Moments that bring down good songs

[KenB]

I'm curious to hear others' thoughts on parts they don't like on Mac songs they otherwise enjoy. I thought of this topic while listening to "Temporary One," from The Dance -- see below. I'm more interested in musical moments than lyrical ones.

1. "Temporary One" -- I understand that a lot of fans aren't crazy about this new tune of Christine's on The Dance. I like it a lot. But that very cliched-sounding ascending bass riff John plays just after the second chorus (at right about the 1:30 mark)? It makes me cringe. It just sounds so generic and uncreative, like "I need to play something here, but I'm not sure what."

2. "Dreams" -- any live version after the mid-'80s. When Stevie sings that high C during the "It's only right" and "It's only me" lines on the studio recording, it's magical. When she plays it safe and avoids that high note live, it's flat and dull.

3. "As Long as You Follow" -- the brief guitar solo in the middle (don't know if it's Rick or Billy). Again, it sounds cliched to me and takes me out of the mood on a song I really like a lot.

4. "Everybody Finds Out" -- the weird compression effect Lindsey puts on Stevie's first couple of vocal lines. It seems purposeless. How does it benefit the song? (Please tell me and help me like this song better!)

5. "Book of Love" -- Lindsey's sped-up "Oh oh oh oh-oh" at the very beginning and repeated before verse two. I generally like Lindsey's '50s genre exercises, but this particular bit of music takes "Book of Love" into the realm of parody, for me.

Anybody agree or disagree? Or have their own moments?