Mystery To Me is an album of low-key English rock performed with great proficiency and occasionally enlightening subtlety. "Miles Away" flat out moves, propelled into the domain of the current Savoy Brown by compelling, solid rhythm work and Bob Weston's enticingly electric musings on lead guitar. And "Somebody" turns out to be compatible with the group's earliest work, a bluesy shuffle with hefty helpings of boogie bite.

"For Your Love" is a patent example of a successful exercise in extrapolation, with the band turning the Graham Gouldman/Yardbirds original around and doing it their own way. Weston's lead guitar is again the star, punctuating vocal phrases, leading the rest of the band through updated instrumental changes. A true lead guitarist at work. "Why" also proves to be on the interesting side -- showing that he, too, has listened to Blind Willie Johnston's "Dark Was the Night."

- Gordon Fletcher, Rolling Stone, 1/3/74.

The band that started as a pure blues outfit has matured into one of the most melodic groups around, shifting material perfectly to match the shifting of personnel. Vocals of Christine McVie on cuts such as "Just Crazy Love" and Bob Welch's guitar on tunes such as "The City" are superb. A band that can rock or keep it soft.

- Billboard, 1973.

It seems that a group of players as good as this should be able to come up with some decent material, but the songs on this Fleetwood Mac album are nothing above average. Fleetwood Mac is a group that's outlived its usefullness, and rumor has it that they've broken up for good. Maybe now they'll all be able to form/join groups worthy of their talents instead of beating a dead horse for the rest of their lives.

- Jon Tiven, Circus Raves, 4-74.

This album epitomizes what Fleetwood Mac has come to be, setting a gentle but ever more technological spaceyness over a bottom that, while never explosive, does drive the music with a flair and economy, the least you can expect of a band named after its rhythm section. Even Bob Welch does himself proud. B+

- Robert Christgau, Christgau's Record Guide, 1981.

At this point, Fleetwood Mac is a mainstream rock band whose songs alternate between guitarist/singer Robert Welch and keyboard player/singer Christine McVie. * * *

- William Ruhlmann, The All-Music Guide to Rock, 1995.

 Reader's Comments

No comments so far, be the first to comment.