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CD Reviews: Fleetwood Mac: Say You Will

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Fleetwood Mac has been making records since 1968’s Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac. On their current release, Say You Will, the band is comprised of four-fifths of their money lineup with Mick Fleetwood on drums, John McVie on Bass, Lindsey Buckingham on everything else (as well as serving as producer or co-producer on all tracks and as one of the album’s engineers), and Stevie Nicks on vocals and keyboards. Christine McVie is no longer a full-fledged member of the band but does contribute to the album according to the credits (although I had a very difficult time hearing it). Fleetwood Mac has had many incarnations with different members but the players listed above are the ones who were involved when the band blasted through commercially to superstar status, thus the term money line-up. This is a good record with some high points, but without Christine McVie to balance out Buckingham, I hesitate to call this a “Fleetwood Mac” album. One could argue that Lindsey Buckingham is the creative force behind the band, and he is incredibly talented; however, this record sounds more like a Buckingham solo project than Fleetwood Mac.

The presence of Stevie Nicks’ voice is the only real marker that this is in fact Fleetwood Mac; otherwise, because Buckingham produced most of it and was one of the engineers, it veers too far away from the pop sensibility affiliated with the money line-up’s best work and more towards Buckingham’s idiosyncratic taste. Note, I like Lindsey Buckingham and really enjoyed 1992’s Out of the Cradle, but I purchased that record with the knowledge that it was a Lindsey Buckingham record full of his solo vision. Say You Will could have been a solo record of his also, but when I buy a Fleetwood Mac album, I am looking for that balance. I really believe there is a difference in sound (or should be). On 1987’s Tango in the Night, and with Buckingham serving as co-producer, with Christine McVie, the record had enough diversity that the composition of the record was spread evenly enough to feature the talents of all. Without her (McVie) presence, this record delves too far out of the scope of Fleetwood Mac.

It has its moments and the radio has been pretty friendly to “Say You Will” and “Peacekeeper” but tracks like “Red Rover” and “Come” feel too much like overindulgent Buckingham. It is not a complete disappointment and there is enough here to justify a purchase, but don’t expect the proper balance you might have originally expected. The record features some incredible guitar work by Buckingham -- he truly is one of pop’s most underrated axe-men. If you don’t believe me, check out his chops on “Murrow Turning Over in his Grave” where the solo is absolutely blazing.

When I review bands who have an established history, I look for a record that has some familiar feel or sound, but also explores new territory establishes older formulas with new twists. Buckingham may be the visionary, but without Christine McVie to add balance, the sound of the new disc doesn’t really resemble Fleetwood Mac.

~R. David Smola
pretendcritic@aol.com

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