Gift of Screws Reviews

[mylittledemon]

Ok, so I gave the album only one listen. I actually like Bel Air Rain, Did You Miss Me, Underground, and Treason. The rest of it just doesn't really work for me. The latter two tracks seem more like "Lindsey's found his niche" over the last couple of years. They almost sound like they are from UTS. Maybe after a few listens, it will grow on me some more. I still prefer UTS as an album.

[justcrazylove]

The Album is flawless... end of story!

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by justcrazylove

The Album is flawless... end of story!

I think it might be his best solo album!

[MacMan]

Lindsey Buckingham: Still Weird and Beautiful, but Tedious, Too
By Alfred Soto
Tuesday, September 16th 2008
VillageVoice

Lindsey Buckingham's contrarianism runs so deep that it subverts his much-vaunted aesthetic impulses, not to mention his common sense. The consummate weirdo who (quietly) sighs in interviews whenever he must forgo solo recordings for the sake of a certain supergroup that's grateful, commercially and artistically, for the sacrifice, the singer/guitarist/producer of Fleetwood Mac records albums whose melodic smarts can't compete with an asceticism so severe that it verges on apostasy. The results can be beautiful, sure: When he flexes his craft, he corrals multi-tracked vocals of himself that coast over static guitar arpeggios, like a priest who prefers to clack his rosary beads in his bedroom rather than pray aloud in a chapel with his peers. If there's a Lord, he's grateful for the devotion, but for eavesdroppers, it does get tedious—especially when we note how adeptly Buckingham's talents unfold in a Top 40 context as famished for his haywire formalist submersions as his erstwhile bandmates.

In the fastest turnaround of his career, Gift of Screws comes two years after Under the Skin, and for the first couple of tracks, we want to stamp it "return to sender." "Great Day" boasts guitar ripples we first heard on his disembowelment of "Big Love" from Fleetwood Mac's live set The Dance, coupled with lyrics best described as verbal tags rather than coherent statements. A couple of songs exist as mere instrumentals: "Bel Air Rain" is Ottmar Liebert on Vivarin. "Did You Miss Me" comes closest to unearthing the romantic wanderlust that's been Buckingham's trademark since 1975's "Monday Morning," but as indelible as the chorus melody is, he could be directing his plaint to a mirror—or, heartbreakingly, to Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie, whose harmonies would've reminded him (and us) of what he's missing. The feisty title track, replete with look-at-me-now axmanship and oddball vocal effects, feels anchored to a recognizable eccentricity; it's no surprise that Mick Fleetwood and John McVie constitute its rhythm section.

Alas, "Trouble" and the National Lampoon's Vacation one-off "Holiday Road" excepted, not a single track in Buckingham's solo period rivals "Go Your Own Way" for precision; he's a human being with conflicts, lusts, and such only when he's allowed to express them around and to other people. Here, "Underground" acknowledges the dilemma: "Say what you mean, but please don't mean a thing" is not just a curt description of the Buckingham Problem, but a beautifully sung line from an artist capable of transcending limitations, yet content to bask in lapidary gestures. When he goes his own way, he wants it both ways—and goes nowhere at all.

Lindsey Buckingham plays the Nokia Theatre October 19

[MacMan]

By: Dennis Cook
Jambase

If he'd done nothing else outside of Fleetwood Mac people would know the name Lindsey Buckingham. As guitarist, singer and songwriter with that band since the mid '70s, he's been responsible for a good deal of their world wide success, including contributing heavily to the era defining, 30 million-plus selling Rumours, where he wrote three of the most recognizable pop hits of all-time – "Second Hand News," "Never Going Back Again" and "Go Your Own Way." But Buckingham is actually an artist, and like most of the best ones he's kept refining his skills, finding new facets to focus his intense mind upon and working constantly, especially in recent years, to carve out an identity for himself outside the relatively safe folds of his multi-platinum band.

Which brings us to Gift of Screws (released September 16 on Warner Bros.), his fourth studio album as a solo artist, which ranges from road dust coated rockers like "Wait For You" to the positively meditative "Great Day," which rings with steel strings and quiet heart. It's a snapshot of a talented industry lifer still discovering fresh avenues for exploration within himself, and a positive sign for Fleetwood Mac's recently announced reunion plans in 2009. But, to look at the ragged cover photo on Screws you'd never know that a pretty happy man awaits you inside.

