REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: February 4, 2021

BUCKINGHAM MCVIE – s/t

What do 50% of Fleetwood Mac do when they get to play by themselves? Well, I say 50% as in the writing process, but recording wise they are all here apart from Stevie.

First thing I notice with opening track, Sleeping Around The Corner – other than it sounds like a Mac outtake – is how ruff Lindsey’s voice is. Feel About You is a nice laid back tune with Christine singing. In My World, which I do believe was a single, is more what I was expecting from these two. A good catchy song with a sing-a-long chorus, and that stuck-in-the-west-coast vibe. Red Sun is next, and the thing that grabs you is how much better the songs sound with Christine singing. Love Is Here To Stay closes out Side 1 and it sounds as though it’s been lying around since the Rumours days.

Flip over and what could be the best song on the album – Too Far Gone opens things up nicely. Great tune with Lindsey actually playing some guitar. I’m gonna skip the next three tracks as they are basically three more laid back west coast tunes, but the last song, Carnival Begin, is very reminiscent of really old Fleetwood Mac. It has a very bluesy vibe with a great vocal from Christine. And that’s that!

Just a nice chill out record.

6.5/10 from The Grooveman.

CHEAP TRICK – Special One

Album Number 14 from the world’s best power-pop band, the first on their newly formed label Cheap Trick Unlimited, and their first studio album in six years.

Hand on heart here – it is not one of their best. Sure it has its moments, opening track Scent of a Woman is classic CT, but the next song Too Much seems like something they threw away years ago. The title track Special One is a straight Beatles lift. Pop Drone is ok, but it lacks that energy. Side 1 closer My Obsession feels like it was a reject from a Tom Petty album. See what I’m saying here??? It’s very disjointed to say the least.

Things don’t start much better over on Side 2. Words, is a really weak song until the chorus kicks in. Sorry Boy is slightly better as it does actually rock.Then we have, Best Friend, and that’s a weak song. If I Could, is quite interesting as it sees them exploring a funk groove to start before it goes down that Beatles rabbit hole. Low Life In High Heels is ok in a weird way – the vocals are very sparse to start and a very stripped down sound. Close out track Hummer is just so repetitive!!!

I expect way better from a band as good as this. Very disappointing.

4/10 the Grooveman.