Lindsey Buckingham – Seeds We Sow (Mind Kit Records) CD review by Craig Glasheen

The regrettably well-kept secret in music is that Lindsey Buckingham has been consistently making great albums apart from Fleetwood Mac since his 1992 release Out of the Cradle. 2011’s Seeds We Sow is no exception to this impressive streak. This is the first release on Buckingham’s own Mind Kit Records label and it was recorded and performed in his home studio.  He’s taken the term “solo record” so seriously that only one track, “That’s the Way Love Goes,” has contributions from other musicians: bassist Neale Heywood, drummer Walfredo Reyes, and keyboardist Brett Tuggle.

The title track opens the album and sets the stage for a man who is sharing his years of wisdom with the listener; “Illumination” could be the son of Buckingham’s 1984 hit “Go Insane”; “That’s the Way Love Goes” would fit comfortably on Fleetwood Mac’s 1979 release Tusk (often considered Buckingham’s first solo effort); and “The End of Time” is classic Lindsey Buckingham-crafted pop.  On Seeds We Sow, Buckingham’s underrated fingerstyle guitar playing is frantic yet purposeful, sloppy yet oddly precise. His use of a VSO (Variable Speed Ossilator) to alter the tone of his guitars is simply one of the brushes he uses to create his art along with his multi-layered vocals.

Forgive the over-used comparison of musicians to painters but much like Brian Wilson (to whom he is often compared), Lindsey Buckingham paints a sonic landscape that is simple, yet richly textured. His albums are meant to be listened to repeatedly and enjoyed like an old friend while discovering new layers and subtle nuances with each listen.