Customer Reviews

Out of the Cradle

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Many call this the greatest record Fleetwood Mac never made. Song for song, this is Lindsey Buckingham's masterpiece. It is no wonder that he spent years in his home studio crafting these little works of genius. By far the best of Buckingham's three solo records, Out of the Cradle shows huge growth in his songwriting and more jaw-dropping guitar work. The fact that this album only sold a few hundred thousand copies is a testament to the sad state of radio in this country (or a lazy record company). This album is just as much a requirement for serious music fans as Pet Sounds and Rubber Soul. The only negative -- we have to wait way too long for his next release.

If there were any lingering doubt about who best shaped the Fleetwood Mac sound of the 70's and 80's, this album should remove it. Out of the Cradle is a phenomenal achievement by the former frontman of the Mac. Lindsey, from what's been reported, spent three solid years writing, arranging, producing and performing this disc, and the efforts paid off. There are several upbeat tracks, but just as many slower, more introspective cuts that really showcase his intensity as a performer. Except for some help on two or three songs, Lindsey was the sole musician on this album. His acoustic guitar playing has never before been captured this well, and the overall production is crystalline. The best upbeat cuts are Don't Look Down, Countdown and Doing What I Can, which all have hints of production techniques employed on Fleetwood Mac's last studio album, Tango in the Night; such as the layering and sampling of vocals, and the emphasis on the aural presence of the drums and percussion. But the slower songs, again, are the most impressive. All My Sorrows, Soul Drifter and Street of Dreams show the deep emotional commitment Lindsey brought to making this disc. As is usually the case with music this strong, it was completely ignored by American radio stations.

Having just seen the 2003 Fleetwood Mac tour in Dallas, I was most impressed by the strength and intensity of Lindsey Buckingham's performance. At 54 years old, he can still "bring it" with the best guitarists around today, so I felt compelled to re-listen to his (still) latest solo work "Out of the Cradle" and share a short review.

Most fans of Buckingham discuss his virtuoso guitar performance on this CD, but few speak to his overall musicianship...he's one of the few latter day musicians that can walk into the studio and walk out with a complete album all on his own (he gets minor help on three songs). Prince of yesteryear was also one of these types and the similarities between these two brilliant and enigmatic artists is striking. Visionary music while still maintaining "listenability" is truly a gift that both has had over the years (in my opinion) and Buckingham certainly has maintained this on all his solo albums. This one still maintains a freshness and immediacy ten years following it's initial release.

Certainly his guitar performances stand out on this work (I'd say moreso than his previous solo works), but his song structure and production capabilities most impress me on this album. The underlying driving rhythm on songs like "Wrong" and "Countdown" coupled with the layered guitar work (both rhythm and solo) make this CD delightfully different than "Law and Order" and "Go Insane"...and much different than anything that I've heard from Fleetwood Mac (I haven't heard the new album yet,however). These facts further solidify what I've felt for years...that Lindsey truly is THE artistic backbone of Fleetwood Mac and is equally responsible for their remarkable success over the years.

If you get a chance to see the "Mac" in this latest tour, I'm sure that you'll agree that Lindsey Buckingham is still a standout performer and hopefully it will compel him to release a follow-up to this intriguing CD. Highly recommended!!

When rock fans list their guitar heroes, Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana are at the top of the list. Lindsey Buckingham has to be the most under-rated guitar hero on the planet. In comparison to his previous solo endeavours, which are even more warped than the solo material he put onto Fleetwood Mac's TUSK double-CD, this time he is doing what he does best: playing guitar. I can think of at least 8 solos on this record which sparkle, and that's not even trying. Mac fans will certainly love "Countdown." Lindsey, as he wrote this, was trying to find purpose after Fleetwood Mac, and made a point to wax sarcastic about the band, though almost in an undertone. Now, having praised Lindsey's lead guitar, let me add for the new fan that he also played 96% of the rest of the instruments, sang all the vocals, and produced it. Lindsey Buckingham is the best contender for James Brown's old title (now claimed by the Artist fka Prince) of Hardest Working Man in Show Business.

Listening to this album, you feel that Buckingham did what he does best - just picked up a guitar and played. He is comfortable in any style, from the pseudoclassical rendition of This Nearly Was Mine, through perfect pop on Soul Drifter and You Do Or You Don't, to jagged edged rock on This Is The Time, but this album also clearly reveals his early grounding in acoustic folk, most obviously on All My Sorrows. His contributions to Fleetwood Mac are also revisited here: the solos on Countdown owe much to Go Your Own Way; Wrong borrows a bass line from Tusk; and Doing What I Can is a reworking of Big Love. The guitar sounds are sublime throughout, with layer upon layer of acoustic finger picking and electric riffs providing an object lesson whether you are a Mac fan or not.

This album contains some of Buckingham's most mature and relaxed vocal performances. On most of the songs he eschews the androgynous style of Fleetwood Mac in favour of a more masculine sound, however his choice to perform all his own backing vocals meets with mixed results. On the otherwise excellent Turn It On the warmth of a female voice is conspicuous by its absence. Although in the past Buckingham's lyrics have not always been particularly sophisticated, here he is by turns clever and thoughtful. Wrong is as much of a rebuttal of events described in Mick Fleetwood's autobiography as he will ever give, and Street of Dreams deals tenderly with personal loss.

Overall, this is Lindsey Buckingham at his best. He was able to lavish time and effort producing exactly the album he wanted, rather than fitting it in among his commitments to Fleetwood Mac, resulting in a work of art which he is unlikely to surpass. Unfortunately. (Go on, LB, prove me wrong!)

