A friend of mine called 'Mike the Bike' put me on to 'Rumours' an age ago. As his name suggests, Mike was a wretched 'macho' biker, (a contradiction to start with - a man who wears leather and goes out to meet...other men!) who used to shoot razorbacks when he lived in Australia. That sounds impressive, til' you consider your average razorback is about the size of a cairn terrier, but Mike apparently loved every blood-spilling minute of it.
Anyway, in normal life I'd rather sleep with a razorback than take a musical recommendation from Mike. He's firmly in the 'metal' enclave, he and his road-tearing associates live in a jelly outside time and listen to Queens of the Stone Age and Kings of Leon when they're not burning rubber on the (real) Queens highways and byways.
While 'Rumours' was Mike's guilty pleasure, it didn't take your raving correspondent long to recognize it for what it really is - a true great.
To bear the burden of greatness for 30 odd years is a task in itself, but the Fleetwoods easily carry it off. In truth, 'Rumours' is that good it probably doesn't deserve to be reviewed on these pages. It's certainly too good for me in a false modesty sense, so why bother, why waste all the words and sleep-hours in pursuit of descriptions of it's profundity and glory?
Prattish vanity, rockist bravado and pride are my motives for creativity (and it's not going un-noticed, I've already been offered a column in 'Cow Breeders International' magazine. I was tempted, but it's not really my field.(!) ), and it does give one a perverse thrill of challenge, to 'review' one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, albums of all time.
'Rumours' has everything. It rawks; ('Go Your Own Way') it's sexy; ('Dreams', You Make Lovin' Fun) it has GORGEOUS ballads;('Songbird' in particular. I've racked my brain and I can't come up with a better one.) It is a complete, criticism defying, reviewer-proof package.
And speaking of sexy, as I usually am, what about that sensuous siren Stevie Nicks, I hear you all cry out as one voice in the darkness. Well, I'm not going overboard like I did with Theresa Bazaar, ("Never praise a woman, it will only spoil her" - Vladimir Putin) but I will say, my affectionate regard for her high beauty is in stark contrast to my lurid opinion of her ghastly solo out-pourings, but she's central to 'Rumours'. Her voice is folky, funky and fun, and it soars above the songs, like a junior Sandy Denny, (and that's HUGE praise!). She's smiling sweetly on the cover, but where it matters, in the grooves, she's down and dirty, with all guns blazing, and in a real sense, she's the Annie Oakley spirit of 'Rumours'...
It's a romantic album. It can stir you, soothe you. You can play it when your up, down or anywhere in-between. You can work out to it, do your accounts to it, write reviews to it, (!) and crucially, it's the album you choose when nothing else fit's the bill.
Not much else to say. Reviewing 'Rumours' is a thankless task, is there anybody out there not familiar with it to some degree? Anyone who is just finding it now, I envy you.
When the final gongs are handed out, it'll be up there with 'Blood on the Tracks', 'Astral Weeks and 'Closer', maybe even eclipsing all three..
On the down-side it is rumoured that Stevie Nicks has incredibly ugly toes, information which if true, would have me scuttling back to square one, excising Mike the Bike, and beginning the 'Rumours' review with fresh new perspective and insight.
Thank God I don't believe what I read...
Note: Information on shooting razorbacks and all other bush inhabitants can be found on Discovering [...].

I haven't listen to this album in its entirety in almost 20 years. I did today. This album still rocks! A classic.

this is one of my best sounding dvd-a's. the surround is also very cool.

the addition of silver springs was great and should have been on the original LP.

only 1 gripe

1. never going back again should have been the original way not this drum marching sound with weak guitar bits they added.

Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" stands on its own strength. That strength is a continuation of strong tracks from start to finish. There's not a weak song in the house. Reminiscent of "Sgt. Pepper", Rumours captivates the listener from start to finish and is a pleasurable music experience.

