Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
2009
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Unlike its 2002 predecessor Back in the U.S., Good Evening New York City doesn’t cherrypick highlights from a tour, it commemorates a specific event: the inauguration of Citi Field -- the replacement for the now-defunct Shea Stadium, where the Beatles played a legendary show in 1965 -- in the summer of 2009. The circumstances may be different -- different enough to lead to a Billy Joel cameo on “I Saw Her Standing There," the piano man returning a favor from Paul, who played at Billy’s Shea-closing shows in 2008 -- and McCartney might have two strong albums of new material to draw upon, but as an album, Good Evening New York City plays a lot like Back in the U.S. with a whopping 17 of its 35 tracks shared between the two titles. More importantly, the vibe is the same, with Macca delivering an expertly balanced and sequenced set with all the skill of the old pro that he is. Apart from the inclusion of “Mrs. Vanderbilt” and “I’m Down,” there are no surprises, either in song selection or performance, but no surprises doesn’t mean no satisfaction, and this is plenty entertaining.
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
2009
Label:
Hear Music (Starbucks)
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Unlike its 2002 predecessor Back in the U.S., Good Evening New York City doesn’t cherrypick highlights from a tour, it commemorates a specific event: the inauguration of Citi Field -- the replacement for the now-defunct Shea Stadium, where the Beatles played a legendary show in 1965 -- in the summer of 2009. The circumstances may be different -- different enough to lead to a Billy Joel cameo on “I Saw Her Standing There," the piano man returning a favor from Paul, who played at Billy’s Shea-closing shows in 2008 -- and McCartney might have two strong albums of new material to draw upon, but as an album, Good Evening New York City plays a lot like Back in the U.S. with a whopping 17 of its 35 tracks shared between the two titles. More importantly, the vibe is the same, with Macca delivering an expertly balanced and sequenced set with all the skill of the old pro that he is. Apart from the inclusion of “Mrs. Vanderbilt” and “I’m Down,” there are no surprises, either in song selection or performance, but no surprises doesn’t mean no satisfaction, and this is plenty entertaining.
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
June 05, 2007
Label:
Universal/Mercury
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Singer/Songwriter
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Allusion to the digital world though it may be, there's a sweet, elegiac undercurrent to the title of Paul McCartney's Memory Almost Full, an acknowledgement that it was written and recorded when McCartney was 64, the age he mythologized on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released almost exactly 40 years before Memory. Certainly, McCartney has mortality on the mind, but this isn't an entirely unusual occurrence for him in this third act of his solo career. Ever since his wife Linda's death from cancer in 1998, he's been dancing around the subject, peppering Flaming Pie with longing looks back, grieving by throwing himself into the past on the covers album Run Devil Run, slowly coming to terms with his status as the old guard on the carefully ruminative Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. But if that previous record was precise, bearing all the hallmarks of meticulous producer Nigel Godrich, Memory Almost Full is startlingly bright and frequently lively, an album that embraces McCartney's unerring gift for melody. Yet for as pop as it is, this is not an album made with any illusion that Paul will soon have a succession of hit singles: it's an art-pop album, not unlike either of the McCartney albums. Sometimes this is reflected in the construction --- the quick succession of short songs at the end, uncannily (and quite deliberately) sounding like a suite -- sometimes in the lyrics, but the remarkable thing is that McCartney never sounds self-consciously pretentious here, as if he's striving to make a major statement. Rather, he's quietly taking stock of his life and loves, his work and achievements. Unlike latter-day efforts by Johnny Cash or the murky Daniel Lanois-produced albums by Bob Dylan, mortality haunts the album, but there's no fetishization of death. Instead, McCartney marvels at his life -- explicitly so in the disarmingly guileless "That Was Me," where he enthuses about his role in a stage play in grammar school with the same vigor as he boasts about playing the Cavern Club with the Beatles -- and realizes that when he reaches "The End of the End," he doesn't want anything more than the fond old stories of his life to be told.
This matter-of-fact acknowledgement that he's in the last act of his life hangs over this album, but his penchant for nostalgia -- this is the man who wrote the sepia-toned music hall shuffle "Your Mother Should Know" before he was 30, after all -- has lost its rose-tinted streak. Where he once romanticized days gone by, McCartney now admits that we're merely living with "The Ever Present Past," just like how although we live in the present, we still wear "Vintage Clothes." He's no longer pining for the past, since he knows where the present is heading, yet he seems disarmingly grateful for where his journey has taken him and what it has meant for him, to the extent that he slings no arrows at his second wife, Heather Mills, he only offers her "Gratitude." Given the nastiness of the coverage of his recent divorce, Paul might be spinning his eternal optimism a bit hard on this song, but it isn't forced or saccharine -- it fits alongside the clear-eyed sentiment of the rest of Memory Almost Full. It rings true to the open-heartedness of his music, and the album delivers some of McCartney's best latter-day music. Memory Almost Full is so melodic and memorable, it's easy to take for granted his skill as a craftsman, particularly here when it feels so natural and unforced, even when it takes left turns, which it thankfully does more than once. Best of all, this is the rare pop meditation on mortality that doesn't present itself as a major statement, yet it is thematically and musically coherent, slowly working its way under your skin and lodging its way into your cluttered memory. On the surface, it's bright and accessible, as easy to enjoy as the best of Paul's solo albums, but it lingers in the heart and mind in a way uncommon to the rest of his work, and to many other latter-day albums from his peers as well. [This version of Memory Almost Full includes a bonus CD.]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
June 05, 2007
Label:
Hear Music (Starbucks)
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Singer/Songwriter
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Allusion to the digital world though it may be, there's a sweet, elegiac undercurrent to the title of Paul McCartney's Memory Almost Full, an acknowledgement that it was written and recorded when McCartney was 64, the age he mythologized on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released almost exactly 40 years before Memory. Certainly, McCartney has mortality on the mind, but this isn't an entirely unusual occurrence for him in this third act of his solo career. Ever since his wife Linda's death from cancer in 1998, he's been dancing around the subject, peppering Flaming Pie with longing looks back, grieving by throwing himself into the past on the covers album Run Devil Run, slowly coming to terms with his status as the old guard on the carefully ruminative Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. But if that previous record was precise, bearing all the hallmarks of meticulous producer Nigel Godrich, Memory Almost Full is startlingly bright and frequently lively, an album that embraces McCartney's unerring gift for melody. Yet for as pop as it is, this is not an album made with any illusion that Paul will soon have a succession of hit singles: it's an art-pop album, not unlike either of the McCartney albums. Sometimes this is reflected in the construction --- the quick succession of short songs at the end, uncannily (and quite deliberately) sounding like a suite -- sometimes in the lyrics, but the remarkable thing is that McCartney never sounds self-consciously pretentious here, as if he's striving to make a major statement. Rather, he's quietly taking stock of his life and loves, his work and achievements. Unlike latter-day efforts by Johnny Cash or the murky Daniel Lanois-produced albums by Bob Dylan, mortality haunts the album, but there's no fetishization of death. Instead, McCartney marvels at his life -- explicitly so in the disarmingly guileless "That Was Me," where he enthuses about his role in a stage play in grammar school with the same vigor as he boasts about playing the Cavern Club with the Beatles -- and realizes that when he reaches "The End of the End," he doesn't want anything more than the fond old stories of his life to be told.
