Mr Wonderful – FLEETWOOD MAC***

Stop Messin’ Round/I’ve Lost My Baby/Rollin’ Man/Dust My Broom/Love That Burns/Doctor Brown/Need Your Love Tonight/If You Be My Baby/Evenin’ Boogie/Lazy Poker Blues/Coming Home/Trying Hard To Forget

Mr Wonderful was a quick follow up from major British late sixties blues band Fleetwood Mac. It was not quite as successful, commercially or critically, as its predecessor. (UK:10)

"Mr. Wonderful is fairly unexceptional, competent '60s British blues. The overall sound - as might be expected - is extremely similar to John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, with a touch more emphasis on guitars. In addition, the influence of Elmore James is almost too obvious - the album not only features Dust My Broom, but two or three other tracks that sound just like it. Not a bad album, but not essential either."

"Mr. Wonderful finds the band in a holding pattern. Basically, if you liked the first one, you'll like this one. All of the elements are there, the hard, Elmore James style blues, and the hopeful taste of things to come with the Peter Green songs. I still like it though, because even at their most basic, Fleetwood Mac were a treat for blues lovers. Not essential by any means, but not bad either."

"Too much prominence was given to Jeremy Spencer, and he didn’t deserve it. Half the tracks feature our man doing his Elmore James impersonations with the rhythm section and some horn arrangements. It is one thing to worship a hero, another to deliver a decent cover that brings something new to the music."

"Hot off the success of their debut, Fleetwood Mac's second album, Mr. Wonderful, continues the hard-driving electric blues that powered Fleetwood Mac. Many will note that this album fails to achieve the musical success of its predecessor, despite sticking to a familiar script. Mr. Wonderful does not flow as well as the group's first album and the tracks are not as powerful."

"Good, but too much Spencer and Kirwin stuff. The point of old Fleetwood Mac is Greeny with his wonderful bluesy voice and his unique guitar play."

"Its all straight ahead blues - not that there's anything wrong with that by any means - just a lot of the tunes seem a little lacklustre - no fire, no soul. You have to really love the blues to enjoy it. It's like listening to one song, over and over and over again. Really boring after the first couple of songs."