Say You Will

Fleetwood Mac | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 15, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• Copy Protected
• ASIN: B00008PW3Q
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  DVD Audio  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (458 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,975 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. What's The World Coming To

2. Murrow Turning Over In His Grave

3. Illume (9/11)

4. Thrown Down

5. Miranda

6. Red Rover

7. Say You Will

8. Peacekeeper

9. Come

10. Smile At You

11. Running Through The Garden

12. Silver Girl

13. Steal Your Heart Away

14. Bleed To Love Her

15. Everybody Finds Out

16. Destiny Rules

17. Say Goodbye

18. Goodbye Baby

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Given their overarching history, Fleetwood Mac's 15-years-after studio reunion seems as unlikely as their initial, era-defining nova of success. Even cynics leery it's just another geezerfest payday should find this stripped-down edition of le Mac Classique (singer/songwriter/keyboardist Christine McVie opted out) bristling with a wealth of fresh, ambitious musical ideas. The responsibility for that creative renaissance rests squarely on the delicate shoulders of Lindsey Buckingham, more involved and motivated than he's been in any Mac project since the monumental Tusk. His crypto-folk structures and adventurous, Brian Wilson-inspired sonic textures are anything but predictable, illuminating "Miranda," "Red Rover," "Come," and even the mildly pedantic harangue "Murrow Turning Over in His Grave." With Christine McVie's poignant pop sense out of the mix, Stevie Nicks steps up with solid songcraft that rises beyond "Ilume"'s expected folk-mysticism to encompass other melancholy, age-defying feats like "Silver Girl," "Smile at You," "Goodbye Baby," and the title track. That duet with Buckingham argues that their vaunted creative axis may have lost its personal friction only to spin ever freer. And, like firm ground beneath the feet, it's too easy to take for granted the legendary Mick Fleetwood/John McVie rhythm section that gave the band its very name. Cut to its core dozen tracks, it's an album that easily stands comparison to their mega-platinum past. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

2003 album featuring both Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham, the first since 1987's triple-platinum Top 10 'Tango In The Night' & first release since 1997s 'The Dance'. The band also features John McVie & Mick Fleetwood plus guests artists, Sheryl Crow, Christine McVie, & Dave Palmer. This limited edition includes an exclusive bonus enhanced CD with four tracks, 'Love Minus Zero/No Limit', ' Not Make Believe', 'Peacekeeper' (live from AOL sessions), & 'Say You Will' (live from AOL sessions), along with behind the scenes footage, packaged in a digibook. Reprise. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A catchy but erratic effort, April 15, 2003

By 

Hejiranyc (Noo Yawk, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Say You Will (Audio CD)

Nobody was more excited about the prospect of a new Fleetwood Mac album in 2003 than me, so even if the Mac put out a relatively "bad" album, it would still have been alright because it is "The Mac," as I have always known and loved them. But if they had put out a phenomenal album, and if they garnered a new generation of admirers as well as the commercial success they so richly deserve, I would have been downright ecstatic. That said, I am very happy if not exactly ecstatic about the new album.

New albums by superstar rock artists entering the fourth or fifth (as is the case with the Mac) decades of their careers are not entirely scarce. Bands like CSN(Y), Yes, Boston, and the Rolling Stones continue to issue [bad] albums that usually prove to do little more than to tarnish their bodies of work and provide excuses to go on nostalgia tours. Then there are the rarer veteran artists who continue to create relevant, challenging music- like Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Patti Smith, etc. With "Say You Will," I can rest assured that the Mac belongs in the latter category rather than the former. This newest album has drawn comparisons to the Mac's legendary 70's output such as "Rumours" or "Tusk." But those comparisons miss the point entirely. As brilliant as "Rumours" was, it was a by-product of the lite-FM California sound at the time. "Tusk" was Lindsey Buckingham's reaction to punk and new wave. I can say with confidence that "Say You Will" seems to exist in its own timespace that stands apart from everything they have done in the past. While obviously taking cues from contemporary music and the Mac formula of triumphs past, on "Say You Will" Lindsey pushes the envelope in terms of production and arrangement. There is not a producer/musician/songwriter today who can create the orchestra of guitars that Lindsey has painstakingly framed around each of these songs. And where past Mac efforts may have sounded a bit too sweet or overproduced, "Say You Will" contains enough of a raw edge and space that keeps it from being too comfortable.

While the production and sonic texture push the envelope musically, the material is sometimes not up to par. Where Lindsey has been a solid, if not particularly profound songwriter in the past, his newest compositions are either very generic ("Miranda") or very abstract/impressionistic. There are quirky moments that actually work, such as "Red Rover," which is a fragmented sketch of a song, but is salvaged by Lindsey's layered production and virtuoso guitar technique. But other songs like "Murrow..." seem self-indulgent and unfocused.

