i'm 37y. from egypt i love the beatles and p.mccartney sooooooooooooooooo much .. paul is really sooooooooooo great..i'm also a painter and i love all his paintings soooooooooooooo much
77 -
KG
Sep 14, 2005 at 9:02 am
I don't think this latest album is his best work. Other than Fine Line and Friends to Go, there aren't any other songs on there that I'm that impressed with. Not as good as Flowers in the Dirt, Flaming Pie, Driving Rain, Run Devil Run, or Off the Ground. To those who say he hasn't put out any good songs in forever, listen to:
My Brave Face
Put it There
We Got Married
Figure of Eight
You Want Her Too
Off the Ground
Mistress and Maid
The Lovers that Never Were
What it is
Run Devil Run
The World Tonight
If You Wanna
Souvenir
Heaven on a Sunday
Young Boy
Your Way
About You
Rinse the Raindrops
Lonely Road
All very good songs released since the late 80s.
78 -
rfb
Sep 14, 2005 at 6:16 pm
I did not mean to imply that Paul has not put out any good songs lately, only that he hasn't put out any hit singles in a while. The question is this: is that because of a lack of promotion and airtime or simply because these later songs don't have the same "impossible to get out of your head" melodic hook and overall satisfaction, and timely relevance as his earlier releases. Frankly, I don't know; that's open for discussion.
79 -
Don
Sep 14, 2005 at 7:21 pm
You know, most of you guys and gals just don't understand Macca. Do you have any idea how much heartache this guy has faced in the last 25 years. Starting with the death of his father, the shooting of Lennon who he adored, and who he knew was reaching out to him right before his death with the song Starting Over. (spread our WINGS and fly, don't let ANOTHER DAY, go by MY LOVE, it'll be just like starting over.) the long suffering of Linda with cancer, and the death of Harrison. The fact that he can even think about writing music is incredible. But listen, listen to the different tone of this albulm compared with the downer stuff of the eighties and ninties. You can hear that this is the beginning of Pauls return to happiness. Don't be surprised to see one more creative burst from this guy that will turn the music world upside down because like his first solo albulm, this is his coming out party with his new family and I think he is finally happy again. Something I know that has alluded him for a good many years
80 -
rfb
Sep 14, 2005 at 9:09 pm
Thanks Don. I think you really put things into perspective taking into account the personal life of the artist. Although, I must point out that, it is most often that the best music is made by sad, restless, disturbed, and otherwise tortured souls, like John Lennon who experienced the tragic death of his mother, and never knowing his own father, or a hundred other composers and performers we could name (Judy Garland, Elvis, Morrissey, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and on and on). Out of the pain or to escape from pain, they come up with their best material. But it depends on the person. In the case of Paul, perhaps he makes his best music when he is happy; that is one of several facts about him that makes him so unique. Great comment.
81 -
alison
Sep 14, 2005 at 10:29 pm
after reading all this craziness, I, a 21 year old huge Macca fan who's seen him twice in concert will say this:
everyone has and is bound to have different opinions on what of paul's is good. I think flaming pie rocks and I think mccartney II sucks. someone out there may think temporary secretary is the best song ever. could happen.....
and what's great about paul is his diverse style and willingnesss to try new things and do what he wants to do!!!! this means that *everyone* should like *something* and no one will like everything.
I also agree with a bunch of these folks - if his solo songs had been Beatles songs there would be no debate.
I look forward to his new album, and even if its no mccartney or flaming pie, I'm sure it will have the redeemable, catchy mccartney quality and a few songs will end up on permanent rotation in my ipod.
82 -
steve
Sep 14, 2005 at 10:57 pm
im seeing macca in boston 9/27...so excited...love the beatles
83 -
Douglas R Belardi
Sep 15, 2005 at 6:48 am
I do wish Paul would play more obscue songs on his new tour: especially Ram, Red Rose Speedwy:
Smile Away
Back Seat of My Car
Monkberry Moon Delight
Big Barn Bed
Get on th Right Thing
Why Don't We Do It in the Road
Another Girl
And I Love Her
Soily
etc
and give rest to - as much as I love them -
Hey Jude
Let It Be
Band on the Run
etc
84 -
Albin
Sep 15, 2005 at 8:20 am
Just listening to the new album for the first time and I really like it. This is the McCartney I've always wanted to hear. A combination of the organic, natural 'Flaming Pie' production, the DIY-ethics of 'McCartney' and 'Ram' and with Nigel Godrich as a producer... I guess this album is a grower, and I definately have an urge to play it again and again.
Thank you, Paul, for not playing it TOO safe this time. I'm already looking forward to your next album.
By the way, I'm the kind of fan who seriously thinks that 'Wings Wild Life' is an underrated classic. 'I Am You Singer', 'Dear Friend' and 'Tomorrow' are great, great songs...
85 -
Craig
Sep 15, 2005 at 8:53 am
The more I listen to it the more I really enjoy it. It is a really good collection of songs and for someone who has written hundred of songs, to keep going into his 60’s " he still has it. He never lost it. He is a “gift to the world” Bono, at Live 8 2005
Like all music " just sit back and enjoy it. I would definitely recommend buying this cd.
I uploaded the entire cd a week ago to preview it and I am still going out this week to buy it.
"His glory days aren't all behind him. Chaos is adventurous and melodic."
-- Time Magazine
"McCartney gets back. Unabashed echoes of the Beatles all over the album. Intimate and unconventional."
-- New York Times
"The tingling sense of a new beginning is palpable. His voice is front and center, as wistful and full of yearning as ever, effortlessly lending these songs a rich sense of emotional conviction. Chaos suduces the listener into a playful world of musical ideas that shimmer and disappear. Four Stars."
-- Rolling Stone
"Thirty-five years into his solo career, McCartney continues to surprise. Top notch, moody, briming with melodic delights. On Chaos, he proves that he still has a few tricks up his sleeve."
-- Billboard
86 -
Karl Wallinge
Sep 15, 2005 at 7:34 pm
Ron Van Der Lem - (Sept 14th) - I think a World Beatles Day on June 18th is a seriously excellent idea, and wonder whether anyone has proposed the idea before?!
Paul is suffering at this time from the crime of growing old, something Lennon,sadly,never had to deal with. He can never recapture the glory of his youth, and it's a testimony to his genius that so many people get frustrated that he is failing to deliver, on those terms at least.
Someone on this thread stated that Paul will not be fully appreciated until after his death, and I have to agree. Sadly that is the way of the world usually - so many great painters, poets, authors etc have had this fate.
We are so fortunate to have Paul still making music. We take so much for granted, and will not see how great a soul he had until that is all that is left of the man. All four of the Beatles were a blessing to the world, and all remained down to earth examples of uncorrupted, forces for good - they never abused their power, and the songs really did help liberate humanity, particularly fascinating is the importance of their music in Russia, when it was the USSR, and the people were 'behind the iron curtain'.
I think in the not too distant future - perhaps another 30-40 years, their true significance to humanity's history will be even more apparant. There is no doubt that they are musical giants of the last 100 years. Their social and cultural significance is also well documented. What is not so well appreciated is their spiritual contribution - at times overt, but for the most part, understated and subtle.
Chaos is a great new album, and seems to fuse together some of the last 40 years of his music into something equally as valid and alive, definitely not pastiche! He seems to have brought some of his classical skills into play too, which has paid off in terms of clever arrangements. Nigel Goodrich has been an inspiration too - full credit to him for standing up to McCartney, and credit to Paul for having the good sense to listen to him.
Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney have a lot in common - both survivors, both somehow dealt with superfame by remaining down to earth, both still touring regularly, both Gemini's, and both yet to be fully assessed in terms of what they gave the world.
this albums is surprisingly excellent. it sounds better every time i play it. i'm starting to think it's his best solo album ever. i'm not hearing any filler at all (with the possible exception of "this never happened before" but even that is a pleasant song) there's something really cool and interesting about every track on here.
Damn fine comments here. I'm glad he's still got fans - of all ages.
34 myself so right in the middle of y'all.
I haven't been able to buy this album yet - its not on Itunes as suspected and no stores here have carried it, yet. (But I only have Wal-Mart and K-mart - and I don't shop at WM unless I absolutely can't avoid it, which I can most often. And the K-mart got flooded by collapsing roof)
I'm wondering if this iTunes absence is because of the wayback machine when Apple Records aka Beatles sued Apple Computer for copyright infringment.
They lost - computers (ha ha back then) were notihng to do with music so no possible confusion.
When Apple computer won they then included an alert sound on their Macs called "Sosumi" -- So, Sue Me.
I know The Beatles aren't the only big names not to sign on, but still, it's curious.
- Temple
89 -
josh loper
Sep 16, 2005 at 1:19 am
I love the negative reviews. You people write reviews about as swell as you say McCartney puts out solo work. Too formulaic. What a crock of shite. There is not one person that posted that could have written a better song than "Fine Line" or any other song on the album. If you could, you would not be posting on a random website. You would be making hit albums, since many of you seem to know what it takes to be great. I'm not even a McCartney fan! I am a Lennon fan. I do know stupidity when I see it, and read it however. Who in their right mind would post "too formulaic", "weak", "lost his talent?" Obviously you have lost your mind. Let us define "too formulaic." If there were to be such a thing, then you would have Paul McCartney's mind figured out. You would be pumping out his albums before he could get to them since somehow they still managed to get published. Secondly, to all of you who posted "weak." Do you realize this man is in his sixties? How many of your grandfathers can still even wipe his own arse, much less make a rock album? Finally, "lost his talent?" He lost John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. He didn't lose his talent. The music McCartney always made continues to come through, minus the imput of the man that righted his wrongs. What fools to post a negative review of something they probably did not even sit all the way through because they did not hear "I am the Walrus", "Penny Lane", or "Seargant Pepper". As with any rock and roll artist, they mature, age, and change lifestyles. When was the last time Paul popped a sugarcube? Probably 30 years ago. Look at what happened to Clapton. He goes clean and his albums make all of Paul's solo records look like Jesus Christ wrote and produced them. To the point: Paul is a rockin' old man. The new album is his best solo album unless you compare it to greatest hits albums that took one work from 19 albums.
90 -
Ron van der Lem
Sep 16, 2005 at 12:38 pm
Hey thanks for the support Carl (sept 15) to create a global Beatle day on June 19. The more I think about the sponteneous thought, the more enthusiastic i get about it. Maybe anyone can do that day something nice to the world in his or her own way.
...You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
91 -
toddmagos
Sep 16, 2005 at 6:30 pm
There is no difference between Paul-Beatle and Paul-solo. His critics want to argue that the former was mysteriously totally brilliant and the latter is a complete tasteless moron. Actually, Paul (pre and after the Beatle breakup) is a lot more complex than his critics realize. (The shallow knee-jerk tacky criticism of Paul says more about the critics than about Paul.) All Music Guide rates his albums between 2 and 5 stars; I rate them all between 4 and 5 stars. Some of the critical disasters are some of my favorites: Wings Wildlife (really an avant-garde album), McCartney II. Musically, Silly Love Songs, which critics always take the predictable swipe at, is incredibly complex, with 4 or 5 contrapuntal layers. Paul is about a hundred miles ahead of everyone else (except Jimmy Webb, Richard Thompson, Brian Wilson, etc.). For those of you who haven't immersed yourselves joyfully in his solo albums, you have my sincere compassion.
92 -
Don
Sep 16, 2005 at 8:03 pm
Thanks rfb,
You make some good points as well, I just think Paul is a guy who likes harmony and gets really creative when it flows around him. (No I'm not a left over dinosaur from the 60's but I just read tha guy that way.)
For the most part I think everyone here makes some good points both positive and negative, but the bottom line is that Paul McCartney is a true living legend as was Lennon. And as we all know John was taken way to soon, and we should all be grateful that we still have Paul and that he is still making love to us through his music. "One day you'll look and he'll be gone".
93 -
Craig
Sep 16, 2005 at 8:06 pm
I downloaded the entire cd off isohunt.com last Thursday. Yesterday I went to Best Buy (Canada) and bought the limited edition cd with dvd for $22. The cd only version was available for $12. Both I thought where a great deal. If you have the chance, get the DVD one; it comes with a 30 minute documentary, one on one with Paul talking about all the songs on the cd and he plays about 30 seconds of each live. There are also 2 videos and 3 of the songs are done in a bonus instrumental version.
It was fantastic to watch and listen to him; he is an absolute icon. He has the energy and enthusiasm of a 30 year old. He still has passion about music.
I originally didn’t care too much about his cd coming out " I am going in 30 days to see Paul and I really want to hear the classics. I truly hope he plays at least 3 of these songs during this coming tour. This is becoming an amazing cd. With each listen I love it more and more. I think that this the difference between songs like these and ones that have that simple “hook” that grabs our attention for a few weeks. I fully expect to be enjoying this cd for a long time.
For anyone that thinks Paul is ‘over the hill” The concert I am going to next month sold out the first night in 4 minutes! I thought I was buying tickets for the Friday night and got amazing seats for the second show about 6 minutes after the tickets where released. I checked 10 minutes later and there was nothing left.
Also when I downloaded this album off isohunt last week about 15,000 users had already downloaded it. He had Billboards “ Tour of the year in 2002”. I hate that I have to feel the need to defend his worth as a valid musician today. He is great. Overrated, underrated " who cares " enjoy him while he is here.
Good job Paul " you have created a fantastic cd.
94 -
Proud American
Sep 16, 2005 at 8:15 pm
Bloody Englishman & his employees are the most arrogant bastards. I ran into them in a hotel & had a tiffle with them and they just laughed and said "f-en stupid americans" So why is he holding concerts here, let him keep them in the UK. Piece of crap that they are. FYI-Apparently all from the UK think that people from the USA are stupid and ignorant yet they all run here. Losers stay home!
95 -
erj
Sep 17, 2005 at 1:35 pm
I am a huge Beatles fan ( 400 lbs. ). No, just kidding. I am 36 and have every Beatles CD. Of McCartney's post-Beatles work, I only had 'Band on the Run', 'Venus and Mars' and 'Wings Greatest' ( still need to pick up 'McCartney'... never did for some reason ).
I was not very impressed with any of Paul's 80's or 90's+ work but continued following his career and saw him in concert in about '93. Last week I heard several of the new songs on a Philly radio station. I bought the CD the day it came out. I think it's his best work since 'Band on the Run' ... it's that good. Now I wish I had tickets to the show. Paul would be wise to play many, many tracks from the new CD during the shows.
For years now, I have been listening to bands like XTC doing a better job at being McCartney than McCartney himself. With Paul's new CD, I kept catching myself thinking, hey, he's ripping off XTC. Nunsuch.
i just wish the lyrics were of a higher standard..
*sigh
97 -
Bijdehand
Sep 17, 2005 at 4:03 pm
So hard not to respond to earliers comments ("all from the UK think that people from the USA are stupid and ignorant", YEAH, in fact: make that "all peaceloving nations").
Love the album but maybe too much of a fan to be a fair judge. Check out the live performance on www.bbc.co.uk then radio 2 "Sold on Song". It's great, unfortunately most anecdotes/backgrounds are repeated from the documentary on the C&C DVD.
Did no-one else think "Looking through the backyard of my life/Time to sweep the fallen leaves away" appears a bit macabre if not plain harsh?
I will go and see every concert I can and hope here will be many more albums and tours...
PAUL ROCKS!
98 -
Karl
Sep 17, 2005 at 6:20 pm
That may sound a bit harsh, Bijdehand, but grief has to come to an end at some point, doesn't it, otherwise you end up doing a Queen Victoria ( she never got over her beloved Uncle Albert). It doesn't mean he doesnt love them - John, Linda, George etc, but you have to make a conscious decision to move on to a new chapter, and reconstruct yourself.
I think Paul has done this over the last 5 years or so, beginning when he started to make sense of his raw grief by doing the old rock and roll songs on Run Devil Run. That single , No Other Baby, was about the most authentic vocal he had done for a long time, although a lot of stuff on Flaming Pie was in a similar vein, but more tenderly expressed.
I think he's had much more of a gritty attitude since meeting Heather, and has become less concerned with placating his critics. His music has really benefitted from this attitude, and it's all come to fruition with C&C. He seems really on top form at the moment - yes, do check out the bbc radio 2 programme - aired in the UK several hours ago. Comes from the hallowed Abbey Road studio number 2.
And what was that about Heather being duffed up be Jenifer Lopez's security guys, at the fur protest. Did they really take her leg off her and throw it out into the street? Paul would be appalled...
99 -
r van Randeraat
Sep 18, 2005 at 9:42 am
This album grows on you. Superb melodies, one of his best albums !!
For me the best album of 2005.
100 -
Peter
Sep 18, 2005 at 10:04 am
My only criticism of this album is most of the songs are in similar tempos,otherwise it's not too bad considering Paul doesnt try as hard nowadays in comparison too way back when.....
101 -
Gerry
Sep 18, 2005 at 1:49 pm
It is great.. up there with Flowers in the Dirt, Off The Ground, and Flaming Pie. Paul Is Back? I never knew that he was gone..!
102 -
Istari
Sep 19, 2005 at 3:28 am
If you like the music great. If you don't, you don't. It's not that complicated.
I like it.
103 -
JvanE
Sep 20, 2005 at 2:48 am
Listened to the album for more than a week now. I usually wait a year or two before I say 'this album is one of the best', because you can only tell after a long time if it REALLY is great, it if really did stick. When you praise an album too soon you might just do that because it is new and nice and so on.
But... what can I say...? After listing to Chaos a few times, I liked the album, though a few songs looked like fillers to me. But after listening to it for a week now (because I just HAD to play it again and again...!) I really can't say anything else than this is is one of McCartney's best albums ever... The obvious fillers that plagued Flaming Pie and Driving Rain are gone.
It's really amazing that a guy of his age can release an album like this! It would even be amazing for 30 year old to release an album like this! It's pure class.
Okay, it's McCartney. If you don't like McCartney you probably won't like this album, simple as that. You can't expect everyone to suddenly like this album! I mean, there even are people who do not like the Beatles, so... That's just a matter of taste. (Though I think a good critic can judge an album and call it good even if he doesn't like it!!!)
But I really think he has gone the extra mile at last and delivered something extraordinary.
The lyrics (though not all) are way better than usual, with only one or two songs that are mediocre (lyric wise) but even then... I get the feeling he really means what he sings, so... that makes it alright with me. This guy loves love and likes to sing about it, so I've got no problem with that!
All in all I love this album! From start to finish! And I haven't said that about a McCartney-album since the seventies, so... I'm happily surprised! After Driving Rain I did't really expect this anymore...
Come to think of it... I think this is the first McCartney-album I completely like from A to Z. Until now all his albums usually had a few fillers which I though were awfull OR they contained some songs I did like somehow but didn't dare to play when others were around... You know, those typical corny McCartney tunes. ;)
Well, I can honestly say I'm a happy man with this album!
104 -
Martn C
Sep 21, 2005 at 8:33 am
If Chaos and Creation...had been released by Damian Rice, James Blunt, Davdi Gray or even Rufus Wainwright, the album would be hailed as an all time classic... Because of McCartney's history his music and lyrics are dissected like no other artist around, just have a few listens the album is a real grower...
105 -
Doug
Sep 22, 2005 at 11:27 pm
After reading all the glowing reviews of this new CD I began thinking I was way out in left field. I am glad to read reviews here that match my feeling. I have been a huge Macca fan since 1965 and have followed and enjoyed his contributions to the music world ever since. However, I think he has been on a terrible downward spiral since the release of Off the Ground. This CD is just plain awful, from start to finish and the whole thing is an even bigger disappointment than Driving Rain. The music is bland, the lyrics are uninspiring, the chords are often so competely wrong and yes, his voice is not what it once was. I totally agree with others here that the one or two songs here that appear to be halfway decent, only appear this way in relation to the other stuff on the CD. I cannot image any of this stuff ever being released if it did not have the history of McCarney behind it. I am very glad I got a free preview so I didn't waste my money on this collection I like to think of as Chaos and Creation [THAT SHOULD HAVE STAYED] in the back yard. I just saw a copy for sale on ebay with the comment that the seller couldn't make it through the whole thing so it was for sale. Sorry, even at the $.01 it was going for, the $2.50 shipping made it overpriced by at least $2.50. On a scale of 1 to 10 this rates a huge 0 in my book. Now, please excuse me while I go listen to Once Upon a Long Ago, No More Lonely Nights or Liverpool Oratorio so I can be reminded of what great music he once was able to compose.
106 -
Augusto
Sep 26, 2005 at 12:29 pm
"Those freaks was right when they said you was dead."
Let´s face it people...Paul is dead...just too comercial...again and again. He lost his rocker mood, no screaming, no fuzzy guitars, Oh! Darling, you let me down with this album.
He just copies and pastes some of his musical golden-age songs...Tell me if English Tea doesn´t sound an awful lot like Martha My Dear...or Fine Line isn´t it just another song from Flaming Pie? My Friends To Go is just a robbery to Harrison. Jenny Wren is Blackbird upgraded.
John dixit: "Why dont we do it in the road? is probably one of his finest songs"
107 -
Peter
Sep 28, 2005 at 8:46 am
Another good album but more mellow than the rest of them. My only complaint is that while McCartney still maintains his own particular recording sound, this album is somewhat over compressed and is lacking the dynamics his past albums have.
108 -
Ron G
Sep 28, 2005 at 4:10 pm
As a lifelong Beatle and McCartney fan I'm struck by a few things:
1) Even McCartney fans cannot come close to agreeing on which of his songs are the "good" ones and which are "crap". For example, Girlfriends makes me gag, but Michael Jackson obviously thinks it's great,since he covered it. I tend to like the obscure songs (1985, Monkberry moon delight, Deliver your children, Winter Rose, Heart of the Country, Rockestera, World Tonight, Lonely Road + all the McCartney/Elvis Costello compositions)
2) He ruined his reputation with his traditional fan base and with critics by including his lovely but musically-challenged wife in his band (ditto Lennon with not-so-lovely Yoko)
3) It didn't help that he released as singles the vomitorious My Love, Silly Love Songs and With a Little Luck. As a result of these releases, many a former fan never gave his wonderful material a chance.
4) The current CD is terrific,though,naturally, I disagree with everyone else when it comes to singling out the couple of lousy songs ("Follow me": yuck. "Anyway" is awful except for the outstanding musical fadeout that ends the CD. This never happened before: forgettable). Just about every other track is great.
5) And in the End.... warts and all, McCartney will be seen as the Beethoven/Mozart of our time.
100 years from now, amateurs and professionals will still argue over what was the "good" McCartney and what was the "lazy" McCartney (except for Silly Love Songs. I refuse to believe that anyone will ever think that that is a good song. Anyone who ever bought that record and contributed to it going to #1 will be condemned to listening to an hour of Yoko Ono)
109 -
Peter
Sep 28, 2005 at 5:23 pm
Another good album but more mellow than the rest of them. My only complaint is that while McCartney still maintains his own particular recording sound, this album is somewhat over compressed and is lacking the dynamics his past albums have.
110 -
fab4fan
Oct 03, 2005 at 9:14 pm
Karl I was the one who said that Paul will not really be given the credit he really deserves untill after he dies and sadly I know this is true! Also for people who constantly criticize Paul for his simple lyrics, I have to point something out. Paul's real extreme talent has always been *Musicially* he can write good lyrics and he has,but he usually doesn't and he doesn't have to and he even when he does it's not the lyrics that are so great about the songs it's his *music* his beautiful melodies,and harmonies and the case of his rock songs great rock music.Of course as The all Music guide says John and paul were among the best and most expressive singers in rock!
A reviwer on Amazon.com recently said that Paul has always been more of a music guy than a lyric guy and he said that's OK and he pointed out his great melodies and harmonies. And he is so right! Paul's father Jim MCcartney was very musically talented,and he was deaf in one ear because he busted an ear drum at the age of 14 but he taught himself to play the piano as a young guy and he became an acclomplished classical jazz pianist with his own band called Jim Mac's Band.
They were popular in the 1930's playing in clubs and Paul and Wings even recorded one of his father's instrumentals Walking in The Park With Eloise that was on The Wings At The Speed Of Sound album. His father wasn't a poet he was musically naturally talented and this is what Paul inherited from his father! Paul has written some really good interesting instrumentals too. And Remember Beethoven didn't write any lyrics and whemn people listen to classical music there is no lyrics!
111 -
fab4fan
Oct 03, 2005 at 9:27 pm
Grillo what does being a huge Paul fan have to do with using MSN? I happen to be a huge Beatles fan especially a huge highly impressed John and Paul fan since I'm 9 and I got my first Beatles book for my 11th birthday and I had every album by the age of 13,and I was born in 1965 during the middle of their recording career!
Do you know that there are at least 6 music professors teaching courses on The Beatles at good universities? One is award winning music professor Dr.Glen Gass at Indiana University. He's been teaching a Beatles and rock music course since 1982. On his web site for this course it says he teaches about this extraordinary group and song writing partnership. It says the main purpose of this course is to get students to have a better appreciation for The Beatles remarkable recordings.One of Dr.Gass's students said on a message board that he knew that most people think The Beatles are amazing but now he understands *why* they were so amazing! Dr.
Gary Kendall's Beatles course is the most popular at North Western University. There is also a music professor by the last name of Heinonen at JYVASKYLA university in Finland teaches a Beatles course in the department of music there. And University of Southern California has a course on The Beatles albums.
112 -
fab4fan
Oct 03, 2005 at 9:35 pm
I just want to add about the painful experiences that people have mentioned Paul going through over the last 25 years,the truth is his first real tragedy was when he was only 14 and his wonderful nurse midwife mother Mary McCartney died of breast cancer in about a month.
In the authorized Paul biography by Barry Miles Paul says how 12 years after she died he had a vivid dream about his mother and he saw her alive again and she gave him advice in the dream to just accept things as they are.And when he woke up he said how wondeful it was to see her alive again and that's when he wrote the great beautiful song Let it Be. And when he sings the lines When I find myself in times of trouble mother Mary comes to me,speaking words of wisdom Let it Be,it's his mother Mary he's singing about!
113 -
fab4fan
Oct 04, 2005 at 5:19 pm
Ron van der lem,
There would also have to be a Beatles Day on October 9 on the birthday of the leader and founder of The Beatles,genuis John Lennon!
114 -
Ron
Oct 05, 2005 at 8:17 am
Saw McCartney in New York.
Out-rocked the Stones!!!!
I've been listening to this one for a while now, and I think it's Paul's best solo work since BAND ON THE RUN. That is a long time ago.
Paul has always been a good rocker (think of his screeching "Long Tall Sally" way back when). He just loses his way sometimes, and does get a little too cute here and there.
I also believe that he should go acoustic (as in earlier comments); remember when he sang "Yesterday" all alone on stage w/ guitar during Beatle days? He'd do very well going that way.
116 -
fab4fan
Oct 05, 2005 at 11:11 pm
Paul wrote plenty of his *own* great rockers even in the early Beatles days,his great blues rocker from late 1964,She's A Woman and the screaming hard rocker especially for 1965,I'm Down and lets not forget Helter Skelter has been called by many to be the first true heavy metal song along with John's I Want you She's so Heavy. His cover vocal of Kansas City Hey Hey Hey was also great! Plus he's written so many great rockers in his solo/Wings career too!
117 -
Ron van der Lem
Oct 06, 2005 at 11:18 am
hey fab4fan,
of course you are right about john's equal rights to start a beatle day on the birthday of the starter of the beatles. but mac still lives and it would be nice to honor him this way while he is still around. that was the basic idea...
118 -
fab4fan
Oct 06, 2005 at 6:08 pm
Ron,
But John Lennon was a brilliant singer and song writer just like Paul who was tragically killed at only the age of 40 by a crazy fan,so we should certainly have a day to honor his music contributions too!
119 -
Ron van der Lem
Oct 07, 2005 at 3:11 pm
True Fab4fan,
pfffffff... maybe a more neutral day is better... which day did they start?
i mean... when did j&p meet each other?
btw the chaos-cd is still great. an unexpected highlight in ma's senior days for me. btw. does anyone knows his project 'the fireman'? is it worth to buy?
120 -
Ro_McCartney
Oct 22, 2005 at 11:53 am
I am 13 and I love Macca!! He is the best, and C&C too!! The Beatles, Solo, and Wings are a great part of his career
121 -
rick
Nov 25, 2005 at 12:06 pm
No matter how many godamned times I've tried liking this album, it is shit...sounds like home demos.....McCartney should be punished for releasing this shit....you are fucking dying on your feet Paul..just retire....you have lost it anymore...what a fucking shame....why can't you keep up the good work..WHY???
122 -
karl wallinge
Nov 26, 2005 at 12:14 pm
You can't please everyone. I still love this album after a few months of playing. I don't expect McCartney to be doing heavy rock stuff anymore, like some people do. That really would be sad. He can still do it, and he proves this at live gigs. But this new CD is a lot more subtle, which I really like.
It's also not overproduced - Rick - if my home demos sounded like this I'd be dead chuffed.
123 -
I_Am_Who_ I_Am
Feb 28, 2006 at 8:47 am
I agree that Paul is GROSSLY underrated. I mean if George Harrison or John Lennon would have released c & c It would have been instantly classed as "pure genius" the man can't win. What I like most about Paul is that, unlike George and John, or anyone else for that matter, he has consistly made music that has evolved, changed, and demonstrated what it truely means experiment. He was the force behind Sgt Pepper, Abbyroad,White and fuckin LIB... brillance man (Thank you Paul for not taking the easy road,before leaving us with classics that will live on forever). No one will ever been satisfied with the man unfortunately, but they are the one's who miss out (NOTE: It's one thing to objectively and constructively critique a piece of work, but bull shittin' on someone because of who they are for the hell of it is a whole different ball game).
For me, Paul's music is an eccletic treasure chest of gems and stones that sometimes appear beautiful, and at other times dull and ordinary, but they ALWAYS grow on you. I can't say that for any other artist. He has NEVER played it safe contrary to popular belief. He was always the one to push boundaries and experiement, even on the other beatles works. He's underrated as a musician, as a lyricist (yes, you read right), as a visionary and revolutionist.
Many, MANY people mistake a lot of his work for being John's which is why he has to fight so damn hard to protect his art, his babies. I know what it's like because I'm an artist myself. It's easy to shit on him because of who he is, but the truth of the matter is Paul leaves more to the imagination than many think or previously thought. I mean, Who the hell would have thought Got To Get You Into My Life was about drugs?? who the hell I ask you?!?
Wings Rocked like hell, and solo wise he has continued consistly to be different. Not one track on the same album sounds the fuckin same. He's a brilliant star who only seems dim in the eyes of those who don't have a telescope. I hope he never quits doing what he does. Not one album sounds the same! I mean I don't think people realize how difficult it is to pump out hit song after hit song, when you don't have a fuckin' boyband or a couple of dancers backin' your ass, but he sure as hell did it and did it well! And to be honest a lot of people have despised him because of it, but that's a price one must pay to be at the lonely top. Either way, he's doing what he loves, and I for one ain't mad at him for it. He's a true artist and deserves to be seen unbiasedly as one. Sure, he can't hit gold everytime, but as I recall, neither did John or George, and no one else for that matter has either! He can be detatched from his music and yet still attached. I don't know how the hell he does it, I just know he does. Part of the complex saga of Paul, I like that he didn't wear his heart on his sleeve. Compared with most artists, Paul is like a book, and everyone else is like the booked turned into a movie, leaving very little to the imagination. I'm not criticising other artists, just showing how tastes differ. Some people like books turned into movies, while I prefer just the book itself, where I can draw my OWN comclusions.
And so what he did a commercial, get the hell over it. It's not selling out... it's called doing his job. It doesn't make it any less artistic, it's still a song and it's still art. We, all of us, sell ourselves every damn day. John did it, George did it, Ringo does it, Dylan does it etc.... it's called living.
He's almost 64, can still sing, can still write and can rock like nobody's fuckin' business.
I'm just glad Paul is finally coming to terms with himself, crafting his art HIS way, minding his business and giving everyone a nice "fuck off!" in return. Nice one, Sir Paul. Rock on.
124 -
IaBeatleLvr
Oct 19, 2006 at 11:29 pm
I was 8 yrs old when I first watched the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show and have loved them, especially Paul, ever since! I was there when it all happened, as it happened.
The thing about McCartney is that either you "get" him or you don't. Just "rock" or "love ballad"?? Can't you see that it's just him? He has earned the right to do what he likes when he likes and those of us who love him love what he does! :-)
Poopoo on the rest of the world!
125 -
Rev. John C. Link
Mar 27, 2007 at 11:07 am
Weighing in way after the fact...Chaos & Creation was/is the best album the year it came out (2005)...the only I like better this decade is "Suprise" by Paul Simon. I'm 42, and yes I can name and own all the Macca solo stuff...however that doesn't mean I am crazy for all of it (McCartney II, Press to Play & Pipes of Peace are all bottom of the barrel with a few great tracks on each)...but I do think he's vastly under appreciated/ misunderstood as a solo artist. Most importantly I think that his work since 1989's Flowers In The Dirt has been simply amazing. Off The Ground was even better, and Flaming Pie as grand a solo work as he's done. Run Devil Run improved on the previous USSR roots album, and Driving Rain was great as well. Chaos is as great a solo work as he's made. Period. Simply breathtaking. For the record my top tier (in no particular order) would be: Band On The Run, Ram, Flaming Pie, Tug Of War, Off The Ground, Chaos & Creation In The Backyard. (all these are A+/A)
Very close second tier would be: Flowers In The Dirt, Back To The Egg, Venus And Mars, Driving Rain, Run Devil Run (A/A-)
Third level: McCartney, Red Rose Speedway, CCCP/USSR (A-/B+)
Fourth level: London Town, Wings Wild Life, Wings At The Speed Of Sound (B+/B)
Fifth: Press To Play, Pipes Of Peace, McCartney II (B-/C+)
I don't count "Broad Street", which was a lousy movie and is a lousy album...or the best of's. I think all the live albums are at least A- works with Wings Over America being the best of the lot. Blessings of Love & Light to all who read this.
Article comments
76 - amany
i'm 37y. from egypt i love the beatles and p.mccartney sooooooooooooooooo much .. paul is really sooooooooooo great..i'm also a painter and i love all his paintings soooooooooooooo much
77 - KG
I don't think this latest album is his best work. Other than Fine Line and Friends to Go, there aren't any other songs on there that I'm that impressed with. Not as good as Flowers in the Dirt, Flaming Pie, Driving Rain, Run Devil Run, or Off the Ground. To those who say he hasn't put out any good songs in forever, listen to:
My Brave Face
Put it There
We Got Married
Figure of Eight
You Want Her Too
Off the Ground
Mistress and Maid
The Lovers that Never Were
What it is
Run Devil Run
The World Tonight
If You Wanna
Souvenir
Heaven on a Sunday
Young Boy
Your Way
About You
Rinse the Raindrops
Lonely Road
All very good songs released since the late 80s.
78 - rfb
I did not mean to imply that Paul has not put out any good songs lately, only that he hasn't put out any hit singles in a while. The question is this: is that because of a lack of promotion and airtime or simply because these later songs don't have the same "impossible to get out of your head" melodic hook and overall satisfaction, and timely relevance as his earlier releases. Frankly, I don't know; that's open for discussion.
79 - Don
You know, most of you guys and gals just don't understand Macca. Do you have any idea how much heartache this guy has faced in the last 25 years. Starting with the death of his father, the shooting of Lennon who he adored, and who he knew was reaching out to him right before his death with the song Starting Over. (spread our WINGS and fly, don't let ANOTHER DAY, go by MY LOVE, it'll be just like starting over.) the long suffering of Linda with cancer, and the death of Harrison. The fact that he can even think about writing music is incredible. But listen, listen to the different tone of this albulm compared with the downer stuff of the eighties and ninties. You can hear that this is the beginning of Pauls return to happiness. Don't be surprised to see one more creative burst from this guy that will turn the music world upside down because like his first solo albulm, this is his coming out party with his new family and I think he is finally happy again. Something I know that has alluded him for a good many years
80 - rfb
Thanks Don. I think you really put things into perspective taking into account the personal life of the artist. Although, I must point out that, it is most often that the best music is made by sad, restless, disturbed, and otherwise tortured souls, like John Lennon who experienced the tragic death of his mother, and never knowing his own father, or a hundred other composers and performers we could name (Judy Garland, Elvis, Morrissey, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and on and on). Out of the pain or to escape from pain, they come up with their best material. But it depends on the person. In the case of Paul, perhaps he makes his best music when he is happy; that is one of several facts about him that makes him so unique. Great comment.
81 - alison
after reading all this craziness, I, a 21 year old huge Macca fan who's seen him twice in concert will say this:
everyone has and is bound to have different opinions on what of paul's is good. I think flaming pie rocks and I think mccartney II sucks. someone out there may think temporary secretary is the best song ever. could happen.....
and what's great about paul is his diverse style and willingnesss to try new things and do what he wants to do!!!! this means that *everyone* should like *something* and no one will like everything.
I also agree with a bunch of these folks - if his solo songs had been Beatles songs there would be no debate.
I look forward to his new album, and even if its no mccartney or flaming pie, I'm sure it will have the redeemable, catchy mccartney quality and a few songs will end up on permanent rotation in my ipod.
82 - steve
im seeing macca in boston 9/27...so excited...love the beatles
83 - Douglas R Belardi
I do wish Paul would play more obscue songs on his new tour: especially Ram, Red Rose Speedwy:
Smile Away
Back Seat of My Car
Monkberry Moon Delight
Big Barn Bed
Get on th Right Thing
Why Don't We Do It in the Road
Another Girl
And I Love Her
Soily
etc
and give rest to - as much as I love them -
Hey Jude
Let It Be
Band on the Run
etc
84 - Albin
Just listening to the new album for the first time and I really like it. This is the McCartney I've always wanted to hear. A combination of the organic, natural 'Flaming Pie' production, the DIY-ethics of 'McCartney' and 'Ram' and with Nigel Godrich as a producer... I guess this album is a grower, and I definately have an urge to play it again and again.
Thank you, Paul, for not playing it TOO safe this time. I'm already looking forward to your next album.
By the way, I'm the kind of fan who seriously thinks that 'Wings Wild Life' is an underrated classic. 'I Am You Singer', 'Dear Friend' and 'Tomorrow' are great, great songs...
85 - Craig
The more I listen to it the more I really enjoy it. It is a really good collection of songs and for someone who has written hundred of songs, to keep going into his 60’s " he still has it. He never lost it. He is a “gift to the world” Bono, at Live 8 2005
Like all music " just sit back and enjoy it. I would definitely recommend buying this cd.
I uploaded the entire cd a week ago to preview it and I am still going out this week to buy it.
"His glory days aren't all behind him. Chaos is adventurous and melodic."
-- Time Magazine
"McCartney gets back. Unabashed echoes of the Beatles all over the album. Intimate and unconventional."
-- New York Times
"The tingling sense of a new beginning is palpable. His voice is front and center, as wistful and full of yearning as ever, effortlessly lending these songs a rich sense of emotional conviction. Chaos suduces the listener into a playful world of musical ideas that shimmer and disappear. Four Stars."
-- Rolling Stone
"Thirty-five years into his solo career, McCartney continues to surprise. Top notch, moody, briming with melodic delights. On Chaos, he proves that he still has a few tricks up his sleeve."
-- Billboard
86 - Karl Wallinge
Ron Van Der Lem - (Sept 14th) - I think a World Beatles Day on June 18th is a seriously excellent idea, and wonder whether anyone has proposed the idea before?!
Paul is suffering at this time from the crime of growing old, something Lennon,sadly,never had to deal with. He can never recapture the glory of his youth, and it's a testimony to his genius that so many people get frustrated that he is failing to deliver, on those terms at least.
Someone on this thread stated that Paul will not be fully appreciated until after his death, and I have to agree. Sadly that is the way of the world usually - so many great painters, poets, authors etc have had this fate.
We are so fortunate to have Paul still making music. We take so much for granted, and will not see how great a soul he had until that is all that is left of the man. All four of the Beatles were a blessing to the world, and all remained down to earth examples of uncorrupted, forces for good - they never abused their power, and the songs really did help liberate humanity, particularly fascinating is the importance of their music in Russia, when it was the USSR, and the people were 'behind the iron curtain'.
I think in the not too distant future - perhaps another 30-40 years, their true significance to humanity's history will be even more apparant. There is no doubt that they are musical giants of the last 100 years. Their social and cultural significance is also well documented. What is not so well appreciated is their spiritual contribution - at times overt, but for the most part, understated and subtle.
Chaos is a great new album, and seems to fuse together some of the last 40 years of his music into something equally as valid and alive, definitely not pastiche! He seems to have brought some of his classical skills into play too, which has paid off in terms of clever arrangements. Nigel Goodrich has been an inspiration too - full credit to him for standing up to McCartney, and credit to Paul for having the good sense to listen to him.
Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney have a lot in common - both survivors, both somehow dealt with superfame by remaining down to earth, both still touring regularly, both Gemini's, and both yet to be fully assessed in terms of what they gave the world.
87 - devil666
this albums is surprisingly excellent. it sounds better every time i play it. i'm starting to think it's his best solo album ever. i'm not hearing any filler at all (with the possible exception of "this never happened before" but even that is a pleasant song) there's something really cool and interesting about every track on here.
88 - Temple Stark
Damn fine comments here. I'm glad he's still got fans - of all ages.
34 myself so right in the middle of y'all.
I haven't been able to buy this album yet - its not on Itunes as suspected and no stores here have carried it, yet. (But I only have Wal-Mart and K-mart - and I don't shop at WM unless I absolutely can't avoid it, which I can most often. And the K-mart got flooded by collapsing roof)
I'm wondering if this iTunes absence is because of the wayback machine when Apple Records aka Beatles sued Apple Computer for copyright infringment.
They lost - computers (ha ha back then) were notihng to do with music so no possible confusion.
When Apple computer won they then included an alert sound on their Macs called "Sosumi" -- So, Sue Me.
I know The Beatles aren't the only big names not to sign on, but still, it's curious.
- Temple
89 - josh loper
I love the negative reviews. You people write reviews about as swell as you say McCartney puts out solo work. Too formulaic. What a crock of shite. There is not one person that posted that could have written a better song than "Fine Line" or any other song on the album. If you could, you would not be posting on a random website. You would be making hit albums, since many of you seem to know what it takes to be great. I'm not even a McCartney fan! I am a Lennon fan. I do know stupidity when I see it, and read it however. Who in their right mind would post "too formulaic", "weak", "lost his talent?" Obviously you have lost your mind. Let us define "too formulaic." If there were to be such a thing, then you would have Paul McCartney's mind figured out. You would be pumping out his albums before he could get to them since somehow they still managed to get published. Secondly, to all of you who posted "weak." Do you realize this man is in his sixties? How many of your grandfathers can still even wipe his own arse, much less make a rock album? Finally, "lost his talent?" He lost John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. He didn't lose his talent. The music McCartney always made continues to come through, minus the imput of the man that righted his wrongs. What fools to post a negative review of something they probably did not even sit all the way through because they did not hear "I am the Walrus", "Penny Lane", or "Seargant Pepper". As with any rock and roll artist, they mature, age, and change lifestyles. When was the last time Paul popped a sugarcube? Probably 30 years ago. Look at what happened to Clapton. He goes clean and his albums make all of Paul's solo records look like Jesus Christ wrote and produced them. To the point: Paul is a rockin' old man. The new album is his best solo album unless you compare it to greatest hits albums that took one work from 19 albums.
90 - Ron van der Lem
Hey thanks for the support Carl (sept 15) to create a global Beatle day on June 19. The more I think about the sponteneous thought, the more enthusiastic i get about it. Maybe anyone can do that day something nice to the world in his or her own way.
...You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
91 - toddmagos
There is no difference between Paul-Beatle and Paul-solo. His critics want to argue that the former was mysteriously totally brilliant and the latter is a complete tasteless moron. Actually, Paul (pre and after the Beatle breakup) is a lot more complex than his critics realize. (The shallow knee-jerk tacky criticism of Paul says more about the critics than about Paul.) All Music Guide rates his albums between 2 and 5 stars; I rate them all between 4 and 5 stars. Some of the critical disasters are some of my favorites: Wings Wildlife (really an avant-garde album), McCartney II. Musically, Silly Love Songs, which critics always take the predictable swipe at, is incredibly complex, with 4 or 5 contrapuntal layers. Paul is about a hundred miles ahead of everyone else (except Jimmy Webb, Richard Thompson, Brian Wilson, etc.). For those of you who haven't immersed yourselves joyfully in his solo albums, you have my sincere compassion.
92 - Don
Thanks rfb,
You make some good points as well, I just think Paul is a guy who likes harmony and gets really creative when it flows around him. (No I'm not a left over dinosaur from the 60's but I just read tha guy that way.)
For the most part I think everyone here makes some good points both positive and negative, but the bottom line is that Paul McCartney is a true living legend as was Lennon. And as we all know John was taken way to soon, and we should all be grateful that we still have Paul and that he is still making love to us through his music. "One day you'll look and he'll be gone".
93 - Craig
I downloaded the entire cd off isohunt.com last Thursday. Yesterday I went to Best Buy (Canada) and bought the limited edition cd with dvd for $22. The cd only version was available for $12. Both I thought where a great deal. If you have the chance, get the DVD one; it comes with a 30 minute documentary, one on one with Paul talking about all the songs on the cd and he plays about 30 seconds of each live. There are also 2 videos and 3 of the songs are done in a bonus instrumental version.
It was fantastic to watch and listen to him; he is an absolute icon. He has the energy and enthusiasm of a 30 year old. He still has passion about music.
I originally didn’t care too much about his cd coming out " I am going in 30 days to see Paul and I really want to hear the classics. I truly hope he plays at least 3 of these songs during this coming tour. This is becoming an amazing cd. With each listen I love it more and more. I think that this the difference between songs like these and ones that have that simple “hook” that grabs our attention for a few weeks. I fully expect to be enjoying this cd for a long time.
For anyone that thinks Paul is ‘over the hill” The concert I am going to next month sold out the first night in 4 minutes! I thought I was buying tickets for the Friday night and got amazing seats for the second show about 6 minutes after the tickets where released. I checked 10 minutes later and there was nothing left.
Also when I downloaded this album off isohunt last week about 15,000 users had already downloaded it. He had Billboards “ Tour of the year in 2002”. I hate that I have to feel the need to defend his worth as a valid musician today. He is great. Overrated, underrated " who cares " enjoy him while he is here.
Good job Paul " you have created a fantastic cd.
94 - Proud American
Bloody Englishman & his employees are the most arrogant bastards. I ran into them in a hotel & had a tiffle with them and they just laughed and said "f-en stupid americans" So why is he holding concerts here, let him keep them in the UK. Piece of crap that they are. FYI-Apparently all from the UK think that people from the USA are stupid and ignorant yet they all run here. Losers stay home!
95 - erj
I am a huge Beatles fan ( 400 lbs. ). No, just kidding. I am 36 and have every Beatles CD. Of McCartney's post-Beatles work, I only had 'Band on the Run', 'Venus and Mars' and 'Wings Greatest' ( still need to pick up 'McCartney'... never did for some reason ).
I was not very impressed with any of Paul's 80's or 90's+ work but continued following his career and saw him in concert in about '93. Last week I heard several of the new songs on a Philly radio station. I bought the CD the day it came out. I think it's his best work since 'Band on the Run' ... it's that good. Now I wish I had tickets to the show. Paul would be wise to play many, many tracks from the new CD during the shows.
For years now, I have been listening to bands like XTC doing a better job at being McCartney than McCartney himself. With Paul's new CD, I kept catching myself thinking, hey, he's ripping off XTC. Nunsuch.
E
erj_music hotmail.com
96 - Experiments in Living
i just wish the lyrics were of a higher standard..
*sigh
97 - Bijdehand
So hard not to respond to earliers comments ("all from the UK think that people from the USA are stupid and ignorant", YEAH, in fact: make that "all peaceloving nations").
Love the album but maybe too much of a fan to be a fair judge. Check out the live performance on www.bbc.co.uk then radio 2 "Sold on Song". It's great, unfortunately most anecdotes/backgrounds are repeated from the documentary on the C&C DVD.
Did no-one else think "Looking through the backyard of my life/Time to sweep the fallen leaves away" appears a bit macabre if not plain harsh?
I will go and see every concert I can and hope here will be many more albums and tours...
PAUL ROCKS!
98 - Karl
That may sound a bit harsh, Bijdehand, but grief has to come to an end at some point, doesn't it, otherwise you end up doing a Queen Victoria ( she never got over her beloved Uncle Albert). It doesn't mean he doesnt love them - John, Linda, George etc, but you have to make a conscious decision to move on to a new chapter, and reconstruct yourself.
I think Paul has done this over the last 5 years or so, beginning when he started to make sense of his raw grief by doing the old rock and roll songs on Run Devil Run. That single , No Other Baby, was about the most authentic vocal he had done for a long time, although a lot of stuff on Flaming Pie was in a similar vein, but more tenderly expressed.
I think he's had much more of a gritty attitude since meeting Heather, and has become less concerned with placating his critics. His music has really benefitted from this attitude, and it's all come to fruition with C&C. He seems really on top form at the moment - yes, do check out the bbc radio 2 programme - aired in the UK several hours ago. Comes from the hallowed Abbey Road studio number 2.
And what was that about Heather being duffed up be Jenifer Lopez's security guys, at the fur protest. Did they really take her leg off her and throw it out into the street? Paul would be appalled...
99 - r van Randeraat
This album grows on you. Superb melodies, one of his best albums !!
For me the best album of 2005.
100 - Peter
My only criticism of this album is most of the songs are in similar tempos,otherwise it's not too bad considering Paul doesnt try as hard nowadays in comparison too way back when.....
101 - Gerry
It is great.. up there with Flowers in the Dirt, Off The Ground, and Flaming Pie. Paul Is Back? I never knew that he was gone..!
102 - Istari
If you like the music great. If you don't, you don't. It's not that complicated.
I like it.
103 - JvanE
Listened to the album for more than a week now. I usually wait a year or two before I say 'this album is one of the best', because you can only tell after a long time if it REALLY is great, it if really did stick. When you praise an album too soon you might just do that because it is new and nice and so on.
But... what can I say...? After listing to Chaos a few times, I liked the album, though a few songs looked like fillers to me. But after listening to it for a week now (because I just HAD to play it again and again...!) I really can't say anything else than this is is one of McCartney's best albums ever... The obvious fillers that plagued Flaming Pie and Driving Rain are gone.
It's really amazing that a guy of his age can release an album like this! It would even be amazing for 30 year old to release an album like this! It's pure class.
Okay, it's McCartney. If you don't like McCartney you probably won't like this album, simple as that. You can't expect everyone to suddenly like this album! I mean, there even are people who do not like the Beatles, so... That's just a matter of taste. (Though I think a good critic can judge an album and call it good even if he doesn't like it!!!)
But I really think he has gone the extra mile at last and delivered something extraordinary.
The lyrics (though not all) are way better than usual, with only one or two songs that are mediocre (lyric wise) but even then... I get the feeling he really means what he sings, so... that makes it alright with me. This guy loves love and likes to sing about it, so I've got no problem with that!
All in all I love this album! From start to finish! And I haven't said that about a McCartney-album since the seventies, so... I'm happily surprised! After Driving Rain I did't really expect this anymore...
Come to think of it... I think this is the first McCartney-album I completely like from A to Z. Until now all his albums usually had a few fillers which I though were awfull OR they contained some songs I did like somehow but didn't dare to play when others were around... You know, those typical corny McCartney tunes. ;)
Well, I can honestly say I'm a happy man with this album!
104 - Martn C
If Chaos and Creation...had been released by Damian Rice, James Blunt, Davdi Gray or even Rufus Wainwright, the album would be hailed as an all time classic... Because of McCartney's history his music and lyrics are dissected like no other artist around, just have a few listens the album is a real grower...
105 - Doug
After reading all the glowing reviews of this new CD I began thinking I was way out in left field. I am glad to read reviews here that match my feeling. I have been a huge Macca fan since 1965 and have followed and enjoyed his contributions to the music world ever since. However, I think he has been on a terrible downward spiral since the release of Off the Ground. This CD is just plain awful, from start to finish and the whole thing is an even bigger disappointment than Driving Rain. The music is bland, the lyrics are uninspiring, the chords are often so competely wrong and yes, his voice is not what it once was. I totally agree with others here that the one or two songs here that appear to be halfway decent, only appear this way in relation to the other stuff on the CD. I cannot image any of this stuff ever being released if it did not have the history of McCarney behind it. I am very glad I got a free preview so I didn't waste my money on this collection I like to think of as Chaos and Creation [THAT SHOULD HAVE STAYED] in the back yard. I just saw a copy for sale on ebay with the comment that the seller couldn't make it through the whole thing so it was for sale. Sorry, even at the $.01 it was going for, the $2.50 shipping made it overpriced by at least $2.50. On a scale of 1 to 10 this rates a huge 0 in my book. Now, please excuse me while I go listen to Once Upon a Long Ago, No More Lonely Nights or Liverpool Oratorio so I can be reminded of what great music he once was able to compose.
106 - Augusto
"Those freaks was right when they said you was dead."
Let´s face it people...Paul is dead...just too comercial...again and again. He lost his rocker mood, no screaming, no fuzzy guitars, Oh! Darling, you let me down with this album.
He just copies and pastes some of his musical golden-age songs...Tell me if English Tea doesn´t sound an awful lot like Martha My Dear...or Fine Line isn´t it just another song from Flaming Pie? My Friends To Go is just a robbery to Harrison. Jenny Wren is Blackbird upgraded.
John dixit: "Why dont we do it in the road? is probably one of his finest songs"
107 - Peter
Another good album but more mellow than the rest of them. My only complaint is that while McCartney still maintains his own particular recording sound, this album is somewhat over compressed and is lacking the dynamics his past albums have.
108 - Ron G
As a lifelong Beatle and McCartney fan I'm struck by a few things:
1) Even McCartney fans cannot come close to agreeing on which of his songs are the "good" ones and which are "crap". For example, Girlfriends makes me gag, but Michael Jackson obviously thinks it's great,since he covered it. I tend to like the obscure songs (1985, Monkberry moon delight, Deliver your children, Winter Rose, Heart of the Country, Rockestera, World Tonight, Lonely Road + all the McCartney/Elvis Costello compositions)
2) He ruined his reputation with his traditional fan base and with critics by including his lovely but musically-challenged wife in his band (ditto Lennon with not-so-lovely Yoko)
3) It didn't help that he released as singles the vomitorious My Love, Silly Love Songs and With a Little Luck. As a result of these releases, many a former fan never gave his wonderful material a chance.
4) The current CD is terrific,though,naturally, I disagree with everyone else when it comes to singling out the couple of lousy songs ("Follow me": yuck. "Anyway" is awful except for the outstanding musical fadeout that ends the CD. This never happened before: forgettable). Just about every other track is great.
5) And in the End.... warts and all, McCartney will be seen as the Beethoven/Mozart of our time.
100 years from now, amateurs and professionals will still argue over what was the "good" McCartney and what was the "lazy" McCartney (except for Silly Love Songs. I refuse to believe that anyone will ever think that that is a good song. Anyone who ever bought that record and contributed to it going to #1 will be condemned to listening to an hour of Yoko Ono)
109 - Peter
Another good album but more mellow than the rest of them. My only complaint is that while McCartney still maintains his own particular recording sound, this album is somewhat over compressed and is lacking the dynamics his past albums have.
110 - fab4fan
Karl I was the one who said that Paul will not really be given the credit he really deserves untill after he dies and sadly I know this is true! Also for people who constantly criticize Paul for his simple lyrics, I have to point something out. Paul's real extreme talent has always been *Musicially* he can write good lyrics and he has,but he usually doesn't and he doesn't have to and he even when he does it's not the lyrics that are so great about the songs it's his *music* his beautiful melodies,and harmonies and the case of his rock songs great rock music.Of course as The all Music guide says John and paul were among the best and most expressive singers in rock!
A reviwer on Amazon.com recently said that Paul has always been more of a music guy than a lyric guy and he said that's OK and he pointed out his great melodies and harmonies. And he is so right! Paul's father Jim MCcartney was very musically talented,and he was deaf in one ear because he busted an ear drum at the age of 14 but he taught himself to play the piano as a young guy and he became an acclomplished classical jazz pianist with his own band called Jim Mac's Band.
They were popular in the 1930's playing in clubs and Paul and Wings even recorded one of his father's instrumentals Walking in The Park With Eloise that was on The Wings At The Speed Of Sound album. His father wasn't a poet he was musically naturally talented and this is what Paul inherited from his father! Paul has written some really good interesting instrumentals too. And Remember Beethoven didn