Lindsey Buckingham – Gift of Screws

I wonder how many people have clicked on this review... I guess I could find out, there's ways and means these days, everything is recorded somewhere. I only ask this as Lindsey Buckingham isn't one of the most fancied singer/songwriters to grace the pages of TLOBF. Yes, he's the guitarist and songwriter from Fleetwood Mac, but that shouldn't put people off. As a solo artist, Buckingham frequently pushes the boundaries of what he can achieve in the studio. Each of his albums are intricately pieced together, he's a man who takes full advantage of the tools at his disposal when recording, and Gift of Screws is no exception.The majority of the material here will sound familiar to those of us who heard the Mac's previous long player, 'Say You Will'. Buckingham's trademark guitar sound permeates throughout, sounding crystal clear, each riff given acres of room to breath. This is a quality rock album, certainly superior to most of the other trash that gets rave reviews in Q and Mojo monthly. What frequently surprises is when Buckingham pushes the boundaries and lets himself go. The opening numbers of 'Great Day' and 'Time Precious Time' with their multi-tracked guitars and repetitive structures bring to mind James Blackshaw.I guess the main problem here is that this album probably won't bring him any new fans, the Mac faithful will lap this up and thoroughly enjoy it. Which is a shame as whilst he can sometimes slip into 80's AOR from time to time (see the title track and 'Underground') Buckingham always crafts music that will challenge your initial preconceptions of a singer/songwriter who's vastly under-rated. 75%Lindsey Buckingham on Myspace