Kiln House

Kiln House is the fourth studio album by Fleetwood Mac, released in September 1970 and recorded earlier that year. The band were now a four-piece and consisted of Jeremy Spencer (who was back on board but this was to be his last album with the band), Danny Kirwan, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood. Christine McVie was also present during recording and provided backing vocals as well as doing the cover art, though she did not become a full-time member of the band until after the album was completed.

Peter Green had left the band earlier in the year to join a religious cult, and with him went any of the blues style that had dominated the early work. Instead for this album they opted for a mix of different styles from influences that clearly included Elvis, Buddy Holly and the Beatles.

The album is their first to only feature ten tracks, which help to make it an easy listen. Jeremy Spencer proves he has done the Elmore James stuff to death and instead opts for a sound that is more reminiscent of early Elvis, Buddy Holly or Eddie Cochran on his compostion This is the rock, the album opener. Maybe with Peter Green gone they were finding their feet and trying out new styles, but it's a refreshing change and the song wouldn't sound out of place on any fifties rock and roll compilation.

For the first time in their career you can hear Christine's angelic vocals quite clearly in the background on Station man, an infectious track penned by Danny, Jeremy and John which gave a nod to the Beatles and other big sixties bands. I'm not sure what to make of the track that follows, Blood on the floor, which is a Jeremy Spencer song where he sounds like he is trying to impersonate Elvis' voice. This kind of detracts a bit from the song itself, making it sound more like a Stars in their eyes performance. On the plus side, it's the first time I've heard Fleetwood Mac do country and western.

Hi ho silver isn't the song from eighties series Boon, but is a fine cover of a fifties rock and roll song by Big Joe Turner which was originally called Honey hush. Then we get Jewel eyed Judy, written by Danny, Mick and John and a real stand-out track on the album. It screams of the Beatles, especially the chorus, and you could also imagine Elton John belting this out later in the seventies. Classic.

Buddy Holly gets his own tribute on this album in the form of Buddy's song, which is credited to his mother Ella, although it's been said that the song is Peggy Sue got married with alternative lyrics by Jeremy Spencer. Whatever, I like it. Then we get Danny Kirwan's instantly memorable instrumental piece, Earl Gray, which gives nods towards the Shadows.

I can't speak highly enough of the next track. Easily the best thing Jeremy Spencer wrote for the band, and by far the best on here, One together is up there with the very best of Fleetwood Mac. It's another Beatles-esque number this time in the vein of Here comes the sun, and you can hear George Harrison like qualities to Spencer's voice here. A real lost classic which needs introducing to more people.

Tell me all the things you do is a great Danny Kirwan track, although there's not much in the way of lyrics. The guitars make up for it though and produce a much rockier vibe than on the rest of the album, making this the nearest thing on here to their previous sound. The album closes with a William Michael & Jesse D. Hodges penned track called Mission bell, which was a US hit for Donnie Brooks in 1960 - it was also recorded by P.J. Proby in 1965. This sits nicely at the end of the album and is one of the stand-out tracks.

Kiln House, then, the first album without Peter Green, and the first from the 'forgotten years' as I call them. Well the Green years are heavily covered on compilations, as is the Buckingham/Nicks era, but there are many treasures to be found amongst the six studio albums that were released in between, if you can be bothered to look. There are a number of such treasures on here (One together, Jewel eyed Judy, Station man to name but a few) and Kiln House is an album that I would describe as a fine pick-and-mix of styles, including rock and roll, sixties pop, rock and country. You may forget at times that you're listening to a Fleetwood Mac album but it's still a refreshing listen after so much blues.