Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours

1. Second Hand News - Tonic

2. Dreams - The Corrs

3. Never Going Back Again - Matchbox Twenty

4. Don't Stop - Elton John

5. Go Your Own Way - The Cranberries

6. Songbird - Duncan Sheik

7. Chain - Shawn Colvin

8. You Make Loving Fun - Jewel

9. I Don't Want to Know - The Goo Goo Dolls

10. Oh Daddy - Tallulah

11. Gold Dust Woman - Sister Hazel

Tracks:

Second Hand News
Dreams
Never Going Back
Don't Stop
Go Your Own Way
Songbird
The Chain
You Make Lovin' Fun
I Don't Want To Know
Oh Daddy
Gold Dust Woman

Customer Reviews:

Not enough effort made to "own" these songs by artists here.......2005-02-21

A tribute album is a tough thing to pull off. You don't want slavish copies of the artist being feted: after all, you already HAVE those versions of the tunes, right? But ideally you want enough of the original still there that you can hear what's being celebrated, albeit perhaps viewed from a different angle.

Too much of this CD, unfortunately, suffers from near note perfect renditions. Admittedly, an album as acclaimed as _Rumours_ has been through time is a difficult task to re-render. But versions on here by Jewel ("You Make Loving Fun"), Tonic ("Second Hand News"), and Tallulah ("Oh Daddy") don't veer far from the Fleetwood Mac takes on the songs and end up pale imitations.

Duncan Sheik rewworks "Songbird" with strings but the orchestral sweep and a dispassionate vocal performance leave it wanting. A "phoned it in" vocal from Shawn Colvin makes "The Chain" one of the CD's debacles.

Best cuts on here are the funereal "Never Going Back Again" by Matchbox 20, which makes Lindsey Buckingham's defiance now seem more like bitterness. "I Don't Want to Know, for me, was always one of the weakest cuts on the first album and benefits from the Goo Goo Dolls more amped up guitar treatment. The Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan invests her nasal voice with some vigor and a crisp band performance help make it one of the better ones here.

Bottom line: This is one you can easily do without..

These Covers Don't Capture the Emotion of the Original.......2004-10-02

In general, when it comes to tribute albums - I usually am disappointed. However, when I heard that a tribute album for Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" was available - I was intrigued. I always felt that this particular album would lend itself well for covers. Plus I heard that Mick Fleetwood was going to be producing it - so I was sure that this was going to be a big hit. As for how this album stacks up, the best way to sum it up is to say that some songs are covered well - and some songs are not covered well. One of the most interesting things I find about this collection is that some of the weaker tracks on the original actually stack up better. While this isn't a terrible album, from an overall standpoint, "Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours" still falls short to the original 1977 classic.

With the exception of Elton John, most of the artists that perform the covers are "90s" or "Alternative Rock" artists. It is clear to be that part of the direction that this is going to have the songs of Fleetwood Mac covered by these type of artists. Part of the problem why this particular collection doesn't approach how good the original collection was is that the original collection was built on emotion. I think you have to be prepared to embrace this album from the point of view that this collection is being done by 90s artists. The story of Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" is well documented. During this time, Christine and John McVie's marriage was falling apart - as was the long term relationship between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. One common thread I have noticed about the core members is that they tend to wear their hearts on their sleeve. When emotions ran high,Mac was at their best. The emotions that were running through the band were the catalyst for this effort. Although in the liner notes of "Legacy", Mick Fleetwood says that they 're-crafted the songs ... with inspiration and passion', it is almost impossible for this collection to match the original because Fleetwood Mac built "Rumours" using the emotion that was going on in their lives during that time.

The best way to look at this collection is to go through it song by song:

"Second Hand News" by Tonic: I hadn't much by Tonic before this album. I always thought that this was one of the weaker tracks on the original. Surprisingly, I think Tonic adds some new life into this song. The song has more of a beat and some terrific harmonies.

"Dreams" by The Corrs: On this song there is a real alternative as well as an Irish edge. This is typical of a lot of the Corrs' music. The music is nice - with some nice Bass work and Irish melodies. While I like Andrea Corr's vocals, they just don't fit with this song.

"Never Going Back Again" by Matchbox 20: This song has almost a "darker" sound than the original. Rob Thomas' vocals work well on this. Like "Second Hand News", some new life was brought into one of the weaker tracks on the original.

"Don't Stop" by Elton John: Elton John just doesn't belong on this album. They should have stuck with the theme of using 90s artists. This is one of those songs that doesn't come close to the original in terms of quality.

"Go Your Own Way" by the Cranberries: This sounds pretty much like I would expect the Cranberries to sound with the trademark Dolores O'Riordan vocals. It isn't bad, but doesn't stack up to the original because when Lindsey Buckingham sang it - it was sang from all of the experience he was having during his breakup with Stevie Nicks. While the O'Riordan is a good vocalist, she just can't capture the song from this angle.

