Customer Reviews

Complete Blue Horizon Sessions

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This release in based around Christine McVie's lone album for the cult UK label Blue Horizon in 1970 and it's a long-overdue re-issue of a Fleetwood Mac solo rarity. Lancashire lass Christine Perfect had been with Stan Webb's CHICKEN SHACK for three albums (also on Blue Horizon), met the bass player John McVie of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, fell in love, married - and the rest as they say is well-documented MAC history.

All tracks on this 16-track release have been digitally remastered by Duncan Cowell at Sound Mastering in London - and yet again - a typically great job has been achieved - warm, alive and none-too-hissy. The house band for the August/December 1969 sessions featured TOP TOPHAM of THE YARDBIRDS on Lead and Rhythm Guitars with RICK HAYWARD also on Guitars backed up by MARTIN DUNSFORD on Bass and CHRIS HARDING on Drums.

As forthcoming tasters, two singles preceded the albums release, "When You Say" and "I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around)". Released in October 1969 on Blue Horizon 57-3165, "When You Say" is a DANNY KIRWAN penned song produced by both him and Christine with the album cut "No Road Is The Right Road" as the B-side. "When You Say" has both JOHN McVIE and DANNY KIRWAN of FLEETWOOD MAC playing on it. Mike Vernon, the label's boss, felt that at the time, it was a bad choice and I would agree. With it's string quartet arrangement dominating the whole song, and it's slow neither-here-nor-there pace, it's completely unrepresentative of what's on the rest of the album. Having said that, you can definitely here the beginnings of the sound that would permeate the "Kiln House" album by Fleetwood Mac in September of 1970 (a huge personal favorite of mine and I feel a very underrated early Seventies classic). With its Scott Walker meets Jack Nitzsche string melodrama; it's an interesting song, if not a slightly odd one.

Second came "I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around)". Released in February 1970 on Blue Horizon 57-3172, it's an OTIS CLAY/BENFORD HENDRICKS cover version made famous by Bobby Bland on his 1965 Duke Records hit (Duke 393). The album cut "Close To Me" is its B-side. As you can see, the single mix for "I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around)" is included because it's different to the album version (slightly shorter).

With the September 1969 Melody Maker magazine win as Best Vocalist under her belt, and the 2 singles prepping the fans, the album was finally released in 1970 as "Christine Perfect" on Blue Horizon 7-63860 (it was reissued in 1976 as "The Christine Perfect Album" on Sire following the huge success of 1975's "Fleetwood Mac" album). Its initial release was met with mixed reviews - and even her own position towards it over the years has ranged from scathing to outright disowning it - calling it the worst record she's ever made! It's not that bad as an album, it really isn't, but of course, it's just not that good either. Of its 12 tracks, 5 are self-penned, 6 is the CHICKEN SHACK track "I'd Rather Go Blind" with Christine on award-winning lead vocals, 7 is the Danny Kirwan contribution "When You Say" and then 5 other cover versions. The album's opener, "Crazy `Bout You Baby" was noticed on an Ike & Tina Turner album from 1969 called "Outta Season" (their version is bluntly far better and funkier!). "I'm On My Way" (originally proposed as the album title) is a Deadric Malone penned song sung as a B-side by Bobby Bland on Duke Records in 1969. "And That's Saying A Lot" is a Chuck Jackson cover sung by the superb soul maestro on Wand Records in 1965 and "I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around)" is discussed above. Which leaves the swamp funky boogie of "I Want You", a TONY JOE WHITE stunner that turned up on his debut album for Monument Records "Black & White" in 1969. The rocking guitar work by both leads here is just fantastic. A real high on which to end the album.

Given that there was room, the EXCLUSION OF CHICKEN SHACK'S "I'd Rather Go Blind" is a bit of a blemish on an otherwise great re-issue and obviously makes a mockery of the word `complete' on the outside wrap. This reissue clearly makes the presumption that real fans will already have the song from previous purchases, and I suppose that's fair enough. I still think it should have been on here, especially as it breaks the actual track run of the original album, and for me, that's pissing about way too much. Still, on the upside for newcomers, if its exclusion here points that person in the direction of the sensational Chicken Shack 3 CD set "The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions", then that's a good thing, because in truth, it's a far more rewarding and better-value purchase than this one.

Which brings us onto the bonus tracks. A real find is the sauntering ballad, "Tell Me You Need Me", an entirely new Christine song from the original sessions seeing the light of day here for the first time in nearly 40 years. Fans will love it. It's very of-the-time Fleetwood Mac, yet with her own personal touch to it - a real find as I say. Speaking of which, the last three tracks are brand-new, previously unreleased mono recordings. They were taped at the BBC Recording Studios in Maida Vale, London on the 24th of November 1969 for airing on the Dave Lee Travis Sunday Show that weekend. "Hey Baby" is co-written with her old band partner Stan Webb of Chicken Shack, while "It's You I Miss" and "Gone Into The Sun" are by Christine herself. I love all three and am more than pleasantly surprised by their quality. "Hey Baby" is rocking boogie-woogie piano blues tune, the keys tinkered by the good lady herself with the same band as the albums sessions, Top Topham and Rick Hayward in particular providing superbly tight backup. "It's You I Miss" could so easily have been a Peter Green guitar groove on any of the Fleetwood Mac Blue Horizon albums, while "Come Into The Sun" is good also, if not as exciting as the two that went before it. In truth, I'm digging the bonus tracks more than the actual album!

