Lindsey Buckingham
Law and Order (Elektra/Asylum SE-561)

I can't explain what's caused me to give this album such short shrift over the years – though a devout Lindsey Buckingham acolyte and longtime Fleetwood Mac fan, I have never given Law and Order the time of day. Perhaps it's the cheesy cover, or a vague sense that it wasn't worthy of consideration (a misguided notion supported by virtually every review of the album that's ever been written, all of which dismiss it as a trifle).

I've been missing out. This album is the missing link between Tusk and Mirage (F-Mac's two coolest Buckingham-era albums), finding Lindsey bridging the gap between the experimental weirdo-ness of the former and the more streamlined gorgeousness of the latter. My favorite tracks on Tusk are Lindsey's crunchy, sped-up rock 'n' roll songs ("Not That Funny," "The Ledge"), and Law and Order is pretty much a whole album of this approach, plus a sound that leans toward his production on stuff like "Gypsy" (for which "Trouble," this album's only single, is the clear template … though admittedly Stevie Nicks's melody is stronger). And "Johnny Stew" even prefigures "Big Love" off Tango in the Night.

In its way, Law and Order is Lindsey's twisted, parallel-universe An Innocent Man, finding him traversing his most nostalgic musical memories to find sweet inspiration. The chord proressions and harmonies are straight out of 40s novelty records and 50s doo-wop, the lyrics all lilty and romantic, though everything is filtered through Lindsey's skewed vision. Tons of heart, but also a rich sense of fun.

So instead of the slicker mainstream pleasures of the Billy Joel record, this one is much more in the vein of Frank Zappa's faux doo-wop or the rollicking sarcasm of the Traveling Wilburys. And I for one love that shit.

The songs are mostly originals, though all with an intentional retro bent a la Jeff Lynne, plus three covers ("September Song" by Kurt Weill, "It Was I" by Skip & Flip, and "Satisfied Mind" by Red Foley … surely all prized 45's in LB's collection). "Bwana" is like a fake Ink Spots tune, one of those old ooga-booga jungle songs, but done in that crunchy, quirky style. "That's How We Do it in LA" is a pseudo-Jerry Lee Lewis cut; "Love From Here, Love From There" is like a Connie Francis or Teresa Brewer fake-dixieland sock-hop song … so that's what, like three layers of fake? Brilliant.

So I've been making up for lost time by listening to this record almost non-stop, and it gets better and better. Not a bad song on here. When the Lindsey revival happens, as it did for Brian Wilson, Law and Order is in store for major critical revision as one of the finest pure pop records of its time.

Loud Bassoon rating scale

Review by La Fée