Songs From The Small Machine: Live In LA (Blu-ray)

ok I dont really understand why Lindsey in general gets such little recognition but even more so on his solo stuff. This new album is nothing short of amazing in my opinion and I have been lucky enough to see his shows starting with Under the Skin, Gift of Screws then I saw him with Mac and most recently Seeds we Sow, this man plays his heart out and is by far one of the best live performers especially for a guy whos 62. On that note if havent been lucky enough to see him live in concert you should definitely pick this up and even if you have you still should I am!

With Fleetwood Mac as my number one musical group and "Go Your Own Way" as one of my two all time favorite songs, I've greatly anticipated the arrival today of this Blu-ray when it was announced back in September. Having attended many of their live concert performances and owning a multitude of the group or individual member's performances on LP's, CD's, Laserdisc, DVD and now Blu-ray through the decades, I am quite familiar with Lindsey's musical contributions.

Recorded at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, CA, this is a wonderfully intimate theater of 1900 seats offers the perfect venue for what is a solo performance by Lindsey for 1/3 of the set (6 songs out of the 19 total) running 1 hour 47 minutes. Sonically, it is Lindsey and his variety of guitars at their peak both in performance and recording. 5.1 DTS HD Master lossless audio without compression is on full display during his solo performances with a sample of the available dynamic range on "Never Going Back Again." Lindsey's vocals and his guitar plucks & twangs are solidly spread across the front soundstage with the surrounds limited to immersing the listener among the concert attendees who's every comment can be heard loud and very clear. As the 3 members of his band contributes their talents starting with the 6th track of "Under the Skin", the surround channels fill with the added vocals and instrumentals expanding the already spectacular sound stage to totally encompass the listener.

Visually, the dynamic range here is every bit as broad as the sound going from the Blackest Black backgrounds during each of Lindsey's solo performances to the absolute peak Whites when the high intensity stage lights are aimed directly into the camera's lens. The latter causes some slight banding that is understandable due to the lighting conditions involved but certainly doesn't take away from the overall quality of the high definition recording. Again due to the artistic choices made for the stage lighting, wide shots from the balcony are more limited in detail than what many might be accustomed to on other recordings. Go in tight and the available video resolution is all on display best evidenced on the song "I'm So Afraid" where you cannot only see the beads of sweat back lit, dripping off Lindsey's forehead but individual specks of dust floating in the air on stage as well. Close ups on his fingers at work (Lindsey's guitar skills fully on display in tight close ups also on "I'm So Afraid") on the strings clearly reveal the many years of wear and tear on the necks of his guitars with swirl marks and microscopic scratches catching the spot lights clearly visible on a number of his many different guitar bodies.

As familiar as I am with Lindsey's performances of many of his past songs, the new interpretations here are very nicely done and different enough to sound fresh again. Add in some of the new songs from his latest "Seeds We Sow" CD that I found remarkably commercial (End of Time, In Our Own Time) along with views from the best seats in the house that allowed me to watch Lindsey's skill with a guitar up close and personal, this Blu-ray concert is a must own for any of his (or Fleetwood Mac) fans. For others who are simply looking for that great sounding demo disc to show off their home theater system, this audio mix by Lindsey Buckingham & Neal Heywood will impress with its clarity, dynamic range and ability to reveal what a single gifted singer backed only by his guitar is able to produce.

Like a few other individuals who have posted here, I was able to see Lindsey Buckingham live in concert this year. The experience was unbelievable - Lindsey is extremely underrated as a guitarist, and as I found out from the show, really should be considered the heart and soul of Fleetwood Mac - without him, I seriously doubt they would have had the same level of success.

This Blu-ray is a must own for anyone who is a Lindsey Buckingham fan (or a fan of Fleetwood Mac). The sound quality is just remarkable, and the fact that the set list is identical to what I saw in concert really allowed me to experience that night all over again. There is ample punch with the bass guitars / drums, but also extremely crisp highs showcasing Lindsey's picking skills. You will see several close-ups of the guitar throughout the performance, and his skill is no more evident than on the track 'Never Going Back Again.' The highlight of the performance does come from some of the older songs such as 'Go Your Own Way', but I definitely have new favorites in some of the new songs 'In Our Own Time' and 'End of Time.'

As a music fan, I also purchased his new CD 'Seeds We Sow', and while it is still very enjoyable, I must say that I prefer the new songs from this Blu-ray. Lindsey tends to use some sort of audio filter / manipulation on his audio CDs that allow his voice to come off differently than it does in concert and I have yet to figure out why. The audio from the concert tops the album CD without question. If you end up purchasing this, you will not be disappointed, it's one of the best concert experiences I own.