Captain Marvel (Stan Getz) (LP 4665 - 4668)

Fleetwood Mac  The Original Fleetwood Mac (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1971) ****  

Stan Getz  Captain Marvel (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1975) ***** 

Nils Lofgren  Nils Lofgren (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1975) **** 

Renaissance  Renaissance (Vinyl, Elektra Records, 1969) **** 

Genre: Blues rock, jazz, rock, prog rock

Places I remember: Little Red Bookshop

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I Don't Want To Know (Nils Lofgren)

Gear costume: Captain Marvel (Stan Getz), Back It Up (Nils Lofgren)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: A recent visit to The Little Red Bookshop in Hastings resulted in these purchases. Four different genres from jazz and blues to prog rock are represented which is typical of me and my eclectic musical interests. All up - probably the best haul from TLRB that I've had to date. All are 4 or 5 star albums, and I even left a few albums behind!

The Fleetwood Mac album is interesting more than essential, as it compiles various outtakes from the early version of the band, from 1967 to 1968. 

Their chief composer, guitarist and vocalist, Peter Green, is the obvious leader of the band at this stage in their long career, being joined by John McVie (bass), Mick Fleetwood (drums), and Jeremy Spencer (guitar, vocals). 

The album is a nice companion for the other early Fleetwood Mac albums in my collection like Fleetwood Mac (1968) and Fleetwood Mac in Chicago (1969) and the cool compilation - The Pious Bird of Good Omen (1969).

Stan Getz' album from 1972, Captain Marvel, is something of a revelation. I didn't know about the album until I searched it up while in the store. 

Wowsers!! What a stellar line up! Stan leads a quintet made up of jazz superstars: Chick Corea on electric piano, bassist Stanley Clarke, Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira and drummer Tony Williams. All virtuosos on their instruments. The thing is that while they play brilliantly together, this remains very much a Stan Getz album. He is sublime!

I've always hankered after this Nils Lofgren album and its iconic cover. The album turns out to be a delightfully laid-back mix of judicious rock guitar moves and catchy songs. The AllMusic review sums it up well:  Lofgren has made harder rocking and flashier albums since his debut, but he rarely hit the pocket with the same élan as he did on Nils Lofgren, and it remains the most satisfying studio album of his career.

Renaissance was the band that two former Yardbirds (Keith Relf and Jim McCarty) formed to explore different musical genres. The band is fleshed out by Jane Relf (Keith's wife), John Hawken on keyboards and Louis Gennano on bass.  

The eponymously named Renaissance was their debut in 1969 (produced by another former Yardbirder - Paul Samwell-Smith). It includes progressive rock songs heavily rooted in folk, but also with classical and jazz influences. This is music right up my musical alley!

The album has five tracks - allowing the band to expand their thinking on those styles in true prog fashion. I am a big fan of the quirky mash-up approach used by Renaissance on this album. 

Where do they all belong? I'll need to backtrack to Nils' work in Grin at some point.

Unconscious whispers (Melissa Aldana) (LP 3764 - 3769)

Melissa Aldana  Echoes of the Inner Prophet (Vinyl, Blue Note Records, 2024) ***  

Beau Brummels  Triangle (Vinyl, Warner Bros. Records, 1967/ 2019 reissue) ***  

Fleetwood Mac Christine McVie's Fleetwood Mac at the BBC 1970-71 (Vinyl, Rhythm & Blues Records, 1967/ 2019 reissue) Mostly **** (songs on side 2 - 5 to 8 = *) 

Vincent H.L.  Golden Sun (Vinyl, 1:12 Records, 2021) ***

Fenne Lily  Big Picture (Vinyl, Dead Oceans Records, 2023) **** 

Esther Rose  How Many Times (Vinyl, Father/ Daughter Records, 2021) ***

Genre: Jazz, psychedelic pop, blues rock, NZ music, indie-folk, country/ Americana.

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Crazy 'Bout You Baby, Tell Me All The Things You Do (Fleetwood Mac), Lights Light Up (Fenne Lily)

Gear costume: Nine Pound Hammer (Triangle) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: JB Hi Fi have been having a big clearout. First it was 75% off, and then those they couldn't move at that price were reduced further to $5 each. Bargains!! And certainly worth a punt. I did a quick Google search while in the store and all seemed worthy of my time, so this was something of a no-brainer. When did you last see a bunch of mint recent releases for five bucks each?

