Before the Beginning: 1968–1970 Live & Demo Sessions
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| Before the Beginning: 1968–1970 Live & Demo Sessions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Box set by | ||||
| Released | 15 November 2019[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1968–1970 | |||
| Genre | Blues rock | |||
| Length | 213:43 | |||
| Label | Sony | |||
| Fleetwood Mac chronology | ||||
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Before the Beginning: 1968–1970 Live & Demo Sessions is a boxed set by the British-American blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 15 November 2019 by Sony Music.[2] Initially intended for release on 7 June 2019,[2] The album was finally released on 15 November 2019.[1]
Before the Beginning: 1968–1970 Live & Demo Sessions is a 3xCD (3xLP, but shorter) compilation of demos and live performances recorded spanning from 1968 to 1970, this album's music was recorded with the early incarnation of the band, and was therefore recorded before Christine McVie (then Christine Perfect) joined the band.[3] The liner notes of the set states the tracks are "undated, unlabeled, and recorded who knows where."[3]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| Record Collector | [4] |
Writing for AllMusic, Thom Jurek stated that "when paired with the music, the argument can easily be made for completists, though this collection should also appeal to any serious blues fan."[3]
In a Record Collector review, Terry Staunton said that it was "a joy to hear the lean and hungry enthusiasm of Mac’s rough edges, an earthiness that paradoxically makes an even greater impression after the digital polish the source tape has gone through". He also felt that the "youthful vitality of the playing illustrates a charming democracy, and tangible evidence that the group was much more than just a vehicle for Green’s burgeoning genius", concluding that "Nevertheless, the intermittent hiss and occasional feedback of the master tapes means Before The Beginning retains the air of a sneakily captured bootleg, as opposed to a collection specifically intended for mass consumption beyond the immediacy and thrill to be had from witnessing the performances in person."[4]
