The SWS Reviews Thread

[elle]

http://thehurstreview.wordpress.com/...-seeds-we-sow/

With Seeds We Sow, Lindsey Buckingham has made what could well be the finest indie record of 2011—an odd thing to say about a man whose voice as a singer and songwriter was integral to Rumors, the Fleetwood Mac blockbuster that was, at one time, the best-selling pop album of all time; less odd for the architect of Tusk, whose frayed edges and druggy haze make it a perennial favorite for cultists and leftfield pop enthusiasts. But of course, both sides are crucial to who Buckingham is, both inside the Mac and outside it—and that has never been truer than here, perhaps. Seeds We Sow is his first self-released album, launched under his own Mind Kit imprint upon the fulfillment of his stint with Warner Brothers. More crucially, it’s a homespun glory that revels in its one-man-band roots, propelled by voice and melody, built upon Buckingham’s glowing Nylon-string guitar work and his (surprisingly seamless) ProTools rig.

You can hear those glorious Rumors melodies on just about everything here. You can hear a little bit of the Tusk idiosyncrasy. More than anything else, you can hear the homemade, ramshackle approach of the early Paul McCartney solo albums, whose DIY spirit personifies what it means to be “indie.” Make no mistake: Beautiful though it is, and wonderfully of a piece with latter-day Buckingham gems Under the Skin and Gift of Screws, this is the most ragged music he’s ever made under his own name, a wonderfully loose and rough album that finally finds him completely abandoning the full-band illusion he harbored on those other fine records and flaunting the album’s solitary basement roots. I’ll be honest: I’m generally not big on the one-man-band thing, which often sounds either flimsy or stilted. But by embracing it full-on, Buckingham harnesses the implicit roughness and turns in a record that feels surprisingly lively and spontaneous. Plus, the songs have the man’s musical and lyrical signatures all over them, which is just another way of saying that they’re quite good.

Seeds We Sow is a testament to the singer’s enduring romanticism; he fumbles for understanding in the universe and resigns himself, not bitterly but hopefully, to the fact that he may never find the answers he seeks, but love is enough to win the day. More than anything, though, it’s a testament to Buckingham’s own resourcefulness as a record-maker. He offers glistening, finger-picked folk songs; baroque pop numbers; and gloriously big, propulsive rockers. And he does it all by himself, simulating full orchestration without assistance from any other players (save for on “That’s the Way Love Goes,” where he’s joined by a full band—and where things really do explode).

“In Our Own Time” is evidence of the full extent of Buckingham’s gifts. It’s a serpentine rock tune that moves from a contemplative verse into a slamming chorus—and crescendos with a glorious, cascading, finger-picked bridge. There’s programmed percussion that gives it a twitching pulse, but the blood in its veins comes entirely from the lyric and melody. It’s followed by a remarkably loose, hard-hitting rocker—surprising when you consider that it’s a one-man show, anyway—called “Illumination,” a cantankerous ode to personal revelation that might as well be Buckingham’s theme song.

There are quieter moments, as well. The title cut, which opens the album, is one of the most beautiful things he’s recorded as a solo artist, a wonderfully hypnotic, circular guitar figure with a wistful melody—not dissimilar from something that might have been on the inward-focused Under the Skin. Meanwhile, “When She Comes Down” is a chilled-out pop ballad where synthetic percussion, keyboard tones, and vocal effects are used with restraint and great effect; the chorus is almost a gospel anthem, not unlike the Gift of Screws standout “Treason.”

All of Buckingham’s recent records have included songs based around repetitive, trance-like finger-picking—“Not Too Late” and “Time Precious Time” are two examples—and this record is no exception; here, one of the standouts is “Stars Are Crazy,” a resigned but not despairing reflection on a romance that’s destined to fail. What makes albums like this one so rich and expansive, though, is that a song like that one can sit so comfortably alongside “One Take,” a jittery rock and roll number with a Mac-worthy chorus, a politically-charged lyric, and a blistering electric guitar solo, all stitched together using the same lone-strummer magic that holds the entire album together.

It’s a very special record, in other words, and it is of a piece with Under the Skin and Gift of Screws in one key respect: It’s an album only Lindsey Buckingham could have made. It’s a joyfully ragged singer/songwriter album that transforms lo-fi production values into high pop style. It’s an indie record just about any way you care to define it—though it’s unlikely to be credited as such, I imagine—and it’s maybe the most enticing entry yet in Buckingham’s very fine, very special latter-day catalog.

