In The Meantime...wats your fav songs and why

[sywlindseyfan]

So this thread is to expand on Chris's soo very hot voice. I still love it, and listened to my cd again the other day after a 1-2 years not listening to it...it sounds as fresh as ever. I really do think Christine has the same voice from the tusk album...or at least live. So what are your favs on this splendid album, and why.

[michelej1]

Calumny is my favorite. I don't think Dan is any good as a producer, but he can certainly put words together in a manner that's achingly evocative and then Christine's voice and phrasing fill all the little wrinkles of the words with meaning and pain. Her tone is so rich and experienced, giving every syllable nuance. It's simply beautiful. I'm a fan of Northern Star too and really like the musical ending. I'd love to see that live.

Those 2 are soulful songs, I think, but they showcase something that has always been present, even in her lighter offerings from the past. In another thread talking about some kind of all-star FM reunion, someone mentioned that initially they looked forward to Chris being gone, to see what Lindsey and Stevie could do without her "bubblegum" sound, but then when he heard SYW he knew how much Chris was lacking.

The thing there is, although I know why a refrain like "tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies" gets the "bubble gum" rap and, I concede, it has hurt FM's rep, that description really doesn't fit Christine, not even on the surface, because I don't know how many bubble gum singers can wring such emotion out of a song. How many have her depth and maturity? Simple does not equal simplistic.

I don't care if a lyric is catchy (as if that's a sin, somehow), when you can still inject a sense of longing and loss into the song, along with a hook, then it's not bubblegum. I hear Neil Sedaka and Paul Anka and they just have love songs, with Christine, even when the tune is upbeat, I always hear the undercurrent. I always hear the hurt that kind of makes the peppy part ironic. It's very layered.

So, when I hear a song like "Don't Stop" it's not just another positive message to me like "don't worry, be happy" or Annie singing, "tomorrow, tomorrow you're always a day away." In Don't Stop I kind of always get the apology part: "I know you don't believe that it's true, I never meant any harm to you." There's always a bit of sorrow with Christine's sweet and that sorrow is featured especially well in Calumny, as the torn petals drop one by one.

Michele

[jbrownsjr]

Calumny is such a beautiful song... I love the way she phrases her beautiful meloncholy voice over the painful words. I love how the title translates to "sweet little lies" The guitar is solid as well.

Bad Journey... with the exception of the chant "Bad Journey" I love the lyrics to this song and how the meaning can either be her experiences of touring, or about the dude she wrote about... Vocally she does some nice changes that convinced me she was doing a solo stint and not a FM song...


You Are... The guitar is beautiful... reminds me of guitar work on Sentimental Lady a tad... The lyrics drive me a little nuts on this one... "Well it took me 1000 years to discover love is fine..." reallY???? 1000??? a tad trite my lady.... I love the chords in the intro.. and the way she flushes them out with her keys gives me goosebumps...

Anything is Possible... The keyboard work is very very solid... her little psuedo call response with George Hawkins and Dan Perfect during the bass solo is GROOVEY!!! And yes a 60 year old woman would like to laid too... Christine.. you naughty little thing you.... lol

Friend... This is classic stuff... My brother said... She sounds more like FM than they do...

that's all....

[Gailh]

As mentioned above Friend - classic Fleetwood Mac song, should have opened Say You Will.

Givin it Back - "I tripped and I fell, got lost for a little while. Then you caught me in your loving arms, rescued me with your smile"

There's not one I actually dislike although Easy Come, Easy Go is one I sometimes skip.

Gail

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by Gailh

As mentioned above Friend - classic Fleetwood Mac song, should have opened Say You Will.

Givin it Back - "I tripped and I fell, got lost for a little while. Then you caught me in your loving arms, rescued me with your smile"

There's not one I actually dislike although Easy Come, Easy Go is one I sometimes skip.

Gail

I skip that one too... it's vanilla

[macfan 57]

My favorite is "Calumny". Dan Perfect wrote 2 terrific songs on this album. I love the lyrics & Christine's vocals. Dan's accoustic guitar is perfect too. My second favorite song is "Friend" for the same reason that Gail gave. I also love "Givin' It Back, also for the same reason that Gail mentioned. It is the perfect album closer. My other favorite is "Forgiveness". I love how that song changes right at the end. I don't dislike any song on ITM. Even "Easy Come, Easy Go" has grown on me.

