Christine Perfect - The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions

Overhauled solitary solo release

Before she adopted her married name of McVie and became part of the soft-rock juggernaut that was Fleetwood Mac, Christine Perfect was being touted as the Next Big Thing in terms of solo female singers. She only ever released one record, though, the 1969 original, remastered and expanded here to include previously unheard radio sessions.

Nothing quite matches the earlier promise of her version of Etta James’ I’d Rather Go Blind, which brought her to the public’s attention while performing with Chicken Shack. Nonetheless, it’s a solid collection of well-crafted bluesy workouts. The self-penned Wait & See is perhaps closest to the balladry of her Mac work, while When You Say had already been recorded by the band in an earlier incarnation.

As full-bodied and affecting as Perfect’s voice is, it’s often just a little too cold for the material. There’s not much in the way of blues testifying, or the sense of the singer letting rip and connecting with her emotions. It’s all very pretty and polite, but not exactly perfect.

SonyBMG | tbc

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
<< Back to Issue 349