Rumours [Deluxe Edition, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Reviewing a best-selling, immensely popular album over 30 years after it was released is a bit like trying to evaluate Marmite. It's been around for ages, you know that people will always buy it, but everyone either loves it or hates it already, and there's little point trying to change their minds.

For me, Rumours is just about the best album ever made, and 'Go Your Own Way' is my favourite song, my desert island disc, the one that still sends a shiver up my spine and makes me smile and / or cry (or both) every time I hear it. Part of that is down to memories of earlier times evoked by the music (it just sounds like it came from better days, whether it really did or not); part of it is down to a knowledge of the intricate human relationships within the band and the messages these songs were sending from one member to another; but largely it's just down to the sheer quality of the music. The 'classic' Fleetwood Mac line-up really was just that - Mick Fleetwood the 'Daddy'; John McVie the quiet, morose, no-nonsense bass player, together forming a tight, world-class, instantly recognisable rhythm section; Christine McVie the stalwart keyboardist; Lindsey Buckingham the brash, neurotic Californian with a talent for guitar-playing that is sorely underrated, an ego the size of the Hollywood hills and a perfectionist's drive to push the musical envelope; and Stevie Nicks, slim and fair, every 70s schoolboy's fantasy star-child, all black lace, high boots and flounces, with a voice that rasps and soothes in equal measure.

If you doubt the quality of the music, and the work that went into it, spare a hour or so to watch the Classic Albums DVD that is devoted to Rumours, in which studio techies Richard Dashut and Ken Caillat deconstruct and rebuild the tracks, fading in and out individual elements of sound to illustrate the craftsmanship involved. At the end of the day, if you've been around since 1977 you'll know most of the songs already. If you haven't, you might be put off by labels like Californian AOR, soft rock, country rock, MOR. Rumours is probably all of that, with a few elements of folk thrown in for good measure. What makes it stand out in its entirety is the songwriting, the attention to musical detail, the wonderful harmonies and musicianship that is tight as a drum. Dross often sells by the bucketload, but Rumours is that rare artefact: something with sound artistic merit AND populist appeal. For the committed post-hippy late seventies sensitive teen with West Coast aspirations, Rumours was THE album to be seen with. For those teens, now in their 40's and 50's, it still is.

So, to the music. The quality of the remastering is first class, delivering a ringing clarity and separation that was missing from the original version. The second CD in this expanded package is an irrelevance really, demonstrating no more than work in progress. Of the songs, 'Dreams', 'The Chain', 'Don't Stop', 'Never Going Back Again', 'Go Your Own Way' and others need no introduction. Omitted from the original album for reasons of length and limitations of the LP capacity, 'Silver Springs' is a superb Stevie Nicks song that regains its rightful place. Nicks was blossoming as a songwriter, never better than on the trilogy of Fleetwood Mac albums beginning with Fleetwood Mac in 1975 and ending with Tusk in 1979. Her voice has dropped an octave or two since then; here she still sounds fresh and focused. 'Oh Daddy' and 'Songbird' represent two of Christine McVie's finest moments. Lindsey Buckingham's songs have indications of the greater experimentation he would go on to develop on Tusk, and later on his solo albums. But in 'Go Your Own Way', he wrote a lament to his ex-lover, Nicks, their relationship crashing around them during the making of the album. On the surface it's the classic top-down, sunny summer Californian driving rock song, all ringing guitars and shining harmonies. But it's much more than that too; it's full of sadness and longing, loneliness and regret, bitterness and anger. The fact that Buckingham addressed it to the person who stood only feet away from him singing harmonies on it, gives it an extra twist of irony, just like life itself. You either love it or you hate it. You either get it or you don't.

This is a brilliant album for the music and is made even better in this SACD surround sound version. This is how all good albums of this genre should be released in my view. You hear so much more of the music and it allows for a more involved listening experience though the enhanced creativity that surround sound brings to music. It is great to see Warner releasing this on hybrid multichannel SACD as the SACD is much more versatile and backward compatible that DVDs which seem to be used now by the major record companies for surround sound release. However I wish Warner were adopting this as a global release and not just a Warner Japan release which makes the price quite crazy and in the current financial climate not one which means you would buy these albums on a regular basis. The majors such as EMI and UMG have shown they can release affordable hybrid multichannel SACDs in the past and should review their policies I feel. This is a genuine reissue of a disc that is worth having as it is so different, I sigh with despair when I see the number of times stereo cps are remastered time after time and the majors think we will keep buying them. This release shows imagination and a bold decision to produce something that is really different and well worth buying, but as I say, I wish it were a lot cheaper than this.

I have owned Rumours before, both in the LP format and the original CD format. Obviously this album has been a favourite of mine for a long time, with a slight more understanding of the tension involved in making it as the years have passed by.

What struck me, however, by hearing this new re-mastered version was the immense sound quality. Listening to Dreams the bass becomes so vibrant and alive with Stevie Nick's voice backed up with incredible harmonies with the addition of crisp guitar sounds and thumping drumming. On the next track, Never Going Back Again the guitar is spread in the mix giving the listener a feeling of actually being involved with the playing. Much of the same can be described by most of the other songs on the album, making me for my part re-discovering it again. Never before had I noticed how great the production was, not only in regards of the sound quality but also how it was mixed, both simple but yet innovative.

I took my old CD to compare the two versions, the hypothesis being that maybe this great sound had simply eluded me some years ago. The difference was, however, similar to hearing a worn cassette tape and a regular CD. The separation of instruments was not to be heard, a lack of depth was evident and the mix was muffled as if one were listening to a worn LP.

There is also added material. Silver Springs, a single not included on the original version, has been tacked between what before was side A and B. A fine song and its odd inclusion actually does keep the flow of the album intact (I believe having it at the end would spoil the fine ending of the original). There is also a bonus disk consisting of demos of the songs. It is interesting hearing these demos, one can hear how good the simple versions are but yet how delicately Fleetwood Mac improved them in the studio. Of particular note is Brushes which is only the guitar playing of what became Never Going Back Again. One must, however, make sure to press the stop button before some jam session at the end of the disc begin, those are only for the most devoted.

Thus from the standpoint of sound quality, this re-mastered version of Rumours is in my view a great buy. The bonus CD is a welcome addition and the artwork accompanying this version does this great album justice.

Addition 26.3.2013

This album has again been re-released. This addition relates to the 3 CD version of the 2013 edition, which I bought being such as fan of this album. The original recording is as far as I can hear the same sound-wise, meaning that this may be the same re-mastering used on the previous 2004 edition. This I consider good news since it was very smooth with a deep bass and solid drums. The only difference is that Silver Springs has now been put at the end as opposed to be set in the middle of the sequence. I preferred the former set of flow of the tracks but that is a minor issue.

There are now two extra disks. One is a live recording from their Rumours tour, although a few songs are from their previous album. Most of the songs are in a faster tempo and I must admit I find them merely interesting. Their live recordings from the Tusk tour sound for example better. This live CD is also rather short. The third CD is, like the 2004 edition, demos. The demos presented here are, I believe, taken from more initial stages of the recording process. These I find very interesting, The Chain for example in very initial stages and at times barely recognizable to the final result. Never Going Back Again with Stevie Nicks sharing vocals is also worth listening to. The price of this edition is low and despite not being a fan of the live CD (something many will differ in opinion about) I do truly recommend this edition. For most of those who own, however, the 2004 edition, there is no need to 'upgrade' to this version. Those like me who really cannot get enough of Rumours, I recommend their Classic Albums DVD (I think also available via other sources) that chronicles the making of Rumours.