Search - Lindsey Buckingham :: Under the Skin

Magic

Brandon J. Smith | Philadelphia, PA | 10/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is different from much of Lindsey Buckingham's work, though the important elements remain: the virtuoso guitar work, the studio experimentation, the raw emotion. What's different is the dreamlike atmosphere that Lindsey creates, focussing primarily on accoutic guitar (there are no "rockers" here), reverb-heavy vocals, and minimal percussion.



Some of these songs ("Down on Rodeo" and "Some's Gotta Change Your Mind") date back to the sessions that Buckingham had with Mick Fleetwood and John McVie around the time of "The Dance" that eventually became the sessions for Fleetwood Mac's "Say You Will" album. Some were written during the tour for that album, and some even more recently ("Shut Us Down" was on the Elizabethtown soundtrack). Yet they all hold together as a cohesive whole because of Buckingham's excellent songwriting, unique guitar and singing styles, and exceptional ability as a producer.



Of particular note are the opening song, "Not Too Late," with its fantastic guitar work and almost-shockingly personal lyrics, the title track, "Under the Skin," and "Down on Rodeo," which I think is arguably the best song on the album. As I write this, though, I feel I could mention any or all of the songs as particularly notable!



As with his previous solo album, "Out of the Cradle," and his songwriting contributions to "Say You Will," Buckingham is approaching the current phase of his career with incredible focus and long-honed skill. This album really is magic, and it's truly a worthy addition to the Buckingham catalog."

A beautiful, intimate pop record

DanD | 10/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Lindsey Buckingham has long been one of my favorite artists, going back twelve years to when my parents would play Fleetwood Mac in the car on vacations. His voice is honest, sometimes even angelic--but never fake. His songwriting and producing talents are among the best in the business, and his guitar picking...hell, don't even get me started on that.



So it's not much of a surprise, then, that UNDER THE SKIN is such a great pop record. It has a classic feel to it, as though these were standard pop tunes being revisited; in fact, all but two were written by Buckingham himself. He plays all instrumentation on all the tracks except two (old partner Mick Fleetwood joins him on two songs, and John McVie on one). The acoustic vibe running beneath these songs is sometimes gentle, sometimes furious. Songs of abandonment fit snugly beside tunes of contentment. There are elements of rock, blues, jazz, even country (I dare anyone to say that "Down on Rodeo" is not a country song).



And still none of this is surprising, is it? Because Buckingham has been doing this for decades. He hasn't perfected his art yet--but that's the beauty of it. As good as he is, he is only getting better. UNDER THE SKIN is a beautiful, intimate pop record that will genuinely move you. Give it a listen, and tell me Lindsey Buckingham isn't one of the best pop musicians around."

TRAGICALLY UNTAPPED POTENTIAL.....

J. Pate | Northport, AL | 10/06/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Who the heck is Lindsey Buckingham and why am I listening to his cd over and over on the same week that Beck released his latest? I'm 32 years old and don't even OWN a Fleetwood Mac record (much less a Lindsey Buckingham album), but I guess it's the extra money I have these days that made me give this cd a try. Of course, I've heard of Lindsey Buckingham; I've just never cared. He has always seemed to me like someone I was supposed to like, but who had never really done anything for my generation so I just ignored him (and Fleetwood Mac). This collection of songs is so good. I was expecting absolutely nothing from this cd and I am finding song after song that not only brims with talent and creativity, but gets better every time I hear it. The only fair thing to do for a cd like this is to go through it, song for song; I don't think it really matters how many "stars" I give each song, but I do think each one deserves to be examined, so here goes:



"Not Too Late" - Obviously, the guitar work here is stunning. I didn't care for the breathy, spoken-word style of the "singing", but it fits the song and it makes the soaring and painful chorus come to life. This is a sad song and somewhat of an odd choice as an album opener, but I like it. I can't say that I'd play it for anybody else, but some of the best music out there isn't stuff that the typical music "consumer" can appreciate. Listening to this song makes me wonder what his voice sounded like before it was weathered by pain, time and use.



