Kiln House

Fleetwood Mac - "Kiln House" (1970) - Reprise Records

Hello Friends,

Kiln House is Fleetwood Mac's fourth LP and first of the 1970's, a decade which they would eventually dominate.   The album is more evidence that early Fleetwood Mac is one of the most underappreciated and overlooked bands of the late 60's and early 70's.

Kiln House is a transitional album for the Mac.  Its their first without founding member Peter Green, who left the band in May 1970 to pursue a solo career, drop lots of acid and slowly start going cuckoo-bananas.  Guitarists Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan pick up most of the songwriting and lead vocal duties.  This would be Spencer's last gig with the band and soon after the album's release Christine McVie (née Christine Perfect) would become a full-fledged member.  (In addition to some piano parts and background vocals, McVie would also be responsible for the album's cover art!)  This would also be the last Mac album before the Bob Welch-era of the band. 

Confused?  You probably should be!  Its a more complicated family tree than a "best of" episode of The Maury Show!

To add to the charm and confusion, Kiln House has blues and early Rock & Roll in its foundation but nearly every song has a different sound and feel to it, making it sound more like a mix tape and less like a cohesive LP.  Although, one thing that it absolutely doesn't sound like is the more pop-oriented Fleetwood Mac sound that would follow.

• The album kicks off with Jeremy Spencer's rockabilly shuffle, "This Is The Rock" which sounds vaguely McCartney-ish.  Good opening track.   

• The bluesy, guitar-driven "Station Man" sounds like a cross between something by Delaney & Bonnie and The Band.

• "Blood on the Floor" is a tounge-in-cheeky country-blues lament by Spencer that wouldn't feel out of place on Sweetheart of the Rodeo or on a Burritos Brothers' record.

• The Fats Waller / Ed Kirkeby-penned, "Hi-Ho Silver" is a sneering, raucous delight. 

• The crown jewel of the record is Danny Kirwan's awesome, "Jewel-Eyed Judy"--  a soulful pop "gem" which sounds more like something from Big Star or Badfinger.  

• Side Two kicks off with the Buddy Holly tribute, "Buddy's Song" (writing credit here is given to Holly's mother, Ella, but actually its a "Peggy Sue Got Married" cover with lyrics made up of Holly songs titles.)

• Kirwan's subdued instrumental, "Earl Gray" follows.  A nice follow-up their earlier recording of "Albatross".

• The chameleon-like Spencer is back on "One Together" a ballad reminiscent of something on Workingman's Dead.  (In a good way!)

• Electric guitars are back in a big way on Kirwan's hard rocker, "Tell Me All The Things You Do" (as are the wah-wah pedals!)  Can't understand how a song like this wouldn't dominate early 1970's FM Radio?

• On the ghostly final song, "Mission Bell", Jeremy Spencer seems to be doing his best Buddy Holly impression on vocals on this update of the Donnie Brooks rockin' oldie from 1960.  (both versions after the jump)

"Higher than a mission bell... stronger than a magic spell..."  Spencer would leave the band right after this record and join the Children of God cult-- a hippie/religious group formed in Southern California in 1968 by a guy named Moses David.  The cult is still around today, known as The Family International (TFI.)   Here's a webpage in case you're interested.  Sounds like a bunch of weirdos! 

RATING: 4 Jeweled-Eye Judy's out of 5