Lindsey Buckingham has announced that he has completed his new solo album, which he proclaimed is one of the best “he’s ever done” during a recent interview. The legendary guitarist of Fleetwood Mac also revealed that he had spent three years in recording the album, yet emphasized that he is still “happy with it”. In a chat with Associated Press entertainment writer Liam McEwan of Variety at the Power of Young Hollywood event, Buckingham admitted the disc is finished and in the can.
He approach it slowly carefully not thinking about when it might be released, and his level of patience came through in his judgment. “It is one of my best records, I am absolutely convinced.” With a solo career that has now spanned more than four decades, that is no small statement.
Timing is time on purpose: Buckingham is waiting to unleash the album until after a Fleetwood Mac documentary is released in early January. When that happens, he anticipates putting out the new music, perhaps followed by a tour sometime in the spring. The sequencing is key: Buckingham appears to want the band’s story to be told first before shifting gears again to their leader.
The news comes just as he is able to reconnect with old friends. Buckingham recently revealed that in a way, the documentary project itself served to rebuild old wounds, even those caused by Stevie Nicks. The two musicians have reportedly been talking again after a long break, and while Buckingham has refused to speculate on the potential of specifics, he has stated that there could be other surprises in store in the coming months.
Buckingham’s solo career has since emerged side by side, and occasionally instead through the contrasts, with Fleetwood Mac. Albums like Out of the Cradle and Go Insane have been long hailed by the artist as some of his finest work, providing lots of opportunities for experimentation, whether with production, instrumentation or his own vocal personality. This new record seems to continue that training, offered by a quarter-century of successful album-making.
Fans have been waiting several years for a true solo release now. During that time Buckingham has been keeping busy by performing sporadically, releasing archival material and taming his turbulent relationships within the band. Now that the album is a reality, it remains in Buckingham’s grasp ready for release as a follow-up to the documentary.
For an artist whose guitar and song writing created the soundtrack for an entire generation of pop and rock, it is extraordinary to hear this new collection be called among his best. Here one can’t help but feel the record should come across as both a culmination and a reawakening, crafted from the experiences and skills honed over a lifetime of work, yet constantly breaking new ground. Just as the documentary arrives, and the LP hits the shelves, Buckingham seems set to again prove why his solo voice is as recognisable as the band that made him.
The months to come will be, among others, information about the official release, the track list and first singles. For the moment, the mere fact that the album is finished and that the singer appreciates it is enough to awaken a welcome eagerness.
