CHRISTINE McVIE
In the Meantime
Adventure/Koch
** ½

THE MICK FLEETWOOD BAND
Something Big
Tallman/Sanctuary
**

by Howard Cohen

Sometimes it doesn't matter how gifted you are, the group dynamic and its chemistry often can't be duplicated by one of its parts. This explains why the charismatic Mick Jagger has never been able to get a solo career off the ground away from the Stones.

Both of these new CDs come as surprises. Having announced her well-earned retirement after quitting Fleetwood Mac seven years ago, the last thing one would have expected was a Christine McVie solo CD. And how drummer Mick Fleetwood found the time to form a new side group after spending at least two solid years on the latest Fleetwood Mac CD and its never-ending tour is a feat.

In the Meantime is only McVie's third solo album in 35 years (and her first in 20).

She has all the chops she displayed in the band -- a warm and original voice, a knack for writing catchy pop hooks and unfailing professionalism as a musician -- but over the course of an entire album McVie can border on the bland. The flair producer and former bandmate Lindsey Buckingham gave to her best songs is replaced by utmost competence.

That's not bad, though, and fine new songs like the frisky single Friend, Bad Journey and Anything Is Possible capture some of the funkiness of her Rumours classic You Make Loving Fun and, at 60, her voice seems ageless. Fleetwood Mac's current album Say You Will wouldn't be hurt by swapping out a couple Buckingham-Nicks tunes for a few of these McVie cuts for variety (hint, you CD burners).

Meanwhile, Fleetwood's fourth side project, the optimistically titled Something Big, features well-played but mostly anonymous pop/rock and is distinguished primarily by its Mac-like title track and the percussive Passion. Mac fanatics should check out the track No Borders since it reunites Fleetwood (and guest John McVie) with Jeremy Spencer, Fleetwood Mac's guitarist until his bizarre departure in 1971.

Something Big is in stores Sept. 28.