One of their best albums remastered by Mick Fleetwood...I heard things on this that I had never heard before and it sounded sweeter on my Home Theater/Multi Channel (5.1 Klipsch Heritage) "stereo."...No Movie or Video on this one just nice music perfectly recorded.

I used to think this was the greatest rock/pop album ever made. However, as the years go by, and we learn about more musicians and bands out there, what we once considered some of the best music we've ever heard gradually falls by the wayside as our minds begin to realize this isn't the ONLY good pop rock worth listening to. Rumours is a perfect example.

While not the best Fleetwood Mac album (I prefer the Peter Green period more because of his brilliant guitar playing) nobody can deny the songwriting is quite strong and melodic, and most of the songs will immediately sound familiar to those of you (fortunate) enough to not tune in to the radio every often. For those of you who DO listen to the radio all the time, you're probably sick of most of these songs, and rightfully so.

So yeah, it's a good enough album filled with plenty of good, recognizable songs. As for some other (better) pop bands of the 70's, check out bands like 10cc, Big Star, Be Bop Deluxe, Electric Light Orchestra, and Badfinger. These artists are very talented and it's hard to believe they aren't more well-known among classic rock fans. You can change that though, by giving them a chance.

though not currently trendy, fleetwood mac was one of the great pop-rock bands of all time in its buckingham-nicks version. all their albums are worthwhile, but this is my favorite. song after song the emotional intensity, tight playing and infectious melodies never let up. it didn't hurt that the romantic relationships between several band member were in limbo -- if anything it added to the edge behind the lyrics. matching c. mckvie, buckingham and nicks songwriting prowess with the peerless pop rhythm section of mcvie and fleetwood, fleetwood mac was unstoppable in its heyday.

Rumours is eminently listenable. Recorded in inimitable 70's style: limited bandwidth and high headroom. The songs are catchy and quickly executed, without any extraneous flourishes or detours. The result is an album that can be listened to for hours without any diminishing of enjoyment. In spite of the brevity of the songs, they are long on autobiographical references. This combination of bouncy pop and earnest commentary prove to be a winning combination. Throw in excellent musicianship, and you have all the makings of what it ultimately became: a classic.

While I'm not usually a huge fan of simple pop-rock, I will make an exception when one makes as amazing music as Fleetwood Mac managed to do with their 1977 release of Rumours. This album is aboustely amazing, every song, well except for I Don't Want To Know, but that's it for non-five star songs. I have heard a lot of people say they are sick of hearing this album, and it has been played on the radio a lot, featured in lots of best of lists, and is still in the top ten best selling albums ever list. There is a reason why it is up in all those lists. It is aboustely great, there are so many songs on it that are aboustley great. No One overplays a crappy album, so play this album as much as you want, I seem to can't stop playing it, and I don't mind.

Fleetwood Mac was a strange band that was hard to categorise, impossible to pigeonhole. Soaring harmonies, optimistic lyrics, some kind of Renaissance Faire for the mind. Lindsay brought up the game. This is another group I didn't thoroughly appreciate when they were around, but have gone back to rediscover.

Genres can be pretty demeaning. Just look at the genre for this album, as it's labeled "soft rock". Soft rock is usually one of the biggest genres to be labeled muzak (also known as elevator music). That's a little appropriate, as crap like Air Supply is some of the blandest, soul less crap ever made. But this? I really don't think so. While you can put anything on speakers, I really find this album something you can chew on. They may not have any sense of rocking, but who needs that all the time?

The thing that makes this album have more real messages is the turmoil. When Rumours was recorded, there was a lot of turmoil in the group. Actually, wikipedia has a lot explaining this, but since I won't write it, you can check it out yourself. Take my word for it.