This matter-of-fact acknowledgement that he's in the last act of his life hangs over this album, but his penchant for nostalgia -- this is the man who wrote the sepia-toned music hall shuffle "Your Mother Should Know" before he was 30, after all -- has lost its rose-tinted streak. Where he once romanticized days gone by, McCartney now admits that we're merely living with "The Ever Present Past," just like how although we live in the present, we still wear "Vintage Clothes." He's no longer pining for the past, since he knows where the present is heading, yet he seems disarmingly grateful for where his journey has taken him and what it has meant for him, to the extent that he slings no arrows at his second wife, Heather Mills, he only offers her "Gratitude." Given the nastiness of the coverage of his recent divorce, Paul might be spinning his eternal optimism a bit hard on this song, but it isn't forced or saccharine -- it fits alongside the clear-eyed sentiment of the rest of Memory Almost Full. It rings true to the open-heartedness of his music, and the album delivers some of McCartney's best latter-day music. Memory Almost Full is so melodic and memorable, it's easy to take for granted his skill as a craftsman, particularly here when it feels so natural and unforced, even when it takes left turns, which it thankfully does more than once. Best of all, this is the rare pop meditation on mortality that doesn't present itself as a major statement, yet it is thematically and musically coherent, slowly working its way under your skin and lodging its way into your cluttered memory. On the surface, it's bright and accessible, as easy to enjoy as the best of Paul's solo albums, but it lingers in the heart and mind in a way uncommon to the rest of his work, and to many other latter-day albums from his peers as well. [The deluxe edition of Memory Almost Full contains a live DVD, extra packaging, and bonus tracks, including an interview with McCartney about the album, plus three new songs: the pleasant-enough instrumental "In Private," the quite good, mildly brooding pop tune "Why So Blue," and the amiably ambling throwaway instrumental "222."]
Track #
Track
Time
Composer
1
Dance Tonight
2:54
McCartney
2
Ever Present Past
2:57
McCartney
3
See Your Sunshine
3:20
McCartney
4
Only Mama Knows
4:17
McCartney
5
You Tell Me
3:15
McCartney
6
Mr Bellamy
3:39
McCartney
7
Gratitude
3:19
McCartney
8
Vintage Clothes
2:22
McCartney
9
That Was Me
2:38
McCartney
10
Feet in the Clouds
3:24
McCartney
11
House of Wax
4:59
McCartney
12
The End of the End
2:57
McCartney
13
Nod Your Head
2:16
McCartney
14
In Private (*)
2:08
McCartney
15
Why So Blue (*)
3:11
McCartney
16
222 (*)
3:40
McCartney
17
Drive My Car (DVD)(Live)
N/A
McCartney, Lennon
18
Only Mama Knows (DVD)(Live)
N/A
McCartney
19
Dance Tonight (DVD)(Live)
N/A
McCartney
20
House of Wax (DVD)(Live)
N/A
McCartney
21
Nod Your Head (DVD)(Live)
N/A
McCartney
22
Dance Tonight (DVD)
N/A
McCartney
23
Ever Present Past (DVD)
N/A
McCartney
Back to the topChaos and Creation in the Backyard (Special Edition)
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
September 13, 2005
Label:
Capitol Records
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Soft Rock
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Quiet though it may be, Paul McCartney experienced something of a late-career renaissance with the release of his 1997 album Flaming Pie. With that record, he shook off years of coyness and half-baked ideas and delivered an album that, for whatever its slight flaws, was both ambitious and cohesive, and it started a streak that continued through the driving rock & roll album Run Devil Run and its 2001 follow-up, Driving Rain. For Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, the follow-up to that record, McCartney tried a different tactic, returning to the one-man band aesthetic of his debut album, McCartney, its latter-day sequel, McCartney II, and, to a lesser extent, the home-spun second album, Ram. Apart from a guitar part or two, a couple of drum tracks, and, of course, the strings and horns that pop up now and again, McCartney played everything here, from the guitars and keyboards down to the bass and drums. The difference here is that instead of producing the record by himself, McCartney brought in alt-rock auteur Nigel Godrich, best known as the producer behind Radiohead's OK Computer and Beck's Mutations, as well as being the only producer responsible for a streamlined Pavement record. Godrich has a gift for making messy or difficult music sound simple, logical, and clean, and he has that same effect on Chaos and Creation, removing the obvious rough edges and home-spun charm that characterized Macca's previous one-man affairs. Consequently, Chaos sounds as polished as a normal McCartney album, as polished as Driving Rain, but the process of its creation and recording does make this a very different album from not just its predecessor, but from most of McCartney's solo albums. It's quiet and meditative, not without its share of eccentricities, nor without its share of sprightly tunes -- certainly, the opener, "Fine Line," is a propulsive, hooky song that burrows into your head after just one spin and sounds like a tune you've known all your life, and "Promise to You Girl" also zips along nicely -- but the overall feel of the record is one that's reflective and ruminative, not messy or silly. Or whimsical or treacly, for that matter, since the combination of introspective ballads and intricately detailed but not overly fussy or polished production means that Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is a rare thing indeed: a McCartney album that's devoid of cuteness or easy sentiment. Which doesn't mean that it's somber or lacking in romantic material -- Paul loves his love songs, after all -- but the tone and timbre of the album is so simple, stripped-down, and sincere that all the music resonates a little deeper and feels a little more heartfelt. If there are no outright knockouts here, there are no weak spots, either, and if the album doesn't have the sprawl and quirks or overt humor of his classic solo albums from Ram through Tug of War, that's OK, because Chaos and Creation in the Backyard offers something different: not only is Paul in an unusually reflective mode, but he's made a lean, cohesive record that holds together better than his previous latter-day high-water mark, Flaming Pie -- which is unusual, since McCartney albums rarely, if ever, come without spots of filler. The quiet nature of Chaos and Creation may mean that some listeners will pass it over quickly, since it's a grower, but spend some time with the record and it becomes clear that McCartney is far from spent as either a songwriter or record-maker and, in many ways, continues to make some of the best music of his solo career. [Chaos and Creation in the Backyard was also released in a special edition containing a bonus DVD with a documentary, an animated film, and a studio performance video of "Fine Line."]
