Side 1
Monday Morning
From Buckingham’s first breath and crack of the galloping drums, the transparency of this record is apparent. You can hear the wiry, surging guitars over deep rich bass and the separation between the desperate lead vocal and flawless harmonies.
Warm Ways
This track has always sounded silky smooth, and vinyl takes it to a higher level. Rich and breathy Christine McVie vocals over light and lazy drums with a bouncy punch. You can clearly hear the gentle acoustic guitar and the dreamy glow of wordless multilayered backup vocals.
Blue Letter
Dense band sound featuring lithe Buckingham vocal and immaculate harmonies. Turn it up and hear the crunching rhythm of the guitars and an organ that is usually buried deep in the mix.
Rhiannon
Lovely sensuous Nicks vocal floating over the absolutely unique drum and bass sound on this track. The bass bumping up against and winding around the popping, punctuating drums, the liquid guitars, and the sweeping clarity of the vocals make this a masterpiece of a recording. Hearing it on vinyl is like a pure playback from the master tape.
Over My Head
Honey sweet Christine McVie vocal, with strange dissonant acoustic guitar licks poking through between the almost whispered background vocals. Listen for the hand percussion in its own space, as well as the organ on the edges of the calliope of sound on this track.
Crystal
Melancholy, organic Buckingham Nicks duet with a reedy keyboard solo in the middle. The bass drum, delicate jangling acoustic guitar, and above all the beautifully balanced vocals are incredibly compelling here.
Side 2
Say You Love Me
Rich piano sound and swinging elastic bass are the bedrock of this track, a true blending of Christine McVie’s songcraft and Buckingham’s production. Hear the banjo-like acoustic guitar and the super close harmonies pour out of the speakers.
Landslide
Breathtaking confessional track from Nicks sounds incredibly sweet here. Plaintive and raw vocal over flawless acoustic guitar from Buckingham with outer space electric solo in the middle. You can hear plucked grace notes and Nicks’ breath in between phrases. This track alone is worth the price of admission, and truly a revelation on vinyl.
World Turning
Another brilliant Christine McVie and Buckingham collaboration, with propulsive Fleetwood drums. It’s hard to believe this was the first album with this group playing together. This track in some ways foreshadows The Chain in its sinewy sound. Hear the incredibly complex guitar phrases and deep bass drum coming in at the middle.
Sugar Daddy
Super deep low end and rich bass, raking guitar, and cool thick organ carry this track instrumentally. Christine’s vocal weaves its sweet melody behind the mix revealed here as an deeply multilayered track.
I’m So Afraid
Wonderfully paranoid closing track from Buckingham, maybe the dark Brian Wilson influence is coming through here. Ominous bass and eerie guitar play off each other behind the compressed vocals. Hear the subtle rhythmic acoustic guitar playing against the drums, and the cymbal sounding like wind as the guitar melts down at the end.
Beginning to end, an incredible jewel of an album from Fleetwood Mac.