First full length Peacekeeper impression

[Steve]

Overproduced???? Oh, please.....FM critics have said that for years starting with Rumours and Tusk. To me, it sounds like a terrific, classic-sounding FM tune! I also think the production and song is his best FM work since Rumours.

Now the harmonies, that's a different story. I agree with many of the posts. However, I do have to say, I think we may be expecting too much from their harmonies. It ain't 1973 and they ain't in their twenties. Maybe Stevie doesn't want them to mess with her voice, the same way she hates for producers to rework her songs.

[EnchantedStorms]

I just listened to it. Overall, I have to say, I love it. I agree that it could be a little "darker", though. It's a little too "pop-ish" for the lyrics. BUT, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the harmonies!!! Stevie and Lindsey are AWESOME together, and to me, this song just proves that they haven't lost that "magic".


~Angela~

[Phil]

Well, of course, I happen to adore the addition of Stevie's vocals but I too have concerns about any kind of compromise, particularly a lyric change such as the one already mentioned. I take umbrage at any sidestep for the sake of being PC - shame on you Lindsey! Could this be the eleventh hour lyric change we heard about in December? Definitely a concession to world events in my opinion.
Has it occurred to anyone that John Shanks' involvement may be the reason for the comparatively lightweight pop sound of the single? I note the single advertisement's distinction between the radio mix being a co-production (John and Lindsey) whilst the album is credited to just Lindsey so it could well be that the album version retains some of it's original dark atmosphere. We'll see.

[Steve]

HAS ANYONE ELSE PLAYED PEACEKEEPER ON A GOOD STEREO SYSTEM???!!!!

Well I take back what I posted earlier re: the harmonies!! I copied the song onto a cd and listened to it on a good stereo. Boy, what a difference!! The sound is so much more full, rich than on computer speakers. And Stevie's harmonies sound fine. They are much more subtle and really blend into the song. Lindsey's vocals on the chorus are much more evident.

What a terrific song!!!!!

Try it out and you'll hear what I mean.

[wondergirl9847]

Lord, please help me to say things without getting upset and making others upset. Thank you, Amen.

Okay folks, I've listened to this over and over and here are my thoughts. Sigh.....

Things I hate:

1. Lyric change from only kill to break their will...now it's will...and will...like in the first verse with same...made. LOL
2. The fact that Stevie sings so much on it. LOL DON'T THROW THINGS!!!!
3. CAN'T HEAR THE DANG GUITAR AT THE END!!!!!!!!!!! They should have SHUT UP and let him do his SOLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. I agree it's a bit overproduced, too much VOICE goin' on, and not enough MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. Stevie's nasaly voice. (PLEASE, DON'T THROW THINGS!!! OWWW!!! I SAID PLEASE!!! LOL)
6. Yeah, Mick's mushy drumming is right...it's like limp wrist or something.
7. Lindsey is STILL drownded (LOL) out by Stevie AND the music at times!!! GRRR!!!!!!

Things I love:
1. Lindsey's HIGH vocals SWEET JEBUS!!! How did he DO that?!?!?!?! "Nuts in a vice grip"? <--- a Justin fan came up with that to describe Corey Clark on American Idol!! LMAO!!!!!!!
2. Those KICK A$$ nuances in the song like the guitar "dulloooo" at the VERY end!!!!!! My fave guitar part around 2:35 is STILL THERE!!!!!!!!! The "laugh" is there!!!!
3. John's BASS!!!
4. The fact someone said this is NOT the album version!!!!! LOL

I keep singing only kill when I sing along. LOL
BTW, I was NOT expecting those SWEET BN harmonies from back in the day, I just am a little put off at how much Stevie gets to sing on this version. I prefer Lindsey's version....as I always have. IF I had NEVER heard LB's version tho...I wouldn't have anything to compare it to, so I can't really use THAT as an excuse NOT to like it! LOL

Are there other singers in the background? If it's Sheryl Crow, I swear to ALMIGHTY....$#@!$#@!$#@%.....

That is NOT Lindsey saying "AOL First Listen"...doesn't sound like him...to me anyways. Sounds like that generic dude voice. LOL

Can I say, regardless of how I feel about this song...

LINDSEY FRICKIN RULES!!!!!

[Rainman]

Christy--LMAO

Thank you . . .

[CarneVaca]

Christy, you're cracking me up. Doesn't anyone else find Mick's drumming a bit lacking on this song? The bassline does sound pretty cool, simple but nice.

[DownOnRodeo]

One sentence:

This is a great song, and IMO the best version of it yet!




EDIT: OK - I cave in! A couple more sentences! Yeah Carne, there are some spots where the drumming seems a bit weak, and I also was happy with the bass.

[DWIG]

I will add my congrats to the band for making a great piece of music. Excellent song, fantastically produced by Lindsey (?and John Shanks), he really knows what to do with Stevie's voice in a song and i think this bodes well for the rest of the album. I love the guitar sounds too (very definately a unique Lindsey Buckingham sound).
There is so much going on in the song, that i hope when we get to hear it on the CD it will sound even better.
Can't wait for the rest of the album.
I think if it is promoted the right way, it will cause a lot of interest in the forthcoming events!
Now all i need is some word about the UK tour dates!!!
Dave

[Lauren]

I have the song on now and I just love it. I think the harmonies work - their voices have aged yet still work together, it's so FLEETWOOD MAC sounding, and the guitar solo at the end is incredible. Who said it gave them chills? I agree!

