COMPACT DISCS : Excellent Good Fair Poor

“Rumors.” Fleetwood Mac. Warner Bros. With this 1977 release, the group gave a new twist to California rock, playing it without the twang and accenting the rhythm section. It’s a classic pop-rock collection. So think twice before you ditch your album for the CD, which turns that full, radiant sound into something cold and harsh. There’s even an annoying starkness to the sound of Lindsey Buckingham’s guitar. High-tech iciness invades the seductive warmth of songs like “Dreams” and “You Make Loving Fun.” An example of how CD technology can spoil good music.