[elle]

http://www.topsongsofthisweek.com/to...medium=twitter

SEP/11
#2: Seeds We Sow (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)


Lindsey Buckingham is one of those singer/songwriter/musicians who is truly an artist. His last two solo albums (UNDER THE SKIN and GIFT OF SCREWS) were absolutely beautiful, almost like musical tapestries (with a hefty amount of grit thrown in to roughen things up a bit). SEEDS WE SOW follows a similar vein.

From the ethereal “Gone Too Far,” to the angry “One Take,” to the simplistic rocking wonder of “That’s the Way Love Goes,” SEEDS is an almost pitch-perfect pop/rock record. Buckingham’s musicianship has never been better; he can still make a guitar do things previously unimaginable. His voice has aged nicely (more like whiskey than wine, I’d say, which is just the way it should be), and his lyrics remain cryptic, yet somehow undeniably relatable.

Of his three most recent solo efforts, SEEDS is perhaps the strongest, in that the songs congeal into an amazing album, yet are listenable and fantastic on their own. (Both SKIN and SCREWS are strongest when listened in one long sitting, as opposed to one track at a time.) It’s an album by a master tunesmith who has nothing left to prove, and is simply making music he enjoys making. Fortunately, it’s music that still has something worth saying, that is still unique and groundbreaking.

[elle]

http://www.kinston.com/entertainment...uckingham.html

Album reviews: Lindsey Buckingham and Duke Ellington
Comments 0
September 08, 2011 12:00 AM
Jon Dawson
Staff Writer
New album: Seeds We Sow

Artist: Lindsey Buckingham

Label: Mind Kit Records

Rating: 3.5 out of 5



There was a time when it took Fleetwood Mac frontman Lindsey Buckingham three or four years to make an album. Was this due to laziness?

No, it was due to the fact that Buckingham was a perfectionist; every note would be considered, doubled and overdubbed into infinity to achieve a razor-sharp sound that enthralled some and had others wondering what the man had against spontaneity.

Since the reboot of his solo career in 2006, Buckingham has been doing much to undo his reputation as the Stanley Kubrick of rock and roll. His most recent work (“Under the Skin” – 2006, “Gift of Screws” – 2008) showcases Buckingham’s newfound appreciation for the stripped-down approach. While the man who masterminded all those Fleetwood Mac hits of the 1970s/80s still knows how to craft a great piece of pop music, the new approach allows the performances to breathe, thus creating an intimacy that couldn’t respirate within the confines of a song with massive, claustrophobic production.

Buckingham — who played all of the instruments on 10 of the 11 tracks — also recorded and mixed the album himself, along with releasing it through his own record label. The ability to do everything himself without the interference of a major label seems to have invigorated Buckingham, as “Seeds We Sow” sounds more like the energetic work of a young independent artist than that of a mainstream veteran well into his fifth decade on the planet.

The new songs are propelled mainly by Buckingham’s fiery-picked acoustic guitar, hugely reminiscent of his stunning solo performance of “Big Love” from Fleetwood Mac’s “The Dance.” “Illumination” rumbles along with drum accompaniment that wouldn’t be out of place on a Red Hot Chili Peppers record, but when the chorus kicks in with those harmonies that made him a rich man, Buckingham successfully merges the elements that made him a star with those that have allowed him to grow as an artist.

“When She Comes Down” begins as a mid-tempo ballad of the later-day Fleetwood Mac variety, but this eventually gives way to a tsunami of reverb-drenched vocals that recall the psychedelia of Tommy James and The Shondells “Crimson and Clover.” “Rock Away Blind” propels itself towards the listener with rapid-fire musical flourishes and arching vocals that are so cleverly arranged you’ll hardly notice it’s just a man and his guitar.

For “That’s the Way that Love Goes,” Buckingham brings in a band and injects a good dose of revved-up rock to the proceedings. The most Fleetwood Mac-ish track on the album, “End of Time,” is almost begging for Mac-mates Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks to jump in on the chorus, but Buckingham’s own multi-layered vocal does it justice.

Buckingham has apparently unfurled his third digit to the record industry, which means you’ll probably never hear his new music on the radio again, but those who take the time to check out what he’s doing will be rewarded for their effort.

