Rumours

I used to think this was the greatest rock/pop album ever made. However, as the years go by, and we learn about more musicians and bands out there, what we once considered some of the best music we've ever heard gradually falls by the wayside as our minds begin to realize this isn't the ONLY good pop rock worth listening to. Rumours is a perfect example.

While not the best Fleetwood Mac album (I prefer the Peter Green period more because of his brilliant guitar playing) nobody can deny the songwriting is quite strong and melodic, and most of the songs will immediately sound familiar to those of you (fortunate) enough to not tune in to the radio every often. For those of you who DO listen to the radio all the time, you're probably sick of most of these songs, and rightfully so.

So yeah, it's a good enough album filled with plenty of good, recognizable songs. As for some other (better) pop bands of the 70's, check out bands like 10cc, Big Star, Be Bop Deluxe, Electric Light Orchestra, and Badfinger. These artists are very talented and it's hard to believe they aren't more well-known among classic rock fans. You can change that though, by giving them a chance.

though not currently trendy, fleetwood mac was one of the great pop-rock bands of all time in its buckingham-nicks version. all their albums are worthwhile, but this is my favorite. song after song the emotional intensity, tight playing and infectious melodies never let up. it didn't hurt that the romantic relationships between several band member were in limbo -- if anything it added to the edge behind the lyrics. matching c. mckvie, buckingham and nicks songwriting prowess with the peerless pop rhythm section of mcvie and fleetwood, fleetwood mac was unstoppable in its heyday.

Rumours is eminently listenable. Recorded in inimitable 70's style: limited bandwidth and high headroom. The songs are catchy and quickly executed, without any extraneous flourishes or detours. The result is an album that can be listened to for hours without any diminishing of enjoyment. In spite of the brevity of the songs, they are long on autobiographical references. This combination of bouncy pop and earnest commentary prove to be a winning combination. Throw in excellent musicianship, and you have all the makings of what it ultimately became: a classic.

While I'm not usually a huge fan of simple pop-rock, I will make an exception when one makes as amazing music as Fleetwood Mac managed to do with their 1977 release of Rumours. This album is aboustely amazing, every song, well except for I Don't Want To Know, but that's it for non-five star songs. I have heard a lot of people say they are sick of hearing this album, and it has been played on the radio a lot, featured in lots of best of lists, and is still in the top ten best selling albums ever list. There is a reason why it is up in all those lists. It is aboustely great, there are so many songs on it that are aboustley great. No One overplays a crappy album, so play this album as much as you want, I seem to can't stop playing it, and I don't mind.

Fleetwood Mac was a strange band that was hard to categorise, impossible to pigeonhole. Soaring harmonies, optimistic lyrics, some kind of Renaissance Faire for the mind. Lindsay brought up the game. This is another group I didn't thoroughly appreciate when they were around, but have gone back to rediscover.