Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie explained

Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie
Type:studio
Artist:Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie
Cover:Buckingham McVie.jpg
Border:yes
Recorded:2012–2017
Studio:The Village Recorder (Los Angeles, California)
Genre:Rock, pop rock

Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie (also referred to as simply Buckingham McVie) is a studio album by Fleetwood Mac vocalists Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, released on June 9, 2017.[1] Four of the five "classic members" of Fleetwood Mac are featured on the album; vocalist Stevie Nicks is the sole member absent. The album sold over 22,000 units in the United States in its first week and debuted within the top 20. It proved to be even more successful in the United Kingdom, where it debuted at No. 5. In November 2017, the album was also certified silver with sales exceeding 60,000 units.

Background

A few months after McVie rejoined Fleetwood Mac in 2014, she and Buckingham met at Studio D at the Village Recorder in Los Angeles, where the band recorded the Tusk album in 1979. Fleetwood Mac's rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie played drums and bass for the sessions.[2] Originally, the intention was not to record a full album, but rather to develop some of McVie's demos. After two months, they had recorded eight songs, including "Carnival Begin", "Too Far Gone" and "Red Sun".[3] Some of Buckingham's material originated from recording sessions involving himself, Fleetwood, and John McVie prior to Christine McVie's return to Fleetwood Mac.[4] Recording was then put on hold when Fleetwood Mac began preparations for their On with the Show tour.[5] While Buckingham and McVie were able to rekindle their musical chemistry during these sessions, neither of them expected the project to progress any further.[6]

During the album's early stages, McVie sent Buckingham raw demos to work on remotely. McVie also helped Buckingham develop his own compositions. "She would write lyrics and maybe paraphrase the melody — and come up with something far better than what I would have done if I'd taken it down the road myself."[7] Two of those songs, "Red Sun" and "Too Far Gone", started off in this fashion.[8] The lyrics to "Red Sun" were inspired by a trip McVie took to Africa, during which she wrote the words "When the red sun kisses the sea" on a beach. McVie then combined these lyrics with a chord progression and melody that Buckingham created.[6]

In 2015, Mick Fleetwood was still hopeful that Stevie Nicks would contribute songs for the project, stating that "My inclination is, the music will not be wasted. It will come out one way or another. I truly hope and I quietly believe it will be Fleetwood Mac, and Stevie will do some lovely stuff, and within the next couple of years we will get that done."[9] However, Nicks revealed in 2016 that she was still undecided about recording another Fleetwood Mac album.[10] McVie and Buckingham ultimately decided to proceed as a duo without Nicks.[11] Work on the album resumed at the end of 2016, more than two years after the initial recording sessions.[12]

"Sleeping Around the Corner", the album's opening track, was previously included as a bonus track on the US digital edition of Buckingham's 2011 solo album, Seeds We Sow.[13] McVie took an immediate liking to the track, prompting Buckingham to finish the song.[14] Unlike other songs on the album, "Sleeping Around the Corner" did not feature Fleetwood or John McVie on drums and bass; Buckingham handled those instruments instead.[15] Another song, "Love Is Here to Stay", emerged from Buckingham's home studio; its lyrical themes addressed developments in Buckingham's personal life. "What had changed was I had got married and had kids and had a whole new set of things to write about. [This song] gets back to a single guitar doing the work of a whole track."[16] McVie wrote "Game of Pretend" about a therapist who helped her overcome a fear of flying. "Carnival Begin" was also an autobiographical song that related to McVie rejoining Fleetwood Mac.[17]

Release

On March 24, 2017, McVie announced that the album would see a worldwide launch on June 9, 2017, and would be available for purchase on "iTunes and vinyl – it will be available everywhere".[1] The complete track list was released on April 11, 2017, with Buckingham releasing this joint statement: "We were exploring a creative process, and the identity of the project took on a life organically. The body of work felt like it was meant to be a duet album. We acknowledged that to each other on many occasions, and said to ourselves, 'What took us so long?!'" "In My World" was also released as a single on April 14 through streaming and digital services. While the single failed to make the UK Top 100, it did reach number 86 on the sales chart.[18]

