Fleetwood Mac - Mystery to Me (why this album was not a huge seller)

I found a new favorite song on this record; it is called Believe Me. More on that below.  This album is  Fleetwood Mac's Mystery to Me.  This is their 5th album (8th overall) within a loosely defined string of records in the first half of the seventies, beginning in 1970 with Kiln House and runs to 1974's Heroes are Hard to Find.  This era of the band, of which many prefer, was what led up to their Mega Smash Hits era.  The dawning of that era coincided with the advent of of Lindsey Buckingham as guitarist and Stevie Nicks as vocalist, after Bob Welch departed the band in late 1974.  Today's record is Mystery to Me, the eighth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in 1973.  It is symmetrical, 12 songs, 6 on each side.  You will surely know the song called Hypnotized, an FM hit.  Many say this was Christine McVie's breakout record.  I do.  Try her vocals on Just Crazy Love.  Here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl0Z2hkwgyc&feature=relmfu

Or also this great gem called Believe Me - which has a nice Eltony Johnish feel to it. This was their last album to feature Bob Weston.  Most of the songs were written by guitarist/singer Bob Welch and keyboardist/singer McVie, who played major roles in moving the band's sound towards the radio-friendly pop/rock that would take them to the upper echelons of rockdom just a few years later.  This album sold but moderately and produced no hit singles, "Hypnotized" did become an FM radio staple for many years.  In the wake of the Buckingham-Nicks lineup's success a few years later, it later achieved Gold status in 1976.  This record has a great feel and sound.  The mix is clean and clear, but nothing too out front.  It reminds me of some Derek & the Dominoes work or perhaps Delaney and Bonnie (female vocals out front) in the way the guitar and vocals are layered so nicely.  Maybe this had something to do with it: it was recorded on the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio.  Try this live cut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2qwFdG9OY