"Songbird" by Duncan Sheik: I never was a fan of this song on the original. While many of the weaker tracks of "Rumours" are better on this collection, this one is not one of them. This song also does little to make me a Duncan Sheik fan.

"The Chain" by Shawn Colvin: The problem with this track is it is done by Shawn Colvin. I like Colvin's voice, but remember that "The Chain" was a song co-written by all of the members of Fleetwood Mac and really was a self-descriptive song of the band during this period. There were some terrific harmonies in the original. This song doesn't capture those harmonies.

"You Make Loving Fun" by Jewel: This was one of the strongest tracks on the original. This song really falls short. Jewel performs this song with a much slower tempo and it just doesn't work.

"I Don't Want to Know" by Goo Goo Dolls: This was a folksy sounding song on the original. With John Rzeznik's vocals - it sounds like a Goo Goo Dolls tune. I like the harder guitar edge they bring to this song.

"Oh Daddy" by Tallulah: Tallulah does an nice job, but still doesn't quite reach the level of emotion that Christine McVie reached about singing about her Father on the original.

"Gold Dust Woman" by Sister Hazel: This was the best track on the original and it remains the best track on this collection. Still falls a bit short of the original, but Sister Hazel does a very nice job covering this song.

There are no lyrics included with this collection. All of the credits are listed for each song - including a breakdown of the contributions of each band by instrument and vocals. Other than Mick Fleetwood's one line statement on how they re-crafted the songs, there isn't anything that talks about "Rumours". Most likely the "Rumours" fan will be disappointed greatly by this effort, but if you are open to the 90s style of music - you will be pleased by parts of this collection.

Kind of like a war...a few victories, a few bombs.......2003-05-12

First of all, it almost seems like a moot point to review a tribute album of this nature. It's like comparing Classic Coke to New Coke. There's just nothing like the real thing baby!

However, since several artists went through the trouble of attempting a tribute, let's take a look at the victors, the spoils, the casualties, and the outright bombs.

It's important to remember, nothing can touch the originals, but I had to admire the nerve of some of these artists stepping up to the plate to do something new and original with these songs. And, there are some who would slam a few of these artists for messing with the formula, but if you're not going to attempt something new with the original, why even bother to remake it.

There are a few winners on this album. First, I think the Corrs did an admirable job with "Dreams." The first time I heard it, I think I was a bit disturbed at how "pop" it sounded, but the more I listened, I realized they really did a loving tribute to the song. I like that they infused their own brand of pop into it in a way that didn't spoil the song. The violin is lovely, and though it does suffer just a bit for its bounciness, at least you can hear every word clearly which is a lot more than I can say for a few other attempts on this album. I also liked Matchbox 20's version of "Never Going Back Again." Yes, it is overproduced, but then Lindsey, himself tends to do that so much these days with his own songs. The beauty of the original was its simplicity. However, that would have been near impossible to duplicate with the same deftness that Buckingham was capable of. So, Matchbox 20 takes a very different approach and I think they pull it off admirably. Lastly, I think the Goo Goo Dolls do a very good version of "I Don't Want to Know." It carries the same spirit as the original while infusing it with the style that has come to be associated with the Goo Goo Dolls. At any rate, these three songs kept me from giving the album one star and almost pushed me to give it three stars.

There are a few stalemates on the album. Tonic's version of "Second Hand News", Jewel's Version of "You Make Lovin' Fun", The Cranberry's version of "Go Your Own Way," Shawn Colvin's version of "The Chain," and Sister Hazel's version of "Gold Dust Woman" aren't exactly praiseworthy, but they aren't horrible either. They all do the best they can with songs that really can't be touched. Again, it really just comes down to the fact that it's awfully hard to remake songs that already near perfection in their original state. The Cranberry's and Sister Hazel don't manage to add much that is new. Jewel at least comes up with a version that is infused with that Jewel sound, but it severely changed the mood of the song. Sadly, Colvin had the very difficult task of remaking perfection. "The Chain" is a rare song for Mac. It's a song where every single member wrote it together. Colvin was doomed here no matter what. She's still a worthwhile artist, but this wasn't the best choice for her. Out of this batch, Tonic and Jewel produce the best newer versions, but again, they really aren't standouts.

Now for the utter bombs of the album...

First, who the hell is Tallulah, and what the hell did she do to a perfectly bluesy Christine McVie entry? While "Oh, Daddy" wasn't massacred in the same way the next two songs I'll be mentioning were, it just wasn't even a worthy entry. I read another review in which Tallulah was called "a poor man's Jewel." I think that was generous.

