Although it made number ten in the U.K.,
Fleetwood Mac
's second album was a disappointment following their promising debut. So much of the record was routine blues that it could even be said that it represented something of a regression from the first LP, despite the enlistment of a horn section and pianist
Christine Perfect
(the future
Christine McVie
) to help on the sessions. In particular, the limits of
Jeremy Spencer
's potential for creative contribution were badly exposed, as the tracks that featured his songwriting and/or vocals were basic
Elmore James
covers or derivations.
Peter Green
, the band's major talent at this point, did not deliver original material on the level of the classic singles he would pen for the band in 1969, or even on the level of first-album standouts like
"I Loved Another Woman."
The best of the lot, perhaps, is
"Love That Burns,"
with its mournful minor-key melody and sluggish, responsive horn lines.
Mr. Wonderful
, strangely, was not issued in the U.S., although about half the songs turned up on its stateside counterpart,
English Rose
, which was fleshed out with some standout late-'60s British singles and a few new tracks penned by
Danny Kirwan
(who joined the band after
was recorded). ~ Richie Unterberger