Then Play On
| Fleetwood Mac
Then Play On
Then Play On is the third studio album by British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 19 September 1969. It was the first of their original albums to feature Danny Kirwan and the last with Peter Green. Jeremy Spencer did not feature on the album apart from "a couple of piano things" (according to Mick Fleetwood in Qmagazine in 1990). The album, appearing after the group's sudden success in the pop charts, offered a broader stylistic range than the classic blues of the group's first two albums. The album went on to reach #6 in the UK, subsequently becoming the band's fourth Top 20 hit in a row, as well as their third album to reach the Top 10. The title is taken from the opening line of William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night "If music be the food of love, play on".-Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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All Music
Still highly recommended and a must-buy after all these years, it remains their magnum opus.
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Pop Matters
Hands in the band’s strongest numbers at this point in time.
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Sputnik Music
Peter Green who shines the brightest throughout this album, the album’s consistency is thanks in large part to the contributions of Danny Kirwan, who is a much better fit
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No Rip Cord
Literally every song is compelling on some way, Fleetwood Mac took the blues to a whole new place,
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The Rising Storm
Retrospectively this can be seen to be one of the great transitional albums, marking the departure of one of rock’s guitar legends and the start of the first and longest of several turbulent periods for what would become one of rock’s institutions.
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Audiophile Review
That "One" album that is so good it stands up proudly along all the finest releases of its day
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Relix
Then Play On, in 1969, was quite possibly the most daring and diverse Mac configuration. Kirwan’s first full album and Green’s last with the band.
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Record Collector
Deserves greater acclaim. Perhaps now, restored to its original glory, it will finally get it.
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WAR Record Reviews
It's rarely offensive and occasionally entertaining.
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Blues Magazine
There is a commercial smell, but that does not mean that this album is still highly recommended.
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Robert Christgau
mixing easy ballads and Latin rhythms with the hard stuff, and forgot about it. Much, much later I tried again. Well, it's an odd amalgam but very good.
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Starling
This atmosphere is indeed something unique and unprecedented
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Icon Fetch
This album contains an equal amount of passion, yet is also full of deep spirituality.
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PPCorn
He high point of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac. The band effectively mixed other styles into their bluesy sound.
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EW
The last of the band’s Green-era records, Then Play On is also the most musically adventurous of their early efforts. Highlight: Green’s nasty ”Oh Well.”
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Elusive Disc
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.
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Kentucky.com
It is a spellbinding coda to Fleetwood Mac's most underappreciated triumph.
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Tower Records Ireland
Possibly the greatest white blues band ever to emerge from the '60s blues revival
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Buddy Guy
Peter Green played the blues like a man four times his age during the 60s. He kept the music authentic, pushing the envelope to see how far it could be delivered.
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Slacker
Not only defines the Mac's sound, but the rock aesthetic of the day.
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Captain Stomp
A hot Afro-Cuban rhythm with beautiful guitars from Kirwan and Green
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Oldies
Green had an unusually lyrical style for a blues musician, able to draw on flamenco, folk, even classical guitar--all of which make an appearance in the ambitious instrumental coda.
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Daily Vault
Fleetwood Mac was capable of so much better. This is definitely a "for the diehard fans" disc these days. Rating: C
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Clems Music Review
If you could only choose a few Fleetwood Mac albums to have on a desert island - this one would should be in your top three, at least.
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The Walrus Music
A huge step for the band. Green decided that while sticking to their blues roots, why not dabble in progressive rock?As for the sound, it’s fantastic.
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Isra Box
The album s powerful mix of blues and rock includes standout tracks like "Rattlesnake Shake," "Searching For Madge" and "Coming Your Way."
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Telegraph
Fleetwood Mac were shaping into something very special on this musically expansive, soft edged, psychedelic blues odyssey
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The Moon Underwater
What he achieved has left an indelible mark on the music industry.
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