"In the context of the road I've been down, and even in the context of Fleetwood Mac if you want to go back, the title takes on significantly more irony, and it's meant to. It was meant to be a bit confrontational. I don't know if the photo was meant to be that confrontational but it just worked out that way. Warner Brothers said it looked like a mug shot, but hey, what're you gonna do?" chuckles Buckingham. "The title and the whole lyric of the chorus is actually lifted from an Emily Dickinson poem. I'm not a scholar of hers by any means but we're always looking to see what we can rip, especially things that are public domain. Oh, I hope that's public domain [laughs]. It's actually a positive thing, even though it's got an assaultive tone. She's talking about making a fragrance or perfume and how you can't really expect to get that from just the sun coming down and growing the flower. You actually have to have a vision and a certain amount of love, and apply that to the gifts that are given you, to turn the screws and press the petals and get the oil out. So, anything worthwhile, to some degree, is going to be some sort of synthesis of the raw materials you're given and the vision and effort you apply."

The notion that one has to put their shoulder into it to see results speaks to Buckingham's legendary work ethic, which has often found him doing take after take, fine tuning elements that others simply gloss over. While possibly a touch obsessive, there is a degree of craftsmanship and master class musicianship at play in both his solo recordings and work with Fleetwood Mac. Albums like Gift of Screws or Rumours don't just happen. His studio efforts have the clean lines and etched features of a skilled sculptor, where the play of light and shadow, the implied and boldly stated, are all consciously put forth.

"Besides that [first] interpretation of 'screws,' you could add in the wisdom and strength you get from the things that have happened to you that haven't been so great, as in 'getting screwed.' It's not as if I wasn't aware of that as on overlay, or even the sexual innuendo, though I suppose that would be the least intentional. My sister-in-law got upset because she thought I was only speaking of sex," offers Buckingham, whose songwriting has often had a distinctly earthy backdrop, though more in a what-men-do-to-each-other way than anything carnal. "It's true. In some ways, to get back to the early days with Fleetwood Mac, there was a lot of stuff going on. That was part of the attraction – a people driving by to look at the accident mentality. It's been part of the story for sure."

Buckingham's personal history, especially the niggling details of his romantic entanglement with Stevie Nicks in the '70s, has been put under the celebrity spotlight for decades. It's a position most of us will be fortunate to never find ourselves in but one wonders if the gawking and prying get to him sometimes. He has kept a much more guarded existence since Fleetwood Mac became a once-in-a-while affair rather than a day-to-day circus, where he often threw himself into the Mac's music to the exclusion of everything else.

"It was almost a defense mechanism for the whole run of the band up till '87, when I took leave for a while, which was all based on the need to survive, the need to reclaim my individuality and sanity. But for a significant period of time before and after that the only way to deal with it was to put up some walls and kind of live a fairly narrow existence that was pretty much the life of a monk, in a way, but not in a healthy way necessarily – focusing very narrowly on the music. Maybe a lot of things that were left kinda unresolved from those days took a long time to tear all those walls down," says Buckingham, who has experienced a creative and personal flowering in recent years. "There's several reasons for that. One is after seeing many people around me – parents, husbands, wives or whatever – not be there for their families because we were all doing what we thought we had to do back then, well, that was something I didn't want to do. So, when I finally did meet my wife - which happened relatively late [in life] - it was a real gift. And then having children changes your life. It helps pick away at old patterns and it broadens your life out and sets a whole new standard for what your priorities are. You realize there's so much of a biological imperative going on. Obviously, with that as a foundation for the last 11 or 12 years, it's been profound in making a certain turn in my life."

Besides that, there were earlier periods of time when there was an intention to put out solo work and it was, for lack of a better term, intervened upon by Fleetwood Mac. If you call yourself a band member you want to be responsive to the needs of everyone, and more than once that happened. On the last occasion when we put out an album in 2003 [Say You Will], pretty much a whole solo album got folded over into that," continues Buckingham. "And perhaps the most significant reason [for the recent creative surge] is three-plus-years ago I said to the band I was putting a boundary around a period of time, which I'd never done before. I said, 'So, please don't come knocking, I have a very clear intention to put out two CD's in a relatively short period of time, for me, and tour behind them. Please allow me to do that.' So, we got Under The Skin [2006] out and we even got a concert CD/DVD out [2008's Live at the Bass Performance Hall] between and now we have [Gift of Screws]. It all happened because I put that hold on this time."

Both Skin and Screws feel incredibly personal, a truer glimpse into the man than we've seen in some time. As he points out, the walls do seem to be crumbling and some green grass peeking through the holes in the mortar. Screws, in particular, merges different facets of his past, from the hyper pop-ish-ness of Rumours to the undisguised experimentation of Tusk, but filtered through his current, compassionate sensibilities.

"There's certainly some reference points that go back to things that were done earlier. I gave Warner Brothers Under The Skin, which was a much more specific look at one aspect of what I do [i.e. solo, acoustic singing and playing], and I was excited about that because it delved into something new for me. But it wasn't that accessible or didn't express a full range of personality, which [Screws] does," observes Buckingham.

One thing Skin did accomplish was to highlight his extraordinary and unique gifts as a guitarist who swings somewhere between Django Reinhardt and Robert Fripp, something he often doesn't get much credit for.