[shackin'up]

Originally Posted by elle

http://thehurstreview.wordpress.com/...-seeds-we-sow/

With Seeds We Sow, Lindsey Buckingham has made what could well be the finest indie record of 2011 It’s an indie record just about any way you care to define it—though it’s unlikely to be credited as such, I imagine—and it’s maybe the most enticing entry yet in Buckingham’s very fine, very special latter-day catalog.

WOW. This may be the best review he's going to get. It's splendid, well written and spot on. Let's send it to Chili.

[elle]

Originally Posted by shackin'up

WOW. This may be the best review he's going to get. It's splendid, well written and spot on. Let's send it to Chili.

i know, i love it too (of course!). it's been one of top tweets too, when you search for lindsey buckingham (people liked it and have been re-tweeting it). i couldn't resist telling the guy who wrote it how great it is

this is how i read Chili's first impression: "lindsey sounds too much like lindsey. i don't like that. period." (sorry Chili for talking behind your back)

[elle]

http://www.jsonline.com/entertainmen...129461998.html

CD Spotlight

Lindsey Buckingham: Seeds We Sow
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Sept. 8, 2011 2:45 p.m. |(0) Comments

Lindsey Buckingham

Seeds We Sow

Buckingham

Lindsey Buckingham has spent many years chasing pop perfection. While that helped him turn Fleetwood Mac into one of the most successful bands of the '70s, it made his solo career a halting, erratic thing. In the last five years, however, he has evidently abandoned the pursuit; paradoxically, that has resulted in a steady flowering of his creativity.

"Seeds We Sow" is Buckingham's third studio album since 2006, and it's his rawest. He made it at home for his own label, and it sounds as though he decided against polishing everything to a sterile shine.

Yet because his voice remains sweet, his guitar intricate and his melodies irresistible, the ear notices the gems more than the flaws. The relative simplicity of the production and performance brings out the beauty in "When She Comes Down" and sharpens the edge of "One Take," and Buckingham has never seemed closer to his muse or his audience.

- Jon M. Gilbertson

Lindsey Buckingham will perform Sept. 17 at the Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St.Look for a list of the week's new CDs Tuesday in the Cue for a Better Life section.

[shackin'up]

Originally Posted by elle

this is how i read Chili's first impression: "lindsey sounds too much like lindsey. i don't like that. period."

Spot on. But his review was breathtakingly humourous too.

[elle]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment...-on-fox411com/

PLAY > SKIP: This Week's New Music on Fox411.com
By Shawn Amos
Published September 07, 2011
| PopNews Wire

While I was getting nostalgic last week about early 2011, apparently the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lenny Kravitz, and Glen Campbell released new records. So let's get current, shall we, and step into the fall musical rush, along with Lindsey Buckingham and John Doe — a bunch of dudes well past 40, all proving that rock (and country and folk) can age gracefully.

the rest of the article from http://popnewswire.tv/play-lindsey-b...s-we-sow/13288

PLAY: Lindsey Buckingham, “The Seeds We Sow”
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011 at 5:24 am
By Shawn Amos

Life with Fleetwood Mac is a double-edged sword for Buckingham — and his fans, although one could argue that Fleetwood Mac fans and Lindsey Buckingham fans are two separate crowds. Buckingham’s main talking point is that his supergroup is the “big movie,” while his solo works constitute his small “indie films.” Cynics would say that’s a politician’s way of managing expectations — and Buckingham’s own ego. However, any artist will realize that Lindsey Buckingham is smart enough to know that without Fleetwood Mac, he’d be another brilliant, starving musician. The Mac pays the bills, but the solo work keeps him from becoming a classic rock caricature. More of the group’s fans should join along.
“The Seeds We Sow” is better than any big-budget band album Buckingham has pushed out in decades. The title track and the beautifully amped-up “The Way Love Goes” show a player, writer, and singer still passionate at 62. I’ll tolerate a mediocre Fleetwood Mac album knowing the money is funding stuff like this one. It brings new meaning to art patronage.

WATCH Lindsay Buckingham perform “The Seeds We Sow” live at Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.
(they provided a link to welshwitchPMD's video, btw)

[elle]

http://artsandentertainmentplaygroun...andEplayground

Lindsey Buckingham – ‘Seeds We Sow’: A Review
September 8, 2011By Kenneth E. Oquist
As a long time Lindsey Buckingham fan, his new release Seeds We Sow is excellent from start to finish. “End of Time” is a really pleasant mid-tempo song that does show the marketabililty the group that gave him a boot in the behind several years ago would have liked. That being said, this is simply a really good song and my favorite track. “Gone Too Far” is a Pop flavored song. Regardless of marketability, this is another of the best. “Illumination” shows a more funky side than what some of the other songs sound like from Lindsey these days.

