If every significant artist has an underrated gem in its catalog, then Mirage is that album for Fleetwood Mac. An obvious return to relative simplicity, the 1982 album finds the band re-grouping after a brief hiatus and again climbing to the top of the charts. Extremely well-crafted, well-produced, and well-performed, the doubleplatinum effort distills the group’s hallmark strengths into a filler-free set that never runs short of addictive pop hooks or daft accents. Home to three Top 25 singles, Mirage rightfully resonated with the mainstream. And how, via a smart blend of sugary melodies, warm harmonies, interlaced notes, nimble rhythms, taut structures, and passionate vocals. Sourced from the original master tapes and housed in mini-LP packaging, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition hybrid SACD presents Mirage in reference sound. The efforts co-producers/ engineers Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut went to capture the splintered albeit formidable band can be heard with stunning accuracy, range, depth, and detail. Though Rumours has a permanent spot in the audiophile hall of fame, the smooth, clear, and dynamic sonics here confirm that what stood as Fleetwood Mac’s last album for five years deserves a place in the same vaunted arena. The presence and imaging of Mick Fleetwood’s percussion alone on this reissue might have you wondering how this slice of soft-rock bliss has gone under-noticed for decades. Other prized aural aspects — separation, definition, impact, tonal balance — are also abundant. “Can’t Go Back”? We beg to differ.