Macca's new album, with its catchy art college title, will no doubt be played endlessly by nappy-changing, time-for-a-cuppa grannies everywhere. The opening track and first single, Fine Line, ranks right down there with other forgettable, severely medicated Macca singles of years gone by, like "Off the Ground," "My Brave Face," and the truly naive and embarrassing "Freedom."
Can you believe it, Madge, four years of waiting...for this? The thick-as-sludge hype that eminates from the official Macca web site would have you believe that the album is Abbey Road part two -- with biscuits. Even The Rutles sound better than this fluff. No, unfortunately, what we have here is Give My Regards to Broad Street part two.
One is supposed to believe, according to the Macca site, that what we are hearing is a true return to form, as shown on the old boy's first solo album, McCartney (1970), wherein he played all of the instruments himself. Are they kidding or what? Lennon (remember him?) astutely described and dismissed the McCartney album as "crap." Let's also not forget that in 1970 both Lennon and Harrison went on to release, respectively, the classic albums Plastic Ono Band and All Things Must Pass. No critic in his or her right mind would dare rate McCartney as being the equal of either of those two albums. Still, bearing that in mind, one could take the McCartney album track "Glasses" (featuring no vocals but rather a continuous tonal drone of, presumably, Paul playing a few of his then well-used whiskey glasses) and edit it into a 45 minute endless loop that, all in all, would sound infinitely superior to the tiddly-widdly-dee of Chaos and Creation in the Backyard.
It seems that with every subsequent release of a new Macca album there are tens of thousands of fans (of which I count myself) sitting anxiously with fingers crossed, pleading "Please, God...please..this time." But every time there's that "oh-no" sinking feeling followed by the habitual shrug and self consolation of "Hmmm, quite nice."
The solo years have, in all honesty, been a certified failure. So now, before it's too late, the obvious needs to be done: the immediate creation of a new supergroup. To hell with egos, Paul needs to get matey with Clapton, Collins (deaf or not) and Gabriel (or whoever), because The Man can still do it and a great group would, without hesitation or reservation, transform him once again.
27 -
David in Sweden
Sep 05, 2005 at 3:09 pm
I think Gerry above has got it wrong. Why should Paul have tried to capitalise on what one of his understudies -- James Taylor (and all who followed him -- did so well. No, what we often forget is that Paul McCartney was raised in the dance-hall, entertainer tradition. That his soaring talent has enabled him to tackle any number of genre is in itself impressive. While sadly dismissed today, his Wings output should instead be honoured. Why? Aside from plenty of outstanding music (don't tell me "Spin It On", at the end of the Wings era, isn't a great track that just bursts with punky energy) he dared -- DARED -- to not rest on his Beatles laurels and simply try to replicate everything he did with the Beatles.
Ok, you can also say that his 80s work and early 90s work was forgettable (though many say Flowers in the Dirt was some sort of return to form), the fact is that anyone who hears any album from Tug of War to Off the Ground will find many good and some great songs. Hey, where does the guy keep coming up with these melodies? And the diversity? And who is as willing to be as inventive and dashing in his advancing years? Few artists, if any.
No, I never have and never will buy into contemporary (and by that I mean the last 25 years) brain-washed media views that Paul McCartney hasn't made good, interesting and vital music since the Beatles broke up. Heck, just take the last 10 years -- Flaming Pie, Run Devil Run, Driving Rain (a GREAT album!) -- and listen to the music. I mean really, listen, taking away any comparisons/preconceptions you may have. It is top-class stuff.
Which brings me to the current album. Well, as of this date, actually the music on his web site in low-fi, plus the single and its b-side(s). Perhaps Godrich has been good for him behind the booth; I think a new Macca album would've had good music on it anyway. As it is, what I've heard is extremely enticing and worthwhile. Jenny Wren is a winner, hands-down, for its melancholy, haunting production. Calling it Blackbird 2 does it a disservice. It stands on its own. The pianos at the fore of Fine Line (good lyrics, astounding sonic environment) and Promise to You Girl show us just how relevant and underutilised this instrument is. Growing Up, Falling Down -- shows that, hey, this man just doesn't stop when it comes to trying to find something new.
Ok, I'm an optimist in life, in general, and a fan of a good melody, a true instrumentalist, and variety of forms. I get and in my 37 years have always got those from Paul McCartney. It will be a sad day when we no longer have new music from him. Fortunately, we will in a way always have it. As John Lennon said, the records will always be there. What a wealth, above and beyond the Bealtes, we will always have.
28 -
Hart
Sep 06, 2005 at 11:41 am
“”For those of you who want to pick his work apart or criticize his lack of meat intake need to just admit you are not, and never were, a true fan. Sad””
You proceed from a number of false assumptions. Wanting someone to be the best they can be is my only goal.
I am a so-called “fan.” My god, I don’t play the bass, yet I own a Hoffner just because it reminds me of the greatness of Paul.
Investment wise, through the years, I have bought the Beatles/Paul/John/George/ and yes, even Ringo’s Records, 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs, DVDs & Bootlegs as the decades have passed. I am 46. I am seeing Paul in Vegas this November for the fifth time.
My second theory, (which you help prove), I call the “Yes Men” theory. Paul even admits he now lacks a “John” to tell him when his work is rubbish or needs tweaking. Elvis Castello was probably the closest that came to John in honesty regarding Paul’s efforts.
Without that feedback, I think Paul is slipping. How do you tell a Billionaire Ex-Beatle that his demo is crap, or needs help, and yet stay in his good graces (or payroll)?
29 -
Hart
Sep 06, 2005 at 11:43 am
John’s prediction that Paul’s song writing will turn into a type of “Engelbert Humperdinck” style is not now that far fetched (and I say that with regret).
30 -
martin
Sep 06, 2005 at 1:56 pm
Paul:
Iread all the above comments, sadly I agree to most however, the fact is the Beatles work will never be repeated.
Why? Simply because the four are not together ( or five including George Martin). They stared as a band and had to learn quickly over their 7 years, from basci to something quite special.
I think we all expect miracles to happen from each solo attempt. Perhaps it will happen one day, but I doubt it.
Look on each solo attempt, and try to appreciate the efforts. Paul probably would like to wake up one morning with another catchy song in his head too, as was sometimes the case back in the sixties. But what a band the Beatles were, with George Martin assisting.
Yes, something special in the late sixties, for sure.
31 -
steve
Sep 06, 2005 at 2:02 pm
I cant wait to see Paul Macca in boston this month!! im so excited. I read in the springfield republican that during the recording of this album...he often thought of john lennon...as in a "what would lennon say/do" he pictured his praise, his criticism. I cant wait for the album!
32 -
JvanE
Sep 07, 2005 at 4:39 am
First: There are a lot of Beatles-songs that would never ever have gotten their 'high status' if one of the Beatles released it as a solo effort...
Second: There are a lot of solo-songs that would have been praised into heaven if they would have been recorded by the Beatles...
Something to think about. ;)
Third: I think 'Back to the egg' is McCartney's most underestimated work ever (I specially love the rougher songs).
Fourth: I think 'Flaming Pie' is his best solo-album ever.
Fifth: better a mediocre new McCartney album than no McCartney album at all. (I don't know if the new one is mediocre because I haven't heard it yet).
Sixth (and last): every new McCartney album is at least top 10 worthy by default, when you compare it with the crappy stuff some people dare to release and sell nowadays and that even shows up in the top 10...!
33 -
Vern Halen
Sep 07, 2005 at 9:40 am
Macca made wome terrible albums after Band On the Run - but Flaming Pie was a surprise to me, and when I went back to some of the previous albums, I realized they weren't as bad as I had thought. And I knew every song off the Born in the U.S. album, and they sounded great, so maybe it was just that mid 70's to late '80's production that killed those albums for me - they writing's fine, apparently. Sorry - turns out PM's just a talented musician who's honed his skill over many years, and the older I get, the less I appreciate Lennon (sacrilage!) and the more I like Paulie.
It has to, at the very least, be less embarassing than what Clapton has become. Or maybe not. The Godrich factor has me interested.
35 -
Peter Hodgson
Sep 07, 2005 at 10:56 am
I can't stop listening to " Too Much Rain " it's a fantastic song. " At the mercy " is a grower. If you love Pink Floyd then you will love "At the Mercy"
"English Tea" is also a great and well produced number in the vein of "For No One"
It looks as though "Anyway" is going to be the monster smash hit from the album, it sounded good on Radio 4 last week.
36 -
dave
Sep 08, 2005 at 3:30 am
Wow, that sounds really.....good! Best Macca single since Hope of Deliverance at least...maybe the best since the 70s! It starts the teensiest bit shakily, but all is forgiven, brother when that chorus kicks in! Goosebumps....
Someone further up mentioned quality control, I reckon that's it. PM has influenced my music big time, I was there at the beginning (early 60's) and still doing my thing, no matter what I try to do macca still shows in my output. BUT, as much a fan as I was I found every now and then he went completely sideways IMHO. Saw him live, awesome.
Some of my past picks off the cuff:
Dear Boy
Monkberry Moon delight
Long & Winding Road
Little Willow
Ballroom Dancing
Blackbird
Silly Love songs
This one
Tug of War
Oh Darling
38 -
Farah Yusof
Sep 08, 2005 at 11:19 am
I have listened the whole album. I am amazed! I am 20 and I have followed McCartney since I was 13. Ironically, amidst a lot of people say that his 80's output are crappy and silly, I started to grow my fond of McCartney after listening to "No More Lonely Nights" and "Ebony & Ivory", and then I began to explore Paul McCartney's stuff and I became a Beatles fan later on. (Alas, like most people, after listening to the Beatles', I would say his solo stuff aren't really that great , in contrast to his Beatles effort). I would say that some stuff of this Chaos album are above par of those Beatles album, even some stuff are better than those of the White Album. It's really amazing, it makes me quite impressed that "Chaos and Creation In The Backyard" is a resemblance of Beatles stuff, it's so Beatle-ish, I sometimes could hear Coldplay sound in it, sometimes Radiohead, and even Queen. What to say, isn't it these were also influenced by Beatles. Almost songs are piano-driven, the key is almost the same you found on many McCartney songs during the Beatles era.
My personal favourite besides "Fine Line" are "How Kind of You", "Friends To Go" and "Promise To You Girl". I just dunno, for me, to pick my own favs are hard enough, the scenario you always trap between when you consider an album as so superb.
39 -
McCartrey
Sep 08, 2005 at 1:34 pm
I've listened to this entire album, thanks to it being uploaded in news groups. It's a yawner. There are 3 great songs "English Tea" , Too Much Rain, Follow Me, and Anyway. The rest are subpar. I WILL say that the lyrics are far better than they have been in a LONG time. But musically, the album is dull. Paul should've used his new band. The guitar solos (and sounds) on this album are terrible.
40 -
McCartrey
Sep 08, 2005 at 1:38 pm
oops, I meant 4 good songs. Jenny Wren sucks. WHY are people falling over themselves praising it?
41 -
Brenda
Sep 08, 2005 at 7:49 pm
I have heard the album many times. Perhaps if it had not been hyped as being so great, I would not be so disappointed, but this is nowhere near a masterpiece. The bad outweighs the good, but there are some shining moments in "Jenny Wren," "English Tea" and "Too Much Rain." Nothing original but pleasant. Lyrically, it is very uneven, with some inspired writing in "Jenny Wren" and "English Tea" and terrible and cliche-filled with "This Never Happened Before"- which has to be one of the worst songs he ever wrote- this one defines "sappy love ballad." One or two gems here, but that's it. "Anyway" would be great if it was original, but everyone has already identified it as the tune to Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" and people are speculating if a lawsuit from him will happen. But there is some good here, just not enough.
42 -
JERSON CORONICA
Sep 08, 2005 at 9:05 pm
PAUL MCCARTNEY....64 and still rocking!!!!!!!!!!!!!i love you paul!!!!!111
How does putting a song out for a commercial show a lack of "integrity"? Integrity to what, Karl Marx? I don't recall him pledging allegiance to a commie flag, unless you're counting "Back in the USSR."
Don't make it political, moron. (Gawd, everything comes down to politics for some people)
Here's how it goes. I don't think fine line was written about cars. Now whenever I hear the song, I'm going to be thinking about cars.
It ruins the integrity of whatever energy and wit and skill and imagery he put into the song.
For me at least. And after all, I wasn't speaking for anyone but me or claiming to.
So Macca has traded integrity for money. When you have enough money it seems like a bad trade. Paul McCartney will longer be remembered in history for his skill and integrity than that he was rich.
No, no capisci. You're demanding integrity to something that in fact looks like a political ideal of some kind of idea of non-commercial purity. Your comments appear to be a reflection of a lot of left wing political assumptions.
Also, as an editor charged with enforcing our editorial policies about abusive language, I might hope for better than "moron" from you.
48 -
Shark
Sep 09, 2005 at 6:21 am
How 'bout:
"Al, shut the fuck up!" --?
Integrity is about making artistic statements (music, in this case) without having one's audience WONDER IF SOME SPONSOR HAS PAID YOU TO SAY IT.
ie. if he'll allow his 'art' to be background music for a car commercial, everything McCartney says in the future is suspect.
Temple is correct: the word is "integrity".
Seriously, Al, I know you just wanna be provocative, but you're on the *wrong side of this one.
* Who is John Galt?
49 -
Shark
Sep 09, 2005 at 6:25 am
Paul, was he the 'cute one'?
[Personal Anecdotes Warning]
Funny story apropos nada:
1) since he was a baby, my 5 yr old grandson has been exposed to the Beatles in many forms. From the get-go, he zoomed in on Lennon as the coolest cat in the universe. John can do no wrong, but the other three are ...zzzzzzz... for him.
I have high hopes for my boy's future.
2) My wife saw the Beatles live in 1964. (of course, she was a "paul" person)
50 -
JR
Sep 09, 2005 at 9:54 am
Another reason to license your music to an ad agency is to get it heard on TV. It's not like MTV is going to play it. McCartney may be using the car company to promote his music.
Yeah, if McCartney were really "cool" he wouldn't care how many people heard his music; but really, did any of the Beatles meet that standard?
But that's different from the point I did make in my comment. Strangely my original comment was exactly as presented.
I felt / feel the same way about any Stones song (I personally lost a great deal of respect for them as I heard their songs on commercials everywhere) Jewel's "Intuition" (women's leg shaver) but not Liz Phair's "Extraordinary" because that was in more of a PSA about girls reaching toward their goals (WNBA).
Some stuff - like Moby - you can't tell is really meant as anything but ad agency-produced background music - it's just there.
Anyway, I'm hoping to get the album to review and I still like Paul the right-wing vegetarian ... And every performance of Hey Jude is better than the last.
Temple, it seems to be purely the abstract idea of a commercial that is your problem, rather than any reality. You objected to seeing "Fine Line" in a car commercial because now you'll think of cars, and that's not what the song is about.
But if he had a video on VH1 driving down the road in a car singing the song, I'm guessing that you wouldn't bat an eye. De facto though, music videos are mostly basically ads for the records. They spend big bucks for videos, often far more than for the recording of the actual albums.
It looks to me as if your problem isn't that you'll think of cars when you hear the song, but that you'll think of Paul getting paid by the car company, and THAT is what's bothering you.
Shark, having explicitly and repeatedly abandoned reason as a standard, your nonsense about sponsorship just doesn't count as anything but your arbitrary personal obsession that has not even a pretense of a relationship with reason or reality.
i can't stand it when artists sell tunes for use in commercials.
i wish i'd said this: Tom Wait nailed it...
Songs carry emotional information and some transport us back to a poignant time, place or event in our lives. It's no wonder a corporation would want to hitch a ride on the spell these songs cast and encourage you to buy soft drinks, underwear or automobiles while you're in the trance. Artists who take money for ads poison and pervert their songs. It reduces them to the level of a jingle, a word that describes the sound of change in your pocket, which is what your songs become. Remember, when you sell your songs for commercials, you are selling your audience as well.
No, Shark, I'm saying that by having repeatedly and expressly abandoned reason as any kind of standard, there's no basis to rationally discuss issues with you.
You say that fans will have to worry about whether the artist is being paid to say some and such. Of course, the answer is YES. Paul was paid for writing and recording "Drive My Car," and wrote the thing to try to make a hit.
Artists have all kinds of motivations, commercial and otherwise for what they do. Your little hangup with this particular subset of commercial motivations is purely an arbitrary personal whim, not any reflection of reason or empirical data.
57 -
Winston O'Boogie
Sep 09, 2005 at 4:31 pm
McCartney's post-Beatles career is summed up accurately in the Lennon song "How Do You Sleep?" No one knew Sir Paulie better than Lennon.
58 -
mark
Sep 09, 2005 at 7:19 pm
Hi all
Haven't heard the new Macca album yet other than the single"fine line" which, heaven forbid i like.Nothing wrong with it...it's pop it's what Macca does best.
A car commercial? Haven't heard it...but guess what....i don't care.It's his business.
We'll all buy the album, there'll be tracks we like, tracks we're not fussed on, like every other damn album anybody's ever put out.
I'll tell you this though....thank god for Macca.Pop music woyuld be very diffrent if not for him.I for one am glad the guy's still around.
Long may he rock.
Enjoy people!!! Don't analyize!!
59 -
mark
Sep 09, 2005 at 7:24 pm
Winston o boogie.....how original.
"How do you sleep" is the bitterest nastiest twisted piece of work i've ever heard.
The damn track has all the appeal of a dead sock , and this from a man who told us to give p[eace a chance.Dear me.
60 -
A Wilson
Sep 09, 2005 at 9:25 pm
Paul McCartney stands as one of the greatest pop writers of all time, due purely to his work with the Beatles. Since then sadly for the rest of us,the magical genius that imbued such songs as 'Hey Jude', 'Yesterday', 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'Here There and Everywhere' amongst many others, has long since deserted his work.
His latest album hints strongly at the melodic invention for which he is so rightly famed,yet lacks the simple beauty and enchantment which enabled his earlier work to have such poignant impact.
One suspects that were he to somehow free himself from the burden of all the years of material achievement,his music might lose its jaded and overly melancholic quality and enable it to regain the magic. I suspect that it's asking too much.
61 -
JW
Sep 10, 2005 at 7:42 am
After the overwhelming 'Flaming Pie' and the disappointing 'Driving Rain', 'Chaos and Creation' is a fabulous album again. For me it's hard to choose a favourite because that alters day by day. 'Jenny Wren' equals to the best songs produced by The Beatles and can make me cry. 'Anyway' is an outstanding song. 'English tea' is funny. 'Friends to go' is definitely one of my favourites. 'A certain softness' with its Latin sound reminds me to the beautiful 'Distractions'. The only song I skip is 'At the mercy', I don't have anything with it. The rest is growing and growing. As far as I am concerned, the best album of the year together with the Eels masterpiece 'Blinking lights and other revelations'.
McCartney is one performer who will forever remain controversial among music critics and rock listeners. Those who dislike his poet-Beatles output often seem to miss the very things those who genreally admire his music appreciate.
One charge that is completely insubstantiated is that his post Beatle music "sucked".
Some of it sucked. McCartney throughout his history has always gotten cutesy to the point of annoying (i.e. "This One", "Mary Had A Little Lamb", "Sweetest Little Show", et. al.)
Other times, he'd get too earnest without articulating anything, or worse, sounding silly ("Hope of Deliverance", "Give Ireland Back To The Irish", "Ebony And Ivory", "Another Day", "Pipes Of Peace", "Waterfalls", "Freedom")
His duets were always bad ("Ebony and Ivory" with Stevie Wonder, "Say Say Say" with Michael Jackson, "You Want Her Too" with Elvis Costello, and "Get It" with Carl Perkins). They always had a you-sing-a-verse-and-I'll-sing-a-verse arrangement, and simplistic, showbizzy melodies.
He'd get lazy, and crank out meaningless and bland, uninteresting fluff ("Press", "Take It Away", "Spies Like Us")
Sometimes, his songs were downright stupid ("Driving Rain", "Biker Like An Icon", "Girlfriend", "The Man").
And he was always at his worst when he tried to sound "with it" and contemporary (disco on "Goodnight Tonight", 'punk' on "Spin It On", new wave on "Coming Up")
That's a lot of crappy songs, that's for sure.
However; Mccartney's strengths (musicianly approach, interesting production, his voice, which could be sweet of Little Richard-esque, his own good taste in music (evidenced by his choice of covers), and an ability to come up with very strong material on occasion) have never deserted him (except for a couple of directionless periods in the early 80's and early 90
's)
He had many a fine hard rocker ("Junior's Farm", "Soily", "Old Siam Sir", "Stranglehold", "Oh Woman Oh Why", "Too Many People") that hold up lyrically and musically as excellent songs.
His melodicism could blossom into tremendously beautiful songs, right next alongside crap on the same album. ("Through our Love", "The Song We Were Singing", "Bluebird", "Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People", "Mull Of Kintyre", "Once Upon A Long Ago")
He never stopped experimenting ("Oo Est Le Soliel", "Temporary Secretary", "Cufflinks", "Riding Into Jaipur")
He could come up with great textures ("Jet" "Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five", "Rockestra Theme", "Good Times Coming/Let The Sun Shine", "That Day Is Done", "Flying To My Home", "Smile Away")
He could play a good bass ("Get On The Right Thing", "No Other Baby", "Country Dreamer") and guitar.
His collaborations with Elvis Costello, excluding the aforementioned, ("Back On My Feet" "That Day Is Done" "Don't Be careless Love") are excellent.
McCartney has always made his best music when the stakes were high: Band On The Run (his drummer and guitarist quit on the day the band was to fly to Nigeria to record; McCartney, Linda, and Denny Laine recorded it themselves) Venus And Mars and Wings Over America when he needed to prove himself to the world; Flowers In The Dirt in the wake of his sales drying up to nothing; Flaming Pie as his wife was dying, and Run Devil Run as he mourned her.
"No Other baby", a cover of the obscure Vipers tune, is my favorite recent number of his. His first single since his beloved Linda had died, it is a slow, sad, 50's rocker that nontheless remains resolute; McCartney's strong voiced but older and wisened voice, sounding sad but determined, puts a lump in my throat every time I hear it. And it has a great heavy bassline and a helluva band.
I'll give his new one a listen. I expect mixed results, like we always get. But there'll be a keeper or two among them, there always is.
63 -
john McDermott
Sep 10, 2005 at 3:54 pm
Kids, Kids, Kids.... Come on you are alll, correct. Without the other beatles to egg him on, and without the need to put out music to sustain a god like image needed in the BEatles, McCartney is just playing music. All his songs are terrific, if we did not expect godhood, we would appreciate the music. All Paul's songs are good, some great, some push the boundries and set standards... McCartney has how many songs? and he is still putting out damn good material. His concerts are the top, he is a number one showman, that alone is worth his legend... Ok, maybe he does not sing like he did in his 20's or even his 50's... But the vocals on this album are unmistakenly Paul McCartney and the music is Paul doing what he does best.... Making songs. He has broken from formula several times in his carreer... several times on albums... Strip away what you think paul shoudld be doing... and listen to what the man is doing as a musician.... It is Simply darn good music... Thanks for your time... and yes, I can name all the solo albums and bootleg albums etc. , but it is time to go mix down my new song, which I never would have written had it not been for Paul McCartney......
64 -
Brian Stewart
Sep 10, 2005 at 10:17 pm
Just did the 1st run through-I'm a huge Beatles fan and can take or leave McCartney. I'm ambivalent about this album. Glad I didn't pay for it
For what it's worth here are my marks out of 10
1 Fine Line 9
2 How Kind Of You 6
3 Jenny Wren 6
4 At The Mercy 6
5 Friends To Go 8
6 English Tea 5
7 Too Much Rain 7
8 A Certain Softness 7
9 Riding To Vanity Fair 6
10 Follow Me 7
11 Promise To You Girl 8
12 This Never Happened Before 7
13 Anyway 8
My objection is simple: "back yard" is two words. No rational person can question this infallible truth. I know the MLA or the PLO or somebody disagrees with me on this, but they are all heretics and wouldn't know sensible language structure if it bit them on the ass.
Consider the acronym NIMBY. Not In My Back Yard. If these fools succeed in persuading us all to stop seeing "back yard" as two words, we'll have to start using NIMB instead, which would just be plain damn stupid.
Someday maybe I'll get around to listening to the music on this record, and maybe it'll be good, but I'll never forgive McCartney for surrendering his album title to the heartless forces seeking to disfigure the English language this way.
66 -
Craig
Sep 11, 2005 at 10:15 pm
The truth is McCartney can’t compete with the McCartney of the 1960’s and the iconic image of the Beatles, and he probably doesn’t care. He has written and recorded several hundred songs including the most recorded song of all time - Yesterday. He was part of the biggest band of all time. The Beatles hold 23 spots in the top 500 greatest songs of all time " as complied by Rolling Stone magazine. (Next highest… Rolling stones " 14)
I sat down and listened to the cd for the fourth time and then wrote:
1 Fine Line - Good song " catchy " totally McCartney.
2 How Kind Of You - a fairly weak song…I would have put this one as Track 13…hidden track maybe…hidden on another cd.
3 Jenny Wren - A really nice song " 8/10 ;-) I wished he pushed his vocals a bit more " shit he is 63.
4 At The Mercy - this is more ‘Beatles’ than anything he’s done in years. Add John’s
harmonys and George’s guitar " and it would have been a great Beatles song. With a little more edge and George Martin " hey " maybe he needs a bit more George Martin in this Cd. I also think doing most of the instruments really sets the tones ( pun intended ) for the entire cd. He has an amazing live band and could have easily knocked off a fabulous cd. But at this stage of the game " he does what he does " and I think he is making music for him " not us.
5 Friends To Go - totally early McCartney years " great song. Again " if he wrote this in the Beatles years " we’d have been singing it for the past 40 years. Track 4 and 5 could have been on Abbey Road for sure.
6 English Tea - Paul just having fun. Not a great song " but fine. Filler? " probably.
7 Too Much Rain - A nice song " if he wanted a hit single and some airplay he could have collaborated with Travis or Coldplay on this one. McCartney could have pulled the Santana of a few years back. A track with Coldplay and another with U2 and this cd would have tremendous airplay and acclaim. The 2005 Live 8 Sgt.Pepper with U2 was a huge hit " great song? Or great collaboration?
8 A Certain Softness - Well, he is trying different things. Not a super strong song BUT " awesome to hear something different. I have never heard a Spanish feel to a McCartney song before. Great stuff " nice surprise and good for you for doing what ever the hell you want. Again the vocals could have been a bit more edger. Should have called in Rob Tomas…;-)
9 Riding To Vanity Fair - falls on the B- side of this cd " vocally weak " again…
10 Follow Me - ditto…..but good for doing some more acoustic stuff.
11 Promise To You Girl - augh " there you are ….again, add John and the boys " lost song from Abbey Road?? Stronger of the songs on this cd. Should have but after track 5 and kept the momentum going….
12 This Never Happened Before - sounds like early McCartney again. Good stuff.
13 Anyway - a nice conclusion to the cd " carry’s through from track 12.
So…toss track 2, 9, and 10 and this is a great cd. It is fairly mellow and that is where he is right now. So….10 of the 13 songs are great, good or nice. That’s sounds like money well spent. I think if he added his band this might have taken on a bit more of a edger feel. (Rock and roll feel ) This cd for sure is a solo project " and he has done great all on his own. Can’t wait to see him live in October
67 -
fab4fan
Sep 12, 2005 at 1:11 am
I really have to correct a lot of inaccurate myths that have been said on here about Paul McCartney's solo/Wings music. First of all Paul did *many* good and great solo/Wings albums in the early to mid 1970's. There is a lot of obscure good and great B sides and album tracks that are even better than his hits although I like the hits too. His new album Choas and Creation in The Backyard was given 4 stars by Rolling Stone,a 4.5 on VH1.com and a 5 on AOL Music online by the members who rate the albums.
I am very happy too find out that almost all of his solo/Wings albums albums are given 4 and 5 stars on VH1.com and AOL Music by the people who visit these sites. They both gave Red Rose Speedway a 4 as did The All Music Guide which also rates some of his other albums highly.Only Wings Wild Life was given 2 stars on AOL Music. Band On The Run is always given a 5 everywhere it is rated.
Rolling Stone Magazine and Album Guide gives Band On The Run and Tug of War 5 stars and calls these albums masterpieces. Take it Away from Tug of War is a pretty good song too and it is a really good album.Interestingly John Landau in his original review of Ram in 1971 totally hated and trashed it and his original review is on Rollingstone.com But in the Wings biography on the recent updated Rollingstone.com site,they now say Paul's first two solo albums are excellent and underrated. The first one being McCartney and the second Ram.
Also you can't listen to the bitter things John Lennon said about Paul's music in the early 1970's because he himself said later that he was just really going through a bitter period after The Beatles broke up. And his angry song How Do You Sleep was written in response to the messages at John and Yoko on some of the songs on Ram.In an online interview with John from June 1975 Rolling Stone he says Band On The Run is a great album and it's Paul's music and it's good stuff. John almost recorded with Paul on his great 1975 Wings album Venus and Mars but he went back to Yoko instead after their 18 month seperation.
Many people have rightfully said that a lot of Paul's solo/Wings albums have been underated and I honestly believe that Paul is not going to get the credit he deserves until after he dies. Then a lot people will discover a lot of his good and great music from the early to mid 1970's they never heard before and learn a lot of musically impressive things about him they didn't know before and then they will recognize he was truly a musical genuis and as great as John!
On AOL Music this summer they had a Battle of The Bands Paul vs Mick Jagger and it said as two rock icons go head to head,who will win. And Paul won with 53% of the vote and Mick Jagger only got 47%. The first time I heard Red Rose Speedway was in 1990 when my local classic rock station used to play 7 albums by a classic artist every Sunday night. The DJ said we have a great,great album tonight and then he played Red Rose Speedway and I loved the whole album as soon as I heard it and I got it soon after.
Another Day is a great sounding song by the way,and I love it now more than I ever have.Paul's bass playing, vocal melodies and harmonies,and what sounds like a Hawian guitar are great! There is an article about the making of Ram and this song was recorded during the sesions and the guitarist on the sessions said he was in love with Another Day and told Paul to release it as the single and he said Paul is a genuis and knows all of the right sounds to get and is such a great singer.
68 -
fab4fan
Sep 12, 2005 at 2:33 am
And to Shark,your grandson is only 5 when he grows up in his late teens and 20's he wil learn how great Paul McCartney was and how good George Harrison was too. I also want to mention that there is a great web site called,The Evolution of Rock Bass Playing McCartney Style by Denis Alstrand. In it Stanley Clarke,Will Lee,Billy Sheehan and Sting all say what a great melodic influential bass player Paul has always been. The Rolling Stone Album Guide also calls Paul a remarkable bass player and calls John and Paul the greatest writers in the history of rock.
Paul also actually came out the # 1 bass player in two big polls of greatest rock bass players,The Mister Poll of over 100 people and on Rate Your Music.
I just went back and looked up the article I was referring to when I said the guitarist said Paul is a genuis and a great singer. The article online is from a web site called,Mix Professional Audio and Music Production.There is an article called,Paul McCartney's Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey by Gary Eskow. In this article he quotes several people who worked on Ram. One is Tim Geelan who was the CBS staff engineer who said working on Uncle Albert was one of the highlights of his career and he said Paul was a great producer:thorough,businesslike and loose at the same time.He said Paul was the best,he was impressed with his musicianship and command of the studio.
Guitarist Hugh McCraken says Paul is a genuis and he ses and hears everything he wants. Dixon Van Winkle who was then a young staff member at A&R Recording says Paul is such a great singer and he knows that the vocals they cut at CBS are Paul singing live right off the floor with the rhythm section into a Electro-Voice RE20 which was a relatively new mike at the time.
69 -
grillo
Sep 12, 2005 at 6:35 pm
hey fab4fan, you seem to be a huge Paul fan..do you use MSN???
THis is a very good album Mac is back in music land Pauls Best
album since driving rain and flaming pie Very good
opening song fine line
I love english tea
and jenny wren friends to go too much rain-promise to your girl
but on the cd single off
fine line, Is the song as bonus Comfort of love it should be on this album some mistake But
thats my favourite New song of macca listen to that
But mac is back on the road
The album is simply brilliant. I am 48 years old and I remember being a kid when the white album came out and sick at home with the flu for 2 weeks where I wore out the LP. This album is amazing because the best of McCartney where there is as much detail to the production as there is to the songwriting. This album happily marries both. Wow!
Paul makes us wait and wonder. It's been awhile since he disappointed me. What a songwriter!
73 -
rfb
Sep 13, 2005 at 8:52 pm
Paul McCartney has created more beloved classic hit songs than anybody in the history of recorded popular music, and because of this, he is generally considered and widely regarded as the number one popular music artist of all time; a title he well deserves and has worked very hard to achieve. The truth of this is evidenced by an enormous body of work comprised of Beatles and Wings, as well as McCartney Solo Albums. Many of these post-Beatles albums contain classic hit songs; such as "My Love", "Band on the Run", "Uncle Albert", "Live and Let Die", etc. as well as many lesser known gems such as "Lazy Dynamite" from Red Rose Speedway, or "Dear Boy" from Ram or "Daytime Nightime Suffering" which was a B side to a single. (This man's output boogles the mind!) You can call all that Post-Beatles music crap, but somebody must like that crap because it's sold millions of records, and it's played all the time on the radio, and these songs get covered by cover bands, they are sung by karaoke singers, sung by children's choirs, and these songs will continue to influence future generations of musicians for decades and decades, as they continue to stand the test of time.
Now let us not forget some of the less popular numbers from actual Beatles Albums; the reputation of the Beatles was not cemented by songs like "Little Child", "Honey Pie", Every Little Thing", or "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite" (kind of a cool song, I admit), no instead it was made with songs like "Let It Be", "Michelle", "Hey Jude", "Back in the USSR", etc. In other words, the Beatles were hit makers, and that's how they captured the world's attention; yes, they did other things once they got the attention. But it's the Favorites, the Classics, the HITS, that made us remember them.
It used to be that everytime Paul released an album there were one or two (sometimes 3) massive hits that took over the airwaves and everybody went nuts for, songs like "Band on the Run" or earlier, "Maybe I'm Amazed." Even if a lot of the other songs on the album were less than stellar, there was always a huge hit song, and the album went to the top of the charts, and Paul was relevant now, not resting on his past laurels. However, that changed with Flowers in the Dust. That was the end. There has not been one huge hit song on the level of "Ebony and Ivory" that was on Tug of War, Tug of War had his last huge hit (a kind of corny song with Stevie Wonder of alll things; and the rest of the album is not very memorable or catchy). Other later songs have had some less impact and airplay largely based on his past reputation, but no major classics; there hasn't been another "My Love" or "Listen What the Man Said" in a long time. Does that mean that these post Tug of War Albums are not worth listening to, or have no artist merit? Of course not. Paul's worse stuff is a million times better than most other artist's creations; because he is a great genius. His body of work speaks for itself. But the music industry and getting the ear of the world is all about those special catchy hit songs that are able to capture the right mood of the current generation of party kids, the 16 to 26 year old crowd that goes out to dance clubs and goes nuts for concerts, that waits on lines overnight for tickets. So Paul is almost 64 years old, and he is not in the same kind of limelight as 50 Cent, Green Day, Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews or even U2; but let's face it: will any of those bands leave behind a body of work comparable to Paul McCartney's? The artists who are getting hit songs today are good in their own right, and I'm not trying to put them down. They strike a chord with people who relate to them and enjoy their music, but nobody has crafted as many unforgettable, instantly classic popular songs as Sir Paul McCartney. He reigns supreme. His latest work is well worth listening to.
74 -
Ron van der Lem
Sep 14, 2005 at 7:21 am
Paul MCCartney is in my opinion one of the better composers of all time, maybe the best. Also as a human being I admire him very much. He has a good balance between being a rocker, family man, globe defender and peacekeeper. I am born in 1960 and even in Holland were I am from, we were hit completely by the Beatles. It is one of my first concrete memories in life: to watch 'she loves you' in black and white on television. As a teener I still loved the work of the solo-Beatles. Especially Paul's albums like Mac, Ram, Band on the Run, Venus and Mars, London Town, Tug of War... psss every album!!! His songs had for me the same impact and gave me as much joy as his Beatle work. Also his classical work (f.e. a leave)is beautiful. For people like me, he has become a part of life. Playing his music at home or in the car... my kids are singing his songs too and are discovering him more and more (o yes, with some stimulation...).
Paul's last albums are also of a high standard. 'Chaos and creation...' is very special. The songs seems more connected to each other than in most other Mac-albums. I experience it as a 'happy fever'. The producer has done a great job. He stimulated Paul to reach the highest quality. I like all songs, especially the loaded 'how kind are you' and 'riding to vanity fair'.
Oh, some advises for Mac-fans: listen to unknown classics like "Don't wanna be kicked around" and "big boys bickering", B-sides of "Hope of Deliverance".
I have some wishes relating to Paul...
- I hope he once will record his own versions of 'wings of a nightingale', 'goodbye', 'bad to me', 'world without love' and 'step inside love' (maybe during his new tour???)
- Maybe he can invite Fats Domino on stage doing a benefit-duet single for New Orleans (songs: "ain't that a shame" and "lady madonna")
- And for the fans all over the world:
LET'S MAKE JUNE 18 'GLOBAL BEATLE-DAY' !!!
Just to honor the 4 great guys for their tribute to peace and happyness in the world.
And why June 18? That's the birthday of Paul. It should be nice to thank him this way while he is still with us.
He deserves it, don't you think?
I invite you all to support me with this spontaneous action. Let's ask the UN, churches, press, radiostations, schools, firms to join....
Every June 18 further on, the whole day playing and listening to Beatle-music!
Are you helping me?
You know... in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make
Grannies will be listening to 'Chaos and Creation'? Well maybe the ones that listen to XFM in the UK (where the LP has been playlisted along with all the 'indie' stuff).
I heard 'Fine Line' once on it's debut radio performance on the Johnny Walker show one morning and it's been playingin my head every couple of days since so he certainly has retained his trademark catchiness.
Lyrically, I'm not anticipating anything revelatory or even impressive.
Sonics? Yeah..some decriptions in some of bad reviews I've read make it sound worth a listen.
Buy it?
I'll wait until I've heard more.
General opinion is most definitely UP though with more than a few critics giving it superlatives.
What would be cool now is if Paul was going to follow his 'McCartney' period revisit with a singles-period revisit.
The reasons that The Beatles and Wings became so strong and reached peaks (rather than as with solo Macca, never quite getting off the ground) is that they got with writing singles.
That old A/B focus can't be beaten and how else do you get a great album than by collecting together a lot of singles?
I really hope he'll experiment on a song-by-song basis and open up a box of attitudes rather than stick with just the one.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - Pete Watson
Macca's new album, with its catchy art college title, will no doubt be played endlessly by nappy-changing, time-for-a-cuppa grannies everywhere. The opening track and first single, Fine Line, ranks right down there with other forgettable, severely medicated Macca singles of years gone by, like "Off the Ground," "My Brave Face," and the truly naive and embarrassing "Freedom."
Can you believe it, Madge, four years of waiting...for this? The thick-as-sludge hype that eminates from the official Macca web site would have you believe that the album is Abbey Road part two -- with biscuits. Even The Rutles sound better than this fluff. No, unfortunately, what we have here is Give My Regards to Broad Street part two.
One is supposed to believe, according to the Macca site, that what we are hearing is a true return to form, as shown on the old boy's first solo album, McCartney (1970), wherein he played all of the instruments himself. Are they kidding or what? Lennon (remember him?) astutely described and dismissed the McCartney album as "crap." Let's also not forget that in 1970 both Lennon and Harrison went on to release, respectively, the classic albums Plastic Ono Band and All Things Must Pass. No critic in his or her right mind would dare rate McCartney as being the equal of either of those two albums. Still, bearing that in mind, one could take the McCartney album track "Glasses" (featuring no vocals but rather a continuous tonal drone of, presumably, Paul playing a few of his then well-used whiskey glasses) and edit it into a 45 minute endless loop that, all in all, would sound infinitely superior to the tiddly-widdly-dee of Chaos and Creation in the Backyard.
It seems that with every subsequent release of a new Macca album there are tens of thousands of fans (of which I count myself) sitting anxiously with fingers crossed, pleading "Please, God...please..this time." But every time there's that "oh-no" sinking feeling followed by the habitual shrug and self consolation of "Hmmm, quite nice."
The solo years have, in all honesty, been a certified failure. So now, before it's too late, the obvious needs to be done: the immediate creation of a new supergroup. To hell with egos, Paul needs to get matey with Clapton, Collins (deaf or not) and Gabriel (or whoever), because The Man can still do it and a great group would, without hesitation or reservation, transform him once again.
27 - David in Sweden
I think Gerry above has got it wrong. Why should Paul have tried to capitalise on what one of his understudies -- James Taylor (and all who followed him -- did so well. No, what we often forget is that Paul McCartney was raised in the dance-hall, entertainer tradition. That his soaring talent has enabled him to tackle any number of genre is in itself impressive. While sadly dismissed today, his Wings output should instead be honoured. Why? Aside from plenty of outstanding music (don't tell me "Spin It On", at the end of the Wings era, isn't a great track that just bursts with punky energy) he dared -- DARED -- to not rest on his Beatles laurels and simply try to replicate everything he did with the Beatles.
Ok, you can also say that his 80s work and early 90s work was forgettable (though many say Flowers in the Dirt was some sort of return to form), the fact is that anyone who hears any album from Tug of War to Off the Ground will find many good and some great songs. Hey, where does the guy keep coming up with these melodies? And the diversity? And who is as willing to be as inventive and dashing in his advancing years? Few artists, if any.
No, I never have and never will buy into contemporary (and by that I mean the last 25 years) brain-washed media views that Paul McCartney hasn't made good, interesting and vital music since the Beatles broke up. Heck, just take the last 10 years -- Flaming Pie, Run Devil Run, Driving Rain (a GREAT album!) -- and listen to the music. I mean really, listen, taking away any comparisons/preconceptions you may have. It is top-class stuff.
Which brings me to the current album. Well, as of this date, actually the music on his web site in low-fi, plus the single and its b-side(s). Perhaps Godrich has been good for him behind the booth; I think a new Macca album would've had good music on it anyway. As it is, what I've heard is extremely enticing and worthwhile. Jenny Wren is a winner, hands-down, for its melancholy, haunting production. Calling it Blackbird 2 does it a disservice. It stands on its own. The pianos at the fore of Fine Line (good lyrics, astounding sonic environment) and Promise to You Girl show us just how relevant and underutilised this instrument is. Growing Up, Falling Down -- shows that, hey, this man just doesn't stop when it comes to trying to find something new.
Ok, I'm an optimist in life, in general, and a fan of a good melody, a true instrumentalist, and variety of forms. I get and in my 37 years have always got those from Paul McCartney. It will be a sad day when we no longer have new music from him. Fortunately, we will in a way always have it. As John Lennon said, the records will always be there. What a wealth, above and beyond the Bealtes, we will always have.
28 - Hart
“”For those of you who want to pick his work apart or criticize his lack of meat intake need to just admit you are not, and never were, a true fan. Sad””
You proceed from a number of false assumptions. Wanting someone to be the best they can be is my only goal.
I am a so-called “fan.” My god, I don’t play the bass, yet I own a Hoffner just because it reminds me of the greatness of Paul.
Investment wise, through the years, I have bought the Beatles/Paul/John/George/ and yes, even Ringo’s Records, 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs, DVDs & Bootlegs as the decades have passed. I am 46. I am seeing Paul in Vegas this November for the fifth time.
My second theory, (which you help prove), I call the “Yes Men” theory. Paul even admits he now lacks a “John” to tell him when his work is rubbish or needs tweaking. Elvis Castello was probably the closest that came to John in honesty regarding Paul’s efforts.
Without that feedback, I think Paul is slipping. How do you tell a Billionaire Ex-Beatle that his demo is crap, or needs help, and yet stay in his good graces (or payroll)?
29 - Hart
John’s prediction that Paul’s song writing will turn into a type of “Engelbert Humperdinck” style is not now that far fetched (and I say that with regret).
30 - martin
Paul:
Iread all the above comments, sadly I agree to most however, the fact is the Beatles work will never be repeated.
Why? Simply because the four are not together ( or five including George Martin). They stared as a band and had to learn quickly over their 7 years, from basci to something quite special.
I think we all expect miracles to happen from each solo attempt. Perhaps it will happen one day, but I doubt it.
Look on each solo attempt, and try to appreciate the efforts. Paul probably would like to wake up one morning with another catchy song in his head too, as was sometimes the case back in the sixties. But what a band the Beatles were, with George Martin assisting.
Yes, something special in the late sixties, for sure.
31 - steve
I cant wait to see Paul Macca in boston this month!! im so excited. I read in the springfield republican that during the recording of this album...he often thought of john lennon...as in a "what would lennon say/do" he pictured his praise, his criticism. I cant wait for the album!
32 - JvanE
First: There are a lot of Beatles-songs that would never ever have gotten their 'high status' if one of the Beatles released it as a solo effort...
Second: There are a lot of solo-songs that would have been praised into heaven if they would have been recorded by the Beatles...
Something to think about. ;)
Third: I think 'Back to the egg' is McCartney's most underestimated work ever (I specially love the rougher songs).
Fourth: I think 'Flaming Pie' is his best solo-album ever.
Fifth: better a mediocre new McCartney album than no McCartney album at all. (I don't know if the new one is mediocre because I haven't heard it yet).
Sixth (and last): every new McCartney album is at least top 10 worthy by default, when you compare it with the crappy stuff some people dare to release and sell nowadays and that even shows up in the top 10...!
33 - Vern Halen
Macca made wome terrible albums after Band On the Run - but Flaming Pie was a surprise to me, and when I went back to some of the previous albums, I realized they weren't as bad as I had thought. And I knew every song off the Born in the U.S. album, and they sounded great, so maybe it was just that mid 70's to late '80's production that killed those albums for me - they writing's fine, apparently. Sorry - turns out PM's just a talented musician who's honed his skill over many years, and the older I get, the less I appreciate Lennon (sacrilage!) and the more I like Paulie.
34 - DJRadiohead
It has to, at the very least, be less embarassing than what Clapton has become. Or maybe not. The Godrich factor has me interested.
35 - Peter Hodgson
I can't stop listening to " Too Much Rain " it's a fantastic song. " At the mercy " is a grower. If you love Pink Floyd then you will love "At the Mercy"
"English Tea" is also a great and well produced number in the vein of "For No One"
It looks as though "Anyway" is going to be the monster smash hit from the album, it sounded good on Radio 4 last week.
36 - dave
Wow, that sounds really.....good! Best Macca single since Hope of Deliverance at least...maybe the best since the 70s! It starts the teensiest bit shakily, but all is forgiven, brother when that chorus kicks in! Goosebumps....
37 - LarryK
Someone further up mentioned quality control, I reckon that's it. PM has influenced my music big time, I was there at the beginning (early 60's) and still doing my thing, no matter what I try to do macca still shows in my output. BUT, as much a fan as I was I found every now and then he went completely sideways IMHO. Saw him live, awesome.
Some of my past picks off the cuff:
Dear Boy
Monkberry Moon delight
Long & Winding Road
Little Willow
Ballroom Dancing
Blackbird
Silly Love songs
This one
Tug of War
Oh Darling
38 - Farah Yusof
I have listened the whole album. I am amazed! I am 20 and I have followed McCartney since I was 13. Ironically, amidst a lot of people say that his 80's output are crappy and silly, I started to grow my fond of McCartney after listening to "No More Lonely Nights" and "Ebony & Ivory", and then I began to explore Paul McCartney's stuff and I became a Beatles fan later on. (Alas, like most people, after listening to the Beatles', I would say his solo stuff aren't really that great , in contrast to his Beatles effort). I would say that some stuff of this Chaos album are above par of those Beatles album, even some stuff are better than those of the White Album. It's really amazing, it makes me quite impressed that "Chaos and Creation In The Backyard" is a resemblance of Beatles stuff, it's so Beatle-ish, I sometimes could hear Coldplay sound in it, sometimes Radiohead, and even Queen. What to say, isn't it these were also influenced by Beatles. Almost songs are piano-driven, the key is almost the same you found on many McCartney songs during the Beatles era.
My personal favourite besides "Fine Line" are "How Kind of You", "Friends To Go" and "Promise To You Girl". I just dunno, for me, to pick my own favs are hard enough, the scenario you always trap between when you consider an album as so superb.
39 - McCartrey
I've listened to this entire album, thanks to it being uploaded in news groups. It's a yawner. There are 3 great songs "English Tea" , Too Much Rain, Follow Me, and Anyway. The rest are subpar. I WILL say that the lyrics are far better than they have been in a LONG time. But musically, the album is dull. Paul should've used his new band. The guitar solos (and sounds) on this album are terrible.
40 - McCartrey
oops, I meant 4 good songs. Jenny Wren sucks. WHY are people falling over themselves praising it?
41 - Brenda
I have heard the album many times. Perhaps if it had not been hyped as being so great, I would not be so disappointed, but this is nowhere near a masterpiece. The bad outweighs the good, but there are some shining moments in "Jenny Wren," "English Tea" and "Too Much Rain." Nothing original but pleasant. Lyrically, it is very uneven, with some inspired writing in "Jenny Wren" and "English Tea" and terrible and cliche-filled with "This Never Happened Before"- which has to be one of the worst songs he ever wrote- this one defines "sappy love ballad." One or two gems here, but that's it. "Anyway" would be great if it was original, but everyone has already identified it as the tune to Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" and people are speculating if a lawsuit from him will happen. But there is some good here, just not enough.
42 - JERSON CORONICA
PAUL MCCARTNEY....64 and still rocking!!!!!!!!!!!!!i love you paul!!!!!111
43 - Ole Rasmussen
"Flowers in the Dirt" was a materpiece...
/ Ole
44 - Temple Stark
OK, now I'm pissed. I already heard "Fine Line" in a friggin car commercial.
Note to Paul: You're rich enough already; let's see if we can rein back in your integrity.
A lot of good comments here; I guess there are Macca fans.
45 - Al Barger
How does putting a song out for a commercial show a lack of "integrity"? Integrity to what, Karl Marx? I don't recall him pledging allegiance to a commie flag, unless you're counting "Back in the USSR."
46 - Temple Stark
Don't make it political, moron. (Gawd, everything comes down to politics for some people)
Here's how it goes. I don't think fine line was written about cars. Now whenever I hear the song, I'm going to be thinking about cars.
It ruins the integrity of whatever energy and wit and skill and imagery he put into the song.
For me at least. And after all, I wasn't speaking for anyone but me or claiming to.
So Macca has traded integrity for money. When you have enough money it seems like a bad trade. Paul McCartney will longer be remembered in history for his skill and integrity than that he was rich.
Capisci?
47 - Al Barger
No, no capisci. You're demanding integrity to something that in fact looks like a political ideal of some kind of idea of non-commercial purity. Your comments appear to be a reflection of a lot of left wing political assumptions.
Also, as an editor charged with enforcing our editorial policies about abusive language, I might hope for better than "moron" from you.
48 - Shark
How 'bout:
"Al, shut the fuck up!" --?
Integrity is about making artistic statements (music, in this case) without having one's audience WONDER IF SOME SPONSOR HAS PAID YOU TO SAY IT.
ie. if he'll allow his 'art' to be background music for a car commercial, everything McCartney says in the future is suspect.
Temple is correct: the word is "integrity".
Seriously, Al, I know you just wanna be provocative, but you're on the *wrong side of this one.
* Who is John Galt?
49 - Shark
Paul, was he the 'cute one'?
[Personal Anecdotes Warning]
Funny story apropos nada:
1) since he was a baby, my 5 yr old grandson has been exposed to the Beatles in many forms. From the get-go, he zoomed in on Lennon as the coolest cat in the universe. John can do no wrong, but the other three are ...zzzzzzz... for him.
I have high hopes for my boy's future.
2) My wife saw the Beatles live in 1964. (of course, she was a "paul" person)
50 - JR
Another reason to license your music to an ad agency is to get it heard on TV. It's not like MTV is going to play it. McCartney may be using the car company to promote his music.
Yeah, if McCartney were really "cool" he wouldn't care how many people heard his music; but really, did any of the Beatles meet that standard?
51 - Temple Stark
JR I'm not saying it's bad to want to be popular.
But that's different from the point I did make in my comment. Strangely my original comment was exactly as presented.
I felt / feel the same way about any Stones song (I personally lost a great deal of respect for them as I heard their songs on commercials everywhere) Jewel's "Intuition" (women's leg shaver) but not Liz Phair's "Extraordinary" because that was in more of a PSA about girls reaching toward their goals (WNBA).
Some stuff - like Moby - you can't tell is really meant as anything but ad agency-produced background music - it's just there.
Anyway, I'm hoping to get the album to review and I still like Paul the right-wing vegetarian ... And every performance of Hey Jude is better than the last.
52 - Al Barger
Temple, it seems to be purely the abstract idea of a commercial that is your problem, rather than any reality. You objected to seeing "Fine Line" in a car commercial because now you'll think of cars, and that's not what the song is about.
But if he had a video on VH1 driving down the road in a car singing the song, I'm guessing that you wouldn't bat an eye. De facto though, music videos are mostly basically ads for the records. They spend big bucks for videos, often far more than for the recording of the actual albums.
It looks to me as if your problem isn't that you'll think of cars when you hear the song, but that you'll think of Paul getting paid by the car company, and THAT is what's bothering you.
Shark, having explicitly and repeatedly abandoned reason as a standard, your nonsense about sponsorship just doesn't count as anything but your arbitrary personal obsession that has not even a pretense of a relationship with reason or reality.
53 - Mark Saleski
i can't stand it when artists sell tunes for use in commercials.
i wish i'd said this: Tom Wait nailed it...
Songs carry emotional information and some transport us back to a poignant time, place or event in our lives. It's no wonder a corporation would want to hitch a ride on the spell these songs cast and encourage you to buy soft drinks, underwear or automobiles while you're in the trance. Artists who take money for ads poison and pervert their songs. It reduces them to the level of a jingle, a word that describes the sound of change in your pocket, which is what your songs become. Remember, when you sell your songs for commercials, you are selling your audience as well.
-Tom Wait
54 - Temple Stark
And you keep on saying "looks like. ..." despite looking beyond exactly what I'm saying. Boring.
Why is this important to you gain to make this post political?
Your video example is absurd and I'll let you figure it out.
55 - Shark
Big Al to Shark: "...your nonsense about sponsorship just doesn't count as anything..."
In other words, YOU HAVE NO COUNTER.
Thanks for playing.
56 - Al Barger
No, Shark, I'm saying that by having repeatedly and expressly abandoned reason as any kind of standard, there's no basis to rationally discuss issues with you.
You say that fans will have to worry about whether the artist is being paid to say some and such. Of course, the answer is YES. Paul was paid for writing and recording "Drive My Car," and wrote the thing to try to make a hit.
Artists have all kinds of motivations, commercial and otherwise for what they do. Your little hangup with this particular subset of commercial motivations is purely an arbitrary personal whim, not any reflection of reason or empirical data.
57 - Winston O'Boogie
McCartney's post-Beatles career is summed up accurately in the Lennon song "How Do You Sleep?" No one knew Sir Paulie better than Lennon.
58 - mark
Hi all
Haven't heard the new Macca album yet other than the single"fine line" which, heaven forbid i like.Nothing wrong with it...it's pop it's what Macca does best.
A car commercial? Haven't heard it...but guess what....i don't care.It's his business.
We'll all buy the album, there'll be tracks we like, tracks we're not fussed on, like every other damn album anybody's ever put out.
I'll tell you this though....thank god for Macca.Pop music woyuld be very diffrent if not for him.I for one am glad the guy's still around.
Long may he rock.
Enjoy people!!! Don't analyize!!
59 - mark
Winston o boogie.....how original.
"How do you sleep" is the bitterest nastiest twisted piece of work i've ever heard.
The damn track has all the appeal of a dead sock , and this from a man who told us to give p[eace a chance.Dear me.
60 - A Wilson
Paul McCartney stands as one of the greatest pop writers of all time, due purely to his work with the Beatles. Since then sadly for the rest of us,the magical genius that imbued such songs as 'Hey Jude', 'Yesterday', 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'Here There and Everywhere' amongst many others, has long since deserted his work.
His latest album hints strongly at the melodic invention for which he is so rightly famed,yet lacks the simple beauty and enchantment which enabled his earlier work to have such poignant impact.
One suspects that were he to somehow free himself from the burden of all the years of material achievement,his music might lose its jaded and overly melancholic quality and enable it to regain the magic. I suspect that it's asking too much.
61 - JW
After the overwhelming 'Flaming Pie' and the disappointing 'Driving Rain', 'Chaos and Creation' is a fabulous album again. For me it's hard to choose a favourite because that alters day by day. 'Jenny Wren' equals to the best songs produced by The Beatles and can make me cry. 'Anyway' is an outstanding song. 'English tea' is funny. 'Friends to go' is definitely one of my favourites. 'A certain softness' with its Latin sound reminds me to the beautiful 'Distractions'. The only song I skip is 'At the mercy', I don't have anything with it. The rest is growing and growing. As far as I am concerned, the best album of the year together with the Eels masterpiece 'Blinking lights and other revelations'.
62 - uao
McCartney is one performer who will forever remain controversial among music critics and rock listeners. Those who dislike his poet-Beatles output often seem to miss the very things those who genreally admire his music appreciate.
One charge that is completely insubstantiated is that his post Beatle music "sucked".
Some of it sucked. McCartney throughout his history has always gotten cutesy to the point of annoying (i.e. "This One", "Mary Had A Little Lamb", "Sweetest Little Show", et. al.)
Other times, he'd get too earnest without articulating anything, or worse, sounding silly ("Hope of Deliverance", "Give Ireland Back To The Irish", "Ebony And Ivory", "Another Day", "Pipes Of Peace", "Waterfalls", "Freedom")
His duets were always bad ("Ebony and Ivory" with Stevie Wonder, "Say Say Say" with Michael Jackson, "You Want Her Too" with Elvis Costello, and "Get It" with Carl Perkins). They always had a you-sing-a-verse-and-I'll-sing-a-verse arrangement, and simplistic, showbizzy melodies.
He'd get lazy, and crank out meaningless and bland, uninteresting fluff ("Press", "Take It Away", "Spies Like Us")
Sometimes, his songs were downright stupid ("Driving Rain", "Biker Like An Icon", "Girlfriend", "The Man").
And he was always at his worst when he tried to sound "with it" and contemporary (disco on "Goodnight Tonight", 'punk' on "Spin It On", new wave on "Coming Up")
That's a lot of crappy songs, that's for sure.
However; Mccartney's strengths (musicianly approach, interesting production, his voice, which could be sweet of Little Richard-esque, his own good taste in music (evidenced by his choice of covers), and an ability to come up with very strong material on occasion) have never deserted him (except for a couple of directionless periods in the early 80's and early 90
's)
He had many a fine hard rocker ("Junior's Farm", "Soily", "Old Siam Sir", "Stranglehold", "Oh Woman Oh Why", "Too Many People") that hold up lyrically and musically as excellent songs.
His melodicism could blossom into tremendously beautiful songs, right next alongside crap on the same album. ("Through our Love", "The Song We Were Singing", "Bluebird", "Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People", "Mull Of Kintyre", "Once Upon A Long Ago")
He never stopped experimenting ("Oo Est Le Soliel", "Temporary Secretary", "Cufflinks", "Riding Into Jaipur")
He could come up with great textures ("Jet" "Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five", "Rockestra Theme", "Good Times Coming/Let The Sun Shine", "That Day Is Done", "Flying To My Home", "Smile Away")
He could play a good bass ("Get On The Right Thing", "No Other Baby", "Country Dreamer") and guitar.
His collaborations with Elvis Costello, excluding the aforementioned, ("Back On My Feet" "That Day Is Done" "Don't Be careless Love") are excellent.
McCartney has always made his best music when the stakes were high: Band On The Run (his drummer and guitarist quit on the day the band was to fly to Nigeria to record; McCartney, Linda, and Denny Laine recorded it themselves) Venus And Mars and Wings Over America when he needed to prove himself to the world; Flowers In The Dirt in the wake of his sales drying up to nothing; Flaming Pie as his wife was dying, and Run Devil Run as he mourned her.
"No Other baby", a cover of the obscure Vipers tune, is my favorite recent number of his. His first single since his beloved Linda had died, it is a slow, sad, 50's rocker that nontheless remains resolute; McCartney's strong voiced but older and wisened voice, sounding sad but determined, puts a lump in my throat every time I hear it. And it has a great heavy bassline and a helluva band.
I'll give his new one a listen. I expect mixed results, like we always get. But there'll be a keeper or two among them, there always is.
63 - john McDermott
Kids, Kids, Kids.... Come on you are alll, correct. Without the other beatles to egg him on, and without the need to put out music to sustain a god like image needed in the BEatles, McCartney is just playing music. All his songs are terrific, if we did not expect godhood, we would appreciate the music. All Paul's songs are good, some great, some push the boundries and set standards... McCartney has how many songs? and he is still putting out damn good material. His concerts are the top, he is a number one showman, that alone is worth his legend... Ok, maybe he does not sing like he did in his 20's or even his 50's... But the vocals on this album are unmistakenly Paul McCartney and the music is Paul doing what he does best.... Making songs. He has broken from formula several times in his carreer... several times on albums... Strip away what you think paul shoudld be doing... and listen to what the man is doing as a musician.... It is Simply darn good music... Thanks for your time... and yes, I can name all the solo albums and bootleg albums etc. , but it is time to go mix down my new song, which I never would have written had it not been for Paul McCartney......
64 - Brian Stewart
Just did the 1st run through-I'm a huge Beatles fan and can take or leave McCartney. I'm ambivalent about this album. Glad I didn't pay for it
For what it's worth here are my marks out of 10
1 Fine Line 9
2 How Kind Of You 6
3 Jenny Wren 6
4 At The Mercy 6
5 Friends To Go 8
6 English Tea 5
7 Too Much Rain 7
8 A Certain Softness 7
9 Riding To Vanity Fair 6
10 Follow Me 7
11 Promise To You Girl 8
12 This Never Happened Before 7
13 Anyway 8
65 - Victor Plenty
My objection is simple: "back yard" is two words. No rational person can question this infallible truth. I know the MLA or the PLO or somebody disagrees with me on this, but they are all heretics and wouldn't know sensible language structure if it bit them on the ass.
Consider the acronym NIMBY. Not In My Back Yard. If these fools succeed in persuading us all to stop seeing "back yard" as two words, we'll have to start using NIMB instead, which would just be plain damn stupid.
Someday maybe I'll get around to listening to the music on this record, and maybe it'll be good, but I'll never forgive McCartney for surrendering his album title to the heartless forces seeking to disfigure the English language this way.
66 - Craig
The truth is McCartney can’t compete with the McCartney of the 1960’s and the iconic image of the Beatles, and he probably doesn’t care. He has written and recorded several hundred songs including the most recorded song of all time - Yesterday. He was part of the biggest band of all time. The Beatles hold 23 spots in the top 500 greatest songs of all time " as complied by Rolling Stone magazine. (Next highest… Rolling stones " 14)
I sat down and listened to the cd for the fourth time and then wrote:
1 Fine Line - Good song " catchy " totally McCartney.
2 How Kind Of You - a fairly weak song…I would have put this one as Track 13…hidden track maybe…hidden on another cd.
3 Jenny Wren - A really nice song " 8/10 ;-) I wished he pushed his vocals a bit more " shit he is 63.
4 At The Mercy - this is more ‘Beatles’ than anything he’s done in years. Add John’s
harmonys and George’s guitar " and it would have been a great Beatles song. With a little more edge and George Martin " hey " maybe he needs a bit more George Martin in this Cd. I also think doing most of the instruments really sets the tones ( pun intended ) for the entire cd. He has an amazing live band and could have easily knocked off a fabulous cd. But at this stage of the game " he does what he does " and I think he is making music for him " not us.
5 Friends To Go - totally early McCartney years " great song. Again " if he wrote this in the Beatles years " we’d have been singing it for the past 40 years. Track 4 and 5 could have been on Abbey Road for sure.
6 English Tea - Paul just having fun. Not a great song " but fine. Filler? " probably.
7 Too Much Rain - A nice song " if he wanted a hit single and some airplay he could have collaborated with Travis or Coldplay on this one. McCartney could have pulled the Santana of a few years back. A track with Coldplay and another with U2 and this cd would have tremendous airplay and acclaim. The 2005 Live 8 Sgt.Pepper with U2 was a huge hit " great song? Or great collaboration?
8 A Certain Softness - Well, he is trying different things. Not a super strong song BUT " awesome to hear something different. I have never heard a Spanish feel to a McCartney song before. Great stuff " nice surprise and good for you for doing what ever the hell you want. Again the vocals could have been a bit more edger. Should have called in Rob Tomas…;-)
9 Riding To Vanity Fair - falls on the B- side of this cd " vocally weak " again…
10 Follow Me - ditto…..but good for doing some more acoustic stuff.
11 Promise To You Girl - augh " there you are ….again, add John and the boys " lost song from Abbey Road?? Stronger of the songs on this cd. Should have but after track 5 and kept the momentum going….
12 This Never Happened Before - sounds like early McCartney again. Good stuff.
13 Anyway - a nice conclusion to the cd " carry’s through from track 12.
So…toss track 2, 9, and 10 and this is a great cd. It is fairly mellow and that is where he is right now. So….10 of the 13 songs are great, good or nice. That’s sounds like money well spent. I think if he added his band this might have taken on a bit more of a edger feel. (Rock and roll feel ) This cd for sure is a solo project " and he has done great all on his own. Can’t wait to see him live in October
67 - fab4fan
I really have to correct a lot of inaccurate myths that have been said on here about Paul McCartney's solo/Wings music. First of all Paul did *many* good and great solo/Wings albums in the early to mid 1970's. There is a lot of obscure good and great B sides and album tracks that are even better than his hits although I like the hits too. His new album Choas and Creation in The Backyard was given 4 stars by Rolling Stone,a 4.5 on VH1.com and a 5 on AOL Music online by the members who rate the albums.
I am very happy too find out that almost all of his solo/Wings albums albums are given 4 and 5 stars on VH1.com and AOL Music by the people who visit these sites. They both gave Red Rose Speedway a 4 as did The All Music Guide which also rates some of his other albums highly.Only Wings Wild Life was given 2 stars on AOL Music. Band On The Run is always given a 5 everywhere it is rated.
Rolling Stone Magazine and Album Guide gives Band On The Run and Tug of War 5 stars and calls these albums masterpieces. Take it Away from Tug of War is a pretty good song too and it is a really good album.Interestingly John Landau in his original review of Ram in 1971 totally hated and trashed it and his original review is on Rollingstone.com But in the Wings biography on the recent updated Rollingstone.com site,they now say Paul's first two solo albums are excellent and underrated. The first one being McCartney and the second Ram.
Also you can't listen to the bitter things John Lennon said about Paul's music in the early 1970's because he himself said later that he was just really going through a bitter period after The Beatles broke up. And his angry song How Do You Sleep was written in response to the messages at John and Yoko on some of the songs on Ram.In an online interview with John from June 1975 Rolling Stone he says Band On The Run is a great album and it's Paul's music and it's good stuff. John almost recorded with Paul on his great 1975 Wings album Venus and Mars but he went back to Yoko instead after their 18 month seperation.
Many people have rightfully said that a lot of Paul's solo/Wings albums have been underated and I honestly believe that Paul is not going to get the credit he deserves until after he dies. Then a lot people will discover a lot of his good and great music from the early to mid 1970's they never heard before and learn a lot of musically impressive things about him they didn't know before and then they will recognize he was truly a musical genuis and as great as John!
On AOL Music this summer they had a Battle of The Bands Paul vs Mick Jagger and it said as two rock icons go head to head,who will win. And Paul won with 53% of the vote and Mick Jagger only got 47%. The first time I heard Red Rose Speedway was in 1990 when my local classic rock station used to play 7 albums by a classic artist every Sunday night. The DJ said we have a great,great album tonight and then he played Red Rose Speedway and I loved the whole album as soon as I heard it and I got it soon after.
Another Day is a great sounding song by the way,and I love it now more than I ever have.Paul's bass playing, vocal melodies and harmonies,and what sounds like a Hawian guitar are great! There is an article about the making of Ram and this song was recorded during the sesions and the guitarist on the sessions said he was in love with Another Day and told Paul to release it as the single and he said Paul is a genuis and knows all of the right sounds to get and is such a great singer.
68 - fab4fan
And to Shark,your grandson is only 5 when he grows up in his late teens and 20's he wil learn how great Paul McCartney was and how good George Harrison was too. I also want to mention that there is a great web site called,The Evolution of Rock Bass Playing McCartney Style by Denis Alstrand. In it Stanley Clarke,Will Lee,Billy Sheehan and Sting all say what a great melodic influential bass player Paul has always been. The Rolling Stone Album Guide also calls Paul a remarkable bass player and calls John and Paul the greatest writers in the history of rock.
Paul also actually came out the # 1 bass player in two big polls of greatest rock bass players,The Mister Poll of over 100 people and on Rate Your Music.
I just went back and looked up the article I was referring to when I said the guitarist said Paul is a genuis and a great singer. The article online is from a web site called,Mix Professional Audio and Music Production.There is an article called,Paul McCartney's Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey by Gary Eskow. In this article he quotes several people who worked on Ram. One is Tim Geelan who was the CBS staff engineer who said working on Uncle Albert was one of the highlights of his career and he said Paul was a great producer:thorough,businesslike and loose at the same time.He said Paul was the best,he was impressed with his musicianship and command of the studio.
Guitarist Hugh McCraken says Paul is a genuis and he ses and hears everything he wants. Dixon Van Winkle who was then a young staff member at A&R Recording says Paul is such a great singer and he knows that the vocals they cut at CBS are Paul singing live right off the floor with the rhythm section into a Electro-Voice RE20 which was a relatively new mike at the time.
69 - grillo
hey fab4fan, you seem to be a huge Paul fan..do you use MSN???
70 - walter
THis is a very good album Mac is back in music land Pauls Best
album since driving rain and flaming pie Very good
opening song fine line
I love english tea
and jenny wren friends to go too much rain-promise to your girl
but on the cd single off
fine line, Is the song as bonus Comfort of love it should be on this album some mistake But
thats my favourite New song of macca listen to that
But mac is back on the road
71 - Mitch Santell
The album is simply brilliant. I am 48 years old and I remember being a kid when the white album came out and sick at home with the flu for 2 weeks where I wore out the LP. This album is amazing because the best of McCartney where there is as much detail to the production as there is to the songwriting. This album happily marries both. Wow!
72 - Pat Mtthews
Paul makes us wait and wonder. It's been awhile since he disappointed me. What a songwriter!
73 - rfb
Paul McCartney has created more beloved classic hit songs than anybody in the history of recorded popular music, and because of this, he is generally considered and widely regarded as the number one popular music artist of all time; a title he well deserves and has worked very hard to achieve. The truth of this is evidenced by an enormous body of work comprised of Beatles and Wings, as well as McCartney Solo Albums. Many of these post-Beatles albums contain classic hit songs; such as "My Love", "Band on the Run", "Uncle Albert", "Live and Let Die", etc. as well as many lesser known gems such as "Lazy Dynamite" from Red Rose Speedway, or "Dear Boy" from Ram or "Daytime Nightime Suffering" which was a B side to a single. (This man's output boogles the mind!) You can call all that Post-Beatles music crap, but somebody must like that crap because it's sold millions of records, and it's played all the time on the radio, and these songs get covered by cover bands, they are sung by karaoke singers, sung by children's choirs, and these songs will continue to influence future generations of musicians for decades and decades, as they continue to stand the test of time.
Now let us not forget some of the less popular numbers from actual Beatles Albums; the reputation of the Beatles was not cemented by songs like "Little Child", "Honey Pie", Every Little Thing", or "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite" (kind of a cool song, I admit), no instead it was made with songs like "Let It Be", "Michelle", "Hey Jude", "Back in the USSR", etc. In other words, the Beatles were hit makers, and that's how they captured the world's attention; yes, they did other things once they got the attention. But it's the Favorites, the Classics, the HITS, that made us remember them.
It used to be that everytime Paul released an album there were one or two (sometimes 3) massive hits that took over the airwaves and everybody went nuts for, songs like "Band on the Run" or earlier, "Maybe I'm Amazed." Even if a lot of the other songs on the album were less than stellar, there was always a huge hit song, and the album went to the top of the charts, and Paul was relevant now, not resting on his past laurels. However, that changed with Flowers in the Dust. That was the end. There has not been one huge hit song on the level of "Ebony and Ivory" that was on Tug of War, Tug of War had his last huge hit (a kind of corny song with Stevie Wonder of alll things; and the rest of the album is not very memorable or catchy). Other later songs have had some less impact and airplay largely based on his past reputation, but no major classics; there hasn't been another "My Love" or "Listen What the Man Said" in a long time. Does that mean that these post Tug of War Albums are not worth listening to, or have no artist merit? Of course not. Paul's worse stuff is a million times better than most other artist's creations; because he is a great genius. His body of work speaks for itself. But the music industry and getting the ear of the world is all about those special catchy hit songs that are able to capture the right mood of the current generation of party kids, the 16 to 26 year old crowd that goes out to dance clubs and goes nuts for concerts, that waits on lines overnight for tickets. So Paul is almost 64 years old, and he is not in the same kind of limelight as 50 Cent, Green Day, Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews or even U2; but let's face it: will any of those bands leave behind a body of work comparable to Paul McCartney's? The artists who are getting hit songs today are good in their own right, and I'm not trying to put them down. They strike a chord with people who relate to them and enjoy their music, but nobody has crafted as many unforgettable, instantly classic popular songs as Sir Paul McCartney. He reigns supreme. His latest work is well worth listening to.
74 - Ron van der Lem
Paul MCCartney is in my opinion one of the better composers of all time, maybe the best. Also as a human being I admire him very much. He has a good balance between being a rocker, family man, globe defender and peacekeeper. I am born in 1960 and even in Holland were I am from, we were hit completely by the Beatles. It is one of my first concrete memories in life: to watch 'she loves you' in black and white on television. As a teener I still loved the work of the solo-Beatles. Especially Paul's albums like Mac, Ram, Band on the Run, Venus and Mars, London Town, Tug of War... psss every album!!! His songs had for me the same impact and gave me as much joy as his Beatle work. Also his classical work (f.e. a leave)is beautiful. For people like me, he has become a part of life. Playing his music at home or in the car... my kids are singing his songs too and are discovering him more and more (o yes, with some stimulation...).
Paul's last albums are also of a high standard. 'Chaos and creation...' is very special. The songs seems more connected to each other than in most other Mac-albums. I experience it as a 'happy fever'. The producer has done a great job. He stimulated Paul to reach the highest quality. I like all songs, especially the loaded 'how kind are you' and 'riding to vanity fair'.
Oh, some advises for Mac-fans: listen to unknown classics like "Don't wanna be kicked around" and "big boys bickering", B-sides of "Hope of Deliverance".
I have some wishes relating to Paul...
- I hope he once will record his own versions of 'wings of a nightingale', 'goodbye', 'bad to me', 'world without love' and 'step inside love' (maybe during his new tour???)
- Maybe he can invite Fats Domino on stage doing a benefit-duet single for New Orleans (songs: "ain't that a shame" and "lady madonna")
- And for the fans all over the world:
LET'S MAKE JUNE 18 'GLOBAL BEATLE-DAY' !!!
Just to honor the 4 great guys for their tribute to peace and happyness in the world.
And why June 18? That's the birthday of Paul. It should be nice to thank him this way while he is still with us.
He deserves it, don't you think?
I invite you all to support me with this spontaneous action. Let's ask the UN, churches, press, radiostations, schools, firms to join....
Every June 18 further on, the whole day playing and listening to Beatle-music!
Are you helping me?
You know... in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make
75 - Michael K
Grannies will be listening to 'Chaos and Creation'? Well maybe the ones that listen to XFM in the UK (where the LP has been playlisted along with all the 'indie' stuff).
I heard 'Fine Line' once on it's debut radio performance on the Johnny Walker show one morning and it's been playingin my head every couple of days since so he certainly has retained his trademark catchiness.
Lyrically, I'm not anticipating anything revelatory or even impressive.
Sonics? Yeah..some decriptions in some of bad reviews I've read make it sound worth a listen.
Buy it?
I'll wait until I've heard more.
General opinion is most definitely UP though with more than a few critics giving it superlatives.
What would be cool now is if Paul was going to follow his 'McCartney' period revisit with a singles-period revisit.
The reasons that The Beatles and Wings became so strong and reached peaks (rather than as with solo Macca, never quite getting off the ground) is that they got with writing singles.
That old A/B focus can't be beaten and how else do you get a great album than by collecting together a lot of singles?
I really hope he'll experiment on a song-by-song basis and open up a box of attitudes rather than stick with just the one.