Nope. Just one. I was gonna attempt to learn it until I saw how hard he was working his ass off playing it.

It's truly incredible.

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Stevie Nicks - Trouble in Shangri-La

This immediately comes off to me like the beginning of a new era. With the original lineup reforming and The Dance seeming like closing the book on the first 30 tumultuous years of Fleetwood Mac.

This album comes out the gate as a big upgrade from Street Angel. The first 6 songs in particular were all excellent and showing off a bit of a more hard rock edge than I had expected. Trouble in Shangri-La, Sorcerer, and Planets of the Universe stuck out for me in particular. The second half loses quite a bit of steam, though Fall From Grace catches it to keep from a nosedive. Not my favorite of her albums, but certainly holds up compared to the last few.

Planets of the Universe? The one from the Rumours sessions? I did really like that one.

Oh I didn’t dig as deep into the Rumours sessions, but it could very well be.

I thought it should’ve made the album

Say You Will

I didn’t have much faith in Fleetwood Mac proper, especially with Christine McVie relegated to essentially additional support, but Buckingham really brings it on this one. Murrow Turning Over in His Grave, Miranda, Come - all top notch. Stevie Nicks also brings more than solid contributions. Buckingham slays on guitar. Folks, this is a good album, and THIS might be the best since Rumours. It seems to have a fair amount in common with Tusk, but Buckingham shows a lot more in his song structuring that makes it constantly interesting but not spastic or contrived. I was shocked that I enjoyed this one as much as I did.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a single tune from this album. I’ll listen to it on the drive today.

Had you given me odds, I would have given probably a 90% chance it would suck. It does not suck. It is surprising. It covers new ground. I was impressed, at least well beyond my expectations.

Live in Boston

Recorded in 2003 on the Say You Will tour at PBS in Boston (there is a longer DVD of the performance apparently). This captures highlights from that show, and nearly everything is astonishingly good. It’s mostly greatest hits with Come (a 7 minute version that is pretty damn excellent) as the Say You Will throw in. The version of Go Your Own Way might be the best so far, as well as I’m so Afraid, and basically most of it. Big Love is again astonishing. These folks really seem to have it together in this moment despite not having a central figure (Christine McVie) with them.

Essentially Buckingham Nicks Volume II. With the FM rhythm section. McVie is gone so the only songwriters for the album are Buckingham and Nicks. Surprisingly, none are cowrites between them. That’s always astonished me about this band that it had so many great songwriters but hardly any joint ventures. As you mention, this is a GREAT album. The experimentation by Buckingham is still there but is way more focused and concise. Matured? And hot damn. He’s pulling off solos I don’t think anyone knew he had in him. That outro solo on Come?!? Good god. And Murrow Turning Over in His Grave is fantastic. Peacekeeper is good. Hell, really all of them are the only tune I really didn’t care for was the opening track. And Nicks stepped up her game from her last studio offering as well. There’s just something about these two that brings out the best in each other while making you feel as though each song is about the other person. Just top to bottom a very good album.

This is a great live album. Stand Back smokes

Christine McVie - In the Meantime

Gone as a full time member of Fleetwood Mac, McVie released her third solo album, and much like the second, it’s not particularly engaging. Full of by the numbers tracks, there’s not too much to chew on here. Bad Journey is sort of interesting but that seems to be the extent of it. This was tough to get through. I think I spent most of the time thinking about what I wanted to cleanse my brain with afterward.

Lindsey Buckingham - Under the Skin

The Lindsey Buckingham creative renaissance continues with this one. The songs are great. The structures are always interesting. He’s playing a mean acoustic guitar. It’s a bit stripped down from some of his other work, but all the better for it. He’s living at this point in that sweet spot he nailed on Say You Will. Not Too Late, Show You How, Under the Skin, It Was You, Cast Away Dreams, Someone’s Gotta Change Your Mind are all really good highlights - the last of which might be my favorite on this one.

Lindsey Buckingham - Live at the Bass Performance Hall

Released from the tour of Under the Skin, this live album is possibly the top live release in this journey so far. We’ve got the hits, Fleetwood Mac and solo, and we’ve got the right combination of songs that really provides the best example of Buckingham live. His maturity, excellent guitar work, and passionate delivery is in perfect balance. Not Too Late, Trouble, Big Love, and Go Insane have some amazing acoustic-like moments where you can really hear his playing. I’m so Afraid and Go Your Own Way are both epic and have some solo tweaks that keep them interesting. This is as close to as must hear as it’s going to get.

Lindsey Buckingham - Gift of Screws

Less covering of new ground and more exploring the space he’s carved out from Under the Skin, Buckingham remains largely on a roll here (the late aughts were good to him). This might be a little less exciting not covering too much new territory but more than made up in execution. I have a hard time finding any complaints here. Just one really good song after another - stealing the mantle of my favorite solo career amongst these Fleetwood Mac folks.

Lindsey Buckingham - Seeds We Sow

Still riding the momentum of a few excellent albums, Buckingham has yet another very solid album, this one maybe a bit more toned down and poppy than his predecessors, but still in the same neighborhood and still producing good songs one after another. Seeds We Sow, In Our Own Time, Illumination, That’s the Way Love Goes, Rock Away Blind, and One Take were the immediate highlights, but no complaints elsewhere. To think I wasn’t initially excited about this stretch, and it may well be the longest best stretch of this journey.

Lindsey Buckingham - Songs from the Small Machine-Live in LA

Another live set from Buckingham, this one very similar to the last but with Seeds We Sow Tour, and with a different backing band. The approaches to the songs are very similar, which is to say it all sounds exceptionally good. The performances here that take it over the top are Tusk, I’m so Afraid (as always), and a very spirited Go Your Own Way that easily topples any other version heard on this journey. Amazing what this guy’s late career brought.