EP out in the US

[shackin'up]

Originally Posted by RockawayBlind

Besides that, the acoustic guitar sounds positively horrid. I don't understand why Lindsey has to mess around with one of the most beautiful-sounding instruments in existence. Just sit down with the guitar, aim the condenser mic at it, and get a nice, clean, pure recording. It's kind of irritating.

I agree. he tends to record all warmth out of it.

[RockawayBlind]

Leave it to FM to time their EP release on iTunes when users have been complaining that iTunes, the application, really sucks now, forcing people to use something else. I've only stuck with it because I am too lazy to go learn some other media player at this point.

Aside from that, the songs are just OK. Pretty bland, nothing spectacular. Maybe it's what Lindsey envisions as the FM sound now, but when you know he can get so much more interesting, it falls a little flat.

Great hooks on Sad Angel and Miss Fantasy, no question. The piano song is such a weird-ass choice, you have to wonder what the hell were they thinking. Was Lindsey trying to do Christine's role too? And how is this an FM EP when two songs don't even seem to have Mick on them?

Without You, aside from the horrible guitar tone, kind of drags on at the end. Would have been a great song if Lindsey had done some of the beautiful guitar riffing that he did on all the Buckingham Nicks material. This just sort of drags on with oos and aas, and it's kind of dull.

Overall, the production is way thick. Very modern, so I supposed this is what the kids want to hear. But it lacks dynamics. Really, the best production I've heard on Lindsey songs for a long time was on the This is 40 songs. It's organic and warm. This stuff just hits you over the head. It's typical of what producers do these days because they've convinced themselves that loud is better. But it isn't.

The EP is OK, but there is really nothing exciting about it.

[Sleepless-Child]

So Lindsey fans, where did you discuss the resemblance between "It takes time" and "Show you how"??

"It takes time" is my favorite song on the EP. It's different. And it could have been even more different.

[shackin'up]

Originally Posted by RockawayBlind

the songs are just OK. Pretty bland, nothing spectacular. Maybe it's what Lindsey envisions as the FM sound now, but when you know he can get so much more interesting, it falls a little flat.

Great hooks on Sad Angel and Miss Fantasy, no question. The piano song is such a weird-ass choice.... And how is this an FM EP when two songs don't even seem to have Mick on them?

Without You, aside from the horrible guitar tone, kind of drags on at the end. Would have been a great song if Lindsey had done some of the beautiful guitar riffing that he did on all the Buckingham Nicks material.

Overall, the production is way thick. Very modern, so I supposed this is what the kids want to hear. But it lacks dynamics. Really, the best production I've heard on Lindsey songs for a long time was on the This is 40 songs. It's organic and warm. This stuff just hits you over the head. It's typical of what producers do these days because they've convinced themselves that loud is better. But it isn't.

The EP is OK, but there is really nothing exciting about it.

I couldn't agree more. I hate it when Lindsey goes for commercially valuable songs. We get a bunch of peacekeepers and did you miss me's. Flat, Well constructed Bubblegumpop. But at this age, you can call it dementiapop or Alzheimerfolk too.

I really like It Takes Time, but then he uses an old melody. he's done that before, tastefully, but come on. on an EP with just Four tracks, don't do that.

[dontlookdown]

I love It Takes Time.
Reminds me so much of Springsteen. And a little of Jackson Browne.
Lindsey has turned into an amazing songwriter.

[StevieNicksfann]

I absolutely adore all 4 songs!!! So glad

[AncientQueen]

Originally Posted by RockawayBlind

Besides that, the acoustic guitar sounds positively horrid. I don't understand why Lindsey has to mess around with one of the most beautiful-sounding instruments in existence. Just sit down with the guitar, aim the condenser mic at it, and get a nice, clean, pure recording. It's kind of irritating.

I totally agree with this. It annoys me to no end that all the good play is buried under some kind of effect that sounds cheap and outdated to my ears.

[wheart]

Originally Posted by RockawayBlind

Besides that, the acoustic guitar sounds positively horrid. I don't understand why Lindsey has to mess around with one of the most beautiful-sounding instruments in existence. Just sit down with the guitar, aim the condenser mic at it, and get a nice, clean, pure recording. It's kind of irritating.

I really loved "Without You" live so I was quite shocked to hear the recorded version. Yikes! That guitar is difficult to listen to, not to mention those flat vocals. Really disappointed. However, Sad Angel is amazing and deserves to a major hit (not that it will but it should be!). It Takes Time is simply beautiful..so refreshing to hear Lindsey's voice in it's (I think) natural state, without a ton of effects. I need to play Miss Fantasy a few more times before I can form an opinion on it.

[bluefox4000]

Listened to it once. On my 2nd listen as I write. I have not read all your opinions but the first thing that comes out very VERY strong to me is this seems like Lindsey with guest Stevie. Lindsey is all over this EP and stevie's.....there. Ya catch me?

Sad Angel- Great great hooky pop song. Already love it.

Without you- Very Buckingham/Nicks But.....man does it drag. Don't like it at all

Show You....erm It Takes Time, lol- Not as wild about it as others are....and I'm a huge Lindsey fan. Kind of real droopy and draggy. I just...too down for me. I don't hate it though....it's ok.

Miss Fantasy- Best Thing here hands down....Like the best ear candy in the world. Perfect song.

So very mixed bag for me. Two perfect pop songs and 1 ok song, and 1 thumbs down.

Mick

[AncientQueen]

My review is not that positive. How is this a FM EP? Lindsey songs with Stevie on it, not even Mick and John are on all tracks, wtf. I'm not familiar with Lindseys solo music and listen to this EP sadly reminds me of all my reasons for that.
It cannot be that hard to just record people playing (and we all know they are fantastic players) and/or singing and just leave it that way. The same old production tricks that made TITN unlistenable after 1988 are used again - in 2013. Why?

