(Rock, Blues-rock, Soft-rock) Christine Perfect (McVie)(Fleetwood Mac) - The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions 1969 - 2008, FLAC (image+.cue) lossless

This CD 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.
amazon.com customer review
# 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.
amazon.uk customer review
# Yes indeed. If like me you were underwhelmed by this coming after the harder sound of Chicken Shack then it is worth another listen. The remastered sound is excellent, Christine's melancholy vocals tug the heartstrings and the extra tracks are real finds. As noted elswhere "It's You I Miss" wouldn't have disgraced Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac, and "Hey Baby" is a fine rollicking blues with some excellent piano. Of the original album I've always had a soft spot for the downbeat ache of "No Road is the Right Road" and "I'm On My Way"'s understated brass arrangement and weary vocals get me every time. So why only four stars? Well, if you just adore Christine Perfect/McVie you'll probably love this. Myself I think this was made in a period of transition and everyone involved was capable of better. The liner notes indicate Christine has at various times disowned it.Too harsh I think but when listening in a less charitable mood I hear some anaemic playing, especially contrasted with the glories of Chicken Shack or the heights to come with Fleetwood Mac, behind some fairly ordinary songs. "When You Say" has got to be one of the worst choices for a single ever. And of course it's hardly the "Complete Blue Horizon Sessions" without "I'd Rather Go Blind". However at the price there's more than enough here for fans to appreciate and enjoy. Why not!