Fleetwood Mac
Kiln House

THE REVIEW

In 1970, Fleetwood Mac, a renowned band representing the British blues scene, faced a turning point. Peter Green left the band, and the reins were, of necessity, taken over by Jeremy Spencer but especially by the genius of Danny Kirwan, who is often not even mentioned in the various line-ups of the Mac. In my opinion, he is one of the greatest songwriters that the land of Albion has ever had the honor of hosting. Thus began the recordings of "Kiln House"—a mixed album featuring the more vintage R'n'R influences of Spencer contrasted with Kirwan's elegant compositions. The album also marked the entry of Christine McVie (formerly of Chicken Shack and future wife of John McVie), who designed the cover and lent her voice for a track.

The opening "This Is The Rock" is all Spencer, a pastiche of 1950s rock'n'roll, followed by "Station Man," a track signed by Kirwan and Spencer that the band continued to perform live in subsequent line-ups. "Blood on the Floor," "Hi Ho Silver" always nod to the rock'n'roll beloved by Spencer, leading to a remarkable track by Kirwan, "Jewel Eyed Judy," a ballad that manages to show its claws in the choruses. Along with "Station Man," these are the most interesting tracks on side A.

Side B opens with "Buddy's Song," a tribute to Buddy Holly, followed by "Earl Gray," an instrumental by Kirwan, an enveloping sequence of chords and melodies created by overlapping guitars, creating a very clever texture (a gem). "One Together" reminds us that Spencer is still there with the Mac, and you can feel it. "Tell Me All The Things You Do," another track written—guess by whom?—by the great Kirwan. The melody lingers in the mind long after the track ends, a galloping representation of the early '70s period with engaging breaks. It closes with "Mission Bell," an epilogue of the album with Christine's voice. As mentioned earlier, the album marks an important turning point in the band's history, laying the groundwork for what was to come, particularly the next two albums with the arrival of Bob Welch and the compositions of Danny Kirwan.