet to listen to. Sandy Mary is another Peter Green track, which was written for his girlfriend at the time and would have been the title track of the next Fleetwood Mac album if he hadn't left the band in 1970, suggesting that the band's sound would have gone in a more hard driving rock direction as oppose to the rock and roll direction they went with on Kiln House. You can really let yourself go with this one and drift into another world.

I believe my time ain't long, and we're back to the famous Elmore James riffs that Jeremy Spencer obviously loved. Then we are treated to Danny's haunting vocals on Although the sun is shining, which sound even more heart-wrenching live and acoustic. Only you is another Kirwan track, recorded in May 1970 for Radio One's Top Gear, it was also re-recorded for his last solo album, Hello there big boy, which I am desperate for a copy of. There's not much in the way of lyrics but the guitars are rocking. Jeremy Spencer then does his Elvis impersonation on the Baker Knight track You never know what you're missing, which is catchy and boppy and I like a lot on first listen.

One of Peter Green's biggest hits, Oh Well, is less than two and a half minutes long here but it's enough to rock the house down - although I'd have preferred more of this and less of Rattlesnake shake to be honest.He then shows his emotional side on a Fats Domino track (written by lloyd Price) called Can't believe you wanna leave, which is a blues-style rocker.

It all goes a bit fifties style then, and Jeremy Spencer's catchy Jenny Lee, followed by a rather good Conway Twitty/Jack Nance track called Heavenly, in which Jeremy sounds a bit like Elvis again. He then does a good take of the Everly Brothers classic, When will I be loved from 1959. Danny Kirwan goes a bit rock and roll then on When I see my baby, which he wrote himself but sounds like it could easily have been a massive hit in the late fifties. Jeremy's Buddy's song continues the theme on his tribute to the late Buddy Holly, and another track from Kiln House (Hi ho silver) is re-named here as Honey Hush, which is sung by Jeremy again and has more of a rockabilly sound.

I enjoyed all of that rock and roll, but I'm ready for some rocking guitars now. Instead we get a Son House track called Preachin' that Jeremy does practically on his own and is just a weird mix of eerie vocals and guitar playing, and probably my least favourite track of theirs so far since I've been doing these reviews. Peter Green returns then on Jumpin' at shadows, a haunting track that was included on the album The Original Fleetwood Mac. This is stripped back and heartbreaking. He then jams through a Robert Johnson track called Prechin' blues that doesn't really do much for me, and the first disc ends with the brilliant Need your love so bad, although the sound isn't as sharp on this one - which is a shame as it's one of my all-time favourite Peter Green tracks.

Disc two starts with Peter Green giving a good delivery of Long grey mare, a bluesy track from the debut album, with infectious guitars and drum beat. Sweet home Chicago follows, which is another Robert Johnson composition and features more upbeat vocals from Peter. The band all sound like they are having fun on this and giving the various instruments all thy've got. Then that all familiar Elmore James riff is back on a track of his called Baby please set a date. Jeremy does play it well but it sounds very samey.

Danny gives a good vocal on Blues with a feeling (credited to Little Walter, although according to Wikipedia it was written in 1947 by Rabon Tarrant), although it's not one of my favourites. The sound quality isn't great on Stop messing around, but it's a good fast performance by Peter and barely recognisable from the original. The interestingly titled Tallahassee Lassie (a hit for Freddy Cannon) is next and is pure rock and roll. It actually doesn't sound like Peter Green or Fleetwood Mac at all, but it's a good send-up all the same.

Jeremy is on his own now with a piano, and just Mick on drums, on the absolutely beautiful Hang on to a dream. Written by Tim Hardin, this really brings out Jeremy's soulful side and could just as easily be John Lennon singing. He then goes a bit Buddy Holly-esque on the track Linda, which is infectious as they come, and then he's back doing the blues on the Elmore James classic, Mean mistreatin' mama, although at least the riff is a bit different to the usual.

Peter on his own now on World keeps turning, a slow burning blues number that was included on the debut album. Then Jeremy does I can't hold out, which is a retitled version of Elmore James' Telephone blues and was also featured on Blues Jam at Chess. It's the same old riff but quite infectious. There's a rare Danny Kirwan track now called Early morning come, recorded for Radio One's Top Gear in May 1969, and I think this is the only place you will find this track. There isn't much in the way of lyrics and it's really only for completists like me, but the fact that it's by Danny has me more interested than I'd otherwise be.

