Back to the Homer, that he was... to the Homer.. that he wassssss

I sent my shawl out for more bedazzling. It's in the shop until next Tuesday.

I'm not going to lie, having your own "Karen" (wow, did that name not work out perfectly) to do all your bitching and sniping, and also to be there to tell you how wonderful you are 24/7, would be pretty sweet!

Does your apartment have a shawl only closet? Persian rug?

Oh, and just so I post something at all relevant to the thread topic:

Behind the Mask is interesting. It's not terrible, but also in no way is it terribly great.

I like about 4-5 songs. The rest aren't bad but just really do nothing for me.
Love is Dangerous
In the Back of My Mind
Save Me
Behind the Mask
Freedom

It's not as dated sounding as Tango is, but despite having some duds, Tango just sounds more like what I expect from Fleetwood Mac. Some of BTM just sounds like any forgettable 80's/90's adult contemporary artist.

These are the same 4-5 songs I’d pick.

If only! “Skies” just gives me hives.

I mean, Stevie’s contribution to “Oh, Daddy” (and I can’t walk away from you, baby if I tried”) is ungrammatical, too, whereas the original line Christine had there wasn’t, but bad grammar doesn’t really bother me.

And I couldn't walk away from you sugar, daddy if I tried.

How's that?

I was going to add my list of songs I like from that album, but I realized fast that I couldn’t even remember the songs or the running order without looking it up online. I don’t remember all the song titles or what’s on side 1 or side 2.

If I happen to hear some of it, I tap my foot and drum on my leg a little. But I basically have no nostalgia for that album at all. It’s out of sight, out of mind for me. Unless it’s playing somewhere, I don’t even remember it.

Looking over the track list, I think I actually like “Hard Feelings” the best. The songwriter wrote “Wind Beneath My Wings,” weirdly enough. I think there’s a dearth of really catchy hooks in these songs, and nothing terribly interesting is going on with the orchestration — most of these sound as if the basic tracks were recorded live, like the early Mac albums. But unlike the early Mac albums, these songs aren’t very tough or funny — there’s no attitude. No one in the band sounds very happy or very sad or very angry. Just a bunch of multimillionaires lounging around a recording studio, earning more money. And Ladanyi doesn’t sound any more engaged than the band. This is Fleetwood Mac’s “let’s make an album because what else is there to do at the moment?” album. You can tell that absolutely no one involved in it felt any sort of artistic or emotional compulsion to “get something out” of themselves. It all just feels like an extended advertisement. The album is really soporific, which is probably why almost no one bothers to listen to it.

I’m off to listen to “Hard Feelings” again to see whether it stands up to a second listen. It’s not the Beatles, but it has a little Beatles in it.

My impression is pretty much the opposite of what yours is. While I think Stevie’s songs are the weakest, her vocals seem inspired, especially on Love is Dangerous and Freedom. She really belts out lines like “echoes of emotion and the visions of a fool” and “look at me with daggers, it won’t do you any good.” I actually feel like Stevie and Christine worked hard on BTM, perhaps to show they could be a band without Lindsey. And from Billy’s book and other sources, such as tidbits from the top 40 countdowns back in the day, this incarnation of the band genuinely had a great time touring and recording, and that does come across. I don’t think they were “eh, whatever” about recording BTM, I think they were very invested.

That is splendid, Brown Eyes ;)

Seriously, Sugar Daddy is the best.

Sugar Daddy blows any song on BTM, away. Can you imagine?

I was watching the Christine McVie laserdisc concert on YouTube and marveled at how effing cool “One in a Million” sounded. That fat Hammond, Sharp’s searing guitar. Christine’s ultra cool vocals.

Man, she knows her R&B. Wish she’d do one more album of songs like “Anything is Possible” and “Forgiveness.”

I know. And I really love So Sincere and Bad Journey, too. That album has some wonderful gems on it. And Dan's playing is fantastic. I think Hawkins in on that album as well. But she has a Steely Dan funk to her that really hits my good feels.

Her and Donald Fagin. Imagine!

I am always amazed at the love for Hard Feelings on this board. IMHO its the worst song on the album. I dont think Billy can sing very good and its such a D list song. Its something I would expect to hear on amateur night at some bar and grill with a local band.
But to each their own.
I like most of this album more than Tango. Its more rock n roll and wow we hear that bluesy rhythm section humming in a few songs that we have not heard in a long time. Its completely unconventional which I love. No computer bass lines, no pre-programmed stuff like on Tango. Mick, John, Chris and the new guys play everything. I like the title song but I think it could have been so much better with a few refinements.
My favs are:
In The back of my mind
Save Me
Love is dangerous
Skies the limit
Freedom
When It comes to love
Do you know
I can dig when the sun goes down

Everything else is meh.