[sywlindseyfan]

hey all of these reviews are so right, and i will post one too, but for now I just want to do a quick....YES CHRIS does sound like THEEEE original Fleetwood mac....I Love Say You Will , but lindsey and Stevie have been around soo much more than Christine writing songs, and performing, that they grew into the different eras and wrote more modern rock...Chris does the same... but she keeps her style and the classic piano melodies, that just make you want her to sing you to sleep at night....ahhhh (heavy sigh)... I dream too big, haha.

[Gailh]

Originally Posted by macfan 57

My other favorite is "Forgiveness". I love how that song changes right at the end.

I always wonder about the lyrics to Forgiveness. "Johnny says come around if you dare"

Could that be her brother John threatening to beat up the man who hurt his sister?

Gail

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by Gailh

I always wonder about the lyrics to Forgiveness. "Johnny says come around if you dare"

Could that be her brother John threatening to beat up the man who hurt his sister?

Gail

wow... that's great gail... i never thought of that....

i suppose some of us can put 2 and 2 together...

[aleuzzi]

Damn, I love this recording! I still can't believe it didn't sell well, considering that it sounds like classic Mac.

My favorites: Gosh, I love em all (even Easy Come Easy Go works for me now). But if I had to choose the top five they would be:

Forgiveness (the song I've been waiting for Chris to write and sing for years and years)
Friend (the greatest hit that never was)
Anything is Possible (so, dare I say, sexy)
Bad Journey (a superb blend of blues with west-coast rock)
Givin' it Back (which is More Mac than anything on SYW)

And a close sixth is Liar...It stings.

By the way, I DO think Dan Perfect can produce. The production on ITM is WAY better than it was on her 1984 album.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

By the way, I DO think Dan Perfect can produce. The production on ITM is WAY better than it was on her 1984 album.

If there's clunkiness in the production of her 1984 album, I see it more as a sign of the time than anything else. The problems I find wrong with that album today, did not strike me when it came out and then you had some things like The Challenge which were superb for any time or Who's Dreaming this Dream, not to mention Got A Hold on Me, which were superb then and now.

With ITMT it seemed like the pieces didn't fit in a lot of songs or more to the point, I could tell that they were pieces, seamed together. Of course, for me Bad Journey and Easy Come, Easy Go were the best examples of this.

Yes, I remember discussing the Forgiveness lyrics on Legacy, with people wondering if Johnny was our John (McVie) but then I figured that it must be John Perfect, as he is the one who has been with Chris most recently and most of the album was about a recent love gone bad, so John Perfect was probably around to comment on the guy who broke her heart.

Michele

[David]

I wish I were more familiar with this album, so I could comment on it here. But what I've heard I like: Christine's singing style has picked up little curlicues & the sound of her voice is as pleasurable as ever it was, even more so in a way because she effortlessly reaches both the lower & the upper ranges & tosses off vocal licks casually & charmingly.

I would wish for more shape to the arrangements (as I do for the 1984 album) & more variety in tempo, dynamics, orchestration, but these are things that are generally brought into Christine's domain from the outside.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by michelej1

If there's clunkiness in the production of her 1984 album, I see it more as a sign of the time than anything else. The problems I find wrong with that album today, did not strike me when it came out and then you had some things like The Challenge which were superb for any time or Who's Dreaming this Dream, not to mention Got A Hold on Me, which were superb then and now.

With ITMT it seemed like the pieces didn't fit in a lot of songs or more to the point, I could tell that they were pieces, seamed together. Of course, for me Bad Journey and Easy Come, Easy Go were the best examples of this.


Michele

Ah, it's a matter of taste, I suppose. I remember being dissatisfied with the thick, glossy production of the 1984 album when I first heard it. Christine sinks under the production. My opinion hasn't changed, really. By contrast, the arrangements on ITM are spare and feature her wonderful voice.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

By contrast, the arrangements on ITM are spare and feature her wonderful voice.

I think many of the arrangements on ITMT are busy, loud and dated, but where I believe the album is wonderful, I find it is just like you described, "spare" with her voice as the focal point. That's what I savor most about Calumny and Northern Star. Much of the background is pulled away and you hear the real heart of the song. The tracks that are the most raw are the most beautiful to me here.



Michele

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by David

I wish I were more familiar with this album, so I could comment on it here. But what I've heard I like:

David you need to buy ITM! Somebody has to!

Seriously, it's really worth the few bucks from a used cd vendor on Amazon.