Lindsey Buckingham - Gift Of Screws
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Free Music Notes for Gift Of Screws
Free Music Review: While GIFTed, These SCREWS Need Tightening
Hit: 4 Stars
Throughout his career, as both a member of Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist, Lindsey Buckingham has flitted between two camps. On the one side, you have an artist with an innate sense of melody. On the other, you have someone you can be maddeningly self-indulgent. These two sides have been battling each other as far back as 1979's TUSK and 1981's LAW & ORDER, but have become particularly pronounced in the last decade or so, with Fleetwood Mac's 2003 effort SAY YOU WILL and Buckingham's last solo release 2006's UNDER THE SKIN, being prime examples.
This duality continues with GIFT OF SCREWS, a harder-rocking effort than the more acoustic-driven UNDER THE SKIN. And, once again, he comes up with a mixed bag of goods.
Things start off with the quirky "Great Day." Buckingham delivers the song with a chilly, almost detached, vocal, which works to great effect. Add some blistering guitar and edgy percussion and you have a mesmerizing track. As Buckingham sings "It was a great day/Great day/It wasn't such a great day", you know exactly what he's talking about, how vague, distorted memories can mess with your mind.
"Time Precious Time" is one of the cuts on GIFT OF SCREWS that just falls flat. Everyone knows ~ and loves ~ that amazingly unique finger-picking technique Buckingham uses, but a complete song based on it gets old fast. Toss in lyrics that are overly precious (no pun intended!) and an annoying chorus and you have a song that would have/should have been left on the studio floor had this been a Fleetwood Mac disc.
The exact opposite can be said about "Did You Miss Me"....this song positively shimmers, dancing out of the speakers with a light-heartedness and grace that we haven't heard from Buckingham since RUMOURS....oh, O.K., since "Trouble!" There's a warmth to his voice that's intoxicating, an element that's been missing for way too long. Let's hope the lyrics "Check it out/Hear the sound/All these walls are coming down" can have any number of meanings, be it romantic....as an artist...or something else.
"Wait For You" is one of two tracks that features the ace rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. A full-tilt rocker, I can't help but wonder if this song is about ~ or written for ~ Christine McVie. Originally titled "Someone's Got To Change Your Mind", Buckingham seems to understand McVie's desire to retire, but he's also making it clear that he would be fine with it not being permanent (Amen, Lindsey, amen!!!). Edgy, gritty, gutsy....this is a great cut, one of GOS's best.
Ditto "Love Runs Deeper." With it's wall of acoustic guitars and ringing electric solo, this is Buckingham at his poppy best. This is also the song that will have Fleetwood Mac fan's tongues wagging....is it about Stevie?!? With lyrics like "I loved you little child/How you mystified/Just a blinding flash/We were parallel lines" and "Black angel can't be alone", the prospects are good. Whatever the case, this is one of Buckingham's best compositions to date. VERY nice!
"Bel Air Rain" is more of Buckingham's signature speed picking, but it works here. There's an intensity and urgency to the track that's captivating. Here he bares his soul ("I changed my name/I went insane/Still I can't complain"), with a forceful lead vocal and economical arrangement. Mark my word, this one will grow on you!
The same can be said about "The Right Place To Fade." There's a smoothness to this cut that's infectious. Weaving in and out, pushing and pulling, this is a lyrical combination of both a shove and a caress. Sort of the musical offspring of past hits such as "Second Hand News" and "Countdown", this is the kind of left-of-mainstream ~ but not TOO left! ~ that Buckingham shines best on.
And then there's the disc's title track. Much like "My Little Demon" off of 1997's THE DANCE, there's an unbridled passion and joy to "Gift Of Screws." Once again taking advantage of that killer Fleetwood/McVie combo, Buckingham lets loose like a teenager in an after-school garage band. Not since "Holiday Road" has he seemed to be having so much fun, a side I hope surfaces more often on future recordings, be they solo or (hopefully!)with Fleetwood Mac.
"Underground" is an odd little cut, one of those tracks where Buckingham seems to be feeling unappreciated and sorry for himself. Here we find him whining about the industry not understanding him and his art, and how he's thinking about going the indie route ("underground"). Yet, Buckingham's major label deal ended with his last release....he was free to do whatever he liked, sign with whomever he chose. And what does he do? Why, re-up with the same major label he seems to be so unhappy with here! Hmmmmm....methinks he doth protest too much!