If you know me, however, you know that lyrics are always the second priority. While songs in general go hand in hand with the lyrics , you must at least have good music to at least express something, even just wanting us to get the _______ up and dance. I though this was the best part of this album. The music is compelling enough. It definitely wouldn't stand on it's own, it's not the primary focus), and it needs lyrics. The great thing is that they can go together. The hopeful vibe of Don't Stop comes out in both elements, resulting in a great song. Songbird does it with the lyrics reflecting the mood of the piano. You'd be suprised how this band can do things like this. Fleetwood Mac often get lumped as tripe, muzak, or boring, shallow music. After listening to Rumours, I disagree. While Don't Stop was beat into the ground, the radio hits always played, and the lack of grabbing, loud music, it may be easy to say that. However, It's far from the truth. Remember the turmoil going, and listen to the music. If you are looking for ANYTHING half loud, don't touch this album. If you know that intense doesn't always equal emotional, than your chances of liking this are better.

Take a listen. If your a guy, and think this kind of stuff is what sissies listen to, than be that way. Life won't be as great for you.

10/10

It's refreshing to purchase an album that is not "Greatest Hits" wherein every cut is terrific.

In 1977 I was eight and far too young to appreciate this slice of ubitquitous AOR southern Californian pop-rock. Now, at 38, I should be old enough. Yet this still leaves me cold. It's only a matter of taste, and clearly millions disagree with me, but this music doesn't make me FEEL anything except tedium. There is one exception: Go Your Own Way is undeniably a decent song. And that great bass riff on The Chain DOES still sound great and brings back happy memories of watching Grand Prixs on tv when I was a kid (it was the theme music in the UK).

Otherwise though, to me, this is a bunch of coked-out, self-satisfied musicians coasting on automatic, who fully understand that safe, bland songs like these have the potential to bring in pots of cash. There's nothing remotely ambitious about these songs: they're custom-made for undemanding ears who want some light background entertainment while driving to work or washing the dishes. There's nothing wrong with that in itself - there's a demand for undemanding music and we all want a bit of background diversion from time to time. And that's about all that can be said for it, really.

Fleetwood Mac got the last laugh. They could have churned out these songs in their sleep, yet they made them multi-millionaires. Good for them. Being successful has rarely had much to do with creating interesting music.

If you listen to this classic, mega-selling album today, you can easily see why it was so well received in the mid-70's, even smack in the middle of the disco craze. The musicianship and harmonies are excellent; indeed, all interworkings of the performances are tight, but smooth, not forced, as if every band member was enjoying his or her contribution. The songs propel themselves forward with a bright energy. The voice of Stevie Nicks is magical, as you would expect. Lindsey's vocals and guitar work are nothing short of superb. Just check out the variety of sounds he generates in "The Chain" and "You Make Loving Fun". (I single out these 2 members because their work hits home for me more than that of the other 3, but ALL members are giving their best on this album.) And, the band unintentionally (perhaps?) gives us an indication of where we are in the mid-70's, and where we are headed. The first cut, "Second Hand News", is a happy, sunny song about the joys of casual sex, which reflects society's attitude in this time before AIDS existed. BUT - in the final cut, "Gold Dust Woman", we hear about a girl with a habit, who has to "...pick up the pieces and go home...", signaling the close of the 70's when rehab became "home" for a lot of us, or else we began to hide out from AIDS, financial troubles and an increasingly threatening world situation. Just as people in the 30's sought refuge from The Great Depression by watching fluffy musicals, "Rumours" was something to help us through an era of change.

This DVD is a very good mix of music from a very good album. The surround sound is very complimentary to the original music, only more so. You will experience much more fullness and clarity due to the "separation" factor the 5.1 format allows you to experience. Bring on some more albums!

Thirty years ago this coming March, this album came into my life. Thirty years of listening to it and I am still thinking to myself, "Wow...this is incredible music..." Isn't it funny how certain things come into our lives and then we can't seem to remember the times when they weren't there?

I love this album. From the moment I first heard this album in its entirety, I knew that this would be a "keeper". I made a promise myself to never get so old that I wouldn't enjoy this music. And even though my hairline has gone up and back while the rest of my body has slowly gravitated south, I still love this music. Perhaps I love it even more because now I can fully appreciate it and be grateful that I was introduced to stuff like this.