Stevie Nicks's contributions also run the gamut from solidly sublime ("Say You Will," "Thrown Down") to subpar ("Everybody Finds Out," "Silver Girl"). But Nicks does manage to knock it out of the ballpark completely with the propulsive 80's rocker "Running Through the Garden," which is perhaps the strongest Nicks vocal since her "Rock a Little" days. Another song that gets better upon repeated listening is "Destiny Rules," with its haunting backing vocal arrangements and sparse arrangement. In general, Nicks's voice seems to have rebounded somewhat from the years of drug abuse and smoking. But her croaky, sheepish lower register is problematic. As such, some of her songs could have benefitted from a key change a couple of full steps higher.

In summary, this is a full, challenging, satisfying effort from the Mac. It is certainly not their best effort as a group, but it is definitely superior to their recent solo outings. As the old saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. If there is any justice in the world, this album will attract a new generation of listeners and sell a bazillion copies. But the main hurdle to that is the fact that it is simply too bold for total mainstream acceptance and does not feature any duets with Justin Timberlake and Michelle Branch.

40 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SAY WHAT YOU WILL, THIS ALBUM IS AMAZING!!, May 21, 2003

By 

FLOYD DMELO "elo4ever" (Cary, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Say You Will (Audio CD)

Too many people have misjudged this record by summing up their evaluations after a preliminary listen. With a jaw-dropping 18 song track list, this album needs to be played a few times before one can appreciate its brilliance. I, too was lukewarm when I first heard the album. Having had it for over a month, I can honestly say that it is one of the best Fleetwood Mac albums ever, second only to Rumours. I find myself wanting to listen to it every day, it's that good. Every song is a standout as if the album was a collection of greatest hits. Equally amazing is the excellent musicianship is in the band after all these years. Both Stevie and Lindsey are in fine form, vocally and musically and have written some of their best material ever. This is Fleetwood Mac's Supernatural and should go on to multi-platinum success. I'm willing to bet that this album will win big at next year's Grammy and American Music Awards.

With so many great songs, it's hard to pick favorites. However, Peacemaker, Say You Will, Murrow Turning in his Grave, Say Goodbye, Thrown Down, Flowers in the Garden come to mind. Peacemaker benefits from Stevie's gorgeous background alongside Lindsey's. A beautiful melody, it should be higher in the charts. An appropriate choice as the lead-off single given the tie-in to modern times and also because it's catchy and positively proclaims the Mac is back. The title track promises to be a big hit, especially in the crossover and country charts. This is the song that will draw audiences to Fleetwood Mac.

Of the two albums I was looking forward to, the other being Madonna's, I can honestly state that this is the better record. The harmonies and slick production are perfectly in sync with the mood and tempo of the songs. This album proves that FM is not content to ride on the coattails of their past glory. Though some songs have a characteristic FM sound, many others explore new areas, partcularly Lindey's Murrow and Come.

I own both the Special Edition and the DVD-Audio. The DVD-Audio is worth getting for improved clarity of the stereo mix but I found the 5.1 Dolby Digital performance to be lacking. The mix is bright and lacking in bass. I don't have a DVD-Audio player so I can't comment on the DVD Audio performance. The other misgiving I have is with the menus on the DVD Audio disc which don't allow you to pause or fast forward. However, the stereo performance more than makes up for the deficiencies. All in all, an awesome album and highly recommended in any format. I'll conclude with a listing of my top 5 FM albums::

1 Rumours
2 Say You Will
3 Tango in the Night
4 Tusk
5 Fleetwood Mac

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is why these guys are Legends!, April 16, 2003

By 

W. Jerry Brand "NEZHEAD42" (Carrollton, Ga.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Say You Will (Limited Edition) (Audio CD)

Hard core fans are gonna want the enhanced CD. No two ways about it. The bonus disc has enhanced video footage to be played on your computer. But the really cool stuff are the 4 bonus songs on the bonus disc. Love Minus Zero/No Limit is a Bob Dylan tune. When have you ever heard Lindsay Buckingham sing Dylan! Wow. This band is great. They have played together so long, that the interaction is effortless. They are also playing better than ever. Lindsay is soaring on guitar through out the CDs. Why doesn't he get more credit as a guitar god? Not Make Believe is an extra Stevie Nicks song. Some of her better writing and singing are on this album. I suppose her working stint with Sheryl Crow has paid off well. It really shows that Stevie has been working on her craft. Lindsay also draws the best out of her. Live versions of Peacekeeper and Say You Will round out the bonus disc. They were taped for a live AOL Session on Feb. 28th, 2003. Mick Fleetwood & John McVie prove yet again why they are one of the tightest and most complementary rhythm sections in all of rock. With these guys behind you, anyone would sound good. The dynamic of the band is a bit different from the past. Christine McVie is no longer part of the band, so all the songwriting and vocals are shared by Stevie & Lindsay. It makes for a very groovy album, full of surprises and rich textures of mood and sound. It is kinda like the feel of Buckingham/Nicks, but done by much more mature artists. It certainly IS Fleetwood Mac. You kinda don't notice that Christine is gone. This 18 track album is fantastic. Not a dud on the album. Now of course I just got it and I am still living with it, but I really do enjoy it. Lindsay orchestrates guitar part upon guitar part, like a modern day Brian Wilson. Any fan of Stevie, Lindsay or Fleetwood Mac, would be sure to enjoy this album. And go ahead and shell out for the enhanced edition. You'll be glad you did.