Behind the Mask (album)

Last updated

Behind the Mask
Fleetwood Mac - Behind the Mask.jpg
Studio album by
Released9 April 1990
Recorded1989–90
StudioThe Complex (Los Angeles, California); Vintage Recorders (Phoenix, Arizona).
Genre Rock
Length54:26
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Greg Ladanyi, Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac chronology
Greatest Hits
(1988)
Behind the Mask
(1990)
25 Years – The Chain
(1992)
Singles from Behind the Mask
  1. "Save Me"
    Released: March 1990 [1]
  2. "Skies the Limit"
    Released: July 1990 (US)
  3. "In the Back of My Mind"
    Released: August 1990 (UK) [2]
  4. "Hard Feelings"
    Released: October 1990 (US) [3]

Behind the Mask is the fifteenth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 9 April 1990. It was the first album released by the band after the departure of guitarist Lindsey Buckingham (although he did play acoustic guitar on the album's title track). He was replaced by Billy Burnette and Rick Vito, both guitar players, singers and songwriters. Fleetwood Mac thus became a six-piece band with four singer/songwriters.

Contents

The album was not as successful as its predecessor, Tango in the Night , nor did it spawn any big hit singles, although "Save Me" made both American and Canadian Top 40, while "Love Is Dangerous" and "Skies the Limit" enjoyed some airplay. [4] Though Behind the Mask barely reached the US Top 20, the album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 1 [5] and achieved platinum status there. [6] Following the album's release and subsequent world tour, band members Stevie Nicks and Rick Vito left the band, though Nicks would rejoin in 1997. The song "Freedom" was written by Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell. Campbell would join Fleetwood Mac in 2018. [7]

The cover for the album was created by photographer Dave Gorton. He stated that the band did not wish to appear on a front picture and Mick Fleetwood himself suggested that he create an image that "spiritually symbolised" the band instead. [8] The cover earned a Grammy nomination in 1991 for "Best Album Package". [9]

The original CD release for the album was one of the first to be encoded with the CD+G format, which allows graphics to be shown on a TV screen in time with the music, such as pictures and lyrics. [10]

Background

In 1987, shortly after the release of Tango in the Night , long-time guitarist/vocalist/producer Lindsey Buckingham had left the band. For the accompanying tour, the band recruited Billy Burnette and Rick Vito to replace him. Once the tour wrapped up, Fleetwood Mac went into the studio to record two new songs for their Greatest Hits compilation album, released in 1988. The new members got the opportunity to record a full album in 1989 when the band began the Behind the Mask sessions. [11]

In need of a new producer, the band first selected Don Gehman, who had produced for John Mellencamp and R.E.M. The initial sessions did not work out, so the band instead hired Greg Ladanyi, who previously worked with Don Henley on his solo albums. Ladanyi was suggested by George Hawkins, who played and sang on Mick Fleetwood's first two solo records. [12] Although Buckingham did play acoustic guitar on the title track, Behind the Mask deviated from the ornate production found on earlier Fleetwood Mac albums in favor of adult-oriented rock. As noted by Nicks, the album was easier to record compared to their other work. "It's not that we didn't take as much time, it's more that the time that we did take was quality time. So it therefore did not seem to take nearly as long." [11] The band spent around eight months making Behind the Mask. [13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]

The album received mixed to negative reviews. AllMusic retrospectively gave the album 1.5/5 stars, their lowest rating of any Fleetwood Mac album, calling Buckingham's departure "a severe blow" for the band and saying that "the songs are among the least inspired the band ever recorded." [17] Other critics, however, praised the new line-up. The Los Angeles Times gave the album 3.5/5 stars, commenting that "[w]ithout Buckingham's obsessively unique vision, the group has embraced an all-for-one, one-for-all attitude for what sounds like the most truly group effort since Rumours, or perhaps even since 1972's Bare Trees ." [15] Rolling Stone rated it as 4/5 stars, claiming that "the addition of Rick Vito and Billy Burnette is the best thing to ever happen to Fleetwood Mac" and that "[n]ot since Rumours has Fleetwood Mac recorded pain so unwaveringly and sounded this together." [16]

Track listing

Behind the Mask track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Skies the Limit" Christine McVie, Eddy QuintelaC. McVie3:45
2."Love Is Dangerous" Rick Vito, Stevie Nicks Nicks, Vito3:18
3."In the Back of My Mind" Billy Burnette, David Malloy Burnette, C. McVie7:02
4."Do You Know"Burnette, C. McVieBurnette, C. McVie4:19
5."Save Me"C. McVie, QuintelaC. McVie4:15
6."Affairs of the Heart"NicksNicks4:22
7."When the Sun Goes Down"Vito, BurnetteBurnette, Vito3:18
8."Behind the Mask"C. McVieC. McVie4:18
9."Stand on the Rock"VitoVito3:59
10."Hard Feelings"Burnette, Jeff Silbar Burnette4:54
11."Freedom"Nicks, Mike Campbell Nicks4:12
12."When It Comes to Love"Burnette, Dennis Morgan, Simon Climie Burnette, C. McVie4:08
13."The Second Time"Nicks, VitoNicks2:31
Total length:54:26

Personnel

Fleetwood Mac

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Behind the Mask
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [39] Gold35,000^
Germany (BVMI) [45] Gold250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI) [46] Gold50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [47] Gold25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [48] Platinum300,000^
United States (RIAA) [49] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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