A stunning version of Albatross is equally as mesmerizing and haunting (if not more) than the original. Looking for somebody follows, and Peter gives a heart-rending interpretation of this. Then he sounds almost morose on A fool no more (also from The Original Fleetwood Mac), which really does tug at the heart strings. Jeremy takes over then on a more stripped back and soulful version of Got to move, and then we come to Like crying, like dying (which features on Then play on merely as Like crying) where Danny's vocals and guitar compliment nicely with Peter's brilliant guitar work. It's nothing like the version on Then play on (which I absolutely adore) but still good. The final track is Man of the world, and Peter Green gives a hauntingly brilliant performance, and it isn't too far removed from the single version and a fantastic way off rounding off the album.

I'll admit I had to listen to this album in two sittings, but it's a purchase that I'm glad I made - and not just for the otherwise unavailable tracks. For the vast majority of the time the sound quality really is excellent, especially when you consider the age of the recordings, and it's a refreshing look at the original Fleetwood Mac band (plus Danny) that I am growing ever more interested in.



25 Years - The Chain (4-disc boxset)

In 1992 Fleetwood Mac released a 4 CD compilation covering their entire career up to that point. Named The Chain it features many of their best loved tracks along with some previously unreleased ones, some new remixes of old favourites and a few live recordings. It all comes in a nice black box with a thick booklet of photos, messages and trivia. A 2 CD version is also available.

CD1 starts with two new songs. Paper doll was written by Stevie Nicks, Rick Vito and John Heron and was originally recorded for the 1988 Greatest Hits album. I don't know why it didn't make it on there as it is catchy as hell and quite an upbeat little ditty. Love shines is a Christine McVie/Eddy Quintela composition that is sung nicely by Christine and has grown on me a lot over the years. It was released as a single in the UK to coincide with this album, although it could only reach #83.

Stand back is one of Stevie Nicks' most well-known solo songs now, and a live version that the band recorded in 1987 is featured on here. It was originally included on her 1983 album, The Wild heart (which I expect I will get to eventually) and you're better off with that version to be honest, although it is nice to have here. Crystal is then followed by an alternate version of Isn't it midnight, which being one of my favourites from Tango in the night I was excited to hear. I definitely wasn't disappointed and this version is poppier and funkier, but without losing any of its mystical charm. I love it.

After a couple of big hits from Tango in the night (Big love and Everywhere) and an album track from Behind the mask (Affairs of the heart) we get our third new song of the release. Heart of stone is another Christine McVie/Eddy Quintela song that is in the same soft rock vein as Love shines. It's another grower which rolls along at a nice pace and has an infectious chorus. A feast of classics follow that - Sara, That's all for everyone, Over my head, Little lies, Eyes of the world, Oh Diane and In the back of my mind, before we get a Lindsey Buckingham track that was actually an outtake from his solo album Out of the cradle. Entitled Make me a mask it is quite different from anything else on CD1, and is an eerie sounding song that is about as alternative as he gets. I like it but I doubt it will become a favourite of mine.

CD2 concentrates on the same era, starting with the gorgeous Save me. Then there is another Lindsey Buckingham composition called Goodbye angel, which was actually a leftover from the Mirage album from 1982 and is quite beautiful and dream-like. It would have sat very well on Mirage, but I suppose they couldn't include everything.

Most fans will know all about Silver springs and how it was famously (and foolishly) left off the Rumours album, despite being superior to a lot of the songs on there in my opinion. Well until this release it was only available as the B-side to Go your own way, so that was reason enough for anybody to buy this boxset at the time (of course you can just download the song now but we didn't have such modern technology in those days!). I think this is one of the most beautiful songs Stevie Nicks ever wrote or sang and would easily be in my all-time Fleetwood Mac top ten. Stunning is the word, and I love how it builds up until the chorus just repeats itself over and over at the end.

What makes you think you're the one and Think about me (both from Tusk) follow, and then we are treated to the full unedited version of Gypsy, with a more drawn out ending that adds a new element to an already classic song. You make loving fun is followed by a trio of alternate mixes of popular songs - Second hand news, Love in store and The chain. None of them are too different from the originals (I can't tell the difference on The chain) with Love in store being the best mix for me.

Another unreleased track from the Mirage sessions is Teen beat. Written by Lindsey with Richard Dashut it basically sounds like a jam session with the words "oh, oh, oh" repeated over and over again, along with Lindsey making various other noises. It's quite a funky track but it definitely didn't belong on Mirage. An alternate mix of Dreams doesn't differ too much from the Rumours original, although as it's my favourite song of all-time I know it inside out and can hear some subtle changes and it doesn't get to me quite as much.

