new FM album - options?

[Matt Lucas]

Hello all---

Originally Posted by Artemis

Personally, I don't care what material they use, as long as it ends up sounding like a band album - not just two solo albums on shuffle. They didn't even harmonise on SYW, so much as echo each other.

For the most part, I think you’re right. But…I was listening to SYW on the way to the office this morning, and I was reminded again how much I love the two-part harmonies on the second verse to “Thrown Down.” Their voices complement each other really well on that tune, and I love the arrangement.

I definitely prefer Lindsey over Stevie or Christine, but I think the thing that makes the band’s music generally better than their solo works is chemistry. Lindsey and Stevie and, to a lesser degree, Christine have made good to great solo tunes. But when they’re in the same room with John and Mick, they all make each other better. It’s as simple as that. Now, maybe that’s not the easiest way to work for all of them, but easy doesn’t necessarily mean best.

I think the band has one more great album left in them. Lindsey and Stevie each made a good solo record last year, so the well isn’t dry from a songwriting standpoint. Mick and John still have the rhythm magic, I think. The key is to get Christine back, though. She was my least favorite of the three singers, but, as much as I prefer Lindsey, I accept now that Christine was the glue that really held the band together. She wrote great songs, she had a sweet, warm voice, and she filled the often-wide gap between Stevie and Lindsey so well.

Hasn’t Lindsey talked about maybe NOT wanting to produce the band next time around?

If that’s not just Lindsey venting, then I’d love to see them work with Rick Rubin. They need someone to get them back to who they really are, and Rubin has a reputation for helping artists rediscover their soul. Look at what he did for Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, and the Dixie Chicks.

In fact, Rubin and Lindsey have most likely worked together before. Lindsey sang some wonderful backing vocals on Petty’s “Walls (Circus),” which was produced by Rubin. If it’s not Lindsey in the producer’s chair, then I hope it will be Rick Rubin.

Check out these quotes:

"I don't even know what a traditional producer is or does," says Rubin, who unlike many other producers doesn't do the hands-on work with sound boards and such. "I feel like the job is like being a coach, building good work habits and building trust. You want to get to a point where you can say anything and talk about anything. There needs to be a real connection. My goal is to just get out of the way and let the people I'm working with be their best.” …

"I try to get the artist to feel like they are writing songs for the ages rather than songs for an album. As they write, they come over and play the songs for me. For some reason, most people will write 10 songs and think, That's enough for a record, I'm done. When they play the songs for me, invariably the last two songs they've written are the best. I'll then say, 'You have two songs, go back and write eight more.' "

You can read the full stories here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...300414_pf.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/02/ma...pagewanted=all

Cheers,
matt

[David]

Originally Posted by Matt Lucas

Mick and John still have the rhythm magic, I think.

Mick still does, as evidenced by Stevie's album last year. "Annabel Lee" is Mick's tightest, most in-the-pocket drum track in a loooong time. He scarily sounds like the Mick Fleetwood of 1980. Up till "Annabel Lee," I had thought Mick had lost a lot of his old metronomic perfection. His fills used to sound like firecrackers going off, but in recent years they sounded more & more sluggish--like somebody on nighttime cold medicine. But he's back where he belongs on "Annabel Lee." The exasperating thing is that all the girls named Rhiannon don't even hear it.

[PolishStevieFan]

"Fleetwood Mac performing Great American Songbook" Just kidding

[MacShadowsBall]

Originally Posted by David

Mick still does, as evidenced by Stevie's album last year. "Annabel Lee" is Mick's tightest, most in-the-pocket drum track in a loooong time. He scarily sounds like the Mick Fleetwood of 1980. Up till "Annabel Lee," I had thought Mick had lost a lot of his old metronomic perfection. His fills used to sound like firecrackers going off, but in recent years they sounded more & more sluggish--like somebody on nighttime cold medicine. But he's back where he belongs on "Annabel Lee." The exasperating thing is that all the girls named Rhiannon don't even hear it.

I knew there was a reason I loved that song. I had no idea its Mick on those drums, though it now makes since.

[henryscutter]

Originally Posted by MikeInNV

I thought that part of the big fight that ensued with Lindsey while the rest of the band was in Hawaii was that he changed the sequencing. I could swear I remember Stevie making a comment about not liking some of the esoteric tracks like Murrow and Illume being right up there as album openers. (I'm also not sure Stevie's sequence would have only two of her songs among the first six, LOL.)