“In Our Own Time” is another sound yet with some slick acoustic guitar lead and it’s a snappy sounding song. On “One Take” finally folks enter the electric guitar. A quirky song but funky in parts. It’s great song and one of the best here. “Rock Away Blind” has a minimal beat and those fast acoustic guitars he favors these days. “She Smiled Sweetly” is a lovely acoustic song. I like this one quite a bit. The title track is quite a fast paced acoustic song. Marketing may not know what to do with it, but no matter it’s pretty good to me.

“Stars Are Crazy” is another fast acoustic guitar tune with minimal percussion, but strong as they all are. “That’s the Way Loves Goes” alternates totally acoustic with a pretty snappy beat. Variety is here in this song by itself. Another really good song. “When She Comes Down” is a slower song with a lazy beat. There is a nice variety here in spite of a lack of electric guitars. With very little weakness, Lindsey scored four and a half stars easily.

Contact the Author: KennethEOquist@ArtsandEntertainmentPlayground.com

[michelej1]

September 8, 2011
http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20110909/ENTERTAINMENT04/109090346/Buckingham-wanders-solo-outing?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Frontpage|s

Brian Passey
"Seeds We Sow" by Lindsey Buckingham 2.5 stars

Why is it that many classic rockers never seem to live up to their glory days? Does the creativity seemingly run out?

This isn't true with all of them. Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and Neil Young have released some of their best work in the past 15 years.

Then there's the Doobie Brothers, America and even Paul McCartney. Although they've had a few great songs in the last couple of decades, they don't even come close to matching the hits of their younger years.

Unfortunately, Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac fame falls into the latter category. He has released some interesting music in recent years but none of it measures up to classics like "Big Love" and "Go Your Own Way."

His latest solo effort (and he's seriously solo here, writing and playing nearly every note himself), "Seeds We Sow," does find him branching out some but still falling short.

The solo show may have been a poor choice in some aspects - like the recording part. The title track seems to go alternately soft and loud in a way that probably couldn't be described as "studio creativity."

While the intricate guitar work is lovely throughout the album, some of the tracks leave you wanting a little more musical depth beyond the layered acoustic guitar and Buckingham's echoing vocals. The tracks that do have more going on like "Illumination" and "That's The Way Love Goes" definitely stand out.

Overall the songs do seem to illustrate more variety than 2008's "Gift of Screws." "When She Comes Down" is simply lovely and "End of Time" might be a bit cheesy but it's still a pretty little ballad. Then there's that riveting, sputtering electric guitar solo on "One Take" - an especially welcome aspect that saves the otherwise forgettable track.

While Buckingham is a classic rocker struggling to find his way in a modern rock world, Blitzen Trapper's Eric Earley is a modern rocker embracing the allure and attitude of classic rock.

Earley, the primary songwriter and vocalist, first caught our attention with 2008's breakthrough album and single, both called "Furr." With that album, Blitzen Trapper joined other indie bands in a new wave of Americana.

With 2010's "Destroyer of the Void," Earley sounded as if he wanted to try something new but was afraid to leave the winning formula of "Furr" behind. Finally with the new "American Goldwing," Blitzen Trapper has perfected the indie Americana classic rock sound.

This is an album The Band or Buffalo Springfield could be proud of. There are a couple of slight missteps, but for the most part it's a collection of near-perfect tunes full of melody, rhythm and pedal steel.

Blitzen Trapper hinted at this new direction in 2010's gorgeous "Sadie," one of the best songs of the year. Earley seemed to channel elements of both Lennon and Dylan while combining it with his own more modern contributions.

That's the magic of "American Goldwing." The songs have a "classic" feel but they don't sound old.

"Fletcher" is good ol' Southern rock while the aptly-named "Street Fighting Sun" channels elements of the Rolling Stones and the White Stripes. Meanwhile the title track is a motorcycle anthem that would have been perfect on the soundtrack to "Easy Rider."

A harmonica and banjo paint bluegrass backgrounds for "I Love The Way You Walk Away" and "Taking It Easy Too Long" while the pedal steel whines out sad country tales but they all just provide atmospherics to a couple of pop rock Americana triumphs.

Even "Astronaut" has a nice country romp sound that would make Levon Helm proud. Then Earley drops just the kind of lyrics that we've come to expect from him: "'Cause I'm an astronaut on the shores of the this grand illusion."