"Feel About You" was released on April 27 as a promotional single. Co-written by both Buckingham and McVie, Rolling Stone described the track as "bubbly pop-rock" in nature with a "jangly, infectious chorus".[19] Buckingham confessed that "Feel About You" was primarily McVie's composition, but he altered it enough to warrant a co-writing credit.[20]

Buckingham and McVie released a mini behind-the scenes documentary in May discussing the development of various tracks, including "On With the Show" and "Carnival Begin". McVie reflected on her experience in the studio coming out of her sabbatical from the music industry:

"For me, this is all a fresh beginning... I've rediscovered my love for writing and my love for music. It seemed to have evolved quite organically because I've been sending Lindsey some rough demos, and he's refined them and shaped them into some of our best material ever."[21]

Live performances

thumb|Buckingham and McVie performing in 2017On April 11, 2017, a 14-date North American tour was announced. Eight of the album's ten tracks were played live, with the rest of the set list consisting of Fleetwood Mac songs and Buckingham solo cuts.[22] Their performance in Woodinville, Washington took place just three days after Fleetwood Mac's joint performance with Earth, Wind & Fire and Journey at Classic West.[23] The Wallflowers opened for the band on select nights.[24] In June, the band appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform the album's first single, "In My World".[25]

Some extra North American shows were later added in August, including one in Los Angeles and another in New York City.[26] Another North American leg began in October, which saw the addition of 22 more shows.[27]

Critical reception

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received a score of 72, based on 20 reviews.[28] Thom Jurek of AllMusic singled out the first three songs as "absolute knockouts". He labelled "Red Sun", "Love Is Here to Stay", and "Carnival Begin" as the other standouts. The Guardian praised Buckingham's guitar work on "Love is Here to Stay" and "Carnival Begin" and said that "McVie’s undimmed gift for melody illuminates every song." Rolling Stone wrote that the album was "another memorable chapter in rock's longest-running soap opera, with both Lindsey and Christine thriving on the dysfunctional vibes."

PopMatters believed that Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie should be perceived as a duet album rather than a duets album, adding that McVie was largely inaudible on Buckingham's compositions. Paste thought that the album was not "nearly as caustic or wistful as the band's '70s material", but said that "the songcraft is still there all these years later".

Commercial performance

The album debuted at No. 17 on Billboard 200 with 23,000 equivalent album units, 22,000 of which were in traditional album sales. The chart ranking is higher than either of the two artists' solo projects.[29] UK sales exceeded 19,000 units, which was enough to vault the album to the No. 5 spot.[30] It debuted at No. 3 in the Sales Chart.[31]