Only over you (from Mirage) is followed by the version of I'm so afraid from Live and Love is dangerous (from Behind the mask). There is an alternate mix of Gold dust woman that sounds mellower than the Rumours version, but other than that there's not much difference. Then the CD ends with a live version of Not that funny, which is an edited version from the "In concert: Mirage tour 1982" video package. It's not that different from the version on Live though.

CD3 is mostly made up of classic tracks from the same era. Warm ways, Say you love me, Don't stop, Rhiannon, Walk a thin line, Storms, Go your own way, Sisters of the moon, Monday morning (from Live), Landslide and Hypnotized are all present, and then we get a nice previously unreleased alternate version of Lay it all down (originally from Future games). It's nice to hear a couple of Bob Welch tracks to remind people that there was life before 1975, and this new version of Lay it all down sounds a bit faster and more rockier, but just as infectious as the original.

Angel has become one of my absolute favourites since reviewing Tusk and is probably my favourite track from that album now, so it's nice to hear an alternate mix on here, even though it's hard to spot a lot of difference if I'm honest. Beautiful child also has an alternate mix, which is equally as haunting and beautiful as the original from Tusk. For me these remain two of Stevie Nicks' biggest masterpieces. The CD closes with three from Tusk (Brown eyes, Save me a place and Tusk) and two from Rumours (Never going back again and Songbird).

The entire Peter Green/Danny Kirwan/Bob Welch era (except those two Welch tracks on CD3) is squeezed onto CD4, with the first ten songs not sounding entirely different to their first Greatest Hits album from 1971. They are - I believe my time ain't long, Need your love so bad, Rattlesnake shake, Oh well (part 1) (original mono version), Stop messin' around, The green manalishi, Albatross, Man of the world, Love that burns and Black magic woman. Watch out is featured from Blues jam at chess, then we are treated to String-a-long, recorded in 1969 and from the proposed Jeremy Spencer EP. Written by Jimmy Duncan and Robert Doyle it sounds a bit like Buddy Holly and wouldn't have sounded out of place on Kiln house.

Unfortunately that is it from the Peter Green era, but we get Station man (from Kiln House), Did you ever love me (Penguin), Sentimental lady (Bare trees), and then Come a little bit closer and Heroes are hard to find (both from that album). A real treat is next in the shape of Trinity, although it is shocking that this is the only solo Danny Kirwan composition on here. This is a previously unreleased track that is a guitar filled stormer of a song with Danny's familiar vocal style. Why (from Mystery to me) rounds off the CD and the compilation.

Musically this boxset is faultless, but I feel the Peter Green era needed at least a whole CD, and the same for the 'in between' era (we definitely should have had a lot more Danny!). Two CDs could have nicely covered the Buckingham/Nicks era I feel, without leaving off any of the new tracks - which really is what I was interested in most. The case and booklet are lovely though, although if you can do without these and only want the new tracks then the 2CD version will probably suffice.

 

Behind The Mask

After a rather quiet eighties for releases, Fleetwood Mac's fifteenth studio album, Behind the mask, came out in April 1990 and went straight to #1 in the UK (although it did sell considerably less than Tango in the night and didn't produce any top forty singles). The band now comprised of Stevie Nicks (for the last time until 1997's The Dance), Billy Burnette, Rick Vito, Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood. Lindsey Buckingham did play acoustic guitar on the Behind the mask song though.

Skies the limit (Christine McVie, Eddy Quintela) is the first track and a pleasant enough pop song which was a single, unfortunately not a charting one though. It's a positive feeling track for the band that suggests new beginnings, but does not compare to Christine's tracks on Tango in the night and should really have remained an album track. Love is dangerous is a joint composition by Rick Vito and Stevie Nicks (there aren't many solo compositions on here) and Rick eases his way into the band's sound with a country infused rock piece where Stevie takes joint lead on the vocal front. It's a world away from the sound of Lindsey Buckingham and takes on more of an Eagles sound.

Billy Burnette debuts with In the back of my mind, which is a track he co-wrote with David E. Malloy, and another one that was released as a single. It did slightly better than Skies the limit and reached #53 in the UK (the same position as lead single Save me). At seven minutes long it takes a couple to get going and is probably the least commercial track on the album, but with Stevie and Christine adding their vocals to this epic rock piece it all works very well. Christine and Billy team up to co-write the next track, Do you know, where the pair's vocals merge together nicely to make a nice strong rock ballad.