"Show You How" - This song is just plain fun. The minimalistic percussion approach to this entire record isn't something I'm used to, but it works here perfectly. Not much guitar here, but this song is literally driven by beautifully layered vocals and that driving rhythm. This is one of my favorites. It shows another set of "tools" for Buckingham and takes the pressure off of him having to play a masterpiece on guitar every song.



"Under the Skin" - This is a really pretty song and it's very relaxing. The guitar is back, but more subtly and less complex than on the first track. I think the melody could've done a few more things in this song that would've made it a bit more interesting, but this song is still quite good. Again, we still haven't heard what Lindsey's voice really does sound like yet. To me, it changes a lot on this cd, which is usually interesting, but sometimes frustrating. Some of this musicianship really deserves more vocal power (just my opinion, obviously). To me, this song just doesn't take me anywhere; it's nice and pretty, but one of the more docile songs on the album.



"I Am Waiting" - The picking on this song is beautiful and the chorus is absolutely breathtaking. To me, some of my favorite songs make you wait for these brief but heart-pounding moments in them that seem to transcend the song itself. The lyric "We're waiting..." describes how I feel during this song while I'm waiting for that little chorus! It's worth every second!



"It Was You" - Again, the vocals are the star on this song, backing away again from the guitar work. The "Jamaiican" guy in this song is kinda neat and there is a distinct reminder of the Beach Boys in the chorus. The trail-off after each "chorus" is a bit weak and almost odd, but it just adds to the interesting texture of the song. Buckingham doesn't seem to be afraid to throw stuff into songs that could've been pure melodic joy, just to throw them off a bit. That's o.k. with me because this song is just so good and the perfect lead-in to the next one. The melody is unique and quite memorable.



"Try For the Sun" - Another favorite; the guitar is amazing and I love the crackling falsetto in the chorus. This is an inspiring song and seems to hint at how majestic and beautiful Buckingham can be when he stretches himself. This song makes me want to hear an entire album of stuff like this, with more powerful vocals and a fuller sound. I wouldn't change THIS song, but it certainly pumps me up for something other than the song that follows it, which is a big letdown for me and the only weak song of the album.



"Cast Away Dreams" - Just don't like it. Nothing interesting to me about it. The music is so-so, the guitar is so-so, the idea is just kinda there. Maybe I'm missing something, so I'll keep listening, but I just don't like it at all. If he would have left this song off of the album, I think it would be much stronger.



"Shut Us Down" - The musical progression in this song is just so much fun to listen to. It doesn't let you know that it's going to get better, but it certainly does. Again, I just wish his voice could rise to the level of his musicianship because if it ever did, this man would be a force. The guitar is the star here (again) and I hope that as I buy some Fleetwood Mac stuff, this guitar work will be there.



"Down on Rodeo" - The best song on the album. My personal favorite. This song just nails it. It's catchy, memorable, wildly melodic and toe-tapping from start to finish. Lindsey's voice actually seems strong in this song, making me wonder why he didn't use it more in other songs. I love the background vocals and the percussion and bass (by Mick Fleetwood and John McVie) are just spot-on; not too much, but the song would never "take off" without them. If I actually listened to radio, I think this song would sound good on it.



"Someone's Gotta Change Your Mind" - To me, "Down on Rodeo", followed by this song is the one-two punch of this album. I'm glad it happens at the end, though, because if it happened at the beginning, I'd expect more from the other songs. I would've ended the album with this song, personally, although "Fly Down Juniper" is still a good song. The chorus, again, is so memorable and worth waiting for. Buckingham seems to have a knack for taking short melodies on extremely interesting rides that you never thought his voice was capable of taking them on. He's more powerful, almost god-like on this song. He sings like a man who is demanding that you listen to him, as opposed to the whispering, crackling speaking of the first track. However, that's one of the surprising delights of this album, seeing the songs develop and reach a climax in the last stage of the cd. Brilliant.



"Fly Down Juniper" - Again, I could do without this song. Not that it's no good, but I would have put it after "Try for the Sun" and left off "Cast Away Dreams"; to me, that's your album. No matter what he did, it probably would've been "downhill" after "Someone's Gotta Change Your Mind".



Overall, I think this guy has tragically untapped potential and I really hope he keeps making music. I guess he's getting pretty old, but I really believe he still has his best stuff in him yet."