Lindsey Buckingham had contributed a great deal of his talent with Fleetwood Mac. His guitar playing is at once versatile and unique. A friend of mine had the introductions to &quo t;This is the Time&quit; and &quo t;Don't Back Down&quit; in the background on his answering machine when it 1st came out!

The acoustic intro to &quit;Don't Back Down&quit; gets the listener ready for the song (which features breathy harmonies from Mr. Buckingham) whereas the jaunty intro to "This Is the Time" contradicts a rather heavy sounding song about impatient passion (you go from Spanish guitar to bone crunching electric guitar!). "All My Sorrows" and "Soul Drifter" sound autobiographical summing up his melancholy and always moving ahead personality (and both feature fancy acoustic guitar work). "Countdown" has a George Harrison-esque opening lick with harmonies simmilar to the Beach Boys. "You Do or You Don't" and "Wrong" are perhaps the closest to something that could be recorded with Fleetwood Mac. "Street of Dreams" features Buckingham at his most melancholy with the stormy outro which is followed by the more therapeutic "Surrender the Rain" (with a spoken intro where Lindsey tells himself not to let his sadness get the best of him). "Doing What I Can" sounds a little like "Go Insane" (but lyrically on this song, he sounds perfectly sane!). Then there's the poppy "Turn It On" and finally Lindsey does an acoustic rendition of Rogers and Hammerstein's "This Nearly Was Mine" before seguing into the appropriate closing track "Say We'll Meet Again" (which is at once romantic and melancholy). This CD is hard to find in many stores.

I am a giant fan of Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. That said, I will go on to admit that I like Lindsey's originality as much as anything Fleetwood Mac or Stevie has produced. I have all three Buckingham solo cds, and it's hard for me to pick the one that is the best. I think Out of the Cradle is his least disorienting and most consistent work. Though some of the songs sound like they came from Fleetwood Mac's 1987 Tango in the Night, Lindsey puts a new spin on them. Lindsey's craftsmanship and guitar picking are unique and superior. Just listen to the opening intro and "Don't Look Down". Amazing. But there are many great songs here like "Wrong", "Countdown", "Street of Dreams", "This is the Time", "Say We'll Meet Again", "Turn It On" and "Surrender the Rain." It's catchy, alternative pop with wit, style and class. I look forward to his long awaited follow up. This is a must have for any rock collector.

You either love or hate the music of Lindsey Buckingham. When it comes to this artist as there is no middle ground in the opinion polls.

Lindsey, is an animal of his studio, an artist possessed by demons you and I can't afford. Sometimes the result of thousands of hours in solitude is a pop-masterwork, other times he produces the strangest sounding sound collages that are attacked with fury from music critics and the fools we be. Lindsey Buckingham, is without doubt one of the most interesting musicial characters of our times. this artist is indeed a "one-off"

This 1992 CD release entitled: "Out Of The Cradle" is a most accessible work. This record is easy on the ears, well crafted and full of interesting tones and colors. From the acoustic introduction that bleeds into: "Don't Look Down", this disc presents Lindsey at his very best. His guitar is brisk in the acoustic settings to downright blinding when he solos electric.

But playing and production aside, "Out Of The Cradle" has it's merits with the songs presented here. Many of these tunes are as good or better than his contributions to Fleetwood Mac during his tenure as the driving force of that great band between 1975-1988. "Wrong", "Countdown", "This Is The Time", "You Do Or You Don't", "Surrender The Rain", "Turn It On" and the lovely closing song: "Say We'll Meet Again". There are instrumental links to a few of the numbers persented here, and a spoken introduction to: "Surrender The Rain".

From upbeat and quirky to moody and introspective, this man can go either way quite easy. Lindsey, tends to pour out his feelings within his music. There is an honest feel to this material that echoes the best of any singer/songwriter of our day. Lindsey, will always live in the shadow of: Fleetwood Mac, and I believe after all these years, he understands why his solo music takes a back seat to the mega-sales of the Big Mac. The combination of those players in FM is so unique and the songs so popular to the masses, even as the musician who masterminded their sound, and wrote so many of their hit singles, has to take a backseat to their massive appeal.

Fleetwood Mac will indeed be back in 2009 {we still do not know what form the band will take on in the future.} Lindsey, will be there producing and singing and playing as he does better than just about anyone in the music industry. This veteran warrior will not back down. Lindsey Buckingham, is already up there at the top, and I believe he is going to stay there a little while longer.
This is a Fantastic CD.
Four Stars !!!

"Don't Look Down", "Countdown", "Soul Drifter",
and "Surrender The Rain" are all elite pieces
of pop music from the story they tell to the
layers of tickling music genious. The guitar
work is amazing. I still hear new things in these
songs 15 years after their release. A truly
Brian Wilson/ Pet Sounds ambition-this album is
a must have for anyone who loves the art of making
great music.

Some great moments...the backgound singers on
"Surrender The Rain", the base guitar groove in
"Don't Look Down", the shifting chorus in "All Of
My Sorrows", the opening guitar jingle of "Soul
Drifter" and the guitar solo at midpoint of that
song. The intense introduction (poem just before)
"Surrender The Rain", and the guitar solo closing
"Countdown".

What a treat to listen to this album! I just wish
this guy did more solo work.

Buckingham proves himself as a great guitarist - if there was ever any doubt -- and a strong vocalist as well. You can hear a whisper of Fleetwood Mac (FM) in every song on the album and you know by listening to "Out of the Cradle" where FM gets a lot of it's body and soul. While I'd still rather hear him as a member of FM I actually enjoy this album more than FM's newest release "Say You Will". "Don't Look Down" and "Countdown" are two of my favorites on this album. But I was sold from the first guitar chord on the instrumental introduction so everything that followed was like the cherry on top!!