I agree Stevie does sound a bit nasal but I think that's her voice as she gets older and agree with the one that said her voice changes on each album. I notice that too.

You gotta love this though I mean it's Buckingham Nicks - 30 years later. It gives me such a happy feeling - it's a happy song (at least the tune, not the lyrics which Lindsey is very good at doing).

Neat to read all the thoughts though ! I also am listening to it on a stereo as I taped it off the radio and I think that may make a difference.

Yes, it is pop oriented but maybe it will be a hit on the radio for a change, they deserve it.
Lauren

[Trin]

I love it!

Couple of things.

Lyric change=sucks

I think this is due to all the kinder gentler/PC BS, that makes me want to puke, and it annoys me that they seemed to back off on the edge that lyric induced.

I would have liked to kick the lead up a bit and hear more solo from Lins, but other than that... Thumbs-up.

I think this is fantastic rendition of the somng. Well done!

Trin

[Janet]

We can't get too mad about a lyric change. We were never supposed to hear the original lyric.

I liked the one effect in the beginning of the song that sounds like a part of David Gray's Babylon.

Another effect sounds like Shania Twains " Im Gonna Getcha" Anyone hear either of these effects?

Stevie drowndes ( hahaha) out Lindsey yes. You can't hear anything over her, but thats how he wanted it for some reason.

The original had so many cool vocal effects that Lindsey did.

And the end solo is taken over.

So I love the song and if I never heard the original, Id be so happy! But since I heard the original, I wish they kinda lowered Stevie a bit.

I love S/L singing together.

The drumming sounds like a machine except for a couple of parts. I hope Mick gets better in other songs.

I really like the song as a whole and I was singing with it by the second time I heard it ( got a great version off Kazaa) so its catchy and thats important.

We need a video. Stevie sitting on a window ledge her knees folded to her chest singing away and Lindsey standing playing guitar and they go back and forth to them and in the end he sits next to her and they finish the song together. Corny??

[CarneVaca]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Janet
We can't get too mad about a lyric change. We were never supposed to hear the original lyric.

Not so in this case. This song was released in a limited-run CD.

The drumming sounds like a machine except for a couple of parts. I hope Mick gets better in other songs.

You know, I've wondered if it is a machine. Because it sounds pretty lifeless. I supposed that is the feel they were going for, but it's really not on par. It bums me out because this is a great song that could have been better. But what do I know?

[strandinthewind]

I know what you mean about the drum machine sound, especially at the beginning in that initial roll and then some kind of "popping" sound, which is repeated throughout the song. While I cannot say I dislike it, it seems not to fit in with the rest of the song. I guess I think the drumming should be "heavier" for want of a better word (I am not a drummer ). The bass line certainly is, especially when they go into the chorus. You know, I heard this song last night on the radio and the drums sounded even "lighter" if not muddled. I have a pretty good speakers, etc. in my car. So, I was a little disappointed amongst my total elation that it was being played with some fanfare from the DJ.

Also, I put this song into my MP3 player that I exercise with and you can better hear the drums, not to mention a few, if not a lot, other soft vocal harmonies that are only slightly discernable on my speakers. Having said all of that, I realize I am perhaps making an "academic argument" because although I also liked the "solo" version of the song, I also really, really like this version of the song especially with Stevie's vocals. For me, they just seem to add alot in the mix, etc.

[ERigby818]

I Loved Lindsey's version better. This one is a little less edgy...though the harmonies are really gorgeous. But then again Lindsey's own multi-layering harmonies on his original were pretty kick-ass too.
Her parts are a bit too overwhelming in spots...in others, they are perfect (like when they are subtle in the "When the night is cold and still...." bridge/verse whatever that is). Those "other voices" in there are definitely Lindseys, and I love that.
I really don't think the song has lost that much in the transition, though perhaps it hasn't gained as much as it should have.

I hear some awesome wild guitar parts that I didn't hear as much before toward the end in the chorus-- am I the only one who's hearing/noticing this?! My new favorite part (besides the "laugh"): "There's still something we can se-e-elll" That harmony makes me grin because of that classic Mac sound....something very GDW about that.
The bass is awesome, and the drum is definitely lacking something.

I'm sorry, but I LOVE the lyric change. I thought "only kill" was kinda tacky, not because it was violent (the whole song has violent implications and I dig that), but because it was morbid (I think bringing up death lyrics in a song opens up a whole can of worms)...even so, I accepted the line as part of a beautiful song. The fact that he changed it to "break their will" I don't think is PC, dumbed-down, or even has anything to do with current events. I think it's a better, more thought-provoking line that may even evoke more violence than "only kill" if you think about it. It matches the rest of the song, though not the "take no prisoners" line, and doesn't leave as much of an impression. But I don't care. It's still better, IMO.

I am familiar with pro-tools, but I don't think Stevie's voice sounds all that manipulated. In terms of effects, yes, but I think she really did squeeze out those high notes in the studio.

In summary, I agree with everyone who said it's a great Mac song, even though I liked Lindsey's version better. Stevie's harmonies are amazing, albeit a bit overwhelming in some spots.
-Sonia