A little over a month ago, we got a sneak peak at the new “Just Tell Me That You Want Me,” an all-star compilation paying tribute to the iconic Fleetwood Mac. We heard renditions of classics such as “Future Games” reinterpreted by MGMT and “Silver Springs” by Lykke Li. The album was officially released in Starbucks across the country on the 14th. If you haven’t had the chance to stop by one of the dozens of Starbucks within the five mile radius of your house (or if you’re not a resident of the U.S.), you’ve lucked out, as the entire album is now available for streaming.
New standouts include Antony of Antony and the Johnson‘s goosebump inducing rendition of “Landslide” and The Kills version of “Dreams” is stripped of any dreaminess and is more of a lament. Listen to the entire stream below and be sure to tell us your favorite in the comments section.
Check out the official website for the compilation to find out when it is being released in your area.
Here’s my track-by-track review:
It’s hard to screw up “Albatross” if you’ve got a competent guitarist, and the version on here is predictably pleasant, but unremarkable compared to the original.
I couldn’t stand Antony’s “Landslide”. Too pretty for me. I hate a constant vibrato on vocals as well.
I couldn’t tell you how “Before the Beginning” went before hearing this version. I couldn’t tell you how it goes afterward either. Pleasant enough while listening either.
It’s a shame that Billy Gibbons slowed down “Oh Well” because he could’ve made that into one hell of a barnstormer, but instead it’s merely pleasant again.
Also couldn’t listen through Best Coast’s “Rhiannon”. Supposed to be a moody, emotional song, but it was turned into sunny pop.
I love the New Pornographers’ take on “Think About Me”.
Marianne Faithfull does an affecting “Angel”, and I’d expect nothing less from her.
Lykki Li’s “Silver Springs” is how the song always should be. She does a great impression of Stevie Nicks’ vocals as well.
Karen Elson also does a good Stevie Nicks on “Gold Dust Woman” and giving it a slight country twinge really works for the tune. I’m not sure about the feedback-heavy ending, but it doesn’t hurt the song either, just makes it unexpectedly psychedelic toward the fade-out.
“Storms” was alright. It’s never been one of my favorite Fleetwood Mac tunes, but pleasant enough, and the same goes for this cover.
I’ve never been a huge fan of that “overproduced late-night dreamy 80s dance pop” sound outside a few Pet Shop Boys tunes, and unfortunately Washed Out’s version of “Straight Back” is that in a nutshell. Even more unfortunately, the vocals are echoed in such a way as to make them almost completely unintelligible, so the song relies entirely on its sound to save it. I’m sure some people will love this take since that style was hugely popular in the 1980s, but it’s not at all my cup of tea.
Tame Impala’s “That’s All for Everyone” feels like they’re trying to copy ELO’s synth-disco period sound. It is incredibly reminiscent of stuff like “Last Train to London” and “The Diary of Horace Wimp”, but without the excitement in song structure. It’s not a bad arrangement, it’s just a boring song to me. Pleasantly listenable, but definitely filler, and mostly forgettable.
I was not expecting a lite-industrial/synth pop take on “Sisters of the Moon”, but that’s what Craig Weirden and St. Vincent decided to do. It doesn’t work for me, but it’s definitely a unique take on the song. Well, let me rephrase that: it works on its own terms, but as a fan of the original, it doesn’t compare to Stevie Nicks’ version. It does make me curious about Craig Weirden’s other stuff, so it succeeds in that regard.
The Kills’ version of “Dreams” is utterly unique. I’m completely torn on it. Half the song I spent hating it. The other half of the song I spent loving it. The quality whiplash left me dazed and I had to take a few minutes and re-listen to the New Pornographers’ version of “Think About Me” afterward to clear my head so I could move on.
Gardens & Villa’s take on “Gypsy” was pleasant enough, but forgettable for me.
Turning “Tusk” into an electronic piece completely defangs it for me. The style works for some songs, like, for example, “15 Step” by Radiohead, but they know to pull out guitars and real drums for songs with this level of fury… and synthesized birds tweeting? What? Definitely the most WTF moment on the album, and not in a good way.
MGMT does a passable, dreamy, if sleepy take on “Future Games”. I’d normally complain about such heavily vocodor’d vocals, but they work for the mood of the track. Not one of their better songs, but still pleasant enough and listenable. More filler. Funny how that seems to happen with the lesser-known songs on this album. Perhaps they’re not forgettable takes, but it’s just that no arrangement can make these songs memorable?
“The Green Manalishi” was definitely one of the highlights of the Peter Green era of Fleetwood Mac, and instrumentally, this cover delivers 100%. The vocals seem a bit too alt-rock for the tune in my opinion, but the Entrance Band does a version that’s pretty great overall. I’d still rather go for the original, but this cover is more than respectable… especially the guitars. Fantastic guitar work.
Closing off the disc is HAIM’s version of “Hold Me” and it’s the right choice for the closer. It’s new but feels like an incredibly dated late 80s/early 90s take. Despite that, it’s solid and enjoyable.
The highlights of this disc are all sequenced in a row, starting with the New Pornographers’ “Think About Me” and ending with Karen Elson’s “Gold Dust Woman”. Aside from those, it’s a mostly listenable disc with a few cuts that just don’t work for me.
About average quality for a tribute album overall.