Melissa Aldana (no, I hadn't heard of her either) is a Chilean tenor sax player. The Blue Note label is what made me take the chance on Echoes of the Inner Prophet - her most recent album. Great title - sounds like spiritual jazz which I'm a fan of generally. The album's growing on me, albeit slowly. I'll need a few more listens though to fully appreciate what she is aiming for.

The Beau Brummels album is one I've thought about from time to time. JB Hi Fi must have bought a few of these. Lenny Waronker produced (a good sign), plus it's from 1967 (67 being a magic number for me this year). AllMusic says: All the band's signature styles (folk, country swing, and Brit-pop) are still heard in the mix, but the tunes here assume an added aura of mysticism. Okay. I'll again need a few more listens but I don't quite get it yet.

Christine McVie's Fleetwood Mac Live at the BBC 1970-71 was full price when I visited JB Hi Fi but I couldn't leave it behind. My love of Christine McVie's music has been documented already in this blog.

Three quarters of the album is superb - great audio quality and superb playing, but the other quarter is really rough and while the cover says they are 'very listenable', I beg to differ. Nevermind. For the rest - fantastic songs like Crazy 'Bout You Baby. Side one then is a hoot!

Vincent H.L. looks a bit like Neil Young, sounds a bit like Neil Young and plays a bit like Neil Young. Yikes! Call him the Nu Zild Nil Yung! This album is a slow grower, as in I didn't like it much on the first listen, but then - woh Nelly - second listen, in the spring sunshine, I'm grooving on the sloppy guitars and slurry vocals. This one's a keeper!

The find of the pile though is undoubtably Fenne Lily. Another indie folk singer-songwriter I'd never come across, but for $5 I got a terrific surprise. It helped I heard it first at night. It's perfect at dusk. Then I played it again in the spring sunshine and its magic translated to that scenario as well.

Her delivery is beguiling, as she sings in a hushed tone for the most part. She's reflective but not dour. Songs unwind themselves gently and hauntingly. I'm a fan!

The final $5 purchase is Esther Rose's How Many Times. Esther is an American country musician. This is her third album and, again, I took a punt based on the AllMusic review of her latest album.

How Many Times is a breakup record but it sounds pretty upbeat with some jaunty sounds. Esther's voice is pure and affecting. Nothing wrong with this album and yes, another one that will grow on me in time, I'm sure. The fiddle and pedal steel are particularly fine. 

Where do they all belong? A good haul then with me returning to Fenne Lily every day this week.

Watch out (Fleetwood Mac) (LP 2614 - 2616)

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac In Chicago (Vinyl, Sire Records, 1969) *****  

Fleetwood Mac Heroes Are Hard To Find (Vinyl, Reprise Records, 1974) ****  

Rory Gallagher Blueprint (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1973) ****  

Genre: Blues rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Watch Out (FM in Chicago)

Gear costume: I'm Worried (FM in Chicago)

Active compensatory factors: Thankfully, the blues became an obsession with a whole generation of young poms. Among them: Eric Clapton; John Mayall; John McVie; Stan Webb; Christine Perfect; Mick Fleetwood; Peter Green...the list is long and includes a youngster from Cork - Rory Gallagher.

In January 1969 Fleetwood Mac, a band made up of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, plus three guitarists - Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwin, went to Chicago and recorded with some giants of the blues. The Chicago blues musicians who played at this session were Otis Spann (piano, vocals), Willie Dixon (upright bass), Shakey Horton (harmonica, vocals), J.T. Brown (tenor saxophone, vocals), Buddy Guy (guitar), Honeyboy Edwards (guitar, vocals), and S.P. Leary (drums).

The result is outstanding! The musicianship is first class and sounds fresh as a daisy in 2024.

The inclusion of studio chatter is particularly appropriate. It definitely puts you right there, listening along with the engineer and producers Mike Vernon and Marshall Chess. I can visualise the band in the Chicago studio vividly, as they take advantage of this return to the source.

By 1974 the band had been transformed into a different beast entirely. On board for this one are Fleetwood and McVie, plus Christine McVie, and Bob Welch. Chris provides four songs, Bob seven.

