Fleetwood Mac ()

Since becoming a die-hard FM fan back in 1973 when I first heard "Sentimental Lady", I've bought just about everything this group has done since then - loved about 85% of it all and I'm a true believer that FM is one of the top 10 rock bands of our age!! This, the "Fleetwood Mac" album (or the "White Album" as I call it ;?) is arguably their best work IMHO. And to this day I find it difficult to understand why anyone thinks that the "Rumors" album is better then the "FM" album!!! IMHO "Rumors" is the 2ND Best which still makes it one of the top 10-15 albums of the decade but to my tastes it just didn't have the songs that connected to the poet in my own soul. With the possible exceptions of World Turning and Sugar Daddy - still great rock/pop-tunes even though they lack the poetic depth of the rest of the songs on the album - these are all great songs with incredible depth and there's not a single clunker or filler song on this album. And while Rumors truely is a great album - and BTW IMO "Rumors" only sold more then "FM" because it stood on the shoulders of "FM" (or rode its' wave if you will) - it is a considerably more lighter, pop oriented compilation. And don't get me wrong - I'm not one of those psuedo-intellectual rock-purist snobs who pooh-poohs anything remotely labled pop - I love GOOD pop music which truely describes some of the greatest songs of the late 60's through the late 80's. In the end, song for song I just don't feel that "Rumors" quite stands up to "Fleetwood Mac" with its unforgettable hits like "Rhiannon" the haunting tribute to the Welsh goddess and Stevie's mystical semi-autobiographical vision (I loved this one so much I named my 11 year-old daughter Rhiannon many years later, and it seems to suit her personality well;?); "Landslide" another personal favorite, this song of loves' self-discovery is a classic (beautiful poetry is timeless and this one will see many remakes, as the recent Dixie Chicks version shows); "Warm Ways" speaks of the wonderful way true love can make you feel at loves first awakening (yes I've been there, unable to sleep till sunrise drinking in my new loves sleeping face/figure) and there's the implied sexual intimacy and the sensuality that comes after which can be better then... well I'll not ramble anymore but you can tell it has a special place in my heart; "Crystal" is so spot on in its description of the strength and agelessness of true love; "Say You Love Me" and "Over My Head", two more songs that just could not better describe the feelings of helplessness at being swept away by love and at the mercy of loves object;"Monday Morning" and "Blue Letter" both lively/rocking tributes from opposite viewpoints of relationships begining to end;"I'm So Afraid" just amazes me, so deep, dark and profound, arguably Lindsey's best work on the album it still surprises me that so many people have never even heard of it!!! (someone will do a remake of this I'm certain and, if treated JUST right, it could top the charts IMO). So while there are probably bigger hits and/or better songs on some other FM albums out there, you'd be hardpressed to find another album BY ANY GROUP so packed with beautiful, quality music written to such wonderfully poetic lyrics as you'll find on the "Fleetwood Mac" disc! Well that's my two-cents (o.k. more like 99-cents, lol) - and whether you agree or not, at least we all love these guys and in the end, if you're a FM fan then you're all right!!!