[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.