I love Christine's bluesy sway and her lyrics, which explore her vulnerabilities. Bob is more pop oriented and together they provide a template and a bridge from the blues to the pop world for the next iteration of the band, when Buckingham/ Nicks arrive. Bob and Chris have great voices that blend together well.

Sidebar: Not sure what they were aiming for with that cover. I was always put off by the image - a very tall, very thin Mick Fleetwood and his daughter shot in black and white.  It's so incongruous to the music of the album, which is very full bodied, warm and groovy. 

I somehow neglected to get Rory's Blueprint when I was buying the rest of his canon back in the seventies and eighties. Bizarre given how Rory and Irish Tour'74 were such landmarks for me in those early seventies.

Listening to it now, I'm thankful it wasn't a peak that I'd missed out on, like that live album. The studio was problematic for Rory. As I've subsequently come to understand, he certainly played many of the other songs live but only Walk On Hot Coals from Blueprint would make it onto the original Irish Tour '74 album.  

It's still a very worthwhile purchase and I'm thankful to finally have it nestled between Live in Europe and Tattoo.

Where do they all belong? That will do me for a while. I now have a complete collection of Rory's albums and enough Fleetwood Mac for the time being.

Show-biz blues (Fleetwood Mac) (LP 2518 - 2522)

Fleetwood Mac  Then Play On (CD, Reprise Records, 1968) ****  

Fleetwood Mac  Kiln House (CD, Reprise Records, 1970) **

Fleetwood Mac  Future Games (CD, Reprise Records, 1971) *****  

Fleetwood Mac  Bare Trees (CD, Reprise Records, 1972) ****

Fleetwood Mac  Mystery To Me (CD, Reprise Records, 1973) ***   

Genre: Blues rock, rock

Places I remember: Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Oh Well Pt 1 and Pt 2 (Then Play On); Morning Rain (Future Games)

Gear costume: Show Biz Blues (Then Play On); 

Active compensatory factors: These five albums come from an original album series - a 5 CDs for 10 quid deal. Amazing value.

I'm a bit perverse when it comes to Fleetwood Mac. I don't own any of the albums by the Stevie Nicks' version. That's right - I don't own a copy of Rumours. Yes, I'm the guy!

Instead, I prefer all the other versions of the band - the Peter Green, and the Christine McVie versions, principally.

Their first album was covered in this blog earlier, Then Play On was their third album (I don't own Mr. Wonderful) and the last with the unique Peter Green leading the line. Green is certainly the de facto leader of the band at this point. He and Danny Kirwin write most of the songs and their guitars and singing are what the early Fleetwood Mac are all about.

BTW: the album is recorded by Martin Birch. Another genius, basically. 

Peter Green is just an outrageous talent. When he left, he left a giant hole to fill. Jeremy Spencer would be the next to leave, after Kiln House, and although Christine McVie is there on keyboards (and did the wonderful cover art) she was not yet a fully signed up band member.

Kiln House is an okay album, but it definitely misses Green, and does not yet have Christine contributing songs. Blood On The Floor is embarrassing but the instrumental Earl Gray is effective. So, it's very much a mixed bag.

Their fifth studio album, Future Games, from 1971, is the first one with both Christine McVie as a member and Bob Welch had replaced Jeremy Spencer who departed to join a religious sect.

The rock-a-billy songs that Spencer loved have thankfully gone from Future Games. Instead, we have Christine and Bob's pop influence with blues inflections. Wahoo!

It's a strong, confident Fleetwood Mac in 1971 (the greatest year for music ever IMHO). Bob and Christine's warm, dreamy vocal interplay and their songs saved Fleetwood Mac's bacon (Christine, not for the last time). I think it's a classic.

Bare Trees came next in 1972 (another great year for music). It continues the more commercial thrust of Future Games with a generally tougher sound (superbly engineered by Martin Birch again). Christine contributes two songs, the rest are by the departing Danny Kirwin or Bob Welch.

Their eighth studio album, Mystery To Me, was the last with guitarist Bob Weston. Christine and Bob Welch again dominate the writing and singing. Christine has five lead vocal tracks. Stoopid cover.

