Rotations

Three constants in this world: death, taxes, and the abject baseness of the record industry. Not merely a tribute to deathless MOR drivelmeisters Fleetwood Mac, Legacy is a track-by-track regurgitation of the band's 1977 kabillion seller, with contributions from present-day pop's pale, pathetic posse. The guilty parties: Tonic ("Second Hand News"), the Corrs ("Dreams"), matchbox20 ("Never Going Back Again" -- will someone please just shoot these guys and put them out of their misery), the Cranberries ("Go Your Own Way"), Duncan Sheik ("Songbird"), Shawn Colvin ("The Chain," absurdly gussied up with that ubiquitous hip-hop shuffle beat), Jewel ("You Make Loving Fun"), someone named Tallulah ("Oh Daddy"), and Sister Hazel ("Gold Dust Woman"). Also includes: sad-sack geezer check-in from Elton John ("Don't Stop"), who immerses himself in a swirl of clunky keyboard blips while giving what sounds like the Up With People chorale their first studio gig in decades as back-up singers; and geezers-in-training the Goo Goo Dolls ("I Don't Want to Know"), apparently desperate for attention. Absolutely bereft of one redeeming moment. The perfect gift for someone who considers the Wallflowers (not here!) a Very Important Band.

-- Michael Yockel