Back to the topChaos and Creation in the Backyard (Bonus Track/DVD)
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
September 13, 2005
Label:
Toshiba EMI
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Soft Rock
Quiet though it may be, Paul McCartney experienced something of a late-career renaissance with the release of his 1997 album Flaming Pie. With that record, he shook off years of coyness and half-baked ideas and delivered an album that, for whatever its slight flaws, was both ambitious and cohesive, and it started a streak that continued through the driving rock & roll album Run Devil Run and its 2001 follow-up, Driving Rain. For Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, the follow-up to that record, McCartney tried a different tactic, returning to the one-man band aesthetic of his debut album, McCartney, its latter-day sequel, McCartney II, and, to a lesser extent, the home-spun second album, Ram. Apart from a guitar part or two, a couple of drum tracks, and, of course, the strings and horns that pop up now and again, McCartney played everything here, from the guitars and keyboards down to the bass and drums. The difference here is that instead of producing the record by himself, McCartney brought in alt-rock auteur Nigel Godrich, best known as the producer behind Radiohead's OK Computer and Beck's Mutations, as well as being the only producer responsible for a streamlined Pavement record. Godrich has a gift for making messy or difficult music sound simple, logical, and clean, and he has that same effect on Chaos and Creation, removing the obvious rough edges and home-spun charm that characterized Macca's previous one-man affairs. Consequently, Chaos sounds as polished as a normal McCartney album, as polished as Driving Rain, but the process of its creation and recording does make this a very different album from not just its predecessor, but from most of McCartney's solo albums. It's quiet and meditative, not without its share of eccentricities, nor without its share of sprightly tunes -- certainly, the opener, "Fine Line," is a propulsive, hooky song that burrows into your head after just one spin and sounds like a tune you've known all your life, and "Promise to You Girl" also zips along nicely -- but the overall feel of the record is one that's reflective and ruminative, not messy or silly. Or whimsical or treacly, for that matter, since the combination of introspective ballads and intricately detailed but not overly fussy or polished production means that Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is a rare thing indeed: a McCartney album that's devoid of cuteness or easy sentiment. Which doesn't mean that it's somber or lacking in romantic material -- Paul loves his love songs, after all -- but the tone and timbre of the album is so simple, stripped-down, and sincere that all the music resonates a little deeper and feels a little more heartfelt. If there are no outright knockouts here, there are no weak spots, either, and if the album doesn't have the sprawl and quirks or overt humor of his classic solo albums from Ram through Tug of War, that's OK, because Chaos and Creation in the Backyard offers something different: not only is Paul in an unusually reflective mode, but he's made a lean, cohesive record that holds together better than his previous latter-day high-water mark, Flaming Pie -- which is unusual, since McCartney albums rarely, if ever, come without spots of filler. The quiet nature of Chaos and Creation may mean that some listeners will pass it over quickly, since it's a grower, but spend some time with the record and it becomes clear that McCartney is far from spent as either a songwriter or record-maker and, in many ways, continues to make some of the best music of his solo career. [A Japanese version added a bonus track and a DVD.]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
November 26, 2002
Label:
Toshiba EMI
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Rock & Roll
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Adult Contemporary
Soft Rock
Another album, another tour, another live album souvenir of the tour. Paul McCartney has essentially followed this pattern since his 1989 return to arenas for the supporting tour for Flowers in the Dirt and each of the records are essentially the same: the big solo hits, some of the big Beatles songs, plus a few tunes from the latest solo album. The repertoire changes slightly over the years, with some Beatles tunes drifting in and out of rotation, but they all play exactly the same -- glossy, professional readings of the songs that you know and love, played in arrangements very close to the original versions. Comprised of highlights from his 2001/2002 tour, the double-disc Back in the U.S. is longer than, say, Paul Is Live, but that's the only difference between this set, or the equally long Tripping the Live Fantastic. If anything, he's playing for the crowd even more than usual, filling out the set list with sentimental favorites, including a version of "Something" as a tribute to the recently parted George Harrison. There is an unflagging sense of showmanship here and the musicianship is top-notch, and there's nothing wrong with the music but there's nothing interesting about it, either. Given the hot streak that he'd been on since 1998's Flaming Pie, it's a bit of a disappointment that this doesn't live up to those standards, but then again, this is no better or no worse than what you'd expect given his live albums since 1989. Unfortunately, it's exactly what you'd expect, which is certainly not as satisfying as a good live album and somehow more disappointing than a flat-out bad album.
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
November 13, 2001
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Adult Contemporary
Soft Rock
Rock & Roll
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
For Paul McCartney, Driving Rain completes the trilogy he began with Flaming Pie, in retrospect a warm tribute to his dying wife, and continued through the storming rock & roll of Run Devil Run. The first found Macca writing some of his most affecting songs while he returned to his musical standbys -- charming folk, layered pop, and amiable rock & roll. Then, with Run Devil Run, he retreated even further, finding his love for piledriving, uncompromising rock & roll. With those two extremes, he covered the bases with everything except one important thing -- he had yet to reclaim his art pop inclinations, something he does so subtly on Driving Rain. In a sense, it's a nice blend of the self-conscious Flowers in the Dirt and the organic, natural Flaming Pie, combining the craft of the former with the attitude of the latter. As such, it sounds fresh, particularly because McCartney has teamed up with young producers and backing bands that don't just allow him to follow his muse, they're eager to chase him when he extends a song to an abnormal length with a jam. This is not the homemade charm of Ram, nor the post-Abbey Road studio trickery of Red Rose Speedway or Band on the Run, but instead a seasoned professional finding a way to fuse his various influences in a record that is as proud of its melody as it is of its elasticity. As such, it's more self-conscious than its immediate predecessor and it's a little indulgent, but in a good way. When McCartney decides to indulge himself here, it's not with whimsy but with sheer musical muscle. As the record draws to a conclusion, he hauls out a bunch of inventive, winding jams that may be a little excessive, yet they're exciting because he hasn't tried something like this in years. He's grooving on making music again, just like he did on Flaming Pie and Run Devil Run. Driving Rain may not be as coherent as Pie, nor as relentless as Devil, but it's rich, layered, ambitious, and successful. Since becoming a solo artist, Paul McCartney has never delivered three records in a row so overstuffed with imagination, melody, and enthusiasm as he has in these three albums. Let's hope he can keep the streak going next time around.