Probably the catchiest song on here is Save me, a Christine McVie classic that she wrote with her then husband, Eddy Quintela. At the time I was expecting it to be a massive hit, so was quite disappointed when it didn't even make the top fifty, although in the US it was the band's last top twenty hit. By now Christine has found a knack of writing the perfect infectious pop song with gorgeous melodies and this would have sat nicely on their previous Greatest Hits album.

Stevie Nicks delivers a quality tune on Affairs of the heart, a grower of a soft rock track that would have sat well on her The other side of the mirror album which came out the year before. Then we get a tinge of fifties rock and roll vibe on When the sun goes down, co-written by Burnette and Vito. It has a real Everly Brothers feel and makes for one of the best songs on the album. Actually it wouldn't have sounded completely out of place on Kiln House.

Christine's only solo composition on here is the title track, Behind the mask, and is another corker. It is a hauntingly brilliant ballad which is made even better by Lindsey's acoustic guitar. Stand on the rock (written by Rick Vito) is another catchy track that you could imagine the Eagles doing if they went experimental. Then Billy Burnette and Jeff Silbar bring us the fantastic Hard feelings, a nice simple ballad with such a strong melody that it could easily have been the lead single and is definitely one of my very favourite tracks on here.

Freedom (Stevie Nicks, Mike Campbell) is a rockier song but equally catchy and another that could have been a single. When it comes to love, written by Burnette with the aid of Simon Climie (of Climie Fisher fame) and Dennis Morgan, is another one that I really like. Christine and Billy harmonise well on here and the pace is nice and steady. Finally we come to The Second time, which was written by Stevie and Rick and seems to be almost universally hated on the web. I don't actually think it's that bad, it just doesn't really go anywhere as a ballad. Vocally it isn't Stevie's strongest performance either but as the album closer it does it's job OK. That said it is definitely the weakest track on the album.

So then, Behind the mask works for me as a Fleetwood Mac album. It may be a world away from anything they've done before but isn't that what they've always been about, trying new things? Billy and Rick slot nicely into the space left by Lindsey and find their own comfortable soft country rock style that works well with both Christine and Stevie. There are definitely some tracks on here that deserve far more recognition than they get, namely Save me, Hard feelings, Freedom, Affairs of the heart, Behind the mask and When the sun goes down, which could all have been singles. It's definitely worth a purchase if you're a fan - just don't expect it to sound like Rumours or Tango in the night because it's a different kettle of fish entirely.

Greatest Hits (1988)

After the huge success of Tango in the night the band released a new Greatest Hits album in November 1988 while the public were still hungry for Fleetwood Mac's music. This includes nothing pre-1975 so if you're only interested in the Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham era hits then you can't go wrong with this, although Lindsey has been replaced by Billy Burnette and Rick Vito (interesting that they needed two people to replace him) for the two new songs featured.

The UK version of this is seventeen tracks long, and is the one that I am going to concentrate on here, while the US left off the magnificent Seven wonders and the poppy Oh Diane in favour of Over my head, which isn't as good as either of those in my opinion. As only the singles are included then there's no classic album tracks such as The Chain, Songbird or Landslide. They also decided to leave off the wonderful Isn't it midnight and Mac classics Can't go back and Family man.

Anyway enough of what isn't on there, as there is more than enough here to help you forget what could have been. Rhiannon opens proceedings and has you immediately entranced. Go your own way, Don't stop, Gypsy, Everywhere, You make loving fun and Big love ensure you never want to even look at the skip button. As long as you follow is the first of the new tracks and is a Christine McVie/Eddy Quintela composition that is a pure delight. Infectiously dreamy and radio friendly it is classic Christine and should have been a big hit. Unfortunately it wasn't, but it still sounds great amongst all the classics.

Side two opens with Say you love me, then my favourite, Dreams. Little lies, Oh Diane, the full six and a half minute version of Sara is followed by the only other song from Tusk, the title track. Seven wonders thankfully makes an appearance on this version of the album and then Hold me, which is included despite flopping in the UK - never mind, it sounds great on here. That's it then apart from one more new song, the Stevie Nicks/Kelly Johnston composed No questions asked, which was released as the B-side of a re-released Hold me (that still flopped!), and is Stevie sounding more fiery and sure of herself than she did on Tango in the night, along with a catchy tune that makes for another classic moment to end what is surely one of the most consistently brilliant discs ever produced.

