Summary:The 1997 Grammy-winning album is reissued as an expanded and deluxe edition box set. The set includes live recordings from the 1977 world tour, outtakes from recording sessions, demos, and a DVD with the documentary, "The Rosebud Film."
Their finest album, 1977’s Rumours, addresses with heart and sharp insight the romantic disengagements and re-entanglements of the members in the free-spirited, free-love 1970s.
What makes Rumours so remarkable and relevant is that it remains fragile and passionate 35 years later.... From a historical, archival standpoint, this package is extremely valuable, as Rhino left in the studio banter and rough cuts from the recording sessions; you get to overhear Fleetwood Mac as they make the record.
If you're the kind of listener who has come to associate outtakes from classic albums with meagre, dryly forensic spoils, prepare to be very pleasantly surprised by Disc 3.... Rumours reminds us why we should continue to indulge them. [Mar 2013, p.100]
With its extra content engineered to appeal to collectors and casual fans alike, this is a justified addition to the many Rumours already making the rounds.
Every song is an open-and-shut case, a tightly-sealed, end-of-story work of pop-rock perfection. Which means items like discs of live material and outtakes are superfluous at best.
Rumours is like nostalgia that I never had. My parents never played this record when I was growing up and I wasn't raised in this album'sRumours is like nostalgia that I never had. My parents never played this record when I was growing up and I wasn't raised in this album's generation. I only recently discovered this album in college, but it sounds and feels like something I've been listening to all of my life. Rumours manages to suspend time for just a moment. It is beautiful, moving art that truly will make you a different person. Just close your eyes and listen to Dreams. It is marvelous. Stevie Nicks is a goddess.…Expand
Even though I didn't grow up in the '70s, this definitely deserved the Grammy for Best Album.One of the Greatest Rock Albums of All Time!
Even though I didn't grow up in the '70s, this definitely deserved the Grammy for Best Album. It is what makes Fleetwood Mac an awesome band. There is not a bad song on here, and each one tells a story. Go Your Own Way, Dreams, Don't Stop, You Make Loving Fun, The Chain, and Gold Dust Woman are the best tracks. In fact, it's most of their biggest hits. Along with other great songs like Songbird, Second Hand News, and Never Going Back Again, this album is just flawless. It is Fleetwood Mac's best and should be passed down from generation to generation. Even though Glee pretty much butchered these classics, it has given others a chance to discover the originals. Thanks for making this great music, guys. You rock!…Expand
This is a timeless album with timeless tracks. I cannot skip any song while listening to the album, they contain must-listen to attributes. IThis is a timeless album with timeless tracks. I cannot skip any song while listening to the album, they contain must-listen to attributes. I could listen to this relentlessly.…Expand
Rumours is one of the best albums ever written hands down. Every single song on that album is written with a balance of pleasentry and genuineRumours is one of the best albums ever written hands down. Every single song on that album is written with a balance of pleasentry and genuine lyrics that make it forever timeless.…Expand
Fleetwood Mac's 1977 Rumours album is an absolute delight. I have always been more attracted to the early to mid 80's music scene but thisFleetwood Mac's 1977 Rumours album is an absolute delight. I have always been more attracted to the early to mid 80's music scene but this late 70's album is definitely something special. Rumours is my joint favourite album from this band, alongside the impressive (if slightly overproduced) Tango In The Night released in 1987.
Second Hand News is a satisfactory opener to the album but nothing particularly special, 6/10.
Dreams is a brilliant Stevie Nicks track that is warm and mellow and literally very dreamy, 10/10.
Never Going Back Again is a slightly forgettable track and one of the album's weakest, 5/10.
Don't Stop is a bouncy and confident anthem track with a chorus that welds itself to your memory, 9/10.
Go Your Own Way is a feel good track with a superb riff on the electric guitar towards the end, 10/10.
Songbird is a simplistic but delicately sung ballad by Christine McVie, 8/10.
The Chain is a 2 in 1 song with superb chemistry (as usual) between Buckingham and Nicks, 10/10.
You Make Loving Fun is a pleasant tune with memorable lyrics, 8/10
I Don't Want To Know is a quite a playful number but not one of my favourites admittedly, 7/10.
Oh Daddy is a brilliant chill out song with vocals delivered superbly by McVie, 10/10.
Gold Dust Woman feels like something out of a western, again features more Nicks/Buckingham magic, 8/10.
A timeless classic, full stop. Time has been and always will be kind to Rumours with superb production values and superb variety.…Expand
Ah, the mid-70s: my least favorite musical era. Rock lost its edge, and FM radio became an instrument of torture, playing the bland pop tunesAh, the mid-70s: my least favorite musical era. Rock lost its edge, and FM radio became an instrument of torture, playing the bland pop tunes of Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles over and over and over, until listeners' ears wept blood. Now here we are at the 35th anniversary of "Rumours," and it's time for a reassessment. Was the "soundtrack of 1977" truly as lightweight as I remember? The answer is: yes and no. Listening to the old songs, as well as the live versions, demos, and early takes, I realize how heterogeneous the band was most of the time. On songs by Stevie Nicks and (most of the time) Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac sounds like a skilled back-up band, adapting their sound to the singer-songwriter's aesthetic. Only on the one song written by the whole band ("Chains") and on a couple of songs by Lindsey Buckingham do I hear much real collaboration. Compare the Nicks and McVie demos (not that different from final versions) and the Buckingham demos (quite different), and you'll see how much more involved and sophisticated was Buckingham's use of his bandmates' musical strengths during the recording process. In the final analysis, I don't like most of the Nicks and McVie songs, which sound to me as silly and sentimental as they did in the 70s. But, 35 years later, I rather like "Chains" and "Go Your Own Way," which have a ferocity I didn't appreciate when I was hearing them two thousand times a month.…Collapse
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