You would think that those "Classic Schlock" stations (where they play 50 classic rock songs ad nauseum)would've made me want to stop listening to "Dreams", "Go Your Own Way", "Don't Stop" and "Gold Dust Woman" but everytime they're on the radio, I'm singing right along with the band. I do think this is probably why I have never made the leap to CD with this album because the "best of" this particular recording is always on the radio...which is good...which is real good because the way things are with music these days, I hear very little that will stand the test of time. I don't envision myself 55 years from now sitting in a loaded Depends diaper asking the convalescent nurse to put on Dr. Dre or Limp Bizkit for me, but I do see an aged hand, that was once young and tan, reach for this classic 1977 album just like I have reached for it over and over and over again in the last thirty years.

It's weird getting older. It's strange seeing gray come onto a "field" that once was "toe-head" blonde or looking in the mirror and realizing that the creases that are on my face today weren't there yesterday, that after two beers, I'm out like a light, but it's a good thing. It's a very good thing. I was young. Youth was wasted on me like it's wasted on everyone, but age really makes me appreciate what I was given to be the person I am now and this recording is one of them.

Peace and Blessings, you young "whipper-snappers"

A hard-core jazz fan from the Bop era, I'll make an exception for this amount of rock. In fact, Rumours, The Dance and The Best Of have aged extremely well.

If there's anyone between the ages of 40 and 60 today that isn't thoroughly familiar with this album, then they're either insane or have been living in a bomb shelter since the 1960's. A lot has been made over time of the breakups of the personal relationships within Fleetwood Mac and how it influenced the music. No question, that is true. But this is a different point of view regarding this album. What's more interesting to me is how the music, plain and simple, shines. Just listening to the first 30 seconds of "Second Hand News" puts a smile on your face, in spite of its less than optimistic message. And in spite of its downer theme, "Go Your Own Way" rocks happily along, as does "I Don't Want To Know". So what does this mean? That the band sought the escape through the music and was using it to heal, not vent. The bandmembers, to a person, were not mourning and whining; they were licking their wounds and moving on. How else could the message of "Don't Stop" shine through so clearly? The dark tones of "Dreams", "The Chain" and "Gold Dust Woman" represent more of Stevie Nicks' personal musical styling than anything else. As a Canadian, I can't help but subscribe to the theory of Marshall McLuhan - "The medium is the message" - and by selecting such positive music, Fleetwood Mac produced its greatest success by giving us hope in their darkness. "It'll be better than before/Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone".

They say passion fuels the fire and this album is a perfect example of that. The McVie's marriage was coming to an end, the Buckinham/Nicks relationship also. And it's all displayed so wonderfully here...failing relationships form the backbone to pretty much every song here - the song titles alone indicate where the songs are headed. I can't imagine what it must have been like recording this album - having to work alongside the person that you no longer love. And so it goes - the songs are akin to a game of tennis, one songwriter fires a shot, only to find it returned with a blistering volley. The album opens with the high tempo "Second Hand News" and the energy is maintained through to "Go Your Own Way". The tempo drops for "Songbird" and via superb sequencing "The Chain" follows - starting with just a drum and a couple of guitars it builds to such a superb crescendo that it was used by the BBC as the theme song to their Formula One Motor Racing coverage. The quality songwriting and musicianship is maintained throughout the album. One of the most important albums ever recorded.

A great album for anyone and eveyone, which truly captures the essence of not only the 70's but Fleetwood Mac itself falling apart at the seems. Great songs such as "Go Your Own Way" and "The Chain" make this a must for any record collection!

