Go Insane - Lindsey Buckingham (1984)

The early 80s were one of those watershed moments in music where everything was changing all at once. Not only musical tastes but recording technology, studio methodology, media, and how stars were made. Already established artists had to navigate this minefield to find new listeners without alienating their fanbase. If you weren’t careful, it was easy to look like a bewildered old man, letting the young people chauffeur you through the modern world.

Buckingham was not bewildered. He hit the ground running. He was always ambitious, but by the 80s he’d built a reputation as a studio gym rat, and had a wide range of recording and songwriting approaches to go with his excellent guitar work and vocals.

I imagine this mix of bright, synthy keyboards, studio-enhanced drums, and lean guitar was what a lot of people thought the 80s should sound like, but they didn’t have the know-how to get it on tape like Buckinham did.

Tracks I Liked

Go Insane - a big(ish) single

Slow Dancing - slick pop

Loving Cup - a bit more aggressive and machine-driven