853. Fleetwood Mac--The Dance (N/R) (1997; #1)

853. Fleetwood Mac--The Dance (N/R) (1997; #1)
1. The Chain (8+)
2. Dreams (9)
3. Everywhere (2+)
4. Rhiannon (7+)
5. I'm So Afraid (?) (2)
6. Temporary One (?) 2)
7. Bleed to Love Her (?) (2)
8. Big Love (1)
9. Landslide (8)
10. Say You Love Me (7+)
11. My Little Demon (?) (2)
12. Silver Springs (8)
13. You Make Loving Fun (8+)
14. Sweet Girl (?) (2)
15. Go Your Own Way (8)
16. Tusk (9)
17. Don't Stop (9)

REVIEW: No rating as it is a live album made up mostly of older material. It's a very good live album, particularly the final two tracks in which they're accompanied by the USC Marching Band. Of course, they were featured on the original version of Tusk (does anyone have any idea what that song means?), but sound great on the version of Don't Stop.

ED'S TAKE:

#853 - FLEETWOOD MAC - THE DANCE:

1. The Chain - +++8 (I'll take the original on this one...I prefer the original vocals)
2. Dreams - +++8 (ditto)
3. Everywhere ++7 (like the guitar riff, though)
4. Rhiannon +++8 (Stevie is staying away from the high notes)
5. I'm So Afraid +++ 8 (Allmusic singled out Lindsay's voice as not being as good and Stevie and Christine's being wonderful.....I think they all are showing their age in some songs here)
6. Temporary One +++8 (The song isn't as good as the oldies above but it IS an original and there's nothing to compare it to....and Christine DOES sound good here....
7. Bleed to Love Her +++8 ....another original...
8. Big Love +++9 ....here's a remake that sounds GREAT! Buckingham's voice sounds stronger with this one....
9. Landslide +++10....another remake that sounds quite wonderful
10. Say You Love Me +++8
11. My Little Demon +++9
12. Silver Springs +++9 (a beauty...a song about the Nicks/Buckingham relationship that was originally left off Rumours...it comes alive here)
13. You Make Lovin Fun +++ 9 ....Christine is straining...
14. Sweet Girl +++ 9 (an album original....Stevie sounds good here)
15. Go Your Own Way +++9 ....still a great song. One of the few songs where the group singing sounds like the original. It has something to do with the blend, I guess.
16. Tusk +++9
17. Don't Stop +++8 (nice guitar...don't like the horns)

OVERALL RATING: 9

comments: I expected to rate this lower. Why? Because I'd expected the remakes to suffer. Some of them did but not THAT much. I had some general problems with some of the chorus singing that didn't sound like the old Mac. On a few songs, Lindsey and the others sounded as if their voices wouldn't allow them to hit the high notes. On others, they seemed ok. The great songs are still great, as songs, though. Overall, much better than I'd imagined. BTW, in case I didn't express it, I thought the Nicks/Buckingham version of Fleetwood Mac was one of the great pop/rock groups EVER. Three exceptional vocalists, three exceptional songwriters and a wonderful instrumental sound.