The Very Best Of Fleetwood Mac ()

It has to be said that this new retrospective is an impressive collection, catering for both FM devotees and the uninitiated. In an earlier review, reference was made to some fans' comments that this release offers nothing new when in fact it actually does, both in terms of 24 bit remastering and the inclusion of some extremely rare versions of popular songs. In addition to the 7" remix edit of Rhiannon (which indeed does include an extra "Dreams unwind, love's a state of mind"), there are the following gems

Say You Love Me 7" remix (with banjo)
Over My Head 7" remix edit (more percussive instrumentation)
Think About Me remix (from "Tusk Remixes" promo)
Sisters Of The Moon remix (from "Tusk Remixes" promo)

These are worth having alone, but the audio quality throughout is quite extraordinary - it's almost as if you're hearing these classics for the first time. It is immediately apparent that a lot of care and attention to detail has gone into compiling this collection - from the track selection to the remastering to the sequencing, which incidentally, is truly inspired.
That said, I too have concerns about certain inclusions (World Turning; Second Hand News; Never Going Back Again; Everywhere (dire in the extreme); Skies The Limit (embarrassingly awful); I'm So Afraid live (at least it's been edited); Go Insane (not a FM composition); Big Love live) and omissions (Warm Ways; Crystal; Oh Daddy; Not That Funny; Fireflies 7" remix; The Farmer's Daughter 7" remix; Oh Diane; Big Love studio version; Isn't It Midnight) but we need to remember that the "best of" genre, unless a strict singles compilation, is a highly subjective one. What I might consider to be an inappropriate choice of song someone else may deem absolutely necessary and so on, but the primary reason for issuing this 2cd set is to raise the profile of the band and reintroduce the "hits" to the general public, in turn ensuring sufficient hype for the upcoming studio album.
Another point worth considering in relation to the track selection is the unusually even distribution of songs between the three songwriters - never underestimate the importance of publishing and associated royalties! Given the fact that Christine often penned the more accessible, lightweight material; she had the lion's share of singles during this incarnation of the group. Stevie also had a knack of connecting with the public sales-wise despite her more unorthodox approach to songwriting (Dreams was their only US no.1 single) so it would seem a reasonable expectation that their contributions dominate proceedings here. However, from a commercial perspective, this might be construed as inequitable hence the inclusion of such Lindsey oddities as Monday Morning, I'm So Afraid and Family Man.
I did also notice that there is capacity for more audio content on disc one (approximately 14 minutes) which would have allowed for perhaps another 4 tracks but I suspect the enhanced component may have precluded this. Speaking of which, the brilliant Rosebud performance of Rhiannon is present as well as the promo video for Seven Wonders. There is also footage of the band recording the new album and some brief interviews with the remaining four members but little is revealed (no song titles or even an album title at this stage but I hear that Stevie's "Thrown Down" will make the final cut).
Anyway, all things considered, this is a more than respectable "best of" package and is definitely an improvement on the Greatest Hits and The Chain (2 cd) compilations. Now all we need is a companion DVD to tide us over until Spring 2003!