1984 album - thoughts?

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

He played a double bill with Carlos Santana, in Indy, a couple of weeks ago. My cousin went, and said Steve only played 4 or 5 songs. Less than 30 minutes. She was really disappointed.

Yeah I skipped the Santana and Tom Petty bill.. I saw the About Time tour.. which lasted about 5 years.... It was amazing..

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by David

It's always great hearing Chris McVie sing, so the album comes out ahead right there.

But the lack of pop shaping on these tracks is a bummer. These songs would sparkle & jump out of the speakers at you if they were edited by a great editor, a Caillat, for example. Take I'M SO EXCITED. Great little ditty, but the engineers don't ****ing know what to do with it. The bridge keeps repeating until you're sick of it, & the instrumental breaks--repeated too much, as well--lack dramatic or narrative meaning. You can almost hear the musicians telepathically communicating with one another, "How should we end this thing?"

The outro on GOT A HOLD ON ME lasts too long, with too many repetitions of the chorus hook. If you ram the hook down us 100 times, that's at least seventy-five times too many, even if it's a great hook--& this one isn't. By comparison, one of her greatest hooks, the chorus of YOU MAKE LOVING FUN, is only done TWICE on Rumours. You want to hear it again! When you're listening to the chorus over & over of GOT A HOLD ON ME, you sure as hell aren't saying to yourself, "I want to hear this again!"

David I agree with this. On that album the production and arrangements are problematic, but her songwriting skills are solid and in tact. If you listen to the earlier version of YMLF, it was a bit labored and dragged on because of too many repetitions, too. I think Christine in general writes great hooks and sings well; but she needs a producer to help her shape those assets into a viable pop tune. It is partially for this that I prefer In the Meantime to the 1984 record. ITM songs are generally mixed better, less glossy productions and--with the exception of a couple cases--there aren't too many repetitions. "Anything is Possible," "Forgiveness," "Giving it Back," and "Bad Journey" are exquisitely produced and shaped.

As far as the 1984 album, "The Smile I Live For" and "One in a Million" are excellent. The verse portion of "Love Will Show Us How" is good, but the chorus is awful. "So Excited" is fun, but like Dave said, it's not treated especially well.

[Fannymac]

Great album, has really stood the test of time! However, I do think it's a tad bit safe.....like Stevie, Chris needed the extra punch of Lindsey's production to add a little spice to things!!!

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by Fannymac

Great album, has really stood the test of time! However, I do think it's a tad bit safe.....like Stevie, Chris needed the extra punch of Lindsey's production to add a little spice to things!!!

That was the general criticism at the time of release -- that it was a little bland. However I still like it. And I will show some love for 'So Excited.' a song that has been singled out here in utter distain! The Billy-cheese factor aside, I really like the piano parts.

I recall that the song was considered when the Billy/Rick version of Fleetwood Mac was in tour rehearsals. I think it would have been a great unexpected addition to their set list.

[AncientQueen]

okay, I put the record on and have to say the following:

I still think that "Got a hold on me" is one of the best pop songs ever written.

The songs take their time, in "Who's dreaming this dream" it takes to long, but other than that, it gives the record a laidback feeling that is just Christine. The songs are not so overcoated with sugary production gimmicks, they hook or not, that is it. Nice piano playing by Chistine, one key if one is necessary, not 6 because she must show off. I find that classy and sophisticated.

On the other hand, the record is not exactly overflowing with warmth or personality, and Christine plays it save, saver, as-save-as-possible.

The production is dated, but compared to some records of another certain female singer of Fleetwood Mac it is a timeless classic.

My favorites:
Got a Hold on me - I love simple pop music, this is my thing.
The Challenge - Wide, easy going, airy, killer musicians, "technically" the best song on the album.
Ask anybody - I just like her voice in this.

The one I don't like so much:
Who's dreaming this dream - takes forever to go nowhere.
The Smile I live for - not Christines cup of tea, it sounds overdramatic to me.

The cover:
Sorry, but this is important for me. I disliked the white skirt when I saw it first and I still don't like it, it is a marketing reverence to Stevie Nicks and just not cool, the composition of the picture is great, but they just had to ruin it with some victorian ruffles. The red scarf would have been enough.

[ButterCookie]

Originally Posted by AncientQueen

The cover:
Sorry, but this is important for me. I disliked the white skirt when I saw it first and I still don't like it, it is a marketing reverence to Stevie Nicks and just not cool, the composition of the picture is great, but they just had to ruin it with some victorian ruffles. The red scarf would have been enough.

I agreen in that the cover is important but I disagree about the marketing refrence to Stevie. The marketing refrence for that album was "Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac" and that was the first thing I noticed on the pink promo poster for the album when I unrolled it. Had Chris been draped in 30 layers of sparkles and chiffon then I'd say there was a refrence to Stevie but until then, a white skirt's a white skirt, IMO.

[AncientQueen]

Originally Posted by ButterCookie

Had Chris been draped in 30 layers of sparkles and chiffon then I'd say there was a refrence to Stevie but until then, a white skirt's a white skirt, IMO.

As far as Christine McVie's style has ever been even slightly coherent - which I have my doubts about - this skirt IS like dressing her in meters of chiffon (a scary thought, really). And - nothing on this record is wearing a skirt anyway, it is a jeans record , see the inner sleeve picture for reference. JMHO of course.

Btw, love the Yeah CMV site.