Unpopular Christine McVie Opinions

[aleuzzi]

1. Christine is always "good", often very good, but only great when she has imaginative people to collaborate with or spark against. Lindsey and her nephew Dan are especially good collaborators because they both possess quirky, individual approaches to music, and both of them have a vigor she often lacks.

2. The original 1978 studio performances of "Think About Me" and "Brown Eyes" are far superior to the final album versions of those songs.

3. She doesn't try hard enough as a keyboard player. The moments when she distinguishes herself reveal her to be a VERY effective player, someone who has a genuine feel for texture and rhythm. So it's frustrating when she doesn't extend herself beyond her comfort zone.

4. Her live vocals on the TUSK and MIRAGE concert videos are really sub-par, whereas her vocals on THE DANCE are incredible--and by far the best of three singers.

5. "Sugar Daddy" and "Oh Daddy" are among her best songs.

6. "No Road is the Right Road" from her first solo album is better than anything she would write or sing until PENGUIN.

7. She sang better throughout the 1990s than any other era of her career.

[FuzzyPlum]

I think The Christine Perfect album is the best one she's done. Its brilliant.
I don't love the Christine McVie album. It has its high points but too many of the songs are really 'beige'.
I don't particularly like any of the Behind the Mask songs except Do You Know. The song Behind the Mask is one of her weakest songs. Doesn't do it for me.
I'm not a big fan of Hold Me. I like it but I'm not crazy about it like most people seem to be.
Her songwriting skills went downhill from Mirage onwards (when she become the most commercially successful).
She should have reverted to her maiden name after her divorce (actually, I have no idea whether anyone has an opinion on this either way- its just what I happen to think).
Her Songbird is just better than that Eva Cassidy woman's version. No arguments (although I'm sure the vast majority of Mac fans wouldn't argue against that one either).
One More Night is a lost gem- wasted on the Live album (ditto Temporary One, ditto Love Shines).
Heart of Stone is boring. Just never did it for me.
In general I prefer songs she's written on her own to all her collaborations.
Mystified is amazingly good (in part down to Lindsey's guitar work).
She should have done more artwork on more Fleetwood Mac covers. Not necessarily front covers- but it would have been cool to have had more of her art on inner sleeves etc.
Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie is a more satisfying album than Say You Will.
Christine's voice isn't the strongest or the best, but is the most 'listenable'. I just find Lindsey's and Stevie's voices too grating over entire solo albums.
Her very, very best songs were either from 1975 or before.

[TheWILDheart]

"Sugar Daddy" is a dreadful song.

"Over My Head" is boring.

I really love "Wish You Were Here" but don't like "Only Over You", which is strange since they're pretty much the same song.

"Isn't It Midnight" is her finest moment.

She basically carried the weight of the whole of Fleetwood Mac on her shoulders between 1987 and 1993. She owned TINT and BTM.

I don't think she's a particularly good singer. She has a nice voice, but I wouldn't say it's amazing. She's also not a particularly outstanding song writer. The word I would use to describe Christine's voice and song writing is "SOLID". She's consistent in everything she does which in Fleetwood Mac, is a very important thing - she is the anchor and balance between Lindsey and Stevie's eccentricities.

I get the impression she could be a bit of a snob.

"Hold Me" is 1000 times better than "Don't Stop".

"Tusk" onwards is where Christine really started to shine in the band. Aside from "Say You Love Me", none of Christine's songs on The White Album or "Rumours" really blow me away.

Infact, I think her songs pre-Buckingham Nicks are better than anything she did on the first 2 Buckingham-Nicks Mac albums.

She looked so stunning on the Mirage tour. The 80's were good to her. Unilke Stevie who was a hot mess.

I really like her songs on "Time". It's worth owning the album just for those.

[Netter75]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

3. She doesn't try hard enough as a keyboard player. The moments when she distinguishes herself reveal her to be a VERY effective player, someone who has a genuine feel for texture and rhythm. So it's frustrating when she doesn't extend herself beyond her comfort zone.

Agreed with this wholeheartedly. I started a thread a while back to see if anyone could come up with any songs where her keys really shine and there weren't many people could name, with some of those being a reach for sure. Her comfort zone is definitely in the rhythm section (Dreams, Smile at You, Nights in Estoril, etc.)

I think the only songs where she truly shines as an individual player are on Sara, If You Were My Love, Crystal, Never Forget, Hold Me, and maybe a few others. Really though her keyboard playing is usually buried in the mix and really comes out live (I'm So Afraid, Rhiannon)

[nicepace]

Christine Perfect McVie never, ever gets the credit she deserves for being a music pioneer: a woman who wrote her own songs, sang lead, and played an instrument in a popular music band, first a blues band (Chicken Shack), then a rock band (Fleetwood Mac). There are very few women from her era who can make this claim.

[Frankenstein]

Only Over You is in my top 5 Christine songs and also one of my favorite FM songs overall.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by Netter75

Agreed with this wholeheartedly. I started a thread a while back to see if anyone could come up with any songs where her keys really shine and there weren't many people could name, with some of those being a reach for sure. Her comfort zone is definitely in the rhythm section (Dreams, Smile at You, Nights in Estoril, etc.)

I think the only songs where she truly shines as an individual player are on Sara, If You Were My Love, Crystal, Never Forget, Hold Me, and maybe a few others. Really though her keyboard playing is usually buried in the mix and really comes out live (I'm So Afraid, Rhiannon)

For me, she's most impressive on: Crystal, Honey Hi, Friend (acoustic version), Oh Daddy, Sugar Daddy, YMLF, Don't Stop, One in a Million, Smile I Live For, and Spare Me a Little (especially the live versions--but including the organ drenched studio version).

She's a top notch Hammond player. A damn good barrelhouse and twelve-bar blues piano player, a reflective and emotive ballad pianist, and a really sparkling electric keyboard player (ie: "Eyes of the World" live, as well as "Loved Another Woman" from 1974 soundboard). But yes, her understatement is sometimes too understated.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

For me, she's most impressive on: Crystal, Honey Hi, Friend (acoustic version), Oh Daddy, Sugar Daddy, YMLF, Don't Stop, One in a Million, Smile I Live For, and Spare Me a Little (especially the live versions--but including the organ drenched studio version).

She's a top notch Hammond player. A damn good barrelhouse and twelve-bar blues piano player, a reflective and emotive ballad pianist, and a really sparkling electric keyboard player (ie: "Eyes of the World" live, as well as "Loved Another Woman" from 1974 soundboard). But yes, her understatement is sometimes too understated.

Do I have Loved Another Woman from 1974 soundboard?

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Do I have Loved Another Woman from 1974 soundboard?

You should. It’s incredible-a duet with her and Welch.