2011-10-24
Nick's Picks: 01 Seeds We Sow; 03 Illumination; 05 Stars Are Crazy; 09 Gone Too Far FCC ALERT: "As pure as the tonal quality of the guitar licks" " Review by Steven "Nick" Nickelson of Lindsey Buckingham Seeds we Sow: It's been awhile since I listened (I mean REALLY listened) to any music by members of Fleetwood Mac, so it was a pleasant surprise to REALLY listen to Lydsey Buckingham on this, his fifth solo release. Recently I started learning to play the guitar, so I am beginning to truly appreciate the genius in some of the guitar playing of late - a good example of this is Lindsey Buckingham's unique picking style (for rock guitatists), in which he uses no pick, but plucks with his fingers and fingernails. In the first cut of this release, we are treated to some truly gifted and mesmerizing finger picking ("Seeds We Sow"). The next cut is just as amazing, with (I'm guessing) an electronically enhanced picking; the best part being how much this song ("In Our Own Time") and the next one ("Illumination"), as well as the sixth cut ("When She Comes Down") sound so much like a standard Fleetwood Mac tune - but are not. The fourth cut on this cd ("That's The Way That Love Goes") starts off almost in a baroque mood, which was carrying me back to a time in Indianapolis at James Tavern (where that type of music played all through the most excellent brunch), until I was suddenly broken from my reverie by the crashing of drums and cymbals, and a pickup of the tempo. It all works, though. "Stars Are Crazy" is another beautifully finger-picked song that - even though not penned by Buckingham - comes off sounding exactly like it sprung from his flying fingers - just amazing. We are not to be lulled by the easy listening style of this cd - especially when we get to "One Take". Not only are we treated to some genuine rocking guitar virtuoso licks, but we get just a little taste of the old Fleetwood Mac's political perspective in this track and track ten ("End of Time"). All in all, I am definitely going to attend one of Lindsey Buckingham's solo concerts - if he comes around. And that's my two nickels' worth....................................................Nick
ARTIST BIO: Lindsey Adams Buckingham (born October 3, 1949) is an American guitarist, singer, composer and producer, most notable for being the guitarist and male lead singer of the musical group Fleetwood Mac. Aside from his tenure with Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham has also released five solo albums and a live album. As a member of Fleetwood Mac, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Unlike most rock guitarists, Buckingham does not play with a pick; instead, he picks the strings with his fingers and fingernails. Initially after joining Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham used a Gibson Les Paul. Before the band, a Fender Telecaster was his main guitar, and was used on his first Fleetwood Mac album. In 1979, he worked with Rick Turner, owner of Renaissance Guitars to create the Model One. He has used it extensively since, both with Fleetwood Mac and for his solo efforts. He uses a Taylor Guitar 814ce for most of his acoustic performances and has also used an Ovation Celebrity in the past. His influences include The Beach Boys and The Kingston Trio. In an interview with Acoustic Guitar Magazine, Buckingham said: "I've always believed that you play to highlight the song, not to highlight the player. The song is all that matters. There are two ways you can choose to go. You can try to be someone like Eddie Van Halen, who is a great guitar player, a virtuoso. Yet he doesn't make good records because what he plays is totally lost in the context of this band's music. Then there are guitar players like Chet Atkins, who weren't out there trying to show themselves off as guitar players per se, but were using the guitar as a tool to make good records. I remember loving Chet's work when I was a kid, but it was only later, when I really listened to his guitar parts, that I realized how much they were a part of the song's fabric, and how much you'd be going 'Oh, that song just isn't working.' if they weren't there." The Musicians: ・ Lindsey Buckingham - songwriter, singer, guitar; ・ Neale Heywood – keyboards; ・ Walfredo Reyes – drums; ・ Brett Tuggle – keyboard (track 4) The Songs: Seeds we Sow In Our Own Time Illumination That's The Way That Love Goes Stars Are Crazy When She Comes Down Rock Away Blind One Take Gone Too Far End of Time She Smiled Sweetly
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