[michelej1]

Look at OKC
http://newsok.com/cd-review-lindsey-...rticle/3601986

Following two solo albums of gauzy beauty suggesting that placidity had settled upon Lindsey Buckingham's restless mind, “Seeds We Sow,” his sixth solo studio disc, indicates that the Fleetwood Mac guitarist still has demons to exorcise. Indeed, “Seeds We Sow” finds Buckingham alternating between moments of pop transcendence and exhilarating songs in which he sounds like he might come unglued. It is his most interesting and varied solo work since 1984's “Go Insane,” the last time he behaved as if he could take breaks from carrying the standard for Fleetwood Mac's musical legacy and just be a freak.

While “Under the Skin” and “Gift of Screws” sounded like the work of a rock god transitioning to indie singer-songwriter glory, “Seeds We Sow” is Buckingham's first truly independent record, released on his own Mind Kit label, and it sounds completely unencumbered by expectations. The opening title song growls at the ghosts in his past before he lets his fingers fly on “In Our Own Time,” picking wildly as drum machines and blasts of orchestral synths thunder in the background. “Illumination” and “That's the Way Love Goes” find Buckingham in off-kilter Mac mode, creating manic, multilayered pop music with a noticeable edge of menace.

“I can't see you anymore, but it don't mean I'm blind,” Buckingham croons on the soaring centerpiece “Stars Are Crazy” before the chorus finds him howling at the sky. But not all turmoil is internal: “One Take” finds Buckingham inhabiting the callous soul of a corporate raider who “won't be satisfied 'til the middle class is gone,” before ending “Seeds We Sow” with the shimmering “Gone Too Far” and a cover of the Rolling Stones' “She Smiled Sweetly,” a song about never being able to let the past lie. Buckingham might always be encumbered with an unquiet mind, but “Seeds We Sow” shows the artistic upside of living with a personal and professional history that curses as often as it blesses.

— George Lang



Read more: http://newsok.com/cd-review-lindsey-...#ixzz1XTKvdWDZ

[michelej1]

Remember Clayton Morris, the anchor on Fox and Friends who started a twitter account for Stevie? He wrote

Listening to Lindsey Buckingham's new album that came out yesterday. Big fan of his solo stuff.

He then posted a link to Lindsey's album. When someone commented that they couldn't stand Lindsey's voice, Clayton replied:

I can tolerate his vocals enough to get past them. His guitar skills are off the charts. I think he's one of the most underrated guitarists of his era.

I wish they would book Lindsey on Fox and Friends' weekend edition with Morris.

[elle]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/ar...oats.html?_r=1

PLAYLIST
Wordless Vocals and a Complex Whisper
By JON PARELES
Published: September 9, 2011

Lindsey Buckingham

When Lindsey Buckingham sings, “I woke up in the middle of the night/with you on my mind,” it’s hard to avoid thinking he means his many guitars, acoustic and electric. Throughout his solo album “Seeds We Sow” (Buckingham Records) his fingers fly, often in layers of fast, restless finger-picking that he clearly couldn’t wait to assemble. He played, produced and mostly wrote the songs all by himself, except for one songwriting collaboration and a version of the Rolling Stones’s “She Smiled Sweetly.” While Mr. Buckingham obviously selected every buzzing or pinging guitar tone carefully, the production has the low-fi informality of a demo. He maintains the sense of pop melody he brought to Fleetwood Mac, and he sings in an expressively frayed latter-day version of his old high tenor. His lyrics philosophize about love, loss and passing time. But his guitar geekery is the album’s governing force, and it’s usually for the better.

[michelej1]

http://www.neontommy.com/news/2011/0...e-seeds-we-sow

Whitney Tolar | September 9, 2011
Staff Reporter

Lindsey Buckingham Showcases His Expertise On "Seeds We Sow"

Fleetwood Mac fans get excited – Lindsey Buckingham’s new album, “Seeds We Sow,” is now available for download and as a whole, it is definitely praiseworthy.

Even for generations too young to remember Buckingham’s pre-solo career, the album should resonate with anyone who appreciates a simple melody enriched by incredible instrumentals on the acoustic guitar.

The overall tone of the album is nostalgic and tranquil, yet one or two songs stray slightly from Buckingham’s characteristically understated sound into a louder, fast-paced style that has a more rock 'n roll feel, which is not necessarily pleasant.

