Mick Fleetwood - The Visitor (1981) (LP) - €10,00

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The Visitor is an album by Mick Fleetwood, released by RCA Records in 1981. All the songs were recorded in Accra, Ghana between January and February 1981 at the "Ghana Film Industries, Inc. Studio" and produced by Richard Dashut, and were later mixed in various studios in England.

Two of the tracks were covers of Fleetwood Mac songs: "Rattlesnake Shake" was originally recorded for the 1969 album Then Play On, and "Walk a Thin Line" first appeared on the 1979 album Tusk. Peter Green sang lead vocals and played lead guitar on "Rattlesnake Shake", and was credited as Peter Greenbaum. George Harrison appeared on "Walk a Thin Line".

George Hawkins, who performs most of the lead vocals on this album, later appeared on the I’m Not Me album from 1983 as a member and co-lead vocalist of Mick Fleetwood’s Zoo. 

Recorded in Ghana in 1981, Mick Fleetwood's solo debut reveals more diversity and depth of feeling than any of Fleetwood Mac's multi-platinum monsters. Six of the tracks are not overt attempts at worldbeat, instead using a variety of West African musicians as sidemen, sidewomen, and, in the case of drum ensemble Ebaali Gbiko, sidechildren. 

Of these six tracks, several stand out. "Walk a Thin Line," written by Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, is an infectious pop song blending Adjo Group's enchanting backing vocals with guest George Harrison's lush 12-string and slide guitars. Another Fleetwood Mac veteran, Peter Greenbaum (aka Peter Green), accompanies a multinational percussion section for a remake of his "Rattlesnake Shake," originally found on Then Play On. 

Even the Buddy Holly classic "Not Fade Away" gets supercharged with a percussion ensemble made up of Fleetwood on drums and Lord Tiki and Adjo Group on hand drums and percussion. 

The West African tracks that make up the remainder of the album are pure pleasure. "Super Brains" is a funk instrumental with a groove James Brown would be proud of; "The Visitor" features a synthesizer soaring above and growling beneath the Ghana Folkloric Group's vocals and polyrhythmic percussion; and "Amelle" is a lovely finale that again showcases Adjo Group's vocals. 

An underrated gem, The Visitor rewards repeated listening and deserves a wider audience. 

Side one

1.  Rattlesnake Shake - 3:49

2.  You Weren’t In Love - 5:55

3.  O’ Niamali - 2:47

4.  Super Brains - 4:07

5.  Don’t Be Sorry, Just Be Happy - 4:24

Side two

1.  Walk A Thin Line - 3:19

2.  Not Fade Away - 2:22

3.  Cassiopeia Surrender - 4:34

4.  The Visitor - 4:05

5.  Amelle (Come On Show Me Your Heart) - 4:35

Personnel

• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion; water gong on "Don't Be Sorry, Just Be Happy"
• George Hawkins – vocals, bass guitar, piano, organ; guitar on "Walk a Thin Line"
• Todd Sharp – lead guitar, rhythm guitar
• Lord Tiki – hand drums
• Ebaali Gbiko – hand drums, backing vocals
• Accra Roman Catholic Choir – backing vocals
• Superbrains – percussion
• Adjo Group – vocals, percussion
• The Ghana Folkloric Group – vocals, percussion

Guest Musicians

• Peter Green – lead guitar and lead vocals on "Rattlesnake Shake", theme guitar on "Super Brains"
• George Harrison – slide guitar, 12-string guitar and backing vocals on "Walk a Thin Line"
• Ian Bairnson – lead guitar on "Not Fade Away", rhythm guitar on "Cassiopeia Surrender"
• Richard Dashut – additional percussion on "Rattlenake Shake"
• Sara Fleetwood – backing vocals on "Walk a Thin Line"
• Mike Moran – Prophet 5 synthesizer on "The Visitor"
• Andrew Powell – string arrangement on "Rattlesnake Shake" and "You Weren't in Love"

Credits

• Executive producer – Mickey Shapiro
• Produced by Mick Fleetwood and Richard Dashut
• Engineered by Bill Youdelman, Randy Ezratty, and Richard Dashut

Notes

Release:  1981

Format:  LP

Genre:  Pop

Label:  RCA Records

Catalog#  PL-14080

Vinyl:  Excellent

Cover  Excellent (Gatefold)

Prijs: €10,00