This
Peter Green-led edition of the
Mac isn't just an important transition between their initial blues-based incarnation and the mega-pop band they became, it's also their most vital, exciting version. The addition of
Danny Kirwan as second guitarist and songwriter foreshadows not only the soft-rock terrain of "Bare Trees" and "Kiln House" with
Christine Perfect-McVie, but also predicts
Rumours. That only pertains to roughly half of the also excellent material here, though; the rest is quintessential
Green. The immortal "Oh Well," with its hard-edged, thickly layered guitars and chamber-like sections, is perhaps the band's most enduring progressive composition. "Rattlesnake Shake" is another familiar number, a down-and-dirty, even-paced funk, with clean, wall-of-sound guitars. Choogling drums and
Green's fiery improvisations power "Searching for Madge," perhaps
Mac's most inspired work save "Green Manalishi," and leads into an unlikely symphonic interlude and the similar, lighter boogie "Fighting for Madge." A hot Afro-Cuban rhythm with beautiful guitars from
Kirwan and
Green on "Coming Your Way" not only defines the
Mac's sound, but the rock aesthetic of the day. Of the songs with
Kirwan's stamp on them, "Closing My Eyes" is a mysterious waltz love song; haunting guitars approach surf music on the instrumental "My Dream"; while "Although the Sun Is Shining" is the ultimate pre-
Rumours number someone should revisit. Blues roots still crop up on the spatial, loose,
Hendrix-tinged "Underway," the folky "Like Crying," and the final outcry of the ever-poignant "Show Biz Blues," with
Green moaning "do you really give a damn for me?"
Then Play On is a reminder of how pervasive and powerful
Green's influence was on
Mac's originality and individual stance beyond his involvement. Still highly recommended and a must-buy after all these years, it remains their magnum opus. ~ Michael G. Nastos