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Kiln House
Kiln House is the fourth studio album by British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 18 September 1970 by Reprise Records. This is the first album after the departure of founder Peter Green, and their last album to feature guitarist Jeremy Spencer. Christine McVie was present at the recording sessions and contributed backing vocals, keyboards and cover art, although she was not a full member of the band until shortly after the album's completion.[3] BackgroundThe album title is taken from the name of a converted oast house in Truncheaunts Lane, near Alton in Hampshire. The house was leased by the band, who lived there communally with their families for a six-month period in 1970. Mick Fleetwood married Jenny Boyd at the house on 20 June 1970.[4] Spencer, who played on only one track during the recording of the previous album, Then Play On, played a much more active role during the Kiln House sessions. His retro 1950s homages and parodies dominate the album, although Danny Kirwan's songs are almost equally prominent.[5] Spencer was particularly influenced by rockabilly and music from the Sun Records record label.[6] "Buddy's Song" is a cover of a song first recorded by Bobby Vee in 1963, which itself was a partial cover of "Peggy Sue Got Married" with new lyrics listing a number of Buddy Holly song titles. The song is credited to Buddy Holly's mother, who received the writing credit after Buddy's funeral from the original composer, Waylon Jennings.[3] Fleetwood Mac's cover of "Hi Ho Silver" was based on a recording titled "Honey Hush" from Johnny Burnette's Rock and Roll Trio.[6] Johnny Burnette's nephew, Billy Burnette, later joined Fleetwood Mac in 1987.[7] An early version of Kirwan's instrumental "Earl Gray", entitled "Farewell", was later released on the compilation The Vaudeville Years.[8] Five days before they were set to depart for their American tour, the band asked Christine McVie to join Fleetwood Mac. Following five days of rehearsals, the band left for America on 26 July. McVie said that the band was met with apprehension for about 20% of their performances, particularly amongst those who missed Peter Green. "I think the audience are wondering what we are going to be like. Before Peter ran the band. Now there is no leader, we just take turns. Obviously, some of the people miss Peter's guitar playing. But then, the sound is different now and other people have said that they don't even notice he's missing."[9] Spencer recalled that the album and ensuing tour were met with hostility in the UK.[6] However, Kiln House was received much more favorably in North America, where it peaked at No. 69 on the Billboard 200 album chart on 7 November 1970[10] and No. 67 in Canada's RPM Magazine, December 19, 1970.[11] At the time, Kiln House was Fleetwood Mac's best-selling album in the US.[6] Critical receptionRobert Christgau thought that the band released a respectable album despite the absence of Peter Green. He said that Spencer's "Blood on the Floor" was "less charitable than one would hope", but was more complimentary toward "This is the Rock".[2] Beat Instrumental described the band as a "mighty fine unit" without Green and highlighted the "nostalgia for the fading 'fifties" that permeated through Spencer's compositions. They also thought that "Station Man" and "Tell Me All the Things You Do" exemplified the band's "multi-guitar work".[12] In a retrospective review, Bruce Eder of AllMusic wrote that the album lacked the intensity found on some of their previous work with Green, but said that the album instead "broaden[ed[ the band's use of blues into other contexts, and add[ed] new influences in the absence of Green's laser-like focus."[1] Track listing
PersonnelFleetwood Mac
Additional personnel
Production
Charts
References
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