"I think so, too [laughs]. One reason is my style is hard to label. Another reason I took for the lack of focus on that part of things was with Fleetwood Mac the guitar playing has to be in service of making a good record, if you want to call it that. It has to be in service of the song, in service to the overall production. In doing that, quite often you don't notice what's going on [with the guitar]. If you took it out you'd hear it but within it completes, it counterpoints, it supports the melody and atmosphere of the song in a way that doesn't draw attention to itself."


"It is more fun to be able to strip down any existing things and start with a guitar on its own terms. When we [he and Nicks] first joined the band it was a lesson in adapting down. Not only did I have to change the kind of guitar I was using to fit the existing sound but there was also a pre-existing style between Christine McVie's piano and John [McVie]'s bass, a lot of melody and space being filled up, and you've got to work with the holes you could find, which weren't that many [laughs]. You have to pick your spots to play and suddenly you find yourself discarding things you would normally do," says Buckingham. "So, it's nice to have that empty palette to start experimenting around, and to have that palette be about the electric guitar."

It's worth remembering that Buckingham stepped into some mighty guitar shoes when he joined Fleetwood Mac on New Year's Eve 1974. Peter Green was revered, in England especially, in a near Clapton-is-God fashion, and his successors, Danny Kirwan and Bob Welch, were no slouches, both players of nigh infinite melody and hard string edge. Was there any pressure to play in the styles of his predecessors?

"Not so much in trying to emulate a style but early on, if you can imagine us going on the road and doing a two-hour set, we'd only done one album. So, on some level, I was like a cover band guitarist doing Bob Welch stuff, Danny Kirwan stuff, doing Peter Green stuff. There was a kind of lounge element until after Rumours, when we could pretty much lose [the earlier material]. We did keep doing 'Oh Well' for a while but it took a while to pay our dues," recalls Buckingham. "That's cool. We were the new kids and we needed to do whatever needed to be done to get us out there to play music."

Even out touring on his own, Buckingham still carries a bit of the Fleetwood Mac mantle with him, never fully able to step outside their big shadow.


"When I went out last year, what I thought about was certain staples I couldn't contemplate not doing, nor could I have contemplated the audience being that happy if I hadn't done them. So, of course, I had to throw in 'Go Your Own Way,' 'Big Love,' 'Never Going Back Again' and maybe 'Tusk' in there as givens," says Buckingham. "Then, the challenge became making a show that's trying to have a tone similar to the Under The Skin album, which was a much lighter and more produced acoustic album, with one or two guitars doing the work of a whole track. It doesn't vary and it's probably way more mature than [Screws], if you can even use that word with this genre [laughs]. The challenge became to create something that felt like the album but still worked in other things."

"This time, the challenge with a more rocking album is how do we hit the ground running and then not run out of steam? If you're going to start by rocking right away, to make the statement the album is making, how do you not run out of building room by the end? That's our current challenge," says Buckingham. "The only thing to make sure of is to never rely too much on Fleetwood Mac or it becomes unclear what show you're doing. They're my songs and they can be used in the same way as Stevie uses Fleetwood Mac songs in her shows. It's just a matter of emphasis. Ultimately, you want to offer the discerning fan an experience that's unique."

Lindsey Buckingham is currently on tour with his solo band behind Gift of Screws. Tour dates can be found here.

[John Run]

After listening to the album for 5 days now, I must say it is a huge jump up from Under the Skin for me. Under the Skin never worked for me as an album. Just too much of the same. Acoustic guitars, songs without melody, and breathy vocals often whispered, not sung, always processed. People love it, I know. It was just not for me. I am someone who thinks Out of the Cradle is one of the finest albums ever made, by anyone, so perhaps that frames by auditory preferences for you all?

Not as good as Out of the Cradle, but it steps into the number 2 position in my ranking of Buckingham solo albums. With the exception of Time Precious Time, all of the songs hang together as a cohesive album. Time Precious Time would have been better suited to Under the Skin than this album. As the 2nd track it offers an odd detour away from the overall feel of the album. The song itself is okay, just not on this album. Actually I think if you include Down on the Rodeo and Someone's Gotta Change Your Mind, along with Miranda from Say You Will on this album and drop Time Precious Time, you would have a really nice 12 song CD....Hmmm....maybe I will put that together for myself....

Right Place to Fade is a great, great Buckingham song. Yeah, it leans on Second Hand News a little, but you can ripoff from yourself, right? Love Runs Deeper, along with Right Place to Fade are the best pop-rockers Buckingham has recorded since the Out of the Cradle time period.