Furthermore, it grieves me to have to slam two artists I generally love and admire, but Elton John and Duncan Shiek...what the hell were you thinking? First, I thought the premise of the album was to have up and coming artists remaking these songs as a tribute. So where the hell does Elton John factor into this? The guy is a legend, and here not only is the singing on "Don't Stop" completely unintelligible, but the whole version is downright abysmal.

And last but not least, Duncan Sheik's version of "Songbird" was in a word...horrible. I am a fan of Duncan Sheik and I was really anxious to see what he would do with this song, but also very nervous. The original version of "Songbird" is pure perfection. It's simplicity is its essence. Christine's version is so beautiful, heartfelt, and heartbreaking. Sheik, like Colvin, had the near impossible task of remaking something that was already perfect. This version just screams of "I'm really trying to do something different here rather than something heartfelt"...the string arrangement is bizarre rather than beautiful, and while Sheik's usually nasal voice works marvelously with his own work, it just doesn't work here.

You'll find this is an extremely uneven offering. But,let's face it, these are great, great songs and there are at least a few winners here to make it worth purchasing it used.

Dissappointment.......2003-04-13

As a casual fan of Fleetwood Mac, I thought this album had potential. As I listened to it, I realized how insulting this really is. Absolutely none of the songs do justice to the original versions. Elton John's rendition of Don't Stop, was particularly hideous. The Cranberries did a little better on "Go Your Own Way." Shawn Colvin managed to "loungify" one of the greatest songs ever written, "The Chain." By far, the best tribute on this album is The Corrs beautiful "Dreams." Tribute albums should reflect the passion the singer has for the artist they are honoring. This album does no such thing.

Rumours' legacy is preserved.......2002-11-19

One of the better tribute albums, coming as it did on the heels of Fleetwood Mac's The Dance, this is one of those that pays tribute to an entire album, and it does so in proper song order.
Not only that, but there are no play-it-safe versions that plague many a well-intentioned tribute album.

The female artists succeed more than the male ones, in particular the Corrs' "Dreams", Shawn Colvin's "The Chain", and Jewel's rendition of "You Make Loving Fun." Colvin and Jewel's vocal skills are assets that do not spoil the songs, plus there are minor variations from the originals. Dolores O'Riordan's forlorn and shrill voice and the heavier guitars add a new dynamic to "Go Your Own Way." No cranberry filler here. A slow drum beat accompanies "Oh Daddy" done by Tallulah, who sounds like a poor man's Jewel. However, it's Jewel who gets top honours for best female vocalist in this collection.

OK, now the male artists. A quick-tempo percussive beat introduces "Second Hand News," done by Tonic. The fuzz guitars are the main contribution here, as well as the roaring guitars near the end of the song when the chorus is repeated. "Songbird," originally done by Christine McVie, is done here by Duncan Sheik, accompanied by a string arrangement. It's passable, I suppose. There's a hybrid symphonic-synthesizer opening in Elton John's "Don't Stop." He comes through here okay, but given his legendary reputation, he could've done way better via the piano boogie. The Goo Goo Dolls give "I Don't Want To Know" an uptempo alt-rock treatment coupled by harder guitar treatment than the original. Finally, "Gold Dust Woman" done by Sister Hazel, that cross between Pearl Jam and Lynyrd Skynyrd, uses a sitar and dobro in places, giving a slight but not that noticeable Asian flavour. Heavier guitar once again boosts the song beyond.

Nothing compares to the originals, but it's the way they are done, whether the variations are subtle or pronounced, that make this album work. Now that's the way a tribute album should be, adventurous but still worthwhile. The quality of the songs here are better compared to other tribute albums and does not desecrate the memory of a classic of classics.

Legacy - A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours
Average customer rating:
Legacy - A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours
Tonic , The Corrs , Matchbox Twenty , Elton John , The Cranberries , Duncan Sheik , Shawn Colvin , Jewel , Goo Goo Dolls , and Tallulah
Manufacturer: Atlantic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000B6TKJA

Product Description

Legacy - A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac's Rumours // 1 Second Hand News - Tonic 3:31 2 Dreams - The Corrs 4:12 3 Never Going Back Again - Matchbox Twenty 3:45 4 Don't Stop - Elton John 4:39 5 Go Your Own Way - The Cranberries 4:02 6 Songbird - Duncan Sheik 3:26 7 The Chain - Shawn Colvin 3:39 8 You Make Loving Fun - Jewel 5:09 9 I Don't Want to Know - Goo Goo Dolls 3:37 10 Oh Daddy - Tallulah 5:10 11 Gold Dust Woman - Sister Hazel 6:37

Rock Music:

Rock Music