FLEETWOOD MAC - SAY YOU WILL

"Say You Will" came at a time of change for Fleetwood Mac and the world in general.  It's the first album with the conspicuous absence of Christine McVie.  It's a tribute of sorts to the lives lost from terrorist attack on the World Trade Center towers.  It was Fleetwood Mac's first attempt at using technology to prevent CD ripping and illegal downloading.  And finally, the disc came out when groups were trending away from buying CDs in favor of digital downloads.

I spent a whole afternoon looking for the songs from this disc online to download and I think I never found the whole album.  I eventually settled for the few songs I could find.  But now, I actually own the disc myself!

Usually, Fleetwood Mac CD's are based on a very simple formula.  Each songwriting member contributes a certain amount of songs and the disc will bounce back and forth between the tracks.  With the noticeable lack of Christine McVie numbers, "Say You Will" becomes a toss up between Lindsey Buckingham songs and Stevie Nicks songs.

The first song is a Buckingham number and it's called, 'What's The World Coming To'.  I won't get too in to depth on each song other than to say my general thoughts as this disc is very long.  I like this number and it reminds me of something you'd here on "Tango In The Night".  'Murrow Turning Over In His Grave' is another Buckingham number and starts off sounding like a country pluck fest, but the vocal arrangement and delivery is so different and interesting...  It reminds me of the classic, 'Tusk'.  Very different and musically complex.  This is why Buckingham is a great musician.  'Illume (9-11)' is the first Nicks track.  I have to say, in general, the music she does with Fleetwood Mac is often quite different from the material she releases on her own.  There's more musical complexity on the stuff she does with F.M.  That's probably because Buckingham is arranging her songs.  Though poignant, this track isn't as exciting at the two previous songs and leaves you wanting more.

'Thrown Down' is the next Nicks track and it ups the ante for her on this disc.  Instead of staying monotone, Nicks sings up and down her proven scale and gives some variety on this track.  It's very exciting.  'Miranda' is a Buckingham tune and it features more complex vocal acrobatics over the music.  Another Lindsey song, 'Red Rover' is up next.  It's a frantic little number and can set you on edge if you're not ready for it.  There's a number of tempo changes happening throughout.

'Say You Will' is the title track and is a Stevie Nicks composition.  This is an awesome ditty.  It features a lovely duet between Nicks and Buckingham on the chorus.  The two have a natural harmony together.  Their voices compliment each other well and you can get carried away by the sweet sound they create.  'Peacekeeper' takes us back to Buckingham's writing and this one maintains the harmony between the two lead vocalists.  It incorporates something that sounds like South American pipes playing over the chorus.  'Come' stays in Lindsey territory.  It's a moody number.  Somehow, I expect it reflects his real life personality.  The haunted melody drowns itself into the next Nicks song.  The natural progression between these two is compelling.  'Smile At You' may increase the tempo, but it doesn't alleviate the dark mood.  

'Running Through The Garden' starts out in a similar place, but quickly changes and picks the album back up and gets the beat pumping again.  'Silver Girl' is the third Nicks number in a row and pulses up at you from some distant place.  It seems like it will drop the bottom out of the momentum but it keeps the groove going.  Lindsey is back with 'Steal Your Heart Away'.  There's some delicious harmonizing on this one.  Very thrilling.  It's followed by 'Bleed To Love Her' and it's also a great tune.  Next up is 'Everybody Finds Out'.  Stevie has a habit of writing songs about an imaginary woman she narrates about.  This song falls into that category.  You always suspect she's singing about herself in the third person, but it can get annoying at times.  On this song, it's not so bad.  The groove is there and F.M. are in the pocket.  They deliver this one in excellent form.

'Destiny Rules' is a song I'd expect to find on "Trouble In Shangri-La".  Absolutely wonderful.  'Say Goodbye is Lindsey's outro and it's a complicated farewell.  One you couldn't leave the album on.  Therefore, Nicks come back with the final 'Goodbye Baby'.  This lullaby is almost sad and perfect for ending the disc.  

And that would be it...  If this were the album.  But my version includes a disc with additional tracks.  The first number is a Bob Dylan cover called 'Love Minus Zero/No Limit'.  Lindsey takes over lead vocals here and delivers a wonderful version.  'Not Make Believe' is the 2nd track and it's a Stevie Nicks number.  This is a strong number by her and seems a shame it wasn't included on the regular album.  The final two tracks are live songs recorded for AOL Sessions.  You get 'Peacekeeper' and 'Say You Will' to round out the disc.

Although it didn't break records like other Fleetwood Mac albums have, this is a satisfying album.  It's got all the elements that make Mac the band so many people love.  It's a shame Christine McVie wasn't a part of it.  Her absence is notable and the one failing this disc has.  It's a collection of strong material and one that should've done much better commercially.

My final words:  A WELCOME REUNION FROM GOOD FRIENDS LONG AWAITED AND GREATLY ENJOYED!

FLEETWOOD MAC - SAY YOU WILL

01. What's The World Coming To

02. Murrow Turning Over In His Grave

03. Illume (9-11)

04. Thrown Down

05. Miranda

06. Red Rover

07. Say You Will

08. Peacekeeper

09. Come

10. Smile At You

11. Running Through The Garden

12. Silver Girl

13. Steal Your Heart Away

14. Bleed To Love Her

15. Everybody Finds Out

16. Destiny Rules

17. Say Goodbye

18. Goodbye Baby

BONUS DISC

01. Love Minus Zero/No Limit

02. Not Make Believe

03. Peacekeeper (Live From AOL Sessions)

04. Say You Will (Live From AOL Sessions)