Retro Reviews: Fleetwood Mac: Then Play On

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

Fleetwood Mac – Then Play On… (1969)

*** 1/2

Producer: Fleetwood Mac

Musicians: Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood - Guests: Jeremy Spencer, Christine Perfect, Sandra Elsdon

Songs and Music: Coming Your Way, Closing My Eyes, Fighting For Madge, When You Say, Show-Biz Blues, Underway, One Sunny Day, Although The Sun Is Shining, Rattlesnake Shake, Without You, Searching For Medge, My Dream, Like Crying, Before The Beginning

Singles: Oh Well part 1 & 2, The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    Fleetwood Mac’s new album is coming off the heels of Mr. Wonderful and the excellent compilation Pious Bird Of Good Omen, and this is a good evolution from the blues structure of the first, then again with a leader like Peter Green, he has redefined what the blues could mean. Danny Kirwin is the other writer on the album, along with Green, with Fleetwood and McVie adding their own contributions as well. This is all original material and another departure of their status as interpreters of others work. Green seems to save his best songs for the singles and so let’s address the two excellent non album numbers first. “Oh Well, Part 1” is a vibrant blues riffing number with a vocal trade off that builds up momentum before settling into the last half and quieter section. Then, it is continued with “Oh Well, Part 2” a more pensive second half with recorders and cellos. The psychedelic and heavy “The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)” is a dark and incendiary number full of dynamics. 

    The proper album opener, “Coming Your Way” begins with the heavy trade off between Green and Kirwin on guitar. Mick’s tom drums feel tribal. It shifts to a dramatic tempo as Green and Kirwin are allowed to cut loose. “Closing My Eyes” brings things down with a slower feel and tasteful lead, ironically this was written by Green, while the first number was written by Kirwin, the feel of the number will remind people of “Albatross”, the harmonized guitars almost have a steel pedal feel. Mick’s “Fighting For Madge” has a loose but rhythmic groove, that as an instrumental allows Green and Kirwin a lot of freedom, but builds up a lot of excitement. Kirwin’s ballad “When You Say” has some nice jazz or classical changes and shifts the mood again, with some nice slide work from Green, in spite of the fact it could have been more concise, but that is a minor complaint. Green brings back their roots with “Show Biz Blues”. They ease into the instrumental “Underway”, it’s looseness allows for more freedom, especially with Mick. “One Sunny Day” closes the first album with another heavy blues and another needed shift. 

    Side two’s “Although the Sun Is Shining” opens with a more pensive mood along with a more pop bridge section, and tasteful acoustic solo guitar work. Green’s “Rattlesnake Shake” is a heavy mid-tempo blues excursion that evokes a desert feel. Kirwin’s “Without You” is another blues ballad that manages to feel hypnotic. McVie’s “Searching For Madge” is another instrumental jam that manages some strange false stops and starts, it probably runs a little long but has some great moments. Kirwin’s “My Dream” is the most clear effort at a pop instrumental, pleasant with a trace of tension. The album get’s looser with the Green and Kirwin duet of “Like Crying”, as well as a playful interplay with the number, while John and Mick sits this one out. “Before The Beginning” has Green playing a more minor dynamic feel while Mick offers up orchestral drums to bring the point home. 

    The second half may not have the momentum of the first half, but this is a quite good album, with some real highlights. Peter Green is living up to the promise seen with John Mayall’s band, and he has pointed at a different direction than Clapton’s or Page’s vision, this makes for an interesting listen, even if not perfect, and while some material might just be only for the merely curious, it makes for an fascinating journey.