Fleetwood Mac
's debut LP was a highlight of the late-'60s British blues boom.
Green
's always inspired playing, the capable (if erratic) songwriting, and the general panache of the band as a whole placed them leagues above the overcrowded field.
Elmore James
is a big influence on this set, particularly on the tunes fronted by
Jeremy Spencer
(
"Shake Your Moneymaker,"
"Got to Move"
).
Spencer
's bluster, however, was outshone by the budding singing and songwriting skills of
. The guitarist balanced humor and vulnerability on cuts like
"Looking for Somebody"
and
"Long Grey Mare,"
and with
"If I Loved Another Woman,"
he offered a glimpse of the Latin-blues fusion that he would perfect with
"Black Magic Woman."
The album was an unexpected smash in the U.K., reaching number four on the British charts. ~ Richie Unterberger