Law and Order Revisited

[michelej1]

Lindsey Buckingham: Law And Order (Elektra)
Gene Sculatti
Creem, February 1982

ONE WAY TO assess the relative merits of any time frame is the measurable presence of oddballs. And, hey, it's no secret that oddball content in rock has dropped to its lowest postwar levels of late.

Plus, the problem is aggravated by the actual ravings of bogus oddballs – like that Fripp chump, drips like Peter Gabriel and the all-night jive of Britain's joyless division of gloom mongers. So, it's in short supply. This oddball deposit. This eccen-trics stockpile.

But it really doesn't matter. Because one of the best oddball LPs of the last nine or ten years is out now. And Law And Order, at least from this quarter, more than makes up for the paucity of similarly bent discs. This is pure mutant pop like you wouldn't imagine – warp-ed, subtle, provocative (is the character in ‘I'll Tell You Now’ contemplating staying home from school/job or planning on taking that big dive out the second story of Material World living itself?) I'm still reeling from the awesome beauty and cosmo-headed wigsnap of ‘It Was I’, which, in addition to being positively addictive, proves the absolute immortality and endless applicability of stupid, r&r lyrics (these courtesy of late 1950's two-hit wonders Skip & Flip). And there's an endlessly mysterious reading, tongue not entirely cheek-buried, loaded with Santo & Johnny dreamwalk, of ‘September Song’, the all-time death ballad (Kurt Weill writ it, Jimmy Durante hit with it). (Plus, it's on the same LP as ‘Satisfied Mind’...)

I don't suppose there's time or space to get specific about every inch of this weird platter – like how or where or why it features the most offbeat perc work in woodstick history, or how those billowy harmonies make ‘Mary Lee Jones’ the logical update of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’, how ‘That's How We Do It In LA’, is the strung-out second cousin of ‘Long Tall Tex-an’, or the way ‘Bwana’ unites Brian Wilson with Africa as if it were perfectly natural. (The single, ‘Trouble’, is a precious distillate of the cool artesian water that ran through Sunflower itself, saved and salved to yet another impenetrable songsubject.) Have I made myself clear?

Later for o'ball fakery. This is the real thing.

Gene ‘Hipsomatic Version’

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Lindsey Buckingham: Law And Order (Elektra)
Gene Sculatti
Creem, February 1982

ONE WAY TO assess the relative merits of any time frame is the measurable presence of oddballs. And, hey, it's no secret that oddball content in rock has dropped to its lowest postwar levels of late.

Plus, the problem is aggravated by the actual ravings of bogus oddballs – like that Fripp chump, drips like Peter Gabriel and the all-night jive of Britain's joyless division of gloom mongers. So, it's in short supply. This oddball deposit. This eccen-trics stockpile.

But it really doesn't matter. Because one of the best oddball LPs of the last nine or ten years is out now. And Law And Order, at least from this quarter, more than makes up for the paucity of similarly bent discs. This is pure mutant pop like you wouldn't imagine – warp-ed, subtle, provocative (is the character in ‘I'll Tell You Now’ contemplating staying home from school/job or planning on taking that big dive out the second story of Material World living itself?) I'm still reeling from the awesome beauty and cosmo-headed wigsnap of ‘It Was I’, which, in addition to being positively addictive, proves the absolute immortality and endless applicability of stupid, r&r lyrics (these courtesy of late 1950's two-hit wonders Skip & Flip). And there's an endlessly mysterious reading, tongue not entirely cheek-buried, loaded with Santo & Johnny dreamwalk, of ‘September Song’, the all-time death ballad (Kurt Weill writ it, Jimmy Durante hit with it). (Plus, it's on the same LP as ‘Satisfied Mind’...)

I don't suppose there's time or space to get specific about every inch of this weird 1) platter – like how or where or why it features the most offbeat perc work in woodstick history, 2) or how those billowy harmonies make ‘Mary Lee Jones’ the logical update of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’, how ‘That's How We Do It In LA’, is the strung-out second cousin of ‘Long Tall Tex-an’, or the 3) way ‘Bwana’ unites Brian Wilson with Africa as if it were perfectly natural. (The single, ‘Trouble’, is a precious distillate of the cool artesian water that ran through Sunflower itself, saved and salved to yet another impenetrable songsubject.) Have I made myself clear?

Later for o'ball fakery. This is the real thing.

Gene ‘Hipsomatic Version’

1) "platter" - tbc
2) Next Stop, Soul Drifter
3) aaaahhhh, the Fleetwod MAC Africa trip & album that should have been--and would have been the fivesome's fourth masterpiece

[markolas]

Until a couple of weeks ago, this was the only LB solo album I hadn't heard. And I have to say, on 1st listen, it's one of my favorites - the better of his two '80s albums, for sure. Some really infectious songs here: Bwana, I'll Tell You Now, Trouble...I think I remember hearing that it isn't LB's favorite of his albums, but it sounds great to me.