Things wrap up with "Treason", an acoustic strummer that's nice enough, but seems to be missing something. And that seems to be the case with a lot of GIFT OF SCREWS. While there are some moments of joy and light-heartedness, of things new and fresh, Buckingham seems trapped between the artistic and commercial worlds, and not just a little too comfortable repeating past styles and sounds. It's not a good thing to be wondering on a solo release what this track would sound like with more of that amazing Fleetwood/McVie backing, or how that cut would benefit from some killer Stevie Nicks (or any one else's!) harmonies. With the future of Fleetwood Mac up in the air (at least as a recording act), here's hoping Lindsey Buckingham A) continues to lighten up, B) moves out of his comfort zone, and C) becomes a little less insular on his next effort. This disc, which is actually a 3-1/2 starrer, got the benefit of the doubt this time around, with me rounding up. That won't happen next time. (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics).
Free Music Review: Do the Neurotic
Hit: 4 Stars
Someone else bemoaned that Buckingham's last work (Under the Skin) was "...an album that was pretty much just him and his guitar. I hated that album."
Um, "Under the Skin" was just as brilliant as the current album. Frankly, the best music is written on a solitary instrument. I don't understand how someone could not appreciate the sparse, bare beauty of those tracks. I loved that album, and have listened to it so often since its release that it seemed like zero time passed between it and "Screws." And because a large part of Lindsey's "draw" is his unique, shimmery and fascinating fingerpicking style, one would think a more intimately-produced album would be a treat. At least, that's how I received "Skin."
If you're looking for "Go Your Own Way" kind of stuff, check out "Wait for You" or "Right Time to Fade." In fact, the latter song comes off like another "Second Hand News." Which certainly isn't a bad thing, and it's nice to have a couple rollicking footstompers to contrast subtler, more laid back tunes like "Treason" and "Underground."
Buckingham has been sorely overlooked as a solo artist for the last...oh, since 1973 really, with his Nicks duo. I don't think his fans are being "overzealous." At least no more so than other fans of other artists who have achieved universal recongnition. I wish more people would dig him as much as the Mac because I'm a fan and would like to see him do as well for himself commercially as he does aesthetically (no problem there). But I'm also glad to feel like I'm in on a little secret with other fans of his work. Both "Skin" and "Screws" are gems. I burned both onto a single disc, which now never leaves the car. As far as songwriting, I seriously doubt that Buckingham consciously pens any music about Stevie any longer. People should really get past that, because I suspect Lindsey did a long time ago. I think he's in a different place now, a different head space, mentally and spiritually, having settled down and become a father. I think he's dwelling on larger issues here: life, aging, mortality, as well as issues which could be described as being more personal in nature--but applicable to everyone. Things like a sense of purpose in a crazy world, human significance, familial relationships, personal bonds that aren't necessarily romantic, the passage of time, the meanings of milestone life events. Oh hell, just listen.
Perhaps Buckingham is a little neurotic. And that's not a bad thing. His songwriting is clearly a bit eccentric, certainly more left field than many of his contemporary singer-songwriting peers. But that's why I like him, and I believe that's what most of his fans have latched onto. The best art is always done by people who are a little, um, different, and who march their own drum. Buckingham's always done that with his music, even to his personal and financial detriment. We, his fans, are the beneficiaries of his singular musical conviction.
Free Music Review: Did You Miss Him?
Hit: 4 Stars
The cover of Lindsey Buckingham's new disk looks like a man who has not aged well.
Musically, however, he has aged just fine. At least with 'Gift of Screws'. His solo album track record isn't all that great. I say that every other disk he releases is listenable. That is not to say they aren't all interesting, just not everyday kind of fare.
'Gift' is his only his fifth release in 27 years. He clearly peaked with 1992's 'Out of the Cradle', and while 2006's 'Under the Skin' was great musically, lyrically and vocally it majorly lacked. And that is has always been his biggest issue as a solo artist. Buckingham is clearly a great arranger, producer and guitarist - possibly one of the most underrated guitarists that is out there. But the experimentation he started on Fleetwood Mac's 'Tusk' has gotten the better of him.