In my opinion Rumours from Fleetwood Mac is one of the biggest albums of the 70's. The 10 songs on this CD are outstanding. In my opinion this is one of the best CD's of all time. Stevie Nicks does a very good job on Dreams. I really didn't know what the words were until I looked at the liner notes of the song. She gives this song good vocal performance. You Make Loving Fun is my favorite song on this CD. Christine McVie does a wonderful job of singing this song. I love the beats of the songs Don't Stop and Go Your Own Way. The CD starts out with the song Second Hand News which is a very nice up-tempo song by the group. Never Going Back Again is the shortest song on the CD but a very good song. The Chain has very good harmony vocals on it also. The CD ends with Stevie Nicks singing Gold Dust Woman, A haunting theme to it. Fleetwood Mac went above and beyond when they recorded this album. Good Job!!!

Fleetwood Mac's second album since Buckingham and Nicks joined in 1975 is the legendary "Rumours" that is commonly regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time and it's also one of the most sold. It spent 31 weeks on top of the Billboard charts, not surprising that it was nominated album of the year in 1978. This is certainly the album to have if you like Fleetwood Mac. Now, what makes it so special?. Other then that it's packed with great songs, both album songs and hit singles, it is also a album that is profoundly personal and deals with, everything from Love, Heartbreak, Emotion, Jealousy and Remorse. As we all know, there were 2 couples in the group. Nicks/Buckingham and Mcvie/Mcvie and the relationship were coming to an end during the recordings of this album, but still they decided to continue to record together as proffesionals and the result of all the feelings involved is this album, "Rumours". A flawless 1977 masterpiece.

It all starts with Buckingham's "Second Hand News". This riff driven simple pop/rock song is that kind of song that really grows on you with time. It's a song about being forgotten after the end of an affair. Stevie Nicks's "Dreams" is one of the most famous 70's songs and obviously Mac songs aswell. A simple, but yet mystic song with beautiful melody and great lyrics "Thunder only happens when it's raining
Players only love you when they're playing". Sly Stone apparently played the piano here!, It reached #1 on the billboard hot 100 chart. The Corrs later covered it, but it's nowhere as good as the original. "Never Going Back Again", another Buckingham song with simple melody and good riffs. Only 2 minutes but beautiful. Christine McVie's penned "Don't Stop" is one of the most rocky songs here. A duet between her and Lindsey. Needless to say, one of their best and biggest hits. Buckingham's "Go Your Own Way" is perhaps the song that sums up the album best. This folkish song deals with it all.

"Songbird" is a great Piano Ballad from Mcvie. Although it may be one of the least known it's a beautiful song nonetheless. "The Chain" with a Southern-rock inspired sound was a song written and sang by all members, it's one of many good one's. "You Make Lovin Fun" from Mcvie, another classic with Southern Cali Pop sound, Piano and great guitars. With lyrics like " I never did believe in the ways of magic,
But I'm beginning to wonder why", It's perhaps one of the most happy songs of the album. "I Don't Wanna Know" a duet between Nicks and Buckingham is a easygoing pop song and Mcvie's "Oh Daddy" is a melancholy ballad almost in 80's style. "Gold Rust Woman" from Stevie Nicks is the closer. It deals with her drug problems in a very personal way, the song itself is blues-rock and was later covered by Hole, but once again, Not close to the original.

Overall, A true classic. After listening through it, you can easily understand why it's of the finest albums of our time. Not only it got loads of great songs it's also a very personal and confessional album and with 3 top class songwriters and singers it's pretty diverse. This is overall, their best album, but if you are new to Fleetwood Mac and want something from the Buckingham/Nicks era, start with the album from 1975 called just "FleetWood Mac", it's almost as good but also the first with new lineup. As for this album, it's a must have for any music fan.

Fleetwood Mac is a powerhouse of talent, musical gifts, and not least of all, emotional turmoil. "Rumours" showcases why Fleetwood Mac is so spectacular and why they have it all -- the powerhouse rhythm section of drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, the quirkiness of Lindsey Buckingham, the elegant musical stylings and graceful keyboard/piano playing of Christine McVie, the etherealness of Stevie Nicks. The 1976 Rumours collection was their lives laid bare for the world to see and this enhanced version is even better than the original. For alternate takes and demos, look for the expanded edition which has a bonus CD. If one CD should be in any collection, Rumuors is it.

