Tusk

I discovered this only recently. It coincided with my revisiting the "Fleetwood Mac" original for the first time in a long while, having previously dismissed it as 'a patchy follow-up to the "Rumours" album'. Well the 'original' sounded better than I recalled but the overall verdict remained the same. This, however, is very enjoyable and all the more so if you don't regard it as defaming an untouchable classic.Apparently recorded in '87 over just two days, before the tapes were lost and nearly trashed, requiring some restoration and additional (re)recording before its eventual release in 2002. It could be seen as the antithesis of the original, which was renowned for the expense of its production and lengthy recording process, no matter, it certainly doesn't sound like a cheap throwaway effort.The only tracks that disappointed, a little, were 'Tusk' and 'Sara' I don't know if that is because they are two of the strongest on the original album, but having said that the readings of 'Sisters of the Moon' and 'Storms' are excellent. The real joy is the way the band have been irreverent and, no doubt, 'had fun' while keeping a tight enough rein on proceedings, to ensure, that it still works as a serious musical endeavour.One interesting thing is the way that some of the lesser tracks on the 'original', tracks I'd dismissed as sub-standard, really come into their own here. In fact the album feels as consistent, in terms of quality, as it is wild and variable, in terms of sound. Another thing that surprised me is the way the lyrics come across more strongly on some of tracks, often having more resonance in this starker setting, phrases I'd barely considered before suddenly full of meaning. All of which is a bit of a tribute to the quality of the source material, I think.So who will this appeal to? Well if like me you like "Fleetwood Mac" AND "Sonic Youth" then this should certainly be well worth getting, manic FM fans may be offended(incidentally, I gather Lindsey Buckingham thought it was great) but if you come at it from the other direction, be careful, you might find yourself buying the 'original' soon after.