Fleetwood Mac – Mirage

Regarding the album itself in my opinion "Mirage" is fairly underrated and "Tango in the night" way overrated. It has indeed a couple of bad to mediocre songs, but the majority of the album range from known classics to good songs on their own. As per the media, British 1982 version is not thick vinyl, but perfect mastering, near 0 surface noise, no skipping. If found in good conditions, is a catch.

I’ve always been more of a Bob Welsh/Danny Kirwan FM guy, but this record is amazing. Very subtle and tasteful production by LB, but with enough new tricks (for the 80s) to keep you interested. Great songs and singing and playing by everyone. Pressing is flawless!

What an awesome albeit unrated album. So many memorable songs and great production. The original cd release that I have is very low volume to its detriment. Not because of the sound quality but because most dont want to have to crank up the volume. Great vocals great guitar work etc ...

Great sounding LP. Very good EQ. Bass is great, and not just by early MFSL standards. Guitars are cutting. Vinyl dead quiet. Really nice sound.
Not to mention that as of now MOFIs are skyrocketing in price and collectibility... snag em now. I got most of the old ones in 2013,14 & 15 and I’m glad I did!

Not as fussed for this remaster as I have been with their earlier catalogue. Compared to other pressings of the same title, this is about as good as it gets.

This pressing and mastering is superb.
What VALUE!!!!
looking for a reference/demo pressing on the very cheap(read value)??....

amazing sound , just buy it if you want this album and look for the right pressing .. that´s a keeper

Fleetwood Mac explored musical innovation on their previous album, "Tusk", but "Mirage" is a return to the traditional pop rock song structures of "Rumours", albeit with country leanings and perceived lack of substance. Lindsey Buckingham's glossy production and intricate guitar, bass and drums layering is endemic, even the remarkable Stevie Nicks cuts "That's Alright", "Straight Back" and "Gypsy" are sonically and lyrically cohesive with the rest of the album, despite the newfound solo star confidence. "Mirage" is an outstanding collection of songs, imbued with raw emotion and meticulousness, and although it cannot compare with its predecessors, therein lies the point: it isn't either of those albums, and it should not be judged for its shortcomings in that respect. Lindsey Buckingham's comprehensive, elaborate distillation of pop may have lost its off-kilter tension, but there is no reduction in his virtuoso musical prowess; without question, the album is a tour de force on every conceivable level. Each composition registers aurally as sheer bliss, and the amplified, cascading sounds throughout the album are so expansive and melodic that, as with "Rumours" and "Tango In the Night", it is entirely addictive to simply extract and isolate the extensive sonic minutia, individual instrument tracks and lilting harmonies operating in the background.

Since its release, "Mirage" has become unfairly maligned by critics, and although the soft rock aspects of Fleetwood Mac's conventional approach are more pronounced and intentional, the album is far too expertly crafted to deserve to be viewed in contrast to the intense mastery of what had gone before. It may not be recognised as an integral part of their varied discography, but in my opinion, the album is in desperate need of reappraisal as being at least comparable to "Tango in the Night" in terms of merit, i.e. a less iconic, ambitious and powerhouse record, but an atmospheric, reflective feat of musical expertise nonetheless.

I am of the belief that "Mirage" is a masterpiece in its own right, an analogous assemblage of anguished country western romanticism, evoking sincere palliative warmth and tenderness, feelings that not many albums manage to conjure in the listener. It is quite simply one of the most soothing records that you will ever have the privilege to hear. I will never tire of it, even its refined and prevailing essence elevates its quality; these saccharine elements, but also the album's synthesis and depth, render it even more aurally pleasurable to me. I deem it to be one of those essential records that nobody else adores but you personally could listen to endlessly and still enjoyably discern nuances that you had previously overlooked.

Rating: 5/5

This is an album whose original (1982) incarnation took years to grow in favorability. So it's a revelation to hear that there is actually a very good Fleetwood Mac album buried under the layers of Lindsey Buckingham's obsessive-compulsive overproduction. Here, that album can be found on the second disc. Nearly every song is stronger in early form than the finished album version, none more obvious than the radio single "Hold Me," which makes infinitely more sense in structure and lyrical content as here, in its "Early Version." The outtakes are also very good; a potential Stevie Nicks epic-which-could-have-been, "Smile at You," is a treasure. Even the tedious "Oh Diane" is stronger in early form. In sum, another obvious example that more money does not make for better art; Fleetwood Mac needed a limited budget and an aggressive label rep to limit their studio time and make them wrap it up much, much earlier.

First CD release 1983. Target design (Silver and Red) Martix/Runout variant: 7599 23607-2 2893 024 04