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Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie


by Kevin Wierzbicki

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Considering that Buckingham and McVie are joined here by their Fleetwood Mac cohorts John McVie and Mick Fleetwood, it would not be wrong to think of this album as a Fleetwood Mac album without Stevie Nicks.

It certainly has all the hallmarks of a Fleetwood Mac album: A full slate of slickly produced and radio-ready pop-rockers featuring catchy hooks and amazing harmonies. Buckingham shows off his penchant for memorable hooks from the get-go as the album opens with his "Sleeping Around the Corner" where after a few brief lines of him singing in somewhat of a wizened voice the song bursts into full-on Mac mode with a chorus that demands a sing-along.

And as with the best of Buckingham's work, it only takes the listener a minute to cozy up to the song, and so it goes throughout. When McVie sings the line "You're honey in my tea" on "Feel About You," a cut that would have fit just fine on Rumours, it's hard not to think of this album in a similar manner, as an extremely sweet counterpunch to all the things that can muck up the day.

"In My World" features Buckingham on vocals and bounces along to a rhythm that is practically patented by Fleetwood and John McVie, "Love is Here to Stay" is an understated number where Lindsey shines on acoustic guitar while "Too Far Gone" is exactly the opposite; a bluesy swamp-rocking duet where the duo's voices mesh perfectly as Buckingham reels off electric guitar riffs that sound like a lurking, ready-to-strike wasp as Fleetwood pounds out a "Tusk"-recalling rhythm. "Game of Pretend" is Christine's moment to shine; the quiet, piano-driven ballad is nothing short of gorgeous as it showcases McVie singing solo on the verse and with Lindsey on the chorus.

McVie's voice, one of the most beloved in recent pop history, sounds just as sweet here as it did when Fleetwood Mac broke big more than 40-years ago, a pleasant surprise considering she recently turned 74-years old.

Buckingham made the stellar Buckingham Nicks album before he and Stevie joined Fleetwood Mac; Buckingham McVie is a sort of long-awaited sequel. Fans of Buckingham era Fleetwood Mac should not sleep on this one; for those who like the pop side of classic rock this is one of the best albums to come along in a long time.

Get your copy here.

Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie
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