Miss Fantasy - nice melody, production miserable, Lindsey is just not a good singer.

Without You - the beginning sounds like a midi version of a good recording, Stevie sings to low, it would hav been better if she and Lindsey would have splitted the verses, so it sounds like she came in, sang along and left, which is probably exactly what happened. Good guitar, buried under some fairground noise.

Sad Angel - not bad, but the production....

It takes Time - Piano wanted to play "Imagine" but it was to difficult. AncientQueen falls asleep, softly weeping at the shallow lyrics, the violins, the singing voice and the tremendous boredom of it all.

[Tango]

There must be something wrong with me because I enjoyed all 4 songs.

It was a real treat hearing "Without You". I felt their voices sounded great together- Buckingham Nicks 2013. Sure, they could trim off all the stuff at the very end, but I didn't really mind. While "It Takes Time" sounds pure Lindsey solo, I enjoyed him with a piano backing. It was, well, pretty. (Not sure who was playing, but it sure wasn't Stevie!) In an odd way, it reminded me of KISS's performance of the song "Beth,"- just a totally unexpected but sweet song. "Sad Angel" in particular, seems to follow the classic Rumours chemical equasion, doesn't it? "Miss Fantasy" is a little slower on the EP edition--it'll grow in time. In a large bowl, mix an angel, a "dream," stir in bits about fighting and war, some rocking drums, a screaming guitar, hit it with a bunsen burner, add a magnesium ribbon strip or some gold dust and they'll get some great songs--maybe some serious bright lights on it. I see a potential album in the works. As long as they don't drag it out over 2 years. They don't have the luxury of Tusk Time anymore.

Well done, guys. I'm looking for more to come. And I really hope you work it out for Christine to be with you in the studio. Whatever it takes. Like you said, Lindsey, it takes time. But don't blow it. We've been waiting for her return since 1997.

[TrueFaith77]

Unpopular opinion:

The ending of Without You is the best part (very post-coital)

Originally Posted by RockawayBlind

Overall, the production is way thick. Very modern, so I supposed this is what the kids want to hear. But it lacks dynamics. Really, the best production I've heard on Lindsey songs for a long time was on the This is 40 songs. It's organic and warm. This stuff just hits you over the head. It's typical of what producers do these days because they've convinced themselves that loud is better. But it isn't.

Yes, here's the thing. The This is 40 songs and the Foo Fighters song are better produced (and maybe just better) songs than the Mac EP tracks. The deviation being: the presence of outsider producer is better than Lindsey producing. It pains me to come to this conclusion.

[KenB]

I just had a thought. You know what I think would have been a better move, commercially, than making "Sad Angel" the single? With folky, male/female-harmony-rich acts like The Civil Wars and Low doing extremely well in the indie rock world right now, I think "Without You" -- if they'd recorded it in a more organic, stripped-down way without the harsh production -- would do really well at triple-A radio. Actually, I think if FM went in that direction in general instead of aiming for mainstream pop radio, they'd have a lot more success, as that's where the majority of older music fans are. They're never going to be able to compete with the Lady Gagas and Christina Aguileras, but they'd do great next to Dylan, Lucinda Williams, etc., if they'd taylor their production the right way. "Without You" would have been the perfect song to do that with.

[D.W-Suite]

It's up to #4 here in Ireland.

[Matt Lucas]

Hello all---

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Unpopular opinion:
Yes, here's the thing. The This is 40 songs and the Foo Fighters song are better produced (and maybe just better) songs than the Mac EP tracks. The deviation being: the presence of outsider producer is better than Lindsey producing. It pains me to come to this conclusion.

Interestingly enough, there was a co-producer involved in both THIS IS 40 and EXTENDED PLAY. *grin* Mitchell Froom co-produced the EP, with the exception of "Without You," which was produced by Stevie and Lindsey[listed in that order, by the way!]. Lindsey's THIS IS 40 tracks were co-produced by Jon Brion.

I've always liked Mitchell Froom's production, but I don't hear his fingerprints on EXTENDED PLAY. His work in the late '80s and early '90s with artists like Crowded House, Los Lobos, Paul McCartney, and Elvis Costello was fantastic. Not unlike Lindsey, Froom had his own "sound," and you could spot one of his productions pretty easily.

His more recently productions have more of a mainstream sound to them...not bad, just lacking the really "out there" production of his '80s/'90s work. But the more recent stuff still sounds great from a production standpoint. It's well-recorded and well-mixed. And I think it sounds good, just not as creative or original as his earlier productions.

I know other fans disliked the sound of the THIS IS 40 songs, but I think Brion did a fantastic job on them. You can really hear Brion's touch on those songs, which I think are the best-recorded Lindsey songs since MIRAGE and maybe since RUMOURS. Brion leans toward a more organic sound. He loves layering parts, just like Lindsey does, but he does it similarly to how Brian Wilson and George Martin did---he combines different instruments and parts, rather than just adding effects. [He uses effects too, though. Just sparingly.]

So...back to the EP. "Without You" has a different sound than the other tracks, and the obvious difference is...Stevie co-produced it! So it's entirely possible that she was responsible for its bad production. *wink*

I think the sound issue is more an industry issue, with mastering being the culprit. Everything these days is mastered BIGGER LOUDER FASTER for portable devices, which squeezes all the life out of the original recordings. There are no subtleties...only VOLUME!

I don't think that can be blamed on Lindsey or Froom or any producer, for that matter. It's the record companies and iTunes and the other online download sites. Most people, unfortunately, listen to music via their phone/iPod/etc. Sad but true.

matt