Every single song is a hit in my opinion. One of those enduring classics and a must have for any rock fan. Stevie Nicks has an incredible voice. My faves are The Chain and Never Going Back Again.

This has got to be one of the best Albums ever put out. I bought this many, many moons ago. I still have the original Album I bought when I was a teenager and have now bought the CD. I listen to this all the time and it will never go out of style nor lose its freshness. Fleetwood Mac is not only a Vintage group, but they set the path for so many other artists.

As countless people before me have written and said, this is undeniably one of the greatest albums put out by any rock band--ever. I played it endlessly when I was in junior high--so much so I practically wore the grooves off the record! I got the CD early on and after so many years in my CD collection this remains one of my favorites.

Yes, the band was going through some tough times when they produced this music--and maybe that DID help them to produce such a great set of songs here. However, despite all their internal struggles, you'd just never know of it by simply listening to the songs, the overall smooth flow of the song set, and the electricity and energy of the songs and the way they are performed. The CD boasts numerous classic rock songs such as Christine McVie's "Don't Stop;" Stevie Nicks' "Dreams;" Lindsey Buckingham's "Go Your Own Way;" a song written by the band called "The Chain;" and a song I always liked personally, "Second Hand News" by Lindsey Buckingham.

The quality of the sound is excellent, even after all these years of playing this CD on several different CD players. I love the way the liner notes are so nicely done. You get great photos of the band and the lyrics are there along with the song credits.

This CD remains-and will remain-as timeless as the best of the best of the rock CDs. The songs deal with relationships between lovers as well as the entire range of emotions that come about when people are in love, together or be it unrequited. Indeed, Q magazine included this album as one of the "Best Relationship Albums Of All Time." When you listen to this album and the incredibly thoughtful way with which the songs are performed it will truly touch a nerve in you!

This CD is highly recommended for fans of rock, pop, and classic rock. If you fit into one of these fan groups, as I certainly do myself, you can't go wrong with this CD.

I bought the DVD Audio version, created by Fleetwood Mac's old engineer Ken Caillat. He did an excellent job tweaking the songs, and the songs really shine in this format.

As for the album itself, it does not sound dated, despite the fact that we've heard the songs on the radio for the past 30 years. Later Mac albums suffer from overproduction, which give them a definite '80s feel, but Rumours escaped this fate. Okay, the harmonies are a bit California '70s, but they're beautiful, so who cares? Heartfelt, authentic music so rarely made these days.

This is a fantastic album, and it shows in quality. Problem with that, tooooooooooo much radio play made this gem a COMMERCIAL sucess, I would rather hear Dreams every now and then instead of every day, if you know what I mean. Highlights for me on this album, You Make Loving Fun, love the keyboard, guitar, bass, hell the whole band on this number, best song on this album. Always thought Nicks was overrated, always liked McVie better, but what do I know. Anyways well worth getting, just too bad it gets played too much.

Rumours to this day continues to be in the top 5 of albums sold.
When Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the group, the history of Rock changed forever.
Buckingham and Nicks were in LA starving. Buckingham came to the attention of Mick Fleetwood who asked Buckingham to join as their guitarist.
Buckingham would only join if Stevie Nicks was allowed to join as well.
Fleetwood consented and the rest is history.
Rumours is chocked full of hits.
Dreams by Stevie Nicks was a major hit for the band and had considerable radio time.
Never Going Back again is a personal favorite of mine with Lindsay Buckingham and his acoustic guitar. It is a very catchy tune.
Go your own Way is a song to Nicks from Buckingham as they were in the process of breaking up.
Christine McVea and her haunting version of Songbird was a concert finale for the band.
The Chain is another great song with exqquisite harmonies.
Another very good song from Christine McVea is You make loving Fun which also did very well commercailly.
Gold Dust Woman ends the album on a very strong note.
I never tire of this album.
If you were to buy the top 10 classic albums of all time, you would have to include Rumours.

