For an album that has sold in excess of 40 million physical albums worldwide, been a number 1 album in both the UK and the US and been given a top score rating among most music magazines, it is safe to say that Mr. Lott wasn`t exactly overwhelmed at the time. He liked a lot of it, but found enough to criticise to give it only a 4 out of 5 rating. Quite refreshing, Mr. Lott! No need to go overboard.
Read on!
Hack backs Mac
Fleetwood Mac: “Rumours” (Warner 56344) ****
Album Review by Tim Lott
THIS is Mac’s eighth album for Warners. In the US they’re big stuff — a chirrupy press release informs the wide-eyed reader that their last album went triple platinum and featured no less than three hit singles. In Britain, a comparitive trickle. ‘Rumours’ is billed as the album to break them here.
And it might do at that. I wouldn’t call it a work of genuis, but every cut is genuinely enjoyable, stretching from the gentle balladeering of Christine Mc Vie through the slightly more vigorous approach of Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham.
The sound is really built round superlative vocal (solo/harmony) and a clean, solidly rhythmic guitar bases. The album isn’t as mellow as might be expected with numbers like ‘The Chain’, ‘Go Your Own Way’ and ‘Gold Dust Woman’ establishing a flair for highly charged sophisto rock ‘n’ roll.
Each cut is a song that adheres to the memory banks swiftly and positively. After only two listens, hook lines and melodic catches begin drifting around some back-of-the-brain compartment, ready to be regurgitated as out-of-tune humming at a moments notice.
Stevie Nicks’ ‘Dreams’ would probably have made a good opening track rather than Lindsey Buckingham’s ‘Second Hand News’ which takes a little getting used to. ‘Dreams’ is a melodic revelation, flyaway guitar and creamy vocals merging over those gentle, upbeat LA rhythms.
Chrsitine Mc Vie’s voice isn’t dissimilar to Nicks’, perhaps a shade more nasal, but basically working on the same range and level. Her songwriting abilities are also just as equally developed – `Oh Daddy’ is warmly beautiful (if a bit lyrically limited) and ‘You Make Loving Fun’ is boppy without being in the slightest bit crass, chugging along on the synthesiser rhythm line.
If any overall criticism could be made at ‘Rumours’ it would be directed at the simplistic word content, mostly uninspiring lovey schtik. But ‘Rumours’ isn’t really concerned with profundities on anything but a musical level and in that, it succeeds, one hundred and one per cent.
The atmosphere is worthwhile pop, something along the lines of what Heart might develop into one day soon. It’s not quite singalong, because its not that uncomplicated — in fact the essence of the album is that it possesses enough underlying complexity to make it last and last, way past a few cursory listens.
Every number could, if given the right promotion, make it as a single (in Britain and America). Personally I’d like to see The Chain’ released as a 45.
Curiosity note: some fascinating things going on cover-wise. The front of the sleeve shows Mick Fleetwood leggily entwined (Horizontally) with Stevie Nicks. Then on the back Steve is seen going into an embrace with Christine McVie while her ex-husband John clasps Lindsey Buckingham (Stevie’s ex) to his affectionate breast. And poor old Mick stands apart looking cheesed off.
(Incidentally, in case you’re getting confused Stevie is a lady and Lindsey is man).
Now that’s the stuff rumours are made of.
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