Fleetwood Mac

Mirage

Underrated album by a band with impossibly high standards

Review Score:

(8/10)
Since the glorious resurrection of Fleetwood Mac and the success of "The Dance" I have returned to the albums I haven't listened to in a long time. "Mirage" is not considered to be their greatest work, indeed Lindsey Buckingham's own comments tend to be negative. But this is a band which has recorded at least three genuine classic albums (Fleetwood Mac/Rumours/Tango in the Night). So I think it is time to re-evaluate "Mirage" and to appreciate its qualities. It begins wonderfully with Christine McVie as reliable as ever. Whereas "Tusk" sounds like a collection of solo material, they are at once sounding like a band again. "Love in Store" is catchy and full of wonderful Buckingham Nicks harmonies. A couple of strong Lindsey Buckingham songs and Stevie Nicks' memorable and moving "Gypsy" lead into "Only over you". This is not one of the album's highlights. It smacks of an attempt to recreate "Songbird" and doesn't live up to the task. "Empire State" is weak and "Straight Back" sounds lacklustre and overproduced. "Hold Me" however finds Christine and Lindsey bringing things back into focus. 16 years on and it's still a striong song. And then there is "Oh Diane". Apparently Lindsey hates it, but I will always remember fondly it as the first Fleetwood Mac song I ever heard when it was issued as a single here in the UK. A simple, old fashioned love song which is underrated, as indeed is "Mirage". It's still Fleetwood Mac for heaven's sake. There are more good songs on this than on most albums, so let's enjoy it for the many fine moments it contains.

More Reviews: