[sodascouts]

I love Lindsey. I really do. I adore him. I am a true fan.


But to me, Tusk is not the high point of his career. In fact, if I were to rank his FM and solo stuff album-wise, I'd say this comes in 4th. There is one great song, several good songs, but a couple of the songs sound like he was trying so hard to get away from Rumours that he overcompensated by obsessing over making the music "different" instead of making the music enjoyable. I am thinking specifically of "The Ledge" and "Not That Funny." Parts of "What Makes You Think You're the One" come close to that but overall that song works. But let's break down the whole album:


The Ledge:
I've already stated this is my least favorite song (once of my least faves of his ever). So, this will garner my harshest criticism.

When it starts, it has the potential to be a fun song - but then Lindsey throws off the beat with some strangely placed echoes, and they mess up the song every time they occur until I just want the stopping and starting of the rythym to end.

Here are the spots this occurs:
what it's really what it's really all about....
oughtta tell you oughtta tell you...
someone oughtta someone oughtta someone oughta someone oughtta someone oughtta someone oughtta someone oughta someone oughtta someone oughtta someone oughtta someone oughtta someone oughtta someone oughtta someone oughtta tell you what it's really what it's really what it's really what it's really all about. [I'm not exaggerating - this is what he sings.]

And during the bridge, why does he manipulate the chorus like he's sitting there turning the dials up and down? He's obviously doing it for effect, but it seems like this effect has only one purpose: to make his song "unconventional."



Save Me a Place
Not bad. A little dull, but it's sweet.



What Makes You Think You're the One
Ouch! I have to say, while the tone of the song it abrasive, I see where he's coming from. He's saying, "You are NOT all that, Stevie Nicks!" And with this song, I think he's pretty much got Stevie's attitude towards him at the time pegged. She wanted Lindsey to be hers, whether she was his or not. She wanted him to "never get away" even as she moved on to other men. So I think it's right on lyrically. And, musically, the song is pretty good until you get to towards the end and he makes all these weird noises in the background. (This is the bridge before the mmm...mmm..) That is annoying and brings the song down. Again, I believe these effects were only tossed in to be "experimental" because they certainly don't add anything melodically. Otherwise, I like it.



That's All for Everyone
It drags, plodding on and on. I just want it to be over. Next!



Not That Funny
Ugh. Such jerky lyrics, but other than that, it sounds (as I mentioned before) half finished. Bang bang, ring ring, bang bang, ring ring. But it really doesn't start grating in full measure until the cacophony at the end. What happened to those magnificent endings he used to ram out on that guitar? For some songs the end was better than the rest of it (ISA). Now it's the worst part.

That being said, the live version (Mirage, not Dance) - OK, what was he saying about "no one to turn you on?" lol! I like that one a lot better. Hehe.



That's Enough for Me
I LOVE this song! The is the best of Lindsey's songs on Tusk. In fact, it's one of my top 10 Lindsey FM songs EVER. This song is fun, it's got a great beat, and the beat propels it forward so quickly that the underproduction works simply because it highlights that beat. The guitar is utilized here more than the other songs, and who can't love Lindsey's exuberant "YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!" Right there with you, babe.

Also, for me, this is the turning point of the album for him. I like all his later songs on it.



I Know I'm Not Wrong
Which means I like this one, too. Some of its lyrics and chords and rhythms echo some of the ones I didn't like eariler, but melodically it's catchier. I like the underlying melody that becomes obvious towards the end: Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum, Bum BUM bum buddadadum. It has good harmony. And it has some cool guitar in it at the end (I LOVE his guitar. It makes everything OK.) The hook "I Know I'm Not Wrong" can get in your head and stay there.



Walk a Thin Line:
You'd think I wouldn't like this song. After all, it's very slow and repetitive, things I disliked about "That's All for Everyone." Here, however, I just love how the chorus goes: I said stay....(ooh wa ooh wa ooh wa ooh wa wa) by my side....(ooh wa ooh wa ooh wa ooh wa wa). That sounds very cool to me. And, like IKINW, this has a very catchy, stay in your brain hook. "I walk a thin.....line!"



Tusk:
I like the beat, the lyrics, the horns, the melody....the only think I don't like are the "sound effects." They bring down a perfectly good song. However, they don't bring it down so much that I dislike it. It just doesn't fulfill its potential until you go live with it and ax all that (although I think sometimes he does do the sound effects live - you just can't hear them very well so it doesn't matter as much lol)



There you go, my honest opinion of Tusk. I don't hate it, but I don't think it stands out. With the exception of That's Enough for Me, most of the songs are just "pretty good." And a couple are not so good. I realize I am in the minority. This is true for the Stevie songs too. I think I'm the only Stevie fan who dislikes "Storms" and "Beautiful Child."

Let me stress, I admire Lindsey a great deal. I believe he is a musical genius. I believe he is one of the best guitarists alive. I do not believe Tusk was his best work, and I am not afraid to say so.