Hear the new album!!!

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

http://demand1.stream.aol.com/ramgen/aol/us/aolmusic/artists/wmg/fleetwoodmac/fleetwoodmac_sayyouwill.rm


This link work for me and I am not on aol!!

Pip

[DownOnRodeo]

Holy ****
Baby Honey i Love you!!!:xoxo:

[DownOnRodeo]

Ok, now I've calmed down a bit and am listening ... How did you get this link Pip?? I wonder how it works..

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

Hehehe.... it was posted on a list I'm on and I was like holy ****!! LOL!

Pip

[DownOnRodeo]

OK... I was just brought to tears (well a guy's equivalent of tears anyway) by Illume 9/11.
The people who don't like it that much - doesn't it really speak to you about 9/11? It does to me - almost unbearably so... It's painfully evocative..

Oooh, Stevie's just entered Miranda! Welcome aboard! Hmm, the chorus has been weirded a bit. Possibly for the better..

[CarneVaca]

Pip, you rule. Next time I'm in London town, I will buy you a pint!

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

Originally posted by CarneVaca
Pip, you rule. Next time I'm in London town, I will buy you a pint!
You've got a deal Carne!! ;)

Pip

[blinker12]

Thank you so much Pip!
I'm listening now... about halfway through. I couldn't resist putting down a few thoughts.
"Illume" is amazing! I love it. Very spooky and moody.
"Say You Will" is GREAT except for those kids at the end... whose corny idea was that?! Yuck. It almost wrecks the song for me.
"Miranda" sounds wonderful. I know a lot of people don't like it, but give it another chance. Stevie's vocals add a lot. I feel like getting up and dancing to this one.
"Red Rover" is brilliant as ever. It sounds just like it did on GOS.
Not really liking "Murrow." It sounds like a hodge-podge of ideas Lindsey has used before. First half is "World Turning," second half is the guitar solo from "Tango in the Night" (the song).

[Gazza]

Well, I always loved Murrow... The explosion of voices on the chorus is brilliant.

I liked Illume, and I love the guitar on Thrown Down.

Haven't got to Say You Will yet but I have heard Stevies voice morph into the childrens voices, and I think it works well - it's clever. I'll have another listen in a sec. The song was kinda corny anyway imo.

[SmthngOfADreamr]

On my first listen to Illume I was a little disappointed, but now that I caved and listened again, I'm blown away. It is such an expressive song. I actually love the fact that its monotonal -- it's like a stream of thought or a chant and I think it's a great way to bring out the emotions of 9/11. My only gripe is overused lyric "it's like a river." That is such an overused similie. Everybody has a song with something in it that's like a damn river. Surely something else is 'neverending.'

The 'Say You Will' kids annoy me too. Whose brats are those anyway? Lindsey's? Mick's? Ehhh, I'll get over it.

I liked 'Miranda' before but it's even better now!

[DownOnRodeo]

Well Lindsey has more than done justice with RTTG!

Stevie's vocals are outstanding!

And whoever said it was Sharon/Lori on backup - it's Lindsey silly! :D


Am I the only one who thinks the repeated verse in Illume/Destiny Rules is there the second time to sort of 'redeem' the concept of New York, or something related to that anyway. I know it's unlike Stevie to just have something really bad or angry - so this would make sense that she'd seek some closure on that part of the album.. Revisit the same imagery she had in that song in a more positive light.

[Gazza]

For those who were worried... Come has not been altered a bit.

[strandinthewind]

I have AOL and I had to go through this link to hear this. AARRGGHH!!!!! :mad:

Thanks Gypsy-Rhiannon ;)

[Gazza]

Indeed Running Through The Garden f'n rocks! That's Stevie at her best.

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

....and yet again a smile form on my lips as Steal Your Heart Away starts to play! I love that song... love the harmonies!

I am desperately trying to listen in between getting food for the kids! Will listen again later with my headphones on!!

Pip

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

....still loving Bleed to Love Her!!! Good to hear Christines harmony in there too!!

Pip

[estranged4life]

darn it, I see that another "Real Audio" streamed album was released...lol...Thanks Pip!!! Brian J.

[Gazza]

I think this is a really good album... If there is a low point it's slower songs like Silver Girl, SYHA and Bleed To Love Her having to follow Running Through The Garden.

What I love, is that Lindsey really you keeps you guessing with his production. It's anything but predictable. Again, the only point where it seems like that magic is lost is during those 3 songs imo. Thats not to say they're bad songs (I love SYHA), I'm just not sure about their placement.

Anyway, I feel it deserved the review it got in Uncut... "Box of all sorts"

[blinker12]

You guys... "Goodbye Baby" is so beautiful. It made me cry _ no joke. I'm still kinda tearing up. I've always loved the demo, but Stevie and Lindsey have outdone themselves here. Stevie's voice is barely a whisper as she sings those beautiful lyrics. It is simply perfect.
As for "Everybody Finds Out" _ are these really a bunch of 55-year-olds??? LOL. What energy! Great song.
"Destiny Rules" wasn't one of my favorites until now. The ending is great.
"Steal Your Heart" and "Bleed to Love Her" _ simply great, great songwriting.
"Say Goodbye" is even better than it was on GOS. The verse is more muted.
Whoever said the second half of the album is better is right.
But you know how I know this album is great? After listening to it, I feel truly moved. As much as I liked TISL, I didn't feel like this afterward.

[Gazza]

I think if you're a Lindsey fan, you'll prefer the first half, and a Stevie fan - probably the second.

The first half has Lindseys quirky production all over it, whilst the second is a bit more familiar I think.

Say Goodbye is much better now. That strange rhythm that sounded like someone shaking a half empty bottle of water doesn't make me feel sick anymore!

[DWIG]

I was trying my hardest to not listen, but i had to give in when is saw that Pip had posted this link. Thanks very much Pip - you are a gem!
I am listening for the first time and love Running through the garden, Silver girl, Everybody finds out (wow!!!).
Overall, so far it all sounds great

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by Gazza
I think if you're a Lindsey fan, you'll prefer the first half, and a Stevie fan - probably the second.

The first half has Lindseys quirky production all over it, whilst the second is a bit more familiar I think.

LOL - I was so thinking the same thing. It seems they could have put Murrow, Red Rover, Miranda, and Come in some sort of "subsection" that says "Warning - LB is off on a glorious limb in these - press the right arrow to skip" for all of the non adventerous people out there :laugh: I hope reviewers do not get too turned off by these seemingly envelope pushing songs because they are not exactly mainstream, etc., and are at the beginning of the record.

Note: Come sounds pretty much the same; I love it. I could hear Stevie nowhere on it. I think she just said something to the effect of - this is your one indulgence - so go to it :laugh:

[Gazza]

"Think about me everytime you don't come" must be the dirtiest lyric to ever make it on a record by a 50 year old man.

And I actually think Murrow would make a good single. I don't really know how the charts work over there, but the manic verses and chorus and solo I can see appealing to people here (UK). Providing it's given a good music video that doesn't show how old they are now :)

Running Through The Garden could do well as well imo. Stevie needs to rock out like this a lot more imo.

[strandinthewind]

I also have to say that while I love "Bleed to Love Her," they could have left it off as it is basically the same as the live version on The Dance.

They could have put Space Needle there instead!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or, one of the four or five songs they cut to make it a single disc. Maybe they kept it because CM is somewhere in the mix? Just strange in my opinion to repeat what has already been sort of released when so many others exist, etc.

[blinker12]

I think if you're a Lindsey fan, you'll prefer the first half, and a Stevie fan - probably the second.

Does *everything* have to be reduced to a Stevie vs. Lindsey issue? :rolleyes:
I happen to like both of them. I think the reason the second half of SYW appeals to me more is that the songwriting is stronger. What really makes a song last for me is the strength of the melody and lyrics. And to my ears (and I know this is completely subjective) "Steal Your Heart Away" and "Bleed to Love Her" have better melodies and lyrics than "Murrow" and "Come" (to focus on Lindsey's contributions).
Bottom line _ I think the album as a whole is terrific. They should be very proud of themselves. :nod:

[Bella Figura]

Pip, you're a wicked wicked woman!!! ;) :laugh: ;)

ok, ok, I have broken down and am now listening to the new album!!!

I'm not thinking or analyzing, I am just enjoying... :wavey:

[Gazza]

Does *everything* have to be reduced to a Stevie vs. Lindsey issue?

