I hate the anti-Law & Order takes!

I really love Buckingham's live delivery. He sings (and plays) with so much passion live.

Please offer your counter.

I think possibly watching in person or on the screen might be a better experience. On the audio recording he just sounds out of control.

I think that Liebzz positioning these as



is super subjective. I've always had a soft spot for albums that play like a collection of demos: Nearly all of JJ Cale's output, Cody Chesnutt's The Headphone Masterpiece, Latin Playboys' ST debut, The Microphones, Karl Blau, even much of The White Album plus some of the Beatles' solo output...

I could go on. I love records that sound like bedroom albums before that became a super common approach to recording. So while I would maybe agree with Liebzz that this album doesn't offer songs aimed at big radio/stadium success in the way the Rumuors does, that's precisely their charm.

Buckingham is an exceptionally idiosyncratic guitar player and singer, and this album pushes those idiosyncrasies to the forefront. But I don't think it comes across at all as half-baked or unedited. Cocaine-fueled ego trip? Absolutely. But I think it's incredibly uncompromising, and the way he weaves his guitar and voice through goofy lyrics, super fun rhythm section interplay, and a confidence that these songs are good enough just as they are, is super rewarding, and a great argument that Buckingham more than Nicks brought something really fresh and interesting to Fleetwood Mac.

There's also a subversive no-wave element here that points towards Talking Heads and Swans that is pretty edgy too.

I would say something to that effect with Go Insane, but not the first one.

I’ve never listened to that but your review has me intrigued

See? Was that so hard?

Totally agree

Ok now I really need to hear that one

Honestly if you loved the first one, there’s no way you won’t flip out over the second.

I’m halfway through the second one. I think it’s more of everything I said about L&O, but it’s all held back by the stiff production. I’m all for the synths and weird delay stuff, but the drums and bass are pretty lifeless.

Favorite song so far is the weirdest one, Play In the Rain (parts 1&2)

Play in the Rain is the most memorable song. I am not sure it was necessary to break it into two parts to turn over the album, but he’s playing to his every whim. The drums are extremely lifeless. Much of the 80s from this group to my ears kind of feels that way…or that they were forcing themselves to modernize with synthetic sounds that made their music sound synthetic.

Tango in the Night

First album in five years for Fleetwood Mac proper, and they’ve come armed with a bevy of adult contemporary hits in Seven Wonders, Everywhere, and Little Lies. They are what they are, perfectly fine hit songs I have heard in my mother’s radio in the car most of my childhood. The gems here for me are the title track and Isn’t It Midnight, which are the songs that seem to transcend the adult contempo category.

The best album since Rumours. The first three tracks become hits. Little Lies is a good hit. The only song I don’t care for is When I See You Again. Buckingham really focuses and brings a nice handful of songs with Big Love being the highlight. Probably my favorite of all his Fleetwood Mac songs. For an album that started as a Buckingham solo album, Nicks and McVie really brought their A-game. I remember hearing these on the radio as a kid and they certainly hold up today. Really big fan of this album.

I endeavored to start making a playlist of songs I heard during my childhood on the radio but the list has to be updated and adjusted. I think I am titling my playlist “Songs from the Back Seat”. These three hits will all make the cut.

Stevie Nicks - The Other Side of the Mirror

This one started with a ton of promise. Rooms on Fire and Long Way to Go provide a solid start where it seems the direction is that sweet spot between rock and pop - a line that seems very thin with this larger group. After this though, this album once again falls into a soft rock mediocrity, save for a nice breath of fresh air in Whole Lotta Trouble and the album closing duo of Doing the Best That I Can and the reggae tinged I Still Miss Someone. I guess taking 5 songs on one of these albums in the 80s is an accomplishment on its own for me, but most of this falls into much of the same zone as just not living up to the best material.

Behind the Mask

Lindsey Buckingham out. Rick Vito and Billy Burnette in. This one contains a few interesting highlights. In the Back of My Mind feels like the rare occasion lately where there’s intentional space that works for them, at least since I’m so Afraid. When the Sun Goes Down is a nice jangly almost country tune that kept my attention. Freedom, written with Mike Campbell is pretty damn good. The rest, is extremely vanilla and not very engaging. Just sort of there, much of it just boring and listless.

My god what a chore this was. Past the first tune, there’s absolutely nothing worth listening to. I do remember hearing it on the radio back in the day, but I always thought is was a Fleetwood Mac song.

Well, we’ve finally got some slide work that’s beyond the Elmore James licks of Jeremy Spencer. Beyond that, they’re back to a hand trying to capture a new identity. You don’t really realize what Buckingham brought to the table until he’s gone. There’s nothing I would ever listen to again.