I love Underground and Treason. The simpleness and vulnerability of the music and lyric on Underground moves me. Treason is Buckingham meets Springsteen, Petty, and Brian Wilson in one song. The keyboard part on Treason sounds like the keyboard part on Springsteen's Valentine's Day. Actually I am suprised about how much synth I hear on the album. He uses synths to add a lushness or atmospherics to Great Day, Play in the Rain, and Treason.

As somone who has been critical of the songwriting, vocal, production, and engineering choices on both SYW and UTS, I must say I am surprised and pleased with Gift of Screws. Perfect no, but to these years, it is really good!

[BombaySapphire3]

I have listened to it once through it usually takes more than that to sink in particularly with LB Id have to say my favorites so far are Did You Miss Me and Love Runs Deeper an infectious song that could have been a hit back when Fleetwood Mac's new songs actually got airplay. The guitars on Great Day are awesome..Overall a good album with some real highlights ..I'd have to rank it seconcd behind OOTC right now though.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by MacMan

By: Dennis Cook
Jambase

If he'd done nothing else outside of Fleetwood Mac people would know the name Lindsey Buckingham.

This whole article was GREAT. Thanks Peter. I especially loved how he said the album cover looks like a mug shot. At least he knows that. I love it that people at WBR are keeping him real. I also laughed when he said his sister-in-law thought GOS just meant sex, even if it did, that would be an awfully strange way of phrasing it, leaving so much food for thought that I would skip right over the vulgarity of it. But I love the meaning of the poem, nothing worth having comes without work. I love the way Lindsey molded the words into a rather edgy rock song. From a person who is so unexposed to rock music that I think Come is "heavy metal," I'm actually SHOCKED by how much I like the title track, especially since the leaked bootleg never appealed to me that much.

Well, I'm off to see Mr. B perform by the bay.

Michele

[Nico]

I really love these interviews but I must say something.

When Lindsey is speaking to Kristen does he say things like, "I'm so happy I met you, baby, at a relatively late time in my life. Because otherwise we wouldn't have each other or our three beautiful kids who have changed my life."

I'm not kidding. He uses this exact phrasing, or something very near to it, almost every time he discusses his family. I dare someone make a poster and hold it up when he decides to share this information with us in concert.

Still love him.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by John Run

. . . As somone who has been critical of the songwriting, vocal, production, and engineering choices on both SYW and UTS, I must say I am surprised and pleased with Gift of Screws. Perfect no, but to these years, it is really good!

I agree. I have some issues with the vocals, but then I always do no matter the artist

I think LB could be one of the better guitarists around in that I think his style creates a unique sound and he can make the guitar emote. I neer thought I would ever hear a better example of the latter than the yearning at the ending of Bleed to Love Her on SYW, but some of these new songs give come close!

Of course, whenever I hear any of their solo stuff, I alway imagine what the other two could have added - I guess I am just built that way.

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Of course, whenever I hear any of their solo stuff, I alway imagine what the other two could have added - I guess I am just built that way.

Yep, that is the rub. We share this. It's not OUR problem though. . .

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Yep, that is the rub. We share this. It's not OUR problem though. . .

On some of the songs, I could swear I hear La Nicks in that harmony

As an aside, in the Rumours Forum, there is a post of the live Dreams video from the 70's -- CM's voice just ads so much to that - and La Nicks' vocals are out of the ball park. I miss CM

But, I digress. The new LB record is great!

[vivfox]

By: Howie Edelson

Lindsey Buckingham releases his fifth solo album today (September 16th), called Gift Of Screws. The album features appearances by Fleetwood Mac bandmates John McVie and Mick Fleetwood.

Buckingham says that the sessions for Gift Of Screws and his 2006 comeback album Under The Skin were the most relaxed of his career. He was asked about the tenseness in some of Fleetwood Mac's legendary sessions: "If there was one worst thing it was probably just it was difficult for all four of us as two couples to have broken up to be alienated -- probably not to have gotten anything close to closure -- and to still have to kind of move forward. And to do that you kind of had to compartmentalize your emotions a little bit. You had to seal one thing off here and get on with it there. It was kind of an exercise in denial."

Lindsey Buckingham performs tonight (September 16th) in San Diego, California at Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay. He'll be on the road through the end of October.

http://www.kbsradio.ca/news/music/87/790815

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

On some of the songs, I could swear I hear La Nicks in that harmony

Like Underground .

Michele

[michelej1]

Entertainment Weekly

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,2022...0.html?cnn=yes

Rating: A-

By Marc Weingarten

As a member of Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham is a rock potentate. As a solo artist, he's an avant-garde aesthete, breaking down beguiling melodies into sonic mushroom clouds. Gift of Screws finds him creating an insular world of ghostly vocals and nervous guitars. On ''Time Precious Time,'' a frenetically picked acoustic guitar ticks off the moments before an emotional reckoning, while the jittery title track throws a cherry bomb at Bush's war machine. Buckingham remains the master of type A chamber pop. A-