The remarks about PENGUIN being the rare sour grape in the Mac's large catalog are a tad exaggerated, for while it is by no means a masterpiece, it's unfair to call it a stinker. While Christine McVie & Bob Welch may have been the main creative guides during this period, PENGUIN was probably an attempt at a true group effort (which at this point was a sextet), for the songwriting & singing isn't strictly the work of McVie & Welch (though they do collaborate on one song); guitarist Bob Weston & vocalist/harmonica player Dave Walker (both added after the departure of guitarist Danny Kirwan) get a chance to shine here, too. Such democracy would hint at 1979's double album TUSK & like that epic, it's mostly hit & miss.

Walker's tune "The Derelict" is a country-based affair, complete with the banjo & harmonica (both done by Weston). As can be expected, the song is certainly no masterpiece, but it's a pleasant tune that closed out side one of the vinyl album. While Welch apparently did the singing on that song, Walker gets a chance to vocalize on a cover of Jr. Walker & The All-Stars' Motown classic "[I'm A] Road Runner". While such a gravel-voiced soul rave-up would seem like an odd choice with the proto-pop sound the Mac was exploring around this time, it comes off surprisingly well, sure to bring up any dull party. "Caught In The Rain" closes out the album & is an acoustic instrumental performed by Bob Weston with piano & an angelic chorus. Nice, but maybe an actual song with lyrics would have worked out better.

As for the Mac's main songsmiths, Bob Welch comes out the winner with 3 solo compositions & a collaboration with McVie, hinting at the promise that would be manifested when he went solo. "Bright Fire" is a slightly ethereal number with lyrics that are a bit hard to decipher, but the slightly Pink Floyd vibe the song gives off is very soothing. "Revelation" is a Santana-inspired rocker with guitar work worthy of Senor Carlos himself. The epic of the album (which is only 36 minutes long) is "Night Watch" & contains the soft-spoken voice you'd know from Welch's solo hit of "Sentimental Lady" (the Mac's version appeared on BARE TREES). The backing harmonies are an excellent lift from the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young rule book.

While Christine McVie would become quite a dependable songwriter in later years, I guess she was still easing her way in at this point, for she only contributes 2 of her own songs, both of which were probably not even her best ones at the time. The opening "Remember Me" is a light, feel-good number that breezes by in its 2 1/2 minutes without leaving much of an impression. "Dissatisfied" is better with a little Motown flavor of its own, especially with the overdubbed backing vocals by Christine. Mick Fleetwood's drums alone make you wonder if the band had brushed up on their Motown before recording this. The calypso-flavored "Did You Ever Love Me" (love the steel drums) is the McVie/Welch team-up & is apparently more Christine's work than Bob's for she sings lead with Bob Weston on this bittersweet "end of the affair" love song.

The Mac's choice of producer in Martin Birch (who worked as an engineer on previous Mac albums) was an odd one, for he had cut his teeth on albums by bands as hard-edged as Deep Purple & would eventually work with similar groups like Iron Maiden, Blue Oyster Cult & Whitesnake. But this was his first album as a producer I believe, so he hadn't yet found his specialty & I guess with PENGUIN, he wanted to be as less intrusive as possible. Like BARE TREES, Birch lets the music stay as it is with little sweetening & I guess the Mac was happy enough with his work to use him again on their second album of 1973, MYSTERY TO ME.

PENGUIN is certainly no creative wonder by any stretch of the imagination, but interestingly it became their first album to chart in the U.S. (peaking at a respectable #49), so something about it won over music buyers. For an album that was only recorded in a month (in January 1973, with it hitting stores 2 months later), PENGUIN has the sound & feel of it, making for an album that is pleasant while it plays, but only small parts of it are memorable. Musical band members would start again (with Dave Walker being the one to leave), but Fleetwood Mac seemed to take it all in stride, moving towards the recording of their equally transitional (yet superior) MYSTERY TO ME in a matter of months. In hindsight, PENGUIN is a good time-marker in the Mac's long career, but definitely not the bomb it has long been made out to be.


I guess I'm alone on this but....   March 29, 2001
dana huston (Midwest, USA)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

I really love this album. I like every song on it. Every music guide or reference I've ever seen does not rate it very high, but I think its fantastic musicianship. Drums, guitar, lyrics, etc I love it all and if you are in a mellow mood its a fantastic CD to throw on. Personally I think "Revelation" sounds like it could be Sting singing. If you like good, mellow music, check Penguin out.


The Mac hit a bump in the road...   January 24, 2004
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Don't get me wrong, there are some marvelous tracks here, and there are some of the worst Fleetwood Mac tracks I have ever heard on here.

Let's start with the marvelous. Christine's Remember Me and her Motown influenced Disatisfied. She also shares the lead vocal with Bob Weston(?) on the Carribean influenced Did You Ever Really Love Me? Welch puts in some great tracks as well such as Bright Fire and Night Watch.

The bad tracks on here are the ones sung by Dave Walker, I'm A Roadrunner and Derelict (the worst Fleetwood Mac song bar none).

The rest IMO are forgettable.

Bottom Line: The last to get from Fleetwood Mac's middle years.


A Solid and Tuneful Album   June 18, 2000
J. Collins
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Guitar Gods be damned, Fleetwood Mac had/has more to offer than blues licks and rock riffing. As their personnel roster fluctuated and the band searched for a cohesive musical identity, the songwriters in Fleetwood Mac never failed to offer (at least) a half-dozen unrefined, tuneful gems. "Penguin" is perhaps their least impressive album from the post-Green, pre-Buckingham/Nicks era, but it is still a very likeable and memorable collection.

Christine McVie's bluesy but uptempo "Remember Me" is an obvious standout, along with the shuffle-Pop of "Disattisfied." Her vocal lead on Bob Welch's Caribbean-flavored "Did You Ever Love Me" is one of her most affecting performances. Welch does himself proud on the shimmering "Bright Fire," and the frenetic musical drama of "Revelation." Guitarist Bob Weston's elegiac "Caught In The Rain" also has it's charms.

Dave Walker's contributions to this album are negligible...a hoarse vocal on the Holland/Dozier/Holland chestnut, "(I'm A) Roadrunner," and the inebriated blues original, "The Derelict." It's to the band's credit that they recognized him for the weak, regressive presence he brought into the group, and jettisoned him before the next album.

Aside from a few overlong musical excursions and lapses in sincerity, "Penguin" does not disappoint. And if this kind of tuneful Pop-Rock isn't enough to satisfy fans of the Green God, they need to clean their ears. Peter Green has an uncredited solo on the original B-side of this album.

-Mic


NOT THE BEST MAC'S ALBUM BUT "BRIGHT FIRE" IS ON IT.   February 14, 2007
bernard (paris, france)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

i basically bought that album because i'm a huge bob welch's fan, i think he was the best member that fleetwood mac ever had (except for peter green of course), and i thought that this one was not as good as "future games" or "bare trees" but still have maybe my all-time favorite mac's song ever "bright fire", typical from bob welch, very recognizable style, something californian about it cause it's very fresh and something about the 70's but most of all a beautiful melody that will live through the years and remain as magic as it's always been.