July 6, 1992 

JOHN MCVIE'S GOTTA BAND WITH LOLA THOMAS
Lindsey Buckingham was always the guy who put the best music into Fleetwood Mac, so it's no surprise he's done well on his own. But what about the guy who put the Mac in Fleetwood Mac -- John McVie? Unfortunately, he doesn't fare nearly so well on his first post-Mac effort.

This attempt at bluesy barroom bump and grind is about as gritty as, say, Amy Grant covering Janis Joplin. As a vocalist, singer Lola Thomas is reminiscent of Cher, not exactly the ultimate blues singer, and the songs are pleasant but not particularly compelling. Listening to the Gotta Band is like ordering a nonalcoholic beer. It tastes sort of like the real stuff, but the kick is missing. (Warner Bros.) C.T.