I'm not comparing them... I didn't say one persons contributions were any better than the other. I feel for big Lindsey fans, or at least fans of his more quirky production, the first half features stuff that will probably appeal to us (speaking as a big Lindsey fan) more than the second half.


I happen to like both of them. I think the reason the second half of SYW appeals to me more is that the songwriting is stronger.

Fine, but I think Lindseys solo fans will probably prefer the first half. That's all. It's not like I was having a go at either of them.

[Mad4stevie]

Originally posted by Gazza
"Think about me everytime you don't come" must be the dirtiest lyric to ever make it on a record by a 50 year old man.


LMAO!!!!! That is so true and sooo funny!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[CarneVaca]

I've listened to the whole thing now, though not without interruptions. First impressions:

What's the world Coming To is a great opener. It has a sound reminiscent of Rumours and will at once draw in the more casual fans who bought Rumours but nothing else. Great singing by Lindsey. Cool, straightforward rock 'n roll arrangement.

Murrow was left untouched. Great move. Great song. Very relevant topic. This is one of the most meaningul songs on the album.

Illume is a good song. I like the exotic sounds and the beat. I don't love the lyrics, but I think Stevie does a very competent job of delivering them.

Thrown Down sounds great. I didn't care for this song much at first, but the new mix and the new lyrics improved the song quantifiably.

Miranda is a chilling song with an almost-annoying-yet-appealing riff that gets embedded in your mind long after you hear the song. Wonderful lyrics. The addition of Stevie's harmonies work quite well.

Red Rover gives me chills. I didn't know what to make of this strange song when I first heard it, but it has grown on me, and I truly appreciate what Lindsey was trying to do here. The haunting singing grabs me.

Say You Will was another song I thought would be blah. Not so. Stevie is singing quite well here. It has a nice beat and Rumours-like arrangement. The children closing off the song, while not a new trick, is prett cool. It's a nice touch. I think those are real children, not technology tricks.

Peacekeeper remains a bit of a disappointment. I had high hopes for this song. Maybe when I hear it on the CD it will sound better. I simply don't like the way Stevie's voice was mixed in. It's too in-your-face. The mix should have been more like Miranda and Say Goodbye, where she sounds great. Nevertheless, it's a very good song.

Come is wearing me down. I'm not sure if the familiarity is making me tolerate this song or it actually sounds better. One thing I noticed is John's kick-ass bass playing, especially during the instrumental part. Is John a monster talent or what? Even ChiliD may start to like this song.

Smile at You reminds me of Make Me a Mask. Nice arrangement and good singing. I might have kicked it up at the end of the song, rather than letting it go out with a whimper.

The low point of the album starts with Running Through the Garden. I was looking forward to this song because I liked the demo. The problem is that it sounds too much like the demo. It's like being stuck in 80s hell. Lindsey should have given it a more contemporary mix.

Silver Girl is probably the weakest song. It seems uninspired, both lyrically and musically. The wimpy production that relies too much on keys sounds like 80s drivel to me too.

With Steal Your Heart Away, the album starts to gain steam again. This was always a great song. Stevie's harmonies add depth.

Bleed to Love Her is a wonderful song. I would have rather heard Down on Rodeo in its place, but this will always be a beautiful track.

Everybody Finds Out -- Now you're talking! This song is all-around fun. Kick-ass beat with provocative lyrics. Good singing. Nice mix. I love it. Running Through the Garden should have been done more like this.

Destiny Rules -- I'm unimpressed. The acoustic riff is straight out of World Turning, and I'm not sure I like the lyrics all that much. Oh well.

Say Goodbye is the same with the exception of Stevie's added vocals. The mix seems to have the treble sounds a little higher than the GOS version, but that may be related to the quality of the file. This will always be one of my favorite Lindsey Buckingham song. He topped himself with this one.

Goodbye Baby. No need to wax poetic about this song. It's greatness. Stevie should sing like this a lot more; it works much better for her current range.

[Gazza]

I think regardless of the 80s sound, RTTG has by far the most energy of Stevies tracks, and her best vocals (or possibly Goodbye Baby). Nothing wrong with being a bit retro.

