Mr. Wonderful [Remastered] - Fleetwood Mac > Reviews > Fleetwood Mac, Early English Blues

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	You hear one of the best British Blues Bands
Disadvantages:	None

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

If you like "Blues for Greeny" by Gary Moore then listen to the subject "Peter Green" playing the original music, although this album just features the title track "If You Be Me Baby". Others can be found on "Fleetwood Mac" the bands first album (The one with the Dog and Dustbin in an alleyway)

It is possible that Peter Green is using the same guitar on "Mr Wonderful" that Gary Moore used on "Blues for Greeny" as Peter gave or sold it to him

"Mr Wonderful" is the first album I bought, it sold me on the Blues.

I have this album on vinyl so it is up in my loft at the moment as many good albums are.

The track listing on the album you can buy nearly 40 years later are:-

1. Stop Messin' Round (Take 4) - probably one of the first blues
songs I ever heard, excellent guitar work, Peter on vocals with
some good piano and horn back-up

2. I've Lost My Baby - Slow Blues, Jeremy on vocals and a different
style of playing the slide

3. Rollin' Man - A fun song with lyrics you can read anything into,
good guitar too

4. Dust My Broom - An Elmore James classic, written by Robert
Johnson, Jeremy Spencer excels

5. Love That Burns - A really slow Blues the song is in my view
excellent even for non Blues fans, features horns and Peter on
vocals

6. Doctor Brown - Another featuring Jeremy Spencer, this is one of
the similar syle Elmore type songs

7. Need Your Love Tonight - Jeremy Spencer again but not the
usual slide this is more rocking on vocals too

8. If You Be My Baby - The first song on Gary Moores "Blues for
Greeny" shows Peters talent well, Gary Moore made it the first
song on his tribute album so it must be good, that concise guitar
work again

9. Evenin' Boogie - Good rocking music from all the band features
Jeremys slide guitar and some saxaphone

10. Lazy Poker Blues - Nearly all Blues lyrics are suggestive this
doesn't dissapoint, great song but the guitar playing is the thing
that makes this song for me

11. Coming Home - Jeremy Spencer doing what he does best

12. Trying So Hard To Forget - Another slow and thought provoking
song, you wouldn't think it came from the same guitar player who
played some of the other songs, the harmonica features, Peter
on vocals

13. Stop Messin' Round (Takes 1, 2 & 3) - Variations on the first track

14. Stop Messin' Round (Take 5) - Variation on the first track

15. I Held My Baby Last Night - More slide guitar, still good stuff even
now, Jeremy on vocals

16. Mystery Boogie - Slide guitar with horn backing

The Musicians of Fleetwod Mac at the time of "Mr Wonderful are:-
Peter Green (Greenbaum) - Lead Guitar and Vocals, Peter played in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers who also had Eric Clapton for whom he filled in for and subsequently replaced on his, Eric's departure. Jeff Beck also played for the Bluesbreakers.

Jeremy Spencer - Guitar and Vocals - He played Slide guitar as his thing in the band and played many of Elmore James songs, Dust My Broom being one of them from this album.

John McVie - Bass Guitar - Replaced Bob Brunning I believe, John is the only member of the original Fleetwood Mac left in the band today. John also married Christine Perfect from the band Chicken Shack, she played piano on some future Mac tracks

Mick Fleetwood the bands namesake was the drummer.

I personally love this music Peter Green is such an underated guitarist, in my opinion he is one of the best. His playing is clear, crisp and concise and definitely has a lot of feeling the rest of the band rise to Peters playing.

Thanks for reading.

© dvdsprks2 2007