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
May 08, 2001
Label:
MPL
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Adult Contemporary
Soft Rock
AM Pop
Rock & Roll
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Paul McCartney always got the short end of the stick when he was in the Beatles and again in the '70s, as he and his erstwhile partner John Lennon pursued solo careers. McCartney was attacked for his virtues -- for his melodicism and his domesticity, along with his desire to form a real touring band following the Beatles. None of these were celebrated at the time, but he moved many, many records and sold countless concert tickets, which only hardened opposition toward him. But, in retrospect, McCartney's albums make for the most fascinating body of work among any of the ex-Beatles, and really among any of his peers. Yes, there were pitfalls among the heights, but that's part of what makes his career so fascinating -- each record is distinctive, and even if the songs themselves are shallow, at least lyrically, the melodic skill and studio savvy behind each are hard not to admire. This may require a bit of conversion, and if you're not up to trudging through his individual works, even such masterworks as Ram (truly the roots of homemade pop), the double-disc set Wingspan is ideal. McCartney has had a number of career overviews before, including such seemingly comprehensive discs as All the Best, but those were plagued by vaguely haphazard sequencing. This is nearly perfectly executed, dividing McCartney's career between the "hits" and "history," with the latter being devoted to album tracks that are acknowledged classics, yet never were singles. Now, it's true that this isn't completely comprehensive -- some will notice that superstar duets with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson are missing, and others will wonder where such terrific latter-day singles as "Press" are or why such charting hits as "So Bad" are bypassed, or why album tracks like "Ballroom Dancing" are absent -- but nothing has come as close to capturing the quirky brilliance of McCartney's solo career, how it balanced whimsical pop with unabashedly sentimental romantic ballads, piledriving rockers, and anything in between. And what makes Wingspan so impressive is how the "History" disc fills in the gaps that "Hits" leaves, whether it's on the tremendous "Maybe I'm Amazed" (one of the very best songs he ever wrote), the charming "Junk," the clever "Take It Away," or such absolutely stunning miniatures as "Heart of the Country," an effortless folk-pop tune that ranks among his very best songs. That's why Wingspan isn't just a good hits collection -- it's a convincing argument that McCartney's solo recordings are a rich, idiosyncratic body of work of their own merits. Ram, Red Rose Speedway, and London Town all have their merits, but if you need to be converted, this is where to start. [The Japanese release adds "Eat at Home" to the end of the first disc]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
October 05, 1999
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Rock & Roll
Contemporary Pop/Rock
When Paul McCartney returned to the studio a year after his wife Linda's death, he wanted to cut loose and have a good time. He gathered a bunch of friends, most notably guitarist David Gilmour, with the intention of cutting a collection of rock & roll oldies with minimal rehearsal and a handful of takes. On the surface, that makes Run Devil Run like Choba B CCCP, but there are subtle differences that make Devil a far superior effort. This time around, there's a real freshness to the performances. Gilmour, in particular, amazes, turning in some of his finest playing in years. Similarly, McCartney is invigorated, leaving behind his vocal schtick, laying back and rocking out with a set of fairly unfamiliar oldies. Only three songs -- "All Shook Up," "Lonesome Town," and "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" -- are radio staples; and while "I Got Stung," "Blue Jean Bop," "She Said Yeah," "Honey Hush," and "Movie Magg" are known by aficionados, they're not ubiquitous standards. This leaves room for a few more obscure numbers, such as Little Richard's "Shake a Hand," the Vipers' "No Other Baby," and the Fats Domino B-side "Coquette," plus three terrific new songs from McCartney: "Run Devil Run," a fantastic Chuck Berry-styled narrative; "Try Not to Cry," a strong bluesy pop number; and "What It Is," a catchy uptempo shuffle. Best of all, McCartney and co-producer Chris Thomas create an appealingly out of time production -- heavily compressed sound, yes, but cleaner than '50s recordings and livelier, grittier than most '90s albums. It all adds up to a dynamic, loose, carefree, and utterly infectious record, one of his best solo albums. [The UK limited edition includes a forty minute interview disc]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
January 1990
Label:
Capitol Records
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Paul McCartney's return to the stage in 1989 for the Flowers in the Dirt tour was heavily hyped, since it was not only his first extensive tour since the '70s, but also marked the first time he incorporated large portions of the Beatles' catalog into his set list. The double-disc, 37-track Tripping the Live Fantastic documents the tour, and it's a pleasant, if ultimately inconsequential, nostalgia trip that puts the weaknesses of Flowers in the Dirt in a little too sharp relief. In fact, most of McCartney's flaws are on display throughout the album, whether it's his excessive cutesiness (the album opens with Paul and the boys being told "heidy-ho, it's time for the show"), his fondness for oldies, and his persistent desire to charm the daylights out of the entire crowd. Nevertheless, he often does charm the crowd, whether it's through the effortlessly dazzling performances or his thoroughly winning catalog of pop classics. The new songs may pale next to the classics from his Beatles and solo days, and those classics may be delivered in versions that are a little too studied, but Tripping the Live Fantastic is a fine exercise in nostalgia.