Yes Im pretty sure that is incorrect. The only thing I heard is there was major disagreement over the sequencing, and I believe it was LB who had the final say.

[henryscutter]

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

No...not really. Have you heard the Gypsy outtake from Bella Donna? Well -imagine if Stevie had just brought that track to the Mirage sessions and the band had just played it back the same way - It would have been a totally different song - nothing like the Gypsy that we ended up getting.

Instead, Lindsey was allowed to rebuild that track and the end result is a song that only vaguely resembles the original, but is far superior in every conceivable way.

The thing about demos is that there are usually many of them so you dont know what stage the song might be in at the time. There are demos of the same song that are very bareboned then some that sound almost like the released version and everything in between. I rather like the demo of Gypsy that is sped up and rocking more than the released version. It was already a great song before it was arranged and produced.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by henryscutter

The thing about demos is that there are usually many of them so you dont know what stage the song might be in at the time. There are demos of the same song that are very bareboned then some that sound almost like the released version and everything in between. I rather like the demo of Gypsy that is sped up and rocking more than the released version. It was already a great song before it was arranged and produced.

I agree with what you said about demos. However, I totally disagree with your opinion of the Gypsy demo. To me that version just makes it a simple, straight forward song. The released version is lush and layred with honey and makes you want to go outside and dance in the rain.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by vivfox

I agree with what you said about demos. However, I totally disagree with your opinion of the Gypsy demo. To me that version just makes it a simple, straight forward song. The released version is lush and layred with honey and makes you want to go outside and dance in the rain.

haha!! Wherever did you get that image?

[PolishStevieFan]

[QUOTE=Matt Lucas;1036045]Hello all---



I don't know why so many people hate on "Say You Will". For me it's one of their best albums. Definately their best since "Tusk". I've never cared for Christine McVie, so her absence doesn nothing for me. On the contrary it makes more space for individual talents of Stevie and Lindsay. And having been released on the strength of Nicks' solo effort "Trouble In Shangri-La" this album was indeed very spohisticated and diverse. I don't look for "The Rumours" era magic because it was dead and gone many years ago. What I want for the future is a follow up to "Say You Will" in terms of diversity... Nicks, Buckingham, Fleetwood and McVie are enough to make up timeless record. And considering their latest solo offerings I am full of hope. "In Your Dreams" especially cemented my faith in Nicks' artistry. She hasn't aged a bit and backed up by the band and with right producer she can write some inspiring stuff.

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

I think my idea is the best

I like your idea too. They have plenty of lingering material to work with.

I think the worst idea is to re-record previously recorded material. There is no point to that. I would rather they progress, not regress and rehash.

[PenguinHead]

[QUOTE=PolishStevieFan;1037689]

Originally Posted by Matt Lucas

Hello all---



I don't know why so many people hate on "Say You Will". For me it's one of their best albums. Definately their best since "Tusk". I've never cared for Christine McVie, so her absence doesn nothing for me. On the contrary it makes more space for individual talents of Stevie and Lindsay. And having been released on the strength of Nicks' solo effort "Trouble In Shangri-La" this album was indeed very spohisticated and diverse. I don't look for "The Rumours" era magic because it was dead and gone many years ago. What I want for the future is a follow up to "Say You Will" in terms of diversity... Nicks, Buckingham, Fleetwood and McVie are enough to make up timeless record. And considering their latest solo offerings I am full of hope. "In Your Dreams" especially cemented my faith in Nicks' artistry. She hasn't aged a bit and backed up by the band and with right producer she can write some inspiring stuff.

I love Say You Will for what it is. But I think, because of the heavy influence of Lindsey's production style, it has a steely, somewhat cold feel to it. I hope they will, with the assistance of an outsider co-producer, make an album with a warmer, more intimate sound.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

I love Say You Will for what it is. But I think, because of the heavy influence of Lindsey's production style, it has a steely, somewhat cold feel it it. I hope they will, with the assistance of an outsider co-producer, make an album with a warmer, more intimate sound.

Exactly. I really loved SYW when it came out, but firstly I did not care for the way Stevie's vocals were recorded. Whatever process Lindsey used in producing her vocals, she sounded very metallic, even more so than ever. And secondly, the production on the recordings is not warm sounding at all, it's very steely, rigid and cold feeling as PenguinHead rightly points out. I would love to see the gang get together and record another record, but an outside producer alongside the band would be preferable at this point.