[bluefox4000]

In light of this Thread...I gave it a listen. It was just as I remember. Just AWFUL. I could not finish. I got halfway through and said.....No. This and Go Insane were never my cup of tea

Mick

[jbrownsjr]

This is such a great album... It's timelessness is timeless...

[henryscutter]

This is his worst solo album- It's funny I have relistened to it many times just to be sure I wasnt missing something lol, but it sucks IMO

Give Me GI and GOS any day over this

[Cammie]

Law and Order is from a younger guy and wonderful!
I listen to it for the lovely vocals on September Song
and Satisfied Mind! Trouble was a top 10, remember?

[PenguinHead]

Mutant Pop! I love that term.

Bella Donna and Law & Order were released in the same time frame. I recall loving Stevie's album, and being more than confused by Lindsey's album. They coudn't be more disparate!

Of course I loved his hit "Trouble" because it was the only song that remotely sounded like Fleetwood Mac. I remember being impressed that was mostly a self-constructed effort. But I wasn't getting it.

All these years later, I get it! I listen to it now with new ears, and a deeper knowledge of Lindsey's muse and wisdom. It's a very interestingly odd album that I appreciate for it's eccentricities.

There was a quote by Lindsey that appeared in Rolling Stone magazine at the time. He mentioned something to the effect that he thought his album was more creative/progressive than Stevie's album. I remember thinking he was crazy to say that. Now -- not so much!

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

This is such a great album... It's timelessness is timeless...

genius. Yes, I still can't decide between L&A and GOS for my fav Lindsey solo album.

[markolas]

Gift of Screws & Out of the Cradle (and I'd also say Under the Skin, which I love, but I know some ppl might not think so) are def. his most accessible albums. But there's some real charm in the more offbeat stuff on Law & Order and Go Insane.

[McTrouble]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

genius. Yes, I still can't decide between L&A and GOS for my fav Lindsey solo album.

Those are the two I can't decide between either, they really are neck and neck.

But OOTC and GI are very very very very close runners up!

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by David

How prescient. It's truer today than it was in 1981. Today's whining, groveling pop songwriters & singers take themselves far too seriously (& they all sound alike anyway). But they don't have enough to offer for listeners to take seriously.

I totally agree with EVERYTHING you said. In fact, I thought "revisited" referred to the fact that the review was a new review by some blogger and I thought: that's very perceptive. Funny to then realize that person was referring to 1981--if only he had known how bad it would get. For me, the definitive statement on the state of things is from Scritt Politti:

Arcade Fire The Neon Bible
Nominated by Green Gartside of Scritti Politti
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/jun/15/popandrock


People who enjoy this album may think I'm cloth-eared and unperceptive, and I accept it's the result of my personal shortcomings, but what I hear in Arcade Fire is an agglomeration of mannerisms, cliches and devices. I find it solidly unattractive, texturally nasty, a bit harmonically and melodically dull, bombastic and melodramatic, and the rhythms are pedestrian. It's monotonous in its textures and in the old-fashioned, nasty, clunky 80s rhythms and eighth-note basslines. It isn't, as people are suggesting, richly rewarding and inventive. The melodies stick too closely to the chord changes. Win Butler's voice uses certain stylistic devices - it goes wobbly and shouty, then whispery - and I guess people like wobbly and shouty going to whispery, they think it signifies real feeling. It's some people's idea of unmediated emotion. I can imagine Jeremy Clarkson liking it; it's for people in cars. It's rather flat and unlovely. The album and the response to it represent a bunch of beliefs about expression and truth that I don't share. The battle against unreconstructed rock music continues.

Originally Posted by McTrouble

Those are the two I can't decide between either, they really are neck and neck.

But OOTC and GI are very very very very close runners up!

wonder where Seeds We Sow will rank?!

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by McTrouble

Those are the two I can't decide between either, they really are neck and neck.

But OOTC and GI are very very very very close runners up!

Weirdest thing... I just listened to Under the Skin from front to back for the first time in awhile... and I don't know... I think it MIGHT be his best album.

wow

[bluefox4000]

You know. In a year of coming to the Ledge. I've realized a lot of things I hate are generally well loved by fans. lol. Not that it matters. Just an observation. Rock on You learn a lot is all I'm sayin'

Mick

[David]

Originally Posted by michelej1

And, hey, it's no secret that oddball content in rock has dropped to its lowest postwar levels of late.

How prescient. It's truer today than it was in 1981. Today's whining, groveling pop songwriters & singers take themselves far too seriously (& they all sound alike anyway). But they don't have enough to offer for listeners to take seriously.