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by CarneVaca
Goodbye Baby. No need to wax poetic about this song. It's greatness. Stevie should sing like this a lot more; it works much better for her current range.

If only SN could do that all of the time the world would be a better place. :cool: :D

I agree with almost all of your review except for Silver Girl. It just takes me awhile to get used to LB's manic if not raucous, but incredible, playing in Murrow, Red Rover, Miranda, and Come (sigh), especially when juxtaposed to the far more mainstream and apparently calmer La Nicks :laugh:

[myndpeace]

Two words:

"Only kill!!!"

Thanks Lindsey for not buckling to corporate pressure. I guess the single really was a "cleaned up" version. LMAO, imagine a Fleetwood Mac album getting an "explicit lyrics" warning.

[Vianna]

This song is another one of Stevie's gorgeous and hauntingly beautiful songs, in a class with Storms and Beautiful Child. I love it-I am sitting here trying not to cry-I have to tutor a kid in five minutes=:-)

They should close the show with this song. There won't be a dry eye in the house=:-)

[blinker12]

The low point of the album starts with Running Through the Garden. I was looking forward to this song because I liked the demo. The problem is that it sounds too much like the demo. It's like being stuck in 80s hell. Lindsey should have given it a more contemporary mix.

Silver Girl is probably the weakest song. It seems uninspired, both lyrically and musically. The wimpy production that relies too much on keys sounds like 80s drivel to me too.

I totally agree about "Running" _ the sound is moldy. It's my least favorite of Stevie's contributions.
However, I like Silver Girl. The lyrics are a bit clunky _ doesn't Stevie like to rhyme anymore? _ but I like the melody. I think they could have taken it even farther, though, by bringing back the verse melody as a background during the tag at the end.

Also, I agree with what someone else posted _ I don't get why they included "Bleed to Love Her." It's one of my favorite Lindsey songs, but 5 million people already heard it on "The Dance," in *very* similar form. "Down on Rodeo" is almost as good and has a similar feel _ they should have included it instead. It still kills me that that song didn't make the cut!

[SmthngOfADreamr]

I feel so silly just sitting here because I cried both times that I listened to Goodbye Baby. This is actually the very first time that a song has brought me to tears. I don't know if I could handle it live! It's so sad, especially if you think of it in terms of what we all suspect it's about. It sure does blow 'Has Anybody Ever Written Anything For You' out of the water in terms of a closing song for Stevie, if FM were to use it.

[BlueGrass]

So can you hear full songs? How does "Come" sound..is it heavily edited?

Man only 3 more days.

[blinker12]

It's so sad, especially if you think of it in terms of what we all suspect it's about.

You're right. I think another thing that makes it so touching, for me, is the way she sings it. You can hear in the way her voice cracks and in her tender approach how overwhelming it is for her to revisit these feelings 25+ years on.
I can't see her doing it live _ I think it would take too much out of her emotionally, sort of like "Sara."

[LilyRose]

Pip, I don't know you, but I love you. So much! Thank you, thank you, thank you. This album is so brilliant, so different, so revolutionary in a way. I love the weirdness of Lindsey and the gracefulness of Stevie mixed together. It's simply breathtaking!

Susie

[Mad4stevie]

Originally posted by BlueGrass
So can you hear full songs? How does "Come" sound..is it heavily edited?

Man only 3 more days.

Yep. Full songs. Come is very similar to the GOS version, IMO.

[myndpeace]

... my initial thoughts (please forgive me if this is less than coherent)...

The sound quality of this audio file sucks. I'm sure I'm missing alot of the production here.

Stevie's vocals are amazing. She sounds better now than she did on TISL, and perhaps even better than on the Dance. Anyone who had previously said her voice was shot, listen to this album and then decide whether you still think so.

Lindsey's lyrics, on the whole, are some of the best he's ever written. Period.

Interesting song order. The album as a whole flows much better than Tusk or Mirage do. Dare I say it approaches the flow of Rumours?

Ok, on to the songs...

What's the World Coming To -- I said it before, I'll say it again. Classic opener, much like Monday Morning or Second Hand News. Like MM or SHN, WTWCT is an upbeat lively song with hiddenly bitter lyrics. Classic.

