Christine McVie (nee Perfect) is one of the great unsung talents of British blues and pop. Her work with Fleetwood Mac is often overshadowed by her more showy counterparts, Lindsay Buckingham, Peter Green or Stevie Nicks. She provided the spine to their material, and especially added a consistency during the group's wilderness years between 1970 and 1975 (for those of you who haven't had the pleasure, check out her contributions to 1973's Mystery To Me album).
This release is her oft-reissued Christine Perfect album, recorded for Mike Vernon's Blue Horizon label in the period between her leaving Chicken Shack and before she joined her husband-to-be John McVie in Fleetwood Mac. McVie herself has frequently played down the record. Although certainly not a major work, it is a pretty textbook example of pleasant blues rock as the 60s became the 70s. To be honest, her tracks sound pretty much like later Fleetwood Mac album material, which given the presence of John McVie on bass and Danny Kirwan on guitar, is fairly understandable. Her version of Kirwan's When You Say is a standout, easily giving Fleetwood Mac's Then Play On version a run for its money. Perfect's piano work here strives to distil the very essence of the blues.
It is the additional material that highlights her at her best: the demo, Tell Me You Need Me, that was also demoed by Fleetwood Mac is by far and away the best track here. The song underlines the pleasure of her best work; languid, expressive, soulful. With three BBC session recordings here as well, The Complete Blue Horizon Recordings, although hardly essential, is a very welcome listen.
by Daryl Easlea
1. Crazy 'Bout You Baby (Walter Jacobs) - 3:01
2. I'm On My Way (Deadric Malone) - 3:08
3. Let Me Go (Leave Me Alone) - 3:34
4. Wait And See - 3:13
5. Close To Me (Christine Perfect, Rick Hayward) - 2:39
6. When You Say (Danny Kirwan) - 3:14
7. And That's Saying A Lot (Chuck Jackson, W. Godfrey) - 2:57
8. No Road Is The Right Road - 2:48
9. For You - 2:45
10.I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around) (Album Version) (Clyde Otis, Belford Hendricks) - 3:25
11.I Want You (Tony Joe White) - 2:23
12.Tell Me You Need Me (Previously Unreleased) - 3:20
13.I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around) (Single Version) (Clyde Otis, Belford Hendricks) - 3:16
14.Hey Baby (Previously Unreleased BBC Sessions) - 2:33
15.It's You I Miss (Previously Unreleased BBC Sessions) - 3:44
16.Come Into The Sun (Previously Unreleased BBC Sessions) - 2:43
All songs by Christine Perfect except where stated
Personnel
*Christine Perfect - Organ, Piano, Vocals
*Martin Dunsford - Guitar
*Chris Harding - Drums, Flute, Percussion
*Rick Hayward - Guitar
*Danny Kirwan - Guitar, String Arrangements
*John Mcvie - Bass
*Terry Noonan - Horn Arrangements, Trumpet
*Andy Silvester - Bass
*Top Topham - Guitar
*Derek Wadsworth - Horn Arrangements, Trombone
*Bud Parkes - Trumpet
*Geoff Drixcoll - Tenor Sax
*Dave Coxhill - Baritone Sax
Related Acts
1968 Chicken Shack - 40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed And Ready To Serve (2013 extra tracks reissue)
1968-71 Fleetwood Mac - The Best Of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
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