Without other singers/songwriters/musicians to balance his quirks, sometimes he just comes off as the Howard Hughes of pop music.
That being said - 'Gift of Screws' brings Buckingham back to center. Left of center for sure, but a bit more normalcy for the listening public. There are 'Tusk' and 'Cradle' elements in the songs, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it sounds like any of this other albums. But some of them sound some of this other songs. I don't think he can help himself with his multi-layered vocals. Not a bad thing, and it is not nearly as annoying as it was on 'Under the Skin'.
Yeah, I'm a sucker for late 70s Fleetwood Mac, so I find the best songs to be "Did You Miss Me" and "Love Runs Deeper". His guitar work on songs like "Bel Air Rain" is exemplary (as it is with "Time Precious Time", but vocally that song annoys me), but how does the beginning of "A Right Place to Fade" not pull directly from his 'Rumours' track, "Second Hand News"? ...and not just the beginning, I guess. "Underground" and "Treason" reflect some 'Cradle' work.
Incorporating the past with the present isn't a horrible thing or equates to selling out. There is only so long one can stand out on the edge before alienating your buying public. Buckingham has stepped off that edge, possibly just in time.
Will the disk get any kind of radio or VH1 support? No, but it is a decent disk that should at least have the chance to be heard.
Free Music Review: impressive
Hit: 4 Stars
I never suspected the quality of this album would be anywhere near that of "Out of the cradle".
But after listening to the samples many times before the album was released I was already impressed.
I was especially eager to hear the full version of "Great day". What a brilliant song!
The way this song is built. It's non-standard. Each part is intriguing.
I opens like it's from the "Go insane" era, meaning very experimental. Then there's a bit like a "Out of the cradle" flashback.
A very catchy chorus (which has a pre-chorus and post-chorus love that) but that's not all. There are also really nice verses and guitar solos. Best new song I heard in a long time. 5 out of 5.
Another favorite is "Underground". Yes I know it's far from groundbraking, but the way it's done is important. This song is so sweet musically. I like it even more than "Did you miss me" actually. 4.5 out of 5
Another song I really like because it's a bit out of the ordinary: Bel Air Rain. 4.25 out of 5.
Same for "Time precious time" which has stunning guitar playing.
The most rocking songs are not my favorites but they are very close behind. It's just because the other songs are so good. They do fit very well on this album. "Gift of screws" is both odd and catchy.
All 4 out of 5.
Love runs deeper: I like the verses more than the chorus. 3.5 out of 5.
Treason: maybe it's a bit too standard to stand out. 3 out 5.
This album stands out in its evenness. There are no fillers. Almost each song is better than good. That is quite an achievement in this day and age.
Very good choice to include only 10 songs. "Say you will" showed that too many songs isn't the way to go.
That album is considered 3 stars. When the number of songs would have been cut down, it would have been better.
Overall: 4.1 out of 5
PS. His voice seems better than 10 years ago.
Free Music Review: Deep down there is freedom.
Hit: 4 Stars
"Gift of Screws" is literally the fastest album Lindsey Buckingham has produced since starting his solo career in 1981. Only two years elapsed between 2006's "Under the Skin" and "Gift of Screws". I have been a Fleetwood Mac fan, and a Buckingham fan. To me his best, five star work, is 1981's "Law and Order", 1984' "Go Insane" and 1992's "Out of the Cradle".
"Gift of Screws" and "Under The Skin" are similar musically, with the former being more acoustic than the latter. But, you can tell they are both from the same recording sessions and time period. "Gift of Screws" is a more rock oriented album and there are some songs that take multiple listens to get used to such as "Time Precious Time" or "Gift of Screws". There are no duds here, every song fits nicely alongside the next. The flow of the album is uninterrupted. It's a nice effort, but not his best. I'd debate whether "Under the Skin" or "Gift of Screws" is better than the other.
I am looking forward to the next Fleetwood Mac album, hopefully next year. At 59, Lindsey Buckingham is far from retired or out of ideas. If you like Buckingham's other works, you will like "Gift of Screws".