Tango In The Night

Fans had to wait a full five years after Mirage before Tango in the night, its follow-up was released in April 1987 and became the band's fourteenth studio album to date. During those five years they had all except John released at least one solo album, with the only band offering being a seven track Live in Boston which was recorded in 1970 when Peter Green was still at the forefront. (I have decided to wait and review the full three volume version which was released in 1998 with much better sound quality).

Tango in the night was the fifth and final album to feature the line-up of Lindsey, Stevie, Christine, John and Mick, and the band were soon to be turned upside down once more as Lindsey decided to quit in the same year as its release. He was subsequently replaced on the tour by musicians Rick Vito and Billy Burnette. In fact Lindsey's tracks on this album were originally intended for a new solo project but he was persuaded to use them as part of the new Fleetwood Mac album, which went on to become their second biggest selling studio album ever and spawned six single releases, three of which made the UK top ten. The album itself reached the #1 position no less than three separate times and remains one of the biggest sellers of all-time. Impressive stuff.

This album was the first Fleetwood Mac album I ever owned, and I almost wore the cassette out (I didn't have a CD player in those days) through playing it constantly at home and also when I was allowed to have it playing on the school bus. It has remained very special to me to this day, so let's get on with talking about the tracks.

Big love is the first track and was the first single to be released, reaching as high as #9 in the UK charts, which is impressive when you consider that their singles hadn't very often done great and the song wasn't at all commercial. In fact in 1987 it sounded decidedly fresh and different to anything else around at that time, and it hasn't aged badly at all. This is the kind of thing you get when you give Lindsey a free rein and perhaps the band had finally realised that.

Stevie Nicks was having a bit of a troubled time during the recording of this album, although she still managed to complete three tracks, the first of which, Seven wonders, is an absolute diamond studded classic. It's one of the best songs she's ever sung in my opinion, despite her not having actually wrote it (Sandy Stewart wrote the song but Stevie added extra lyrics) and I'll never understand why it wasn't a big hit despite only being the second single from the album and being one of the most radio friendly and endearing songs the band ever recorded, and it's catchy as hell too.

Once the first two tracks are done then the rest of the album bows down to the brilliance of Christine McVie's songs on here. It really is her finest hour and contains some of the most genius tracks she has ever produced, starting with Everywhere, a world-class piece of pop that is also a love song which immediately has you hooked from the first listen. No wonder it reached as high as #4 in the charts despite being the fifth single to be released from the album. It remains just as popular today and is regularly played at wedding disco's.

That's not to say that the rest of the band don't play their part in making this album as great as it is. Lindsey's Caroline has plenty of drums, like Big love, and continues his new-found style which runs a thread through the album. The title track, Tango in the night, carries the theme on but is moodier, building up from the hauntingly mellow verses to a thumping chorus and a fantastic guitar solo throughout and Lindsey manages to take you off somewhere far away on this epic track. He shares the songwriting with Christine on Mystified, with her singing the vocals on this gorgeous little ballad. It says something about the quality of her tracks on here when I say that this is easily the weakest of the four that she sings.

And then we come to the best. Little lies is the first track on side two (if you are listening on vinyl or cassette) and was written and sung by Christine, although she does share songwriting credit with her then husband, Eddy Quintela. The song is an absolute timeless classic and never fails to touch the heartstrings even now. In fact I would say it's the best song she ever sung, as is reflected on its chart performance (it reached #5 in the UK and was the third single), and it has probably been featured on many a power ballad compilation.

The fourth single release was Family man, although this failed to do big things chart-wise, which was written by Lindsey Buckingham and Richard Dashut. It is poppier and catchier than his songs on side one, although it still has the same exotic feel to it and deserved to be a much bigger hit than it was.

Stevie takes a bit of a back seat for most of this album so she's almost been forgotten about by the time it comes to Welcome to the room...Sara, which may not be one of the highlights of the album, or her career, but it's still a reasonably strong track and deserves its place. Christine and Lindsey team up again on the magnificent Isn't it midnight, sung by Christine and the final single from the album in the UK. It's a track that's always overlooked on best of compilations and that is a travesty as the song is a breath of fresh air, despite being darker and more haunting than usual. In fact it almost sounds indie and is totally underrated in my view.

When I see you again is Stevie's third and final track, a lovely little ballad that is a heartbreaker which gives me goosebumps. Then You and I (part II) closes the show (part I is featured on the B-side of the Big love single and is definitely worth hearing). Again Lindsey and Christine have joint songwriting credit, although this one is sung by Lindsey, and they close the album on a high with the poppiest track here. And there's not much more to be said really about this album, except if you haven't already - buy it!!