I recognize the shadows from your past

Continuing my trip back through the 1990 album charts.

06/05/90 : Behind The Mask : Fleetwood Mac

This is quite an interesting one because whilst at uni you couldn't go anywhere without bumping into someone playing Tango In The Night (their '87 album), I don't think I've ever heard this (and I've certainly never owned it - 7/35).  Which I can't say has exactly caused my expectations to sky-rocket, but let's see, shall we?

Hmmm - it's like someone asked them to make a Fleetwood Mac album but to focus on the US mass market and to make sure that all the bits that make them any good are dialled up just enough to be annoying.  It all feels a bit too "try hard" - and they're trying for someone other than me.  "In The Back Of My Mind" is surprisingly Pink Floyd-ish though - I've no clue what they thought they were doing there.

Once again, we're at #6 in the charts on their fourth week of a sixteen week run - it shows how badly it was received when you compare it with the 97 week run that Tango In The Night enjoyed (and Rumours is currently on a 366 week run!).  However, it still got to #1 in its debut week - definitely trading on past glories there.  The top five this week were The Carpenters, Phil Collins, Paula Abdul (a re-entry), Alannah Myles and UB40 - I like The Carpenters, but that's really not a hip and happening top five for 1990 now, is it?  Things could have been worse though - the highest new entry was Big Fun (#8).

Wikipedia has a random selection of facts on the album, most of which are astonishingly dull.  It was their first album after the departure of Lindsey Buckingham and spawned no hit singles, but still did surprisingly well - top ten in a load of countries as well as also hitting the top spot in Greece.  The critics were mostly pretty negative about it, but Rolling Stone loved it - "the best thing to ever happen to Fleetwood Mac".  Really?!?

"Customers also listened to" Stevie Nicks, the Christines McVie & Perfect (yes, I know!), Lindsey Buckingham and Peter Green - I wonder how they're connected to Fleetwood Mac?!?  I didn't have high expectations for this but it easily sailed under them - this was a very disappointing album indeed.

29/04/90 - A nice memory jogger
13/05/90 - Nice voice, shame about the songs

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