“One Take,” for example, is out of place in the otherwise calming collection of songs, but this does not detract from the quality of the album as a whole.

A few especially great songs are “Seeds We Sow” and “End of Time.”

The album’s title track, “Seeds We Sow,” offers beautiful, intricate instrumentals on the acoustic guitar, creating a calming sound reminiscent of classic Fleetwood Mac.

This song is definitely the standout of the album, featuring subdued yet powerful vocals and touching lyrics making for a catchy melody that is sure to get stuck in your head (in the best way possible).

While the vocals and lyrics are impressive throughout, Buckingham’s awe-inspiring expertise on the acoustic guitar is what truly makes the album exceptional, unique, and definitely worth a download.

For the most part, “Seeds We Sow” maintains a refreshing folk sound few artists can achieve as well as Buckingham.

[elle]

http://tonymoreira.visibli.com/share/NGgGS9

LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM, ‘SEEDS WE SOW’ – ALBUM REVIEW
by: Nick Nadel 49 minutes ago

Buckingham Records

While Fleetwood Mac have been relatively quiet of late, Lindsey Buckingham has used the long gap between Mac albums (their last was 2003′s ‘Say You Will’) to release a series of increasingly excellent solo records that hark back to his blistering work on ‘Tusk.’ While 2006′s ‘Under the Skin’ was a hushed folk-rock affair, 2008′s ‘Gift of Screws,’ and the newly released ‘Seeds We Sow,’ are a reminder that Buckingham is one of best (and most underrated) singer-songwriters working today.

As usual, Buckingham fully takes the reigns on the self-released record — producing, mixing, and engineering the album himself. On the acoustic title track, Buckingham shows off his signature finger-picking flair amid melancholy references to “pretty things dying in the penny arcade of Edgar Allan Poe.”

‘In Our Own Time’ starts out as another shimmery folk track before Buckingham belts out the chorus. (“Wouldn’t make any difference/we crossed the line/from the fire we will rise again/in our own time”). Buckingham is equally fiery on the album standout ‘That’s the Way Love Goes,’ a churning pop-rock tune that sounds like a lost track from Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Mirage’ album. It’s moments like this that make you wish that the Buckingham of ‘Tusk’ gems ‘The Ledge’ and ‘What Makes You Think You Think You’re the One’ would pop up more often.

If Buckingham doesn’t break out vocally as much as he did on ‘Gift of Screws,’ musically he is at the top of his game. ‘Stars Are Crazy’ and ‘Rock Away Blind’ should satisfy anyone looking for a blast of Buckingham’s distinctive guitar arpeggios. Those missing the harmonies and driving drums of his Fleetwood Mac work will find a lot to like in bouncy tracks like ‘Illumination’ and ‘One Take.’

Meanwhile, fans of ‘Tango in the Night’-era Mac will dig the smooth, soft rock stylings of the gorgeous synth-kissed love song ‘When She Comes Down.’ (It rivals the recent Bon Iver track ‘Beth/Rest’ for the title of “ultimate ’80s adult contemporary throwback of 2011.”)

Following up on themes developed in ‘Gift of Screws,’ the lyrics on ‘Seeds We Sow’ find Buckingham ruminating on eternal love, death and the unstoppable drum march of time. Buckingham sings of the “end of the line” on ‘End of Time’ and muses that “when they finally come to bury us, maybe then we’ll tell the truth.”

The album closer, a strong cover of the Rolling Stones’ ‘She Smiled Sweetly,’ brings this song cycle to an intense close with an audible exhale. (Could the “she” Buckingham refers to throughout the album be the sweet embrace of Lady Death?)

‘Seeds We Sow’ comes at a time of renewed interest in Buckingham and his band of merry Mac-sters. Stevie Nicks is riding high off her best solo album in more than a decade, while a young audience is discovering Fleetwood Mac classics like ‘Landslide’ and ‘Dreams’ thanks to the recent ‘Rumours’-themed episode of ‘Glee.’ And of course, there was Buckingham’s recent appearance on ‘Saturday Night Live’ opposite his on-screen doppelganger Bill Hader in the “What Up With That” sketch. (There’s also talk of new Fleetwood Mac music in 2012.)

Never one to coast on his past triumphs, Buckingham is making the most of this new phase of his career through stellar albums and live shows (he just kicked off a national solo tour) that demonstrate why he is one of the most enduring icons in classic rock.

4/5 stars