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  #1  
Old 10-24-2005, 06:31 PM
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Default 1984 Creem Magazine review

I just came across this review for Christine's 1984 solo album in Creem Magazine. It's a rave review, by the way.

Christine McVie

By John Swenson

For years Christine McVie has been Fleetwood Mac’s hidden strength. Though the addition of the carbonated California pop of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in the mid 70’s is credited with rejuvenating this warhorse 60’s band, their frothy effervescence would have quickly dissipated without the cap provided by McVie’s solid, fundamental musical approach. In Mac’s vocal arrangements it’s her haunting smoky voice that provides the root melody for Buck/Nicks to soar through, and it’s McVie’s songs-”Over My Head”, “Say You Love Me”,, “Don’t Stop”, “You Make Loving Fun”, etc. which consistently demonstrate the most soul and depth in the group’s book.

It is this quality of soulfulness that has distinguished McVie’s work over the years, from her game contributions to the Chicken Shack blues band and her first solo album, Christine Perfect, to her role in Fleetwood Mac and now a second solo record after a 15 year hiatus, Christine McVie.

The new solo project is less of a departure from her current day job than her first record was from Chicken Shack. Where Christine Perfect was far superior to anything Chicken Shack recorded, Christine McVie trades off the strengths of the Fleetwood Mac formula that she is such an essential part of. Though “Love Will Show Us How” is harder edged and simpler than a Fleetwood Mac song, stylistically it’s the similarities rather than the differences that stand out. Co-writer/guitarist/vocalist Todd Sharp uses the same kind of melodic single -line guitar figures that Lindsey Buckingham favors, and Buckingham himself guests on several tracks.

McVie’s songs are as eloquent and personal an account of her love life as say, Joni Mitchell’s, but without the unseemly exhibitionism. (The name of her publishing company, Alimony Music, indicated her bemused attitude toward affairs of the heart.) Her expression of love’s pain (“The Challenge”) and exhilaration (“So Excited”) are couched in simple, universal images like the lonely bed and the long awaited knock on the door, yet her subtle melodies and sly, confiding voice infuse the images with tremendous emotional resonance. In “I’m The One” and “Keeping Secrets”, she adopts a get tough attitude about love as she refuses to allow herself to be a victim, yet in “The Smile I Live For” she accents her capacity for total surrender through some beautiful piano accompaniment.

Two of the album’s best songs feature vocal and instrumental exchanges with Steve Winwood. The opus-de-funk “One In A Million” is a dramatic vocal trade-off between the two that reminds you just how good a blues singer Christine is. In “Ask Anybody” McVie explores the psychology of her love entanglements with characteristic irony and that determined faith that keeps her searching for the ideal even after countless disappointments. The gentler, introspective tone she strikes here is supported superbly by Winwood’s brilliantly understated keyboard and backing vocals, all of which combines for McVie’s most moving vocal performance on the record. Let’s hope she doesn’t wait 15 years to make her next record, because Christine McVie is, quite simply, the finest Fleetwood Mac spinoff solo album yet.
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  #2  
Old 10-24-2005, 06:44 PM
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Quote:
For years Christine McVie has been Fleetwood Mac’s hidden strength.

because Christine McVie is, quite simply, the finest Fleetwood Mac spinoff solo album yet.
Wow, this guy really knows his stuff! Brilliantly written review!
Quote:
Let’s hope she doesn’t wait 15 years to make her next record
Who'd have guessed it would be 20!
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Old 10-24-2005, 08:44 PM
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Cool review. Thanks for posting!

-Lis
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Old 10-24-2005, 11:43 PM
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Can you believe I actually remember that review from 1985?! It's odd but something about its language (it's very well-written) and its observations (which I agree with) impressed me as a 15-year-old reader of that magazine. The whole section that deals with the Winwood-McVie trade off I recall almost word for word. Strange. I hadn't thought of that piece of music criticism since the day I read it but here I am, twenty years later, recalling a lost memory. Thanks MacFan57.

I wonder what sort of reviews IMO would have gotten hhad it been released in 1984...
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Old 10-25-2005, 05:32 AM
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Originally Posted by aleuzzi
Can you believe I actually remember that review from 1985?! It's odd but something about its language (it's very well-written) and its observations (which I agree with) impressed me as a 15-year-old reader of that magazine. The whole section that deals with the Winwood-McVie trade off I recall almost word for word. Strange. I hadn't thought of that piece of music criticism since the day I read it but here I am, twenty years later, recalling a lost memory. Thanks MacFan57.
You're very welcome. This review is extremely well written. This critic appears to have really gotten what Christine McVie is all about. I think he probably would have liked In The Meantime, by the way.

Last edited by macfan 57; 10-25-2005 at 05:34 AM..
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Old 10-25-2005, 07:24 AM
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Originally Posted by macfan 57
You're very welcome. This review is extremely well written. This critic appears to have really gotten what Christine McVie is all about. I think he probably would have liked In The Meantime, by the way.
Yes it's nice to read a review where someone actually understands what the artist is all about.

Thanks for posting!

Gail

PS Let's hope it's not 15 years until the next album!
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  #7  
Old 10-26-2005, 11:19 PM
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Great review for Chris! If I remember correctly, that was the same magazine that trashed "Tusk" when it was reviewed. Could've been a different critic, but I wonder what was said about Chris then, and the rest of the band.
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Old 10-26-2005, 11:51 PM
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Ah, here it is. Interesting, Chris still gets the praise.

http://bla.fleetwoodmac.net/index.ph...v2&id=533&c=18
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Old 10-27-2005, 05:43 AM
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Originally Posted by jwd
Ah, here it is. Interesting, Chris still gets the praise.

http://bla.fleetwoodmac.net/index.ph...v2&id=533&c=18
That was a great review of Tusk, at least of Christine. I don't think I'd ever read that before, even though it's in the Blue Letter Archives. It was written by a different critic than the one who wrote the 1984 review. Those guys at Creem Magazine sure had good taste.
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Old 10-27-2005, 07:55 AM
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Originally Posted by jwd
Ah, here it is. Interesting, Chris still gets the praise.

http://bla.fleetwoodmac.net/index.ph...v2&id=533&c=18

Methinks that Creem Magazine was full of pretentious twats.
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Old 10-27-2005, 10:09 AM
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Originally Posted by SortaSavageLike
Methinks that Creem Magazine was full of pretentious twats.

In its day, it was the rock & roll verison "The Onion".
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Old 10-27-2005, 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by chiliD
In its day, it was the rock & roll verison "The Onion".
Forgive me for being ignorant, but is it still around?
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Old 10-27-2005, 12:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidMn
Forgive me for being ignorant, but is it still around?
What, Creem magazine? No, i don't think so... back in 1982/83 i remember saving up by babysitting money and walking to the 7-11 every month to buy a YooHoo, a 3 Musketeers and a Creem Magazine. That was livin'.

-Lis
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  #14  
Old 10-27-2005, 01:30 PM
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nice review. I've always wanted to hear Christine let loose and really get bluesy. I'd love to hear her voice turn it out.
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Old 10-27-2005, 01:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers
nice review. I've always wanted to hear Christine let loose and really get bluesy. I'd love to hear her voice turn it out.
hey check out her chicken shack stuff

you will love her voice and piano on this

very bluesy
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