Track listing

Personnel

Additional personnel

Production

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MEET THE NEIGHBOURS: CHRISTINE MCVIE, FLEETWOOD MAC. Henry&James. 23 April 2017.
  2. Web site: Lewis. Randy. Her fear gone, Christine McVie's muse soars with Fleetwood Mac reunion. Los Angeles Times. 2 May 2014 . 11 May 2017.
  3. Gary Graff . Fleetwood Mac Hits Studio for New Music: 'We Get Chills,' Says Christine McVie . Billboard . 15 January 2017.
  4. Web site: Male . Andrew. 7 December 2023 . Christine McVie Remembered: "I'm good at pathos. I write about romantic despair a lot" . 4 March 2024 . MOJO . en.
  5. Web site: DeRiso. Nick. Fleetwood Mac Announces 2014 Reunion Tour With Christine McVie . Ultimate Classic Rock. 27 March 2014 . 22 April 2017.
  6. Web site: Wardlaw. Matt. Buckingham McVie's Debut Album Feels Like a True Collaboration. Scene. 27 December 2022.
  7. Web site: Roberts. Randall. Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham talk about making their first duet album. Los Angeles Times. 13 January 2017 . 23 April 2017.
  8. News: Greenberg. Rudi. Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham tells all about his collaboration with Christine McVie. Washington Post. 28 July 2017.
  9. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/mar/10/fleetwood-mac-album-may-take-a-couple-of-years-to-finish Fleetwood Mac album may take 'a couple of years' to finish
  10. Caulfield. Keith. Stevie Nicks on Crafting a Setlist for 24 Karat Gold Tour, Possible Fleetwood Mac Album & Wishing She'd Performed With Prince. Billboard. 9 September 2016. 9 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160909073606/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7502871/stevie-nicks-24-karat-gold-tour-interview-fleetwood-mac. live.
  11. Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac to Release First Full-Length Duet Album. Lyndsey Havens. Billboard. 15 January 2017.
  12. Christine McVie on Fleetwood Mac's 'Peculiar' 'Mirage' Sessions, New LP: Singer-songwriter looks back on heady days at Château d'Hérouville, discusses band's future plans. Bienstock. Richard. Rolling Stone. 26 September 2016 . 22 April 2017.
  13. Web site: Seeds We Sow. Apple Music. 6 September 2011 . 18 March 2017.
  14. O'Donnell. Kevin. Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham debut galloping new song. 14 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190414213017/http://ew.com/music/2017/05/11/fleetwood-mac-christine-mcvie-lindsey-buckingham-new-song/. deviated. Entertainment Weekly. 3 April 2024.
  15. Web site: Runtagh . Jordan . 22 June 2017 . Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie Talk Duets Album . 20 March 2024 . People . en.
  16. Web site: Lenker. Maureen Lee. 14 September 2021. Lindsey Buckingham Breaks Down 10 of His Best Guitar Riffs . 15 October 2023 . EW.com . en.
  17. Web site: Zaleski . Annie. 20 July 2017 . The Weekly interview: Christine McVie talks Fleetwood Mac return and Buckingham duets album - Las Vegas Weekly . 20 March 2024. Las Vegas Weekly.
  18. Web site: Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100: 12 May 2017 - 18 May, 2017. Official Charts. May 12, 2017.
  19. Spanos. Brittany. Hear Buckingham McVie's Bubbly New Song 'Feel About You'. Rolling Stone. 27 April 2017 . 27 April 2017.
  20. Web site: Graff. Gary. Going His Own Way. 12 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180912130934/http://forguitarplayersonly.com/interviews-features/going-his-own-way/. dead. For Guitar Players Only. 3 April 2024.
  21. Blistein. Jon. Watch Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie Behind-the-Scenes of New LP. Rolling Stone. 25 May 2017 . 26 May 2017.
  22. Web site: Giles. Jeff. Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie Begin 2017 Tour: Set List and Videos. Ultimate Classic Rock. 22 June 2017 . July 20, 2017.
  23. Web site: Lifton. Dave. Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie Announce First Concert Together . Ultimate Classic Rock. 30 March 2017 . April 1, 2017.
  24. Web site: Eisinger. Dale. Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie Announce Album Release Date, Tour. Spin. April 22, 2017.
  25. Web site: VIDEO: Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie Perform 'In My World' on TONIGHT. BroadwayWorld . June 12, 2017.
  26. Web site: LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM AND CHRISTINE McVIE ANNOUNCE LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK CITY SHOWS. Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie. August 1, 2017.
  27. Web site: Varga. George. Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie add 22 shows to tour. The San Diego Union-Tribune. 10 August 2017 . August 10, 2017.
  28. Web site: Reviews and Tracks for Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie by Lindsey Buckingham. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. 2017-06-18.
  29. Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Glen Campbell Debuts in Top 40 With Final Album, 'Adios' . June 23, 2017 . Keith. Caulfield . Billboard.
  30. Web site: Jones. Alan. Official Charts Analysis: London Grammar enter at No.1. MusicWeek. July 28, 2017.
  31. Web site: Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company. www.officialcharts.com.
  32. Web site: Top 100 Albumes — Semana 24: del 09.06.2017 al 15.06.2017. Productores de Música de España. es. June 21, 2017.