Fleetwood Mac Tusk (Vinyl 2LP) * * *

Despite having extra-large shoes to fill as the follow-up to the group's landmark 1977 release Rumours and an unprecedented $1 million recording budget, Fleetwood Mac's ambitious and experimental 1979 double album Tusk further showcased the songwriting prowess and musical direction of Lindsey Buckingham and chart dominance with the title track and "Sara." Drawing comparisons to the Beatles' White Album for its artistic scope and sprawling nature, the wonderfully eclectic and drug induced Tusk may not have been as commercially viable as Rumours, but it's no matter. The album stands as a brave and uncompromising statement from a band with one of the most intriguing interpersonal dynamics of all-time. And as Priya Elan of NME aptly noted, "The subversion of what was expected after 'Rumours' and the creative space it created also gave the band (and primarily Buckingham) reason to continue making music in Fleetwood Mac for the next decade."