Bare Trees (1972) - Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British/American rock band formed in London in 1967 by the singer and guitarist Peter Green. The name "Fleetwood Mac" comes from Green's combination of his bandmates names drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie. Following Green’s departure in 1970, Christine McVie (John McVie’s wife) joined as a full-time keyboardist and vocalist. The band underwent a significant transformation in 1974 when Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined, shifting their sound toward pop rock. This change propelled them to international fame, especially with the release of Fleetwood Mac (1975) and Rumours (1977). Over the decades, the group experienced various breakups, reunions, and departures—including Buckingham's 1987 exit, Christine McVie's 1998 departure and 2014 return, and Stevie Nicks' decision to end the band following McVie’s death in 2022. The bands longevity and creativity brought them worldwide success, such as Grammy awards, an induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and over 120 million records sold.
The sound of these early Fleetwood Mac albums is very unexpected. The perception of the band comes from their 1977 Grammy Album of the Year "Rumours." With a very elegant pop folk sound, it drastically differs from the roots of Fleetwood Mac's music. For the first 10 years of the band, they created these elegant and groovy blues albums. Music that dives into the roots of a lot of the rock music so many of us have come to love. Music that pays tribute to the greatness that came out of Chicago in the 40s and 50s. With the addition of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Knicks to the band, the sound changed drastically, as they altered the direction of their sound towards pop.
On the third track "Homeward Bound" has a very similar beat style to "All Day and All of the Night," just that one song is soft blues and one is garage rock. The track was written about Christine McVie's life on the road and how she longed to sleep in her own bed. Then comes the poetically named track "Sunny Side of Heaven." A mystical and elegant instrumental that gives us the feel that we are walking through the clouds with no worries to bear. The title track picks up the pace with a groovy sound accompanied by lyrics that portray themes of loss and the passage of time. Christine McVie leads vocals on "Spare Me a Little of Your Love" and brings a soulful and elegant sound to the end of the album.
With the end of the band in 2022, the members are still out and about performing. Stevie Nicks delivered a booming performance earlier this year in Los Angeles at the Fire Aid benefit concert. She has nine shows scheduled later this summer with the closest being in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood reunited in the studio in April for a new solo album the release of which could be expected by early 2026.
Grass Blade Magazine gives Fleetwood Mac’s 1972 Bare Trees 7.5/10.