Where do they all belong? A few to catch up with - Mr Wonderful, Penguin, Heroes Are Hard To Find. I still have no intention of collecting anything post that. But you never know. Christine does appear on those as well. doesn't she.  

Time precious time (Lindsey Buckingham) (LP 2033)

Lindsey Buckingham  Gift Of Screws (CD, Reprise Records, 2008) ****  

Genre: Pop/rock 

Places I remember: Vinyl Countdown (Nu Plimf)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Did You Miss Me

Gear costume: Great Day

Active compensatory factors: This one had a protracted gestation and eventually came out in 2008. It was in various guises supposedly for Fleetwood Mac albums but never fully happened, so Mick Fleetwood and John McVie appear on a few tracks.

Lindsey is at his inventive best here as he experiments with various off-beat sounds and rhythms - all the while keeping the hooks and catchy melodies very much intact. It's terrific!

Where do they all belong? Won't be my last LB. I much prefer Buckingham's solo albums to modern day Fleetwood Mac albums - in fact, outside of a Greatest Hits album, I don't own anything by the band post Bob Welch! Buckingham's talents are often blunted by the democracy required in the parent group. I might have to try Tusk though, following its discussion on The Album Years podcast.

Shake your money maker (Fleetwood Mac) (LP 1000)

Fleetwood Mac  Fleetwood Mac (Vinyl, Columbia Records, 1968, this copy a reissue in 2011) ****  

Genre: Blues rock 

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: My Heart Beat Like A Hammer

Gear costume: Shake Your Money Maker

Active compensatory factors: We've reached the 1,000 album mark in my collection, which, looking at it, means there's a few thousand to go.

This is a great one to mark that milestone. Peter Green was an exceptional talent - guitarist, composer, singer and he leads the line superbly on Fleetwood Mac's debut album.

Jeremy Spencer on slide, vocals and piano is an able foil and of course Mick Fleetwood and John McVie provide the brilliant, rock solid foundation. What a band!

I've cherry picked the two raucous guitar fests to highlight (my preference every time) but the whole album deserves kudos for its light and shade approach. I have the feeling they could have turned out a dozen Money Maker style tracks if they'd wanted but the band was always much more than that one particular sound.

Where do they all belong? That's it for Fleetwood Mac in the collection.

I can't sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin (Fleetwood Mac) #115

Fleetwood Mac Oh Well Pt. 1/ Oh Well Pt. 2 (Reprise, RO 27000, 1969)

An unusual single this one for Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. It was deliberately written by Green as a two part song/single - the album version came later (for their Then Play On album) and simply edited the two parts together.

Part one is the knock out wailing electric blues guitar/ cowbell part and the flip side is the meditative instrumental coda (Eric Clapton was certainly paying attention - Layla uses the same conceit).

I couldn't believe how insanely good this song was when I finally caught up with it in the late seventies. 

The guitar work by Peter Green and the weird structure of the song are entirely original. It's inspired playing from everyone concerned and a real peak for the band.

Hidden gem: The second part is continued from the A side and is like music from another planet. As wildly abandoned as the guitar is on part 1, part 2 is controlled and contemplative. It's deeply evocative of Peter Green's feel for the music that comes from a softer world. Again - it's utterly original. 

I believe I'll dust my broom (Fleetwood Mac)

The Greatest Hits run through continues apace. I'm up to the F's in the rock/pop genre and R in Jazz (Sonny Rollins in case you were wondering).

I have two Fleetwood Mac Compilations - The Essential Blues Collection compiles the Peter Green/ Jeremy Spencer/ Danny Kirwin era and Greatest Hits is exclusively the cocaine years with Christine McVie/ Lindsay Buckingham/ Stevie Nicks.

They are two distinctly different bands. One was mega commercially successful and the other played the best blues licks in the UK. I much prefer the comparatively raw latter version.

I'm pretty sure I've blogged about this before but I usually prefer the initial formats of bands that have two distinct eras with different personnel. Bon Scott AC/DC, Peter Green Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne Black Sabbath are three, but there are obvious exceptions too - David Gilmour Pink Floyd, Steve Hogarth Marillion are two that spring to mind.

One listen to Fleetwood Mac's Oh Well (part 1) will be enough to convince you. T'other FM is nice in an airbrushed way but if you want the real deal you need to Shake Your Money Maker with the original band.