I have never been a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac but a great album deserves to be praised. I own this album and their Greatest Hits on cd. When I put my favorite FM songs on my i-pod, what do ya know, the majority of them came from Rumours. This album was released in 1977 and has sold over 18 million copies to date in America alone. The songwriting is excellent and there is a lot of variety, certainly helped by the fact that most of the members can sing and write songs. The production and instrumentation are also very good. Other than the hits, and there were many, I really like Oh Daddy, and Gold Dust Woman. But The Chain is still my favorite track on the whole album. I think the 70s was simply the best decade for music. Bands (and record companies!) were not afraid to experiment. I also recommend the DVD Classic Albums - Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (1977). Rumours: Four and a half stars!

This is one of the few albums that I can listen to from beginning to end on a regular basis. Very few albums don't have a true miss on the line-up. Sure, I have my favorites, but there is truly not a bad song on the album. It is a piece of rock history that will never go away. It is a timeless classic.

Fleetwood Mac was a band that got a great deal of attention in the 70s and 80s. Rumors had at least song from each band member!

Right from the start, you get the sense that this album is about love lost, love regained, and the pain in between. "Secondhand News" is a boppy song that had a guy pleading for his girl to take him back, even if it's only for an occasional roll in the hay. Dreams has Stevie singing about the ups and downs of love - "when the rain washes you clean, you'll know."

"Never Going Back Again" has guitar work that I really enjoy, and again its happy, upbeat tune seems to try to add a happy face to what is in essence a very sad song - "Been down one time, been down two times - never going back again." The next song, "Don't Stop" is more upbeat, and tries to say that tomorrow will be better.

"You Can Go Your Own Way" is a sad song of breaking up, but again looks at the bright side. It's just the way it is, and life has to go on.

But if I had to choose a real favorite here, it is "Songbird". When I was growing up, this was very meaningful - it really seemed to say that no matter what the troubles, you could look for that silver lining.

I could go on and on. Each song has its own poignant message. Yes, you can call them easy-California-pop ... but these songs weren't invented by some sort of a recording studio. This band was really going through the traumas involved. "If there's been a fool around, it's got to be me," they sing in "Oh, Daddy" - and they mean it.

For millions of fans, we understand completely what they're saying.

There seems to be a lot of breaking up of marriages in rock music, from richard and linda thompson to exene and john doe. So it only makes sense that one of the most famous seventies bands stayed in form, with two couples breaking up in one band. The only catch is that they make heartbreak sound like so much fun. Yes this album gets overplayed and probably sounds better to less worn out ears, but rumours still stands on its own merits. rumours is the ultimate california rock album.

Rumours~ Fleetwood Mac is a musically wonderfull album with the amazing vocals of Stevie Nicks and the muisicianship of John McVie (Bass), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitars and vocals), Mick Fleetwood (Drums, Percussion) and Christine McVie (Keyboards, Synthesizers). I would have loved to see what kind of equipment they used during the recording but this is unfortunately missing. The lyrics are quite good but can get a pit "simple" at times and they sing in many times about love and this seems a bit redundant. The major problem with this album is not the lyrics, the music or the vocals, but the terrible book-let which looks like a highschool project and the photographs look grainy but one has to realize that the technology back in the 70's was quite primitive and they did what they could with what they had. Even so the album gets 4 out of 5 stars since on the whole this is what it deserves.

I was surprised to find that of my DVD-A purchases, this album was among those that benefited most from the new format. The multiple channels were used to great effect and added strong new dimensionality to the music. Not among my favorite albums, but among my favorite DVD-A's. A great listening experience.