Wrapped in a flimsy paperboard carton with a facsimile of an armored instrument case, this deluxe over packaging of Paul McCartney's Flowers in the Dirt was issued as a limited-edition come-on for his epochal 1989-90 world tour. In addition to a standard-issue copy of Flowers in the Dirt, the avid collector also receives six colorful postcards backed by six sketches of some of the performing locales on the tour, an itinerary, a bumper sticker ("I'd Rather Be Listening to McCartney"), a poster of the band, and an absurdly detailed family tree of all the band members' backgrounds. For all of this blizzard of paper products, does the buyer get any additional music? Yes, a single 3" CD single containing but one five-and-a-half-minute track, a throwaway funk-flavored group jam called "Party Party" that, unfortunately for the determined McCartney collector, exists only her and on the Flowers in the Dirt Tour Pack . Yet while you're fishing through all of the souvenirs, wondering why you bothered, listen to the entire CD again. You may end up agreeing that this is probably McCartney's most musical, most attractive solo album of all -- loaded with first-class tunes ("Put It There," "Distractions," "This One," "My Brave Face," and plenty more), lacerating collaborations with Elvis Costello, intricate, at times brilliant, arrangements in several genres -- an amazingly underrated achievement.
Paul McCartney must not only have been conscious of his slipping commercial fortunes, he must have realized that his records hadn't been treated seriously for years, so he decided to make a full-fledged comeback effort with Flowers in the Dirt. His most significant move was to write a series of songs with Elvis Costello, some of which appeared on Costello's own Spike and many of which surfaced here. These may not be epochal songs, the way many wished them to be, but McCartney and Costello turn out to be successful collaborators, spurring each other toward interesting work. And, in McCartney's case, that carried over to the album as a whole, as he aimed for more ambitious lyrics, themes, sounds, and productions for Flowers in the Dirt. This didn't necessarily result in a more successful album than its predecessors, but it had more heart, ambition, and nerve, which was certainly welcome. And the moments that did work were pretty terrific. Many of these were McCartney/Declan MacManus collaborations, from the moderate hit "My Brave Face" to the duet "You Want Her Too" and "That Day Is Done," but McCartney also demonstrates considerable muscle on his own, from the domestic journal "We Got Married" to the lovely "This One." This increased ambition also means McCartney meanders a bit, writing songs that are more notable for what they try to achieve than what they do, and at times the production is too fussy and inextricably tied to its time, but as a self-styled comeback affair, Flowers in the Dirt works very well. [EMI's 1999 version of Flowers in the Dirt, All Music Guide
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
1987
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Soft Rock
AM Pop
Technically, All the Best was the first compilation of McCartney's solo material, since Wings Greatest covered songs released under the Wings aegis. Well, there is considerable overlap between the two records -- eight of that album's 12 songs are here, yet the absent "Hi Hi Hi" and "Junior's Farm" are both missed -- although the nine new songs wind up giving this album a different character, for better or worse. With the U.K. version of All the Best, which has four different songs than its American counterpart, the balance shifts toward the worse, since the distinctly English bent does it a disservice. Nowhere is that more evident than on "We All Stand Together," a song written for a British kids' show and sung by frogs; not surprisingly, it sounds out of place among the rest of the album. The rest isn't as bad, though the neo-Scottish singalong folk of "Mull of Kintyre" will certainly baffle Americans and the exclusive "Once Upon a Long Ago," while fairly good, is not good enough to merit an extended search for this import (much less the nearly 30 dollars this author spent on the album when he was 15 years old; 1988 was a really strange world). The other song is the title track for Pipes of Peace, which just wasn't a big enough hit in the U.S. to justify its inclusion on the American disc. Even with these flaws, it's a very good retrospective of McCartney's career. It's easy to complain about some missing songs -- though grant me this: "Maybe I'm Amazed" really should be here. This compilation still has most of the greatest singles of McCartney's career, and while it may be a little heavy on the schmaltz at times, it's still mainstream pop craft of the highest order.
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
September 19, 1986
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Adult Contemporary
Soft Rock
Contemporary Pop/Rock
At the time, Press to Play was occasionally promoted as Macca's response to punk -- which we all better hope is not true, since that means he was responding ten years after the fact, signaling just how out of touch he was. But McCartney wasn't that disconnected from reality (he did talk about punk in interviews from the late '70s), so a more accurate view of Press to Play is to see it as McCartney trying to reconnect with his classic strengths, from orchestral pop and whimsy to driving rockers and sweet love songs. All this is apparent on the record, often in pretty charming fashion. "Stranglehold" has an offhand charm, "Good Times Coming/Feel the Sun" feels like a forgotten Red Rose Speedway medley, "Move Over Busker" has a brisk gait (better than its cousin, "Angry," anyway), and "Press" is a terrific mid-'80s drum machine-driven slice of synth-pop, utterly featherweight in the best possible way. Each of these captures a different side of McCartney, and that's the overriding impression of Press to Play -- McCartney is dabbling in each of his strengths, just to see what works. It doesn't wind up as one of his stronger albums, but it's more interesting than some of his more consistent ones, and those aforementioned cuts demonstrate that he could still cut effective pop records when he put his mind to it. [EMI's 1993 edition included the bonus tracks "Spies Like Us" and "Once Upon a Long Ago [Long Version]".]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
May 21, 1980
Label:
Capitol Records
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Soft Rock
Entitled McCartney II because its one-man band approach mirrors that of his first solo album, Paul McCartney's first record since the breakup of Wings was greeted upon its release as a return to form, especially since its synth-heavy arrangements seemed to represent his acceptance of new wave. Occasionally, as in the effortless hooks of "Coming Up," the record is quite enjoyable. McCartney II finds Paul in an adventurous state of mind, which is a relief after years of formulaic pop. [Capitol reissued the album in 1988 with two bonus tracks.]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
May 21, 1980
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Soft Rock
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Entitled McCartney II because its one-man band approach mirrors that of his first solo album, Paul McCartney's first record since the breakup of Wings was greeted upon its release as a return to form, especially since its synth-heavy arrangements seemed to represent his acceptance of new wave. Occasionally, as in the effortless hooks of "Coming Up," the record is quite enjoyable. McCartney II finds Paul in an adventurous state of mind, which is a relief after years of formulaic pop. [Capitol reissued the album in 1988 with three bonus tracks.]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
1979
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Soft Rock
Back to the Egg is Paul McCartney's attempt to get back to rock & roll after the soft rock of London Town. Assembling a new lineup of Wings, McCartney leads the group through a set of radio-ready songs, ranging from the arena rock of "Old Siam, Sir" to the adult contemporary pop of "Arrow Through Me." These are two of the more enjoyable moments on an uneven album that's nevertheless of interest to dedicated fans, due to McCartney's effortless popcraft, as well as the fact that this was the last record Wings ever released. [The 1993 MLP reissue appends three bonus tracks.]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
March 31, 1978
Label:
Capitol Records
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Soft Rock
Reduced to the core trio of Linda and Paul McCartney, and Denny Laine after the successful Wings at the Speed of Sound tour, London Town finds Wings dropping the band façade slightly, turning in their most song-oriented effort since Band on the Run -- which, not coincidentally, was recorded with this very trio. And although its high points don't shine as brightly as those on its two immediate predecessors, it's certainly stronger than Speed of Sound and, in its own way, as satisfying as Venus and Mars. What London Town has in its favor is Wings' (or, more likely, McCartney's) decision to settle into slick soft rock, relying on glossy, synth-heavy productions as he ratchets up the melodic quotient. This gives the album a distinctly European flavor, a feeling that intensifies when the lyrics are taken into the equation, and this gives London Town a different flavor than almost any other record in his catalog. And if its best moments aren't as strong as McCartney at his best, they, along with the album tracks, find him skillfully crafting engagingly light, tuneful songs that charm with their off-handed craft, domesticity, and unapologetic sweetness. McCartney's humor is in evidence here, too, with the terrific ""Famous Groupies,"" which means there's a little of everything he does here, outside of flat-out rocking. It's a laid-back, almost effortless collection of professional pop and, as such, it's one of his strongest albums. [The album's CD issue included a bonus track.]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
May 27, 1975
Label:
MPL/Parlaphone
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Soft Rock
AM Pop
Arena Rock
Band on the Run was a commercial success, but even if it was billed as a Wings effort, it was primarily recorded by Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine. So, it was time to once again turn Wings into a genuine band, adding Joe English and Jimmy McCulloch to the lineup and even letting the latter contribute a song. This faux-democracy isn't what signals that this is a band effort -- it's the attitude, construction, and pacing, which McCartney acknowledges as much, opening with an acoustic title track that's a salute to arena rock, leading to a genuine arena rock anthem, "Rock Show." From that, it's pretty much rocking pop tunes, paced with a couple of ballads and a little whimsy, all graced with a little of the production flair that distinguished Band on the Run. But where that record was clearly a studio creation and consciously elaborate, this is a straightforward affair where the sonic details are simply window dressing. McCartney doesn't really try anything new, but the songs are a little more varied than the uniform, glossy production would suggest; he dips into soft-shoe music hall shuffle on "You Gave Me the Answer," gets a little psychedelic with "Spirits of Ancient Egypt," kicks out a '50s rock & roll groove with "Magento and Titanium Man," and unveils a typically sweet and lovely melody on "Listen to What the Man Said." These are a slight shifts on an album that certainly feels like the overture for the arena rock tour that it was, which makes it one of McCartney's more consistent listens, even though it's possible to scan the song listing after several listens and not recognize any song outside of "Listen to What the Man Said" and the opening medley by title. [The European import includes three extra songs, "Zoo Gang," "Lunchbox/Odd Sox," and "My Carnival]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
May 27, 1975
Label:
Digital Sound
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Arena Rock
Soft Rock
AM Pop
Band on the Run was a commercial success, but even if it was billed as a Wings effort, it was primarily recorded by Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine. So, it was time to once again turn Wings into a genuine band, adding Joe English and Jimmy McCulloch to the lineup and even letting the latter contribute a song. This faux-democracy isn't what signals that this is a band effort -- it's the attitude, construction, and pacing, which McCartney acknowledges as much, opening with an acoustic title track that's a salute to arena rock, leading to a genuine arena rock anthem, "Rock Show." From that, it's pretty much rocking pop tunes, paced with a couple of ballads and a little whimsy, all graced with a little of the production flair that distinguished Band on the Run. But where that record was clearly a studio creation and consciously elaborate, this is a straightforward affair where the sonic details are simply window dressing. McCartney doesn't really try anything new, but the songs are a little more varied than the uniform, glossy production would suggest; he dips into soft-shoe music hall shuffle on "You Gave Me the Answer," gets a little psychedelic with "Spirits of Ancient Egypt," kicks out a '50s rock & roll groove with "Magento and Titanium Man," and unveils a typically sweet and lovely melody on "Listen to What the Man Said." These are a slight shifts on an album that certainly feels like the overture for the arena rock tour that it was, which makes it one of McCartney's more consistent listens, even though it's possible to scan the song listing after several listens and not recognize any song outside of "Listen to What the Man Said" and the opening medley by title. [The 1997 Digital Sound reissue slightly shuffles the track order.]
The consensus of critics, as well as cold hard sales figures, says that Band on the Run was Paul McCartney's most successful solo album -- and so, shortly after the 25th anniversary of its release, Band on the Run got the deluxe boxed treatment. The original album itself was remastered yet again, the sound improved only slightly over previous versions, and the track order made to follow that of the U.S. release (the British version does not include "Helen Wheels"). The real attraction of this box, though, is the second disc, a radio-style program containing interviews with Paul, Linda Mac, Wings member Denny Laine, and other contributors, plus demos, rehearsals, assorted outtakes, and edited portions from the original album. The documentary makes it clear that not only was Band on the Run an artistic triumph over very trying conditions -- the defection of two-fifths of Wings and the whimsical decision to record in the primitive, sometimes dangerous conditions of Lagos, Nigeria -- it was a marketing triumph as well. Capitol promotion man Al Coury tells how he spotted the hitmaking potential of "Jet," the album's second single and the one that really launched it into chart orbit. A lot of attention, perhaps too much, is also paid to the making of the album's cover photo, elevating it to the level of the cover art of Sgt. Pepper's and Abbey Road. Interestingly, Laine gets one fact wrong on the interview disc -- they played "Picasso's Last Words," not "Mamunia," in Ginger Baker's Lagos studio -- which Mark Lewisohn's authoritative liner notes make clear. You also get a reproduction of the poster that came with the LP. All of this comes at a two-CDs-for-the-price-of-one deal -- which should be downright irresistible for those who haven't replaced their original LPs.
Track #
Track
Time
Composer
1
Band on the Run
5:13
McCartney, McCartney
2
Jet
4:08
McCartney, McCartney
3
Bluebird
3:23
McCartney, McCartney
4
Mrs. Vandebilt
4:41
McCartney, McCartney
5
Let Me Roll It
4:50
McCartney
6
Mamunia
4:50
McCartney, McCartney
7
No Words
2:34
McCartney, Laine
8
Helen Wheels
3:47
McCartney, McCartney
9
Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)
5:49
McCartney, McCartney
10
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
5:28
McCartney, McCartney
11
Dialogue Intro/Band on the Run (Nicely Toasted Mix)
1:13
N/A
12
Band on the Run /Dialogue Link I (Original Version)
2:17
McCartney, McCartney
13
Band on the Run (Barn Rehearsal)
4:59
McCartney, McCartney
14
Dialogue Link 2/Mamunia /Dialogue/Mamunia /Dia ... (Original Version)
4:22
N/A
15
Bluebird (Live)
0:55
McCartney, McCartney
16
Bluebird /Dialogue Link 4 (Original Version)
0:23
McCartney, McCartney
17
Dialogue Link 5/No Words /Dialogue (Original Version)
1:24
N/A
18
No Words /Dialogue Link 6/Dialogue/Dialogue/Band on the ... [Original V
1:47
McCartney, Laine
19
Jet /Dialogue Link 7/Jet /Dialogue (Original Version)
2:55
McCartney, McCartney
20
Jet (Berlin Soundcheck)
3:51
McCartney, McCartney
21
Dialogue Link 8/Dialogue
1:44
N/A
22
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five /Dialogue Link 9/Dialogue [Original Ve
3:24
McCartney, McCartney
23
Mrs. Vandebilt /Dialogue Link 11/Dialogue (Original Version)
2:10
McCartney, McCartney
24
Let Me Roll It /Dialogue Link 12 (Cardington Rehearsal)
3:52
McCartney
25
Dialogue Link 13/Mrs. Vandebilt/Dialogue/Dialogue/Dialogue
2:25
N/A
26
Helen Wheels /Dialogue Link 14/Dialogue (Crazed Mix)
5:32
McCartney, McCartney
27
Band on the Run /Dialogue Link 15/Dialogue (Strum Bit)
1:01
McCartney, McCartney
28
Picasso's Last Words /Dialogue Link 16/Dialogue (Original Version)
4:22
McCartney, McCartney
29
Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)(Acoustic Version)
1:11
McCartney, McCartney
30
Band on the Run /Dialogue Link 17 (Nicely Toasted Mix)
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
December 05, 1973
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Soft Rock
AM Pop
Neither the dippy, rustic Wild Life nor the slick AOR flourishes of Red Rose Speedway earned Paul McCartney much respect, so he made the self-consciously ambitious Band on the Run to rebuke his critics. On the surface, Band on the Run appears to be constructed as a song cycle in the vein of Abbey Road, but subsequent listens reveal that the only similarities the two albums share are simply superficial. McCartney's talent for songcraft and nuanced arrangements is in ample display throughout the record, which makes many of the songs -- including the nonsensical title track -- sound more substantial than they actually are. While a handful of the songs are excellent -- the surging, inspired surrealism of "Jet" is by far one of his best solo recordings, "Bluebird" is sunny acoustic pop, and "Helen Wheels" captures McCartney rocking with abandon -- most of the songs are more style than substance. Yet McCartney's melodies are more consistent than any of his previous solo records, and there are no throwaways; the songs just happen to be not very good. Still, the record is enjoyable, whether it's the minor-key "Mrs. Vandebilt" or "Let Me Roll It," a silly response to John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?," which does make Band on the Run one of McCartney's finest solo efforts. However, there's little of real substance on the record. No matter how elaborate the production is, or how cleverly his mini-suites are constructed, Band on the Run is nothing more than a triumph of showmanship. [A Japanese version of the CD was also released.]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
December 05, 1973
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Soft Rock
AM Pop
Neither the dippy, rustic Wild Life nor the slick AOR flourishes of Red Rose Speedway earned Paul McCartney much respect, so he made the self-consciously ambitious Band on the Run to rebuke his critics. On the surface, Band on the Run appears to be constructed as a song cycle in the vein of Abbey Road, but subsequent listens reveal that the only similarities the two albums share are simply superficial. McCartney's talent for songcraft and nuanced arrangements is in ample display throughout the record, which makes many of the songs -- including the nonsensical title track -- sound more substantial than they actually are. While a handful of the songs are excellent -- the surging, inspired surrealism of "Jet" is by far one of his best solo recordings, "Bluebird" is sunny acoustic pop, and "Helen Wheels" captures McCartney rocking with abandon -- most of the songs are more style than substance. Yet McCartney's melodies are more consistent than any of his previous solo records, and there are no throwaways; the songs just happen to be not very good. Still, the record is enjoyable, whether it's the minor-key "Mrs. Vandebilt" or "Let Me Roll It," a silly response to John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?," which does make Band on the Run one of McCartney's finest solo efforts. However, there's little of real substance on the record. No matter how elaborate the production is, or how cleverly his mini-suites are constructed, Band on the Run is nothing more than a triumph of showmanship. [The Parlophone reissue includes the bonus track "Country Dreamer."]
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
April 30, 1973
Label:
Capitol Records
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Soft Rock
AM Pop
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
All right, he's made a record with his wife and a record with his pickup band where democracy is allegedly the conceit even if it never sounds that way, so he returns to a solo effort, making the most disjointed album he ever cut. There's a certain fascination to its fragmented nature, not just because it's decidedly on the softer side of things, but because his desire for homegrown eccentricity has been fused with his inclination for bombastic art rock à la Abbey Road. Consequently, Red Rose Speedway winds up being a really strange record, one that veers toward the schmaltzy AOR MOR (especially on the hit single "My Love"), yet is thoroughly twisted in its own desire toward domestic art. As a result, this is every bit as insular as the lo-fi records of the early '90s, but considerably more artful, since it was, after all, designed by one of the great pop composers of the century. Yes, the greatest songs here are slight -- "Big Barn Bed," "One More Kiss," and "When the Night" -- but this is a deliberately slight record (slight in the way a snapshot album is important to a family yet glazes the eyes of any outside observer). Work your way into the inner circle, and McCartney's little flourishes are intoxicating -- not just the melodies, but the facile production and offhand invention. If these are miniscule steps forward, consider this: if Brian Wilson can be praised for his half-assed ideas and execution, then why not McCartney, who has more character here than the Beach Boys did on their Brother records? Truthfully.
Track #
Track
Time
Composer
1
Big Barn Bed
3:48
McCartney
2
My Love
4:11
McCartney, McCartney
3
Get on the Right Thing
4:18
McCartney, McCartney
4
One More Kiss
2:32
McCartney
5
Little Lamb Dragonfly
6:19
McCartney
6
Single Pigeon
1:52
McCartney
7
When the Night
3:40
McCartney
8
Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)
4:22
McCartney
9
Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
April 30, 1973
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Soft Rock
AM Pop
All right, he's made a record with his wife and a record with his pickup band where democracy is allegedly the conceit even if it never sounds that way, so he returns to a solo effort, making the most disjointed album he ever cut. There's a certain fascination to its fragmented nature, not just because it's decidedly on the softer side of things, but because his desire for homegrown eccentricity has been fused with his inclination for bombastic art rock à la Abbey Road. Consequently, Red Rose Speedway winds up being a really strange record, one that veers toward the schmaltzy AOR MOR (especially on the hit single "My Love"), yet is thoroughly twisted in its own desire toward domestic art. As a result, this is every bit as insular as the lo-fi records of the early '90s, but considerably more artful, since it was, after all, designed by one of the great pop composers of the century. Yes, the greatest songs here are slight -- "Big Barn Bed," "One More Kiss," and "When the Night" -- but this is a deliberately slight record (slight in the way a snapshot album is important to a family yet glazes the eyes of any outside observer). Work your way into the inner circle, and McCartney's little flourishes are intoxicating -- not just the melodies, but the facile production and offhand invention. If these are miniscule steps forward, consider this: if Brian Wilson can be praised for his half-assed ideas and execution, then why not McCartney, who has more character here than the Beach Boys did on their Brother records? Truthfully.
Track #
Track
Time
Composer
1
Big Barn Bed
3:49
McCartney
2
My Love
4:07
McCartney, McCartney
3
Get on the Right Thing
4:16
McCartney, McCartney
4
One More Kiss
2:29
McCartney
5
Little Lamb Dragonfly
6:20
McCartney
6
Single Pigeon
1:52
McCartney
7
When the Night
3:36
McCartney
8
Loup (1st Indian on the Moon)
4:23
McCartney
9
Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
December 07, 1971
Label:
Capitol Records
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Soft Rock
AM Pop
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
The irony of the first Wings album is that it seems more domesticated than Ram, feeling more like a Paul 'n' Linda effort than that record. Perhaps it's because this album is filled with music that's defiantly lightweight -- not just the cloying cover of "Love Is Strange" but two versions apiece of songs called "Mumbo" and "Bip Bop." If this is a great musician bringing his band up to speed, so be it, but it never seems that way -- it feels like one step removed from coasting, which is wanking. It's easy to get irritated by the upfront cutesiness, since it's married to music that's featherweight at best. Then again, that's what makes this record bizarrely fascinating -- it's hard to imagine a record with less substance, especially from an artist who's not just among the most influential of the 20th century, but from one known for precise song and studiocraft. Here, he's thrown it all to the wind, trying to make a record that sounds as pastoral and relaxed as the album's cover photo. He makes something that sounds easy -- easy enough that you and a couple of neighbors who you don't know very well could knock it out in your garage on a lazy Saturday afternoon -- and that's what's frustrating and amazing about it. Yeah, it's possible to call this a terrible record, but it's so strange in its domestic bent and feigned ordinariness that it winds up being a pop album like no other.
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
December 07, 1971
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Soft Rock
AM Pop
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
The irony of the first Wings album is that it seems more domesticated than Ram, feeling more like a Paul 'n' Linda effort than that record. Perhaps it's because this album is filled with music that's defiantly lightweight -- not just the cloying cover of "Love Is Strange" but two versions apiece of songs called "Mumbo" and "Bip Bop." If this is a great musician bringing his band up to speed, so be it, but it never seems that way -- it feels like one step removed from coasting, which is wanking. It's easy to get irritated by the upfront cutesiness, since it's married to music that's featherweight at best. Then again, that's what makes this record bizarrely fascinating -- it's hard to imagine a record with less substance, especially from an artist who's not just among the most influential of the 20th century, but from one known for precise song and studiocraft. Here, he's thrown it all to the wind, trying to make a record that sounds as pastoral and relaxed as the album's cover photo. He makes something that sounds easy -- easy enough that you and a couple of neighbors who you don't know very well could knock it out in your garage on a lazy Saturday afternoon -- and that's what's frustrating and amazing about it. Yeah, it's possible to call this a terrible record, but it's so strange in its domestic bent and feigned ordinariness that it winds up being a pop album like no other.
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Released:
May 17, 1971
Label:
EMI Music Distribution
Rating:
Genre:
Pop/Rock
Styles:
Contemporary Pop/Rock
Album Rock
Soft Rock
AM Pop
After the breakup, Beatles fans expected major statements from the three chief songwriters in the Fab Four. John and George fulfilled those expectations -- Lennon with his lacerating, confessional John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Harrison with his triple-LP All Things Must Pass -- but Paul McCartney certainly didn't, turning toward the modest charms of McCartney, and then crediting his wife Linda as a full-fledged collaborator on its 1971 follow-up, Ram. Where McCartney was homemade, sounding deliberately ragged in parts, Ram had a fuller production yet retained that ramshackle feel, sounding as if it were recorded in a shack out back, not far from the farm where the cover photo of Paul holding the ram by the horns was taken. It's filled with songs that feel tossed off, filled with songs that are cheerfully, incessantly melodic; it turns the monumental symphonic sweep of Abbey Road into a cheeky slice of whimsy on the two-part suite "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey." All this made Ram an object of scorn and derision upon its release (and for years afterward, in fact), but in retrospect it looks like nothing so much as the first indie pop album, a record that celebrates small pleasures with big melodies, a record that's guileless and unembarrassed to be cutesy. But McCartney never was quite the sap of his reputation, and even here, on possibly his most precious record, there's some ripping rock & roll in the mock-apocalyptic goof "Monkberry Moon Delight," the joyfully noisy "Smile Away," where his feet can be smelled a mile away, and "Eat at Home," a rollicking, winking sex song. All three of these are songs filled with good humor, and their foundation in old-time rock & roll makes it easy to overlook how inventive these productions are, but on the more obviously tuneful and gentle numbers -- the ones that are more quintessentially McCartney-esque -- it's plain to see how imaginative and gorgeous the arrangements are, especially on the sad, soaring finale, "Back of My Car," but even on its humble opposite, the sweet "Heart of the Country." These songs may not be self-styled major statements, but they are endearing and enduring, as is Ram itself, which seems like a more unique, exquisite pleasure with each passing year.