To sum up then, a 3 star album pushed up to 4 on this re-issue by its great sound, detailed presentation and excellent bonus tracks. A must-buy for fans - and for those disappointed by it in the first place - definitely worth another look.

PS: see also my review of "The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions" by CHICKEN SHACK, the UK blues band Christine was co-lead singer in with Stan Webb

Length:: 1:46 Mins

Christine Perfect,another great masterpiece of 60's blues,she's played with Chicken Shack and went on to play with her husband John Mcvie, for Fleetwood Mac

I have been waiting a long time for the Christine Perfect CD to be released. I had given up when lo and behold- two were released. The complete Sessions and "The Legendary Christine Perfect Album" which is the one I one I wanted because she does a killer version of "I Would Rather Go Blind" but that Cd goes for alot more than the other CD, so I got the other CD. Just as good. Great to hear her bluesy beginnings and most of the songs are there. For those of you who don't know Christine Perfect would go on to be Christine McVie and create a whole different sound for another band. If you like Christine Mcvie and like blues and are curious I recommed "The Complete Blue Horizen Sessions."

Christine Perfect's warm style is evident early in these recordings. It is a must have for completing my collection of her music (with those who accompanied her in this . . .). I have listened to this woman sing her songs, those songs I always felt she sang and wrote for me, just about forever, it seems now in 2008. She is young at the time of these recordings and beginning a dream career as a star's star. This music marks the beginning of her many musical accomplishments and 40 plus years entertaining me, and a few others, with her sexy stylish delivery, her sultry voice and the wonderful heart used to win our love with THE music of our generation. I have virtually every recording she has done and am happy to add the "Blue Horizon Sessions" to my library. Thanks to Christine, Mike Vernon, Danny Kirwin the BBC and those who made these recordings available.

First off, I cannot touch Mark Barry's review in terms of eloquence or content - so I won't even try. Instead, let me tell you all a story...

I first heard this way back in 1982.
A friend of mine from work had a party way out in the middle of nowhere; Tarentum PA. I am from the city... Pittsburgh. Tarentum is this little Bum F*$k town... if you know what I mean... the boonies.

So this dude's house was on a back road in the midst of a bunch of old PPG glass factories and right on top of a railroad track practically - like 10ft from his back door.
The trains came by every 20 minutes and you couldn't hear a thing in the house, just a HUGE roar that left the walls shaking.

Sometime after midnight when the party was really rocking and everyone that could still hang tough were still hanging tough, my friend throws this album (...except that it was called the 'Christine Perfect Album') on the turntable - remember, this is 1982 y'all.

Dude had these speakers that were at least three, maybe four feet tall, with 18 inch woofers, and probably 200 plus watts pushing 'em.
He's playing this album and the bass is enough to knock you down. He had the kind of stereo where everyone was on the other side of the room from it, it was just too powerful to even stand near.

Everyone is smoking up, dancing like freaks, going every version of wild you can imagine to mega-killer rock and roll by Christine McVie. It was a huge hit at the party.

This is the quintessential party record if nothing else!!!

The whole house is shaking, everyone is going nuts - I shouted into the dude's ear, over the roar of the train, or the music, or the noise in my head, I dunno, "Who is this???!!!"
He says, "Christine McVie, before she was Christine McVie..."

You want to talk about blown away!!!
Like, ((((OMG)))), I was completely dumbfounded!

Right then and there, my first listen, I became infatuated with this album. I have never had a chance to listen to it since, and I lost touch with my friend...

I have never found it on vinyl.

Finally it has come out on CD, finally.

F I N A L L Y .

After having this in the back of my mind, driving me crazy (well...)

I am able to complete a 26 year longing.

My wife loves it.
I have turned innumerable people onto this CD.
Life is good indeed.

There are some songs that I really like and a few that I'm not crazy about. I love the Blue-sy style tunes. The others are pretty 70's-80's generic. Decide for yourselves, but all in all I recommend.

I don't know why I elevated these sessions in my head over the years. When I saw this was available, I rushed to it. And then played it. And then wondered. There's something brilliant (Crazy About You, Too Far Gone) and painful (When I Say) in this cd, but most of it is just mediocre. Some cd's hold up after years of interruption: this does not. Sorry Christine, but the arrangements are ordinary, the musicianship ordinary, and the cd just so bland that it gave me the blues.