Fleetwood Mac Album: “Behind the Mask”

Unless Lindsey Buckingham's music is your only reason for listening to Fleetwood Mac, this item is a must-have. Christine and Stevie showcase some of their best work here, including Affairs of the Heart, Freedom, and The Second Time by Stevie, and Skies the Limit and Save Me, excellent efforts by Christine.

One thing that did take me by surprise is how much I really did like the music of the "new" guys, Billy Burnette and Rick Vito. Their music fits very well with what we have come to know as Fleetwood Mac - highlights include Hard Feelings and Stand on the Rock.

In summary, listen to the clips at the bottom of this page; you will not be disappointed.

I think Lindseyphiles are too hard on this one. Personally I think Mask is far better than Tango. I think the reason Mask bombed is the same reason Lindsey's last solo album bombed: The Mac was perceived as a bunch of tired old fogeys by 1990. How wrong! Christine contibutes two classics, Skies the Limit and Save Me, as well as the solid Behind the Mask. Her collaboration with Billy Burnett on the ballad Do You Know is excellent. Burnett and Vito have great songs, to which Stevie and Christine contribute great vocals. When It Comes to Love and When the Sun Goes Down are catchy pop songs, In the Back of My Mind is as good and freaky as Lindsay's specialties. Hard Feelings is a decent ballad. Burnett did a good job here! Love Is Dangerous and Stand on the Rock are great Vito rockers. Stevie is dynamite vocally on Love Is Dangerous. Freedom, though not written by Stevie, is one of her best rockers. However, Stevie's Affairs of the Heart and The Second Time are spoiled by ragged vocals. Still she is much better here than on Tango.

Fleetwood Mac's 1990 release Behind The Mask is an album that has greatly suffered in the shadows from the departure of Lindsey Buckingham. While it is true that Buckingham did help formulate the Mac's most famous songs from 1975 to 1987, this album doesn't suffer from his not being with the band nor the addition of Billy Burnette and Rick Vito; it suffers from Stevie Nicks' lack of quality songs and some less than standard vocals on her behalf.

Off the bat we get the prototypical Christine McVie song in Skies The Limit. It's a great tune that I've always loved. Track 2 is the Vito/Nicks duet Love Is Dangerous. Great guitar work in this song. Billy Burnette's In The Back Of My Mind is next and while I feel the opening is a bit over the top and overproduced, it's really a great song. Do You Know is a nice followup to a pretty heavy song. Burnette and McVie really work well together and this song shows it. Save Me is next and it's another typical Christine McVie song (not a bad thing by the way.) Nicks' Affairs Of The Heart... I'll just be kind in saying if it were left off the album, I wouldn't have been disappointed.

The next six songs of Behind The Mask are among my favorites. When The Sun Goes Down is proof of the kind of songs that Burnette and Vito can do when they are allowed to do what they do best. Certain folks may not like this song because it doesn't sound like "Fleetwood Mac" (aka the Rumours lineup) but this is exactly what this incarnation of the band needed. Behind The Mask may be Miss McVie's darkest song. It's a different kind of tune for her, but it's a great one. Stand On The Rock is a song that has had a hard time grabbing the affection of even the most diehard fans, I really love it. The next song, Hard Feelings, is perhaps Billy Burnette's shining moment on the album. It's definitely my favorite track of his with Fleetwood Mac. Without a shadow of a doubt, Freedom is the best Stevie Nicks song. She did some great vocals, but Rick Vito laid down some excellent guitar licks. When It Comes To Love is the second Burnette/McVie duet and it's a great song. The final track is The Second Time and suffice to say it's horrible. Never has Stevie Nicks sounded more dull or lifeless. I won't throw the song itself under the bus because I think if Miss McVie did it, it would have turned out okay. But it's a bad way to round out a great album.

If you're a fan who loves listening exclusively to the Rumours era of Fleetwood Mac, this album is not for you. If you're a fan who is interested in hearing another chapter in Fleetwood Mac's history, do not avoid this album.

I still have to give "Behind the Mask" 5 Stars.Billy Burnette and Rick Vito are Brilliant on this CD."When the Sun Goes Down," Rick and Billy's duet,is fantastic,and "Stand on the Rock," by Rick Vito,is one of my favorite numbers from the album,along with Stevie Nicks and Rick's cut,"Love is Dangerous." I remember hearing this song on the hard rock stations when the record came out.Stevie had to work alot harder on this CD because the BackBone was gone,and she comes out a winner."Affairs of the Heart" has got to be one of her better songs,along with the last cut,"The second time." All you hear is Stevie's beutufull vocals,and guitar.Christine McVie's,"The Skies the Limit," is a great opening number.Its like she's telling us no mater what happens to Fleetwood Mac,nothing can stop us.I got to see this concert when they were touring for "Behind the Mask." It was one of the greatest show's I've ever seen.

Even without Lindsey Buckingham,this is a great album. Billy Burnette has a great voice, and it shows in this CD. This should be a definite buy, just because LB isn't here, don't overlook it!