MOG

Call it hindsight, perspective, or something blatantly obvious, but I'm now convinced of the pure pop genius that is Lindsey Buckingham -- and beyond thrilled by his new album "Under the Skin." (Hyperbole ahead!)

In the mid-'70s, I belittled Fleetwood Mac's mega-platinum success as much as I sneered at the ongoing soap-opera that played out between the two couples in the band's superstar incarnation: the married John McVie and Christine McVie, and the lovers Stevie Nicks and Buckingham. Their music was played to death on format-strangled FM rock radio, and their nouveau-riche, privileged-character behavior was legendary.

Buckingham's Under The Skin.

So how to explain the rush I now feel when I hear "Second Hand News" or "Go Your Own Way" or "Monday Morning" from way back then? It's all Buckingham, his talents as a composer and arranger, his guitar virtuosity, and his plaintive voice, whether solo or in multi-tracked back-up vocals. When he's in full command, the tunes are glorious and timeless.

My change of heart can be traced to Buckingham's mid-'90s solo album, "Out of the Cradle," which insinuated its way into my nervous system with Spanish-style acoustic guitar instrumentals, jaunty melodies enhanced by harmonies cribbed from the Beach Boys songbook, and unexpected, atmospheric production flourishes.

Of course, the record company didn't know what to do with such an idiosyncratic release. It wasn't the easy-to-market Mac with the built-in fan-base that loved singers Nicks and McVie as much if not more than Buckingham. So the record company did very little except hope that it would fly on Buckingham's rep. It barely registered in the charts.

Meanwhile, the expedient reunion of Fleetwood Mac a couple of years ago was a commercial slam-dunk. Buckingham was in the spotlight, and cheered by the band's followers. And I ignored the comeback album "Say You Will."

Not any more.

Got my hands on a CD of "Under the Skin" two weeks ago. Haven't stopped listening since, although there's been next to no effort by Warner Bros. to give it the exposure it deserves. It's not Fleetwood Mac. It's simply gorgeous folk-rock (with the emphasis on folk) moving from the autobiographical ache of "Not Too Late" with its intense, meticulously finger-picked guitar and the singer's cry of self-doubt, through the Buddy Holly-ish slap-back chug of "Show You How," and the exquisitely delicate cover of the Rolling Stones' "I Am Waiting" (from the Stones' opium-trashed-Edwardian-dandy-in-the-drawing-room period), and on and on for 11 tracks.

I'm so blown away that, next thing you know, I'm rooting out mp3s of Buckingham's infectious single "Trouble" (from his first solo album, 1981's "Law and Order") and "Holiday Road" (his rockabilly-tinged contribution to the soundtrack from "National Lampoon's Vacation"); ripping his 1984 solo album "Go Insane" (think Brian Wilson off-his-meds); and via the 'net, the 2002 demo collection "Gift of Screws," with its early versions of songs that would eventually end up on the Mac's "Say You Will" (i.e. the stunning "Miranda") and "Under the Skin," as well as more Stones covers (including "She Smiled Sweetly"). Which led me to rip mp3s of his compositions from "Say You Will."

OK. What I'm trying to say is: Seek out "Under the Skin." That's where it'll get.