Disco de Fleetwood Mac: “Bare Trees”

Just like "Future Games", why didn't this album break Fleetwood Mac into the mainstream? The music is absolutely breathtaking. True, it may sound more commercial than the early blues material that made the band in the first place, but the fact that this album never got so big definitely helps the music's credibility.

Danny Kirwan asserts himself more than ever by contributing, a staggering 5 (count 'em) 5 songs! out of the 9 on this album. He balances his songwriting between amicable pop (the title track), bluesy rock ("Child Of Mine", "Danny's Chant"), and folk-ish balladry and instrumentation ("Sunny Side Of Heaven", "Dust").

Christine McVie and Bob Welch with two songs each, equal in depth to Kirwan's 5. McVie's "Homeward Bound", while not anything like the more famous Simon & Garfunkel tune, definitely invokes similar imagery, albeit more desperate in the author's want and need to just get home and relax.

Welch's "The Ghost" just rolls along at a whirlwind pace, brought on by John McVie and Bob Welch dueling for dominance in the intro, which gives way to a haunting combination of slide guitar and a Mellotron Flute drenched in reverb courtesy of Christine McVie.

The almost obligatory love songs actually offer a bit of variety on this album. McVie's "Spare Me A Little Of Your Love" holds it own against her stream of late 70's/early 80's hits, while Welch's "Sentimental Lady" (which, I must say, the version on here bests Welch's late 70's reinterpretation megahit by leaps and bounds) shows how important it really to hold on those lost moments with the one you love.

Overall, just a really good and underrated collection of songs (along with the predecessor "Future Games") that should have broken a talented bunch of musicians and songwriters into mainstream success, but instead sort of drifted into semi-obscurity underneath the late 70's and early 80's Buckingham/Nicks-era (which I have nothing against, but I prefer this era of the Mac better).

Why isn't this music (along with Future Games) REMASTERED? These two albums I have loved since the 70s capture a breathtaking part of the legacy that IS Fleetwood Mac, and from my point of view, blows away almost every album created by the later hit-driven incarnation with Lyndsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. The Fleetwood Mac on Bare Trees and Future Games (Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine Perfect (McVie), Danny Kirwan, who wrote half the songs on Bare Trees, and Bob Welch).....still felt the echo of the band's past glory, and the echoes of the sixties ending, and used it to look forward and create atmospheric, intriguing, complex, and meaningful music. And...this album ROCKS with great guitar work by Kirwan and Welch that leave later Mac albums in shame. From Bob Welch's haunting 'The Ghost' and the original version of his later hit 'Sentimental Lady' (better on this album), to Danny Kirwan's rock anthems 'Child of Mine' and title track 'Bare Trees' to the introspective 'Dust', this album leaves the listener wanting more. I am at a loss why Mick Fleetwood and John McVie would remaster the later Mac catalogue, yet leave these REAL gems Bare Trees and Future Games not re-issued to save these great moments of the band's history. The music suffers from the direct to disc transfer, yet the magic in it shines through. I am also disappointed that the songs from these two albums never appear on Mac compilations. For a lot of us THIS group was the Fleetwood Mac that had a message, and, sorry to say, later versions of the band were mere hit factories.

I, like most people in the US, was first introduced to Fleetwood Mac thanks to their huge commercial successes of the late 70s early 80s. I do adore the music they produced (and continue to produce), but I am also open to the idea that there was a Fleetwood Mac before Nicks & Buckingham (and ironically on my list, there was a Buckingham Nicks before there was a Fleetwood Mac, but that's another review...)

It was probably the mid 80's when I found my first dusty copy of Bare Trees in a used LP bin. I had previously purchased a couple of their other early albums, and although I liked them alright, nothing stuck - until Bare Trees. I remember thinking - this is incredible! I still do!

Not to belittle the other bandmembers' contributions, but this is Danny Kirwan's triumph. Although his personal issues led to his departure from the band, there is no denying his musical genius.

Danny's guitar playing is impeccable and his songwriting the strongest of his carrer. Bob Welch blended beautifully into the Kirwan direction and served as a better foil than Kirwan himself did earlier for Peter Green. Christine's piano was very "mod" and complimented the dual guitars. Fleetwood and McVie are as strong here as anywhere else.

The music - Stunning. "Sunny Side of Heaven" is the best pop instrumental ever laid to vinyl. "Spare Me A Little Of Your Love" the best song Christine McVie has written (if you're a McVie fan - you know the bar is very high). The better version of Bob Welch's biggest hit, "Sentimental Lady" is also here. Danny, however, is the star - "Bare Trees", "Child of Mine", and "Dust" - all I can say is thank you, Mr. Kirwan, and thank you Fleetwood Mac.

This is an interesting album of twisted moods and alterego songwriting as Peter Green protege Danny Kirwan drifts farther away from reality and Christine McVie and Bob Welch find the middle of the road. The wah wah madness of 'Danny's chant' after Bob Welch's 'Sentimental Lady' is one of the great song combinations of the 70's. Danny's song 'Dust' is as pretty and sad as dirges get.

I actually heard 'Sunny side of Heaven' in Walmart once. It wasn't the Muzak version either.I started humming along and noticed everyone seemed to be in a great mood. This cd hasn't been far from the stereo since this great moment in shopping.

If your in England and see Danny tell him he rules. Its too bad Bob Welch pushed him over the edge and he smashed his Les Paul in the bathroom before walking out on the band.

I bought this album on a whim when I was fifteen, having fallen in love with the Mac in the eighth grade. It was actually Stevie Nicks who captured my teenage manic devotion. So buying this album was taking a chance on a band that predated the Nicks-Buckingham magic. It paid off. Currently on my iPod, "Child of Mine" ranks in the top 20 most listened to songs way ahead of any of the other Fleetwood Mac tunes ("Warm Ways" is a close second). Danny Kirwan's guitar and songwriting along with his soft melodious vocals make this album a real winner. He first showed his genius on the smash hit instrumental "Albatross" which was written with Peter Green. You can definitely tell that Kirwan's hand created the atmospheric beauty of that song. In fact, you can hear it again on "Sunny Side of Heaven" another beautiful instrumental on Bare Trees.

My favorite songs are all Kirwan's including "Dust", the title track and the aforementioned "Child of Mine". Christine McVie and Bob Welch also shine on their own tracks. I love "Homeward Bound" with Chris pounding away on the keys like she does on "Don't Stop". Her voice is bluesy with a distinct English accent that isn't noticed so much on later albums. "Spare Me a Little of Your Love" reminds me of Dusty Springfield with Christine's lilting vocals-nobody sings (or writes) a ballad like Chris can.

Bob Welch's contribution is worth noting as well. "Sentimental Lady" reveals the making of a future hit for him as a solo artist and "The Ghost" rolls out with a great beat. Overall, one of my favorite Fleetwood Mac albums despite the absence of Stevie and Lindsey.