Rumours is the eleventh studio album released by Fleetwood Mac and the second featuring Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. The album was an instant commercial success sparking several singles including Go Your Own Way, Dreams and Don’t Stop. Following the original release the album has subsequently been remastered for various formats often with subtle song variations and lengths. In this review we will compare an original Canadian (BSK 3010) pressing and the more recent 2021 reissue cut by Chris Bellman.

Song Variations

The original pressing plays slightly faster than the 2021 Chris Bellman cut indicating different source tapes or at least different tape speeds during transfer. “Never Going Back Again” has an additional few bars in the middle part of the song and “Second Hand News” and “Gold Dust Woman” have extended outros on the 2021 reissue. Gold Dust Woman fades in on the original master but starts cold on the 2021 cut. It’s not clear what the 2021 version was cut from but it’s likely a more recent digital transfer.

Samples

The following vinyl recordings were captured using a Behringer U-CONTROL UCA222 played on an AT-LP5x turntable with AT-VM95ML cartridge and MoFi StudioPhono preamp.

Second Hand News

Original 1977

2021 Reissue

For the opening track the 2021 master is missing the high frequency sparkle of the original pressing which translates to a less open and energetic presentation. The gated snare has more texture on the 1977 pressing and the cymbal crashes throughout the chorus cut through the mix more convincingly compared to the more subdued 2021 cut.

Dreams

Original 1977

2021 Reissue

This is a more close run thing. The darker tones of this song suit the mastering choices on the 2021 reissue which has a bit more low-mid frequency detail and a more balanced presentation as a result. The 1977 again has more fizz up top so the guitar and drum parts have a bit more texture but overall I marginally prefer the 2021 master.

Don’t Stop

Original 1977

2021 Reissue

Again the 2021 cut has a richer bottom end which enhances the drum and bass guitar parts responsible for driving this track along. Dynamically the 1977 master is superior but the 2021 master is well balanced and slightly more natural. What you prefer will likely depend on your system and tastes.

Songbird

Original 1977

2021 Reissue

This track highlights difference in noise floor between the two releases. The 2021 reissue has less surface noise and clicks than the original from 1977 which could be attributed to age or it could be better quality vinyl or a bit of both. The vocal on the 2021 master sounds a bit more natural with slightly less distortion but there isn’t much to choose between them.

The Chain

Original 1977

2021 Reissue

The 1977 master sounds leaner than the 2021 cut which again sacrifices some sparkle in favour of rich lows and lower mids. The 1977 release has some extra snap on things like snare hits but the bass guitar riffs throughout have more texture and cut through better on the 2021 master, possibly due to additional compression which is evident. The 1977 cut is definitely the more dynamic overall although that’s not to say the 2021 master is a dynamic disaster. I can appreciate both of these presentations of an iconic song and for me there is no clear winner. The original master has lots of energy and is more alive but the 2021 master sounds richer and more natural in places letting the iconic bass guitar parts and drum fills really shine through.

You Make Loving Fun

Original 1977

2021 Reissue

Similar to Second Hand News, You Make Loving Fun sounds muddy on the 2021 master in comparison to the 1977 original. The song is more keyboard and guitar driven which really benefits from a livelier top end which is lacking in the 2021 master. As a result Mick Fleetwood’s hi-hat work in particular is severely subdued and the whole presentation feels lackluster compared to the 1977 master.

Oh Daddy

Original 1977

2021 Reissue

Oh Daddy benefits from the mastering choices on the 2021 reissue and is another song where clarity doesn’t seem to differ all that much between the two versions. Dynamics appear slightly better on the 1977 master but overall it’s a close run thing.

Summary

Rumours is a complex album spanning a range of different moods and styles. Each track has it’s own unique character and on the original release this is also true of the mastering and overall presentation. The 2021 reissue, like several of the subsequent remasters of Rumours, attempts to make the presentation of the album more cohesive which is detrimental to certain tracks but does benefit others.

It’s not entirely clear where the song variations have stemmed from but one could assume the original mastering engineer implemented edits such as the fade in on Gold Dust Woman based on instruction from the band and these have been ignored with subsequent remasters preferring to leave what is on the master tapes untouched. It’s nice to have both but if I had choose I would take an original which includes the songs as the band likely intended.

Which one do I prefer sonically? It’s really a mixed bag where the perfect scenario would be a track by track amalgamation of both. If I was to only have one it would be the 1977 original pressing. The real let down is the opening track on the 2021 reissue which needs to hook you in from the get go and it falls short in comparison to the original pressing which is dynamic, lively and full of captivating energy. The 2021 cut redeems itself as the album progresses but it never really outguns the original substantially enough to make it my go to. The original master isn’t the most cohesive and some songs would benefit from a bit more juice in the low-mid frequencies but it is overall the more interesting and faithful presentation for this iconic album.