Murrow -- First off, I can't believe the official name of this song is "Murrow Turning over in his Grave." Personally, I think "Murrow" would save ink and breath. It's been relatively unchanged from the GOS verson, which IMO is a good thing. Overall this is a really powerful song -- great sound, great lyrics. Too bad it's a bit too experimental to be an effective single.

Illume -- Having never heard this song before I didn't know what to expect. The sound is very modern and exotic, and it seems to work really well. Overall the song is very dreamy and ethereal, even for Stevie. As a 9/11 tribute song, I like the fact that it makes repectful tribute to 9/11 without explicitely mentioning it or being overly sappy or simplistic like some 9/11 tributes have been (i.e., McCartney's Freedom, Springsteen's The Rising).

Thrown Down -- This has been out for a while, so I'll be short. Every time I listen to the lyrics I find more in them. They are simple, but perhaps more complex than they initially appear. Also, great vocals.

Miranda -- Stevie sings on the chorus (and maybe on the verse too; I can't tell, listening to a bad audio file on bad audio equipment). Anyways, the added vocals add much-needed depth. This song closes out with a powerful Lindsey solo.

Red Rover -- Ok, I still don't understand this song. Both the music and the lyrics are strangely intriguing. I'll have to listen to this one a few more times.

Say You Will -- Man this song is catchy. Also, this is only "happy" Stevie song in a sea of sad, deep, angry, or reflective songs. I don't know if those are kids at the end -- I think it might be synthesized. But either way, good ending. I could really see this as the next single.

Peacekeeper -- Only kill!!! Who-hoo!!! I still like Lindsey's solo version better, but that point aside, I think these are the some of the best Lindsey lyrics ever.

Come -- Definitely different from the GOS version, though I don't know how. If nothing else, then it's been mostly rerecorded. I still don't really care for this one, but I suppose it's tolerable. The long guitar solo at the end is certainly not one of Lindsey's best, but it packs a lot of energy.

Smile At You -- Ok, other than the grammar, which has by now been beaten to a frothy pulp, this song is perfect. The vocals are simply stunning, every time I listen to them. I actually really like the ending; I think it fits the mood of the song well. It starts out tense and climaxes in the middle in an angry fury, then burns out, leaving an empty, resigned feeling.

Running Through the Garden -- I agree with Carne, this song sounds very 80s. But I'm not complaining at all...

Silver Girl -- I like the lyrics (not her best but still decent), but I really do think that the production is uninspired. There's simply nothing much to it. A more exotic or contempory approach, like what Lindsey did with Illume or Say You Will, would have worked better.

Steal Your Heart Away -- A lot like the GOS demo, but with added Stevie vocals. This is traditional Fleetwood Mac -- nothing different or experimental in the instrumentation or vocals, just simply a good song for all the reasons why we love the Mac.

Bleed to Love Her -- Since we got this one on the Dance, I really would have prefered a different song, but Bleed to Love her is nonetheless very beautiful. Very OOTC-like.

Everybody Finds Out -- This song has a real driving energy. Why isn't Carne complaining that this song has a very synth-driven 80s rock sound? But at the same time it is reminiscent of TISL, especially Fall From Grace. And the Big Love-like grunting after the chorus. I guess if Lindsey can get away with Come, then Stevie can have a sexually-charged song too.

Destiny Rules -- I agree with Carne, the guitar riff was ripped from World Turning, and unfortunately a similar riff was also used in Murrow. Ok, can someone please explain to me why a stanza from Illume also appears in Destiny Rules? Perhaps to match Lindsey's recycling of music? Help me here, I'm really confused.

Say Goodbye -- With Christine gone, the Mac are in desperate need of a good concert closer. I think this might be it. A slow quiet song, but not too slow or too quiet. The vocals and lyrics have a perfect touch of bittersweet and lotus leaves.

Goodbye Baby -- Not to be outdone, Stevie comes in with her own bit of poetic mastery. I really wonder what this song is about, because it's clearly deeply personal to Stevie.

[SmthngOfADreamr]

After listening to the song 'Say You Will' for the first time, did it seem to anyone else that it sounded like the was missing a verse after that long guitar bridge? I really thought there would be a new verse in there or at least a repeat of one of the first two. I'm just surprised that it only repeats the chorus and then ends. :shrug:

And I'll say again, I'm not a fan of the kids at the end. It's a great song with that one exception. Here's hoping for a radio/single version release without them!

[stefan]

I've listened to it twice and here are my thoughts:
First of all- I think it's a very good album! A lot of different ideas and styles.

Nevertheless: the running order is really bad imo!
This time it's very hard to judge and evaluate the songs, because some of them are familiar to us and some of them are new. So experiencing new songs is always more exciting than listening to songs you`ve played a hundred times, which I did with GOS ;-) Anyway- here's what I think of Say you will:

What`s the world coming to? is a good song, it stands in a certain FM opener history and I'm soundwise reminded of Monday morning

Murrow left untouched compared to GOS- I hoped so- great. But misplaced on number 2 of the album

Illume- a 2nd listen song to me. I like it! Really good.

Thrown down- great one! Possible single too.

Miranda- to me one of the worst songs ever published by Lindsey Buckingham. The same riff in the verse as we know from Big love and Doing what I can The chorus is unbearable, what does it sound like? Cheap, shallow synthpseudo pop. I can`t even define what instruments are played there providing this sound. Calypso or whatever. Something on that disturbs me. I really hated from the beginning and still do. A shame that other GOS tracks were left out for this. But that's just my feeling, as a lot of people seem to like it.

Red rover. I am very glad this too has been untouched. Great song, fantastic voice sound and guitar.

Say you will- catchy chorus. But too often repeated. There could have been a 3rd verse or a bridge instead of that. Probably this one could have been better, which surprised me. They left it as a work in progress. Because of the chorus it could possibly work as a single.

Peacekeeper. I must admit, a few weeks ago I was initially a little disappointed because I saw a LB song taken over by Stevie. Her voice in the chorus was too much dragging Lindsey aside as I felt and I was not happy with the mixing. So I feared the CD could become a nonstop duet without defined corners for both of them as singers and songwriters. After a few listens that changed. I love the track now. What I especially like it the sound of Lindseys voice during the verses. The voice sound is something which I don't appreciate on Bleed to love her

Come- what can I add. This is simply fantastic.

Smile at you is O.K. TITN sound on it. Good singing

Running through the garden. I like it and I think it will even grow on me when I hear it a couple of times. It`s fresh and different from what I expected- not knowing the demo just your comments about it.

Silver girl is to me the most boring and uninspired songs on the album. It has no point of culmination. This is more a typical Stevie solo song- but unluckily not one of her best.
This is the weakest part of the album. The running order is just not perfectly fitting. After two Stevie songs in a row the 3rd one Silver girl drags. It seems like her most conventional contribution lacking energy and inspiration.

Steal your heart away. This one is a neat and nice piece. It`s an example of how adding Stevies vocals to the GOS tracks can be a huge improvement. She fits in perfectly and subtle.

Bleed to love her. The studio version somehow is not my kind. It has more potential and could be really great. But especially during this phase of the album there could be something more energetic. The chorus should be the peak of the song but it is not. What I don`t appreciate too is the voice sound on it. Lindsey can do better than that! Compare the bridge part to the original "You do or you don`t"... A huge difference. It seems like he is struggling on that with the singing, but on other tracks with high notes he has no problems. So a lack of singing ability can't be the point- I love the sound of his voice on Peacekeeper and many other songs here like I always do. I too don't understand why they include an already published song, while having a lot of fantastic material on the shelve! What about Down on rodeo? It's such a highlight song! Leaving this out and repeating BTLH is strange and I don`t understand it.

Everybody finds out. Greatness! Gets the album back on the right track! Completely new and unexpecting Stevie sound- great production- very powerful singing from both!

Destiny Rules- I didn`t like the 2 minute sound clip that much. The complete version though is fine to me. The chorus is catchy, the song is more conventional but it`s good.

Say goodbye. It was one of my favorite songs from Lindsey on GOS. Now I have to listen to it more often to be pleased. It is still good, but I am not really totally convinced from the new version. They shouldn`t have changed his voice sound. That was perfection.

Goodbye baby. A very strong and emotional album closer!

It will be exciting to hear the album in CD quality!:wavey: :wavey: :wavey:

[Gazza]

The long guitar solo at the end is certainly not one of Lindsey's best, but it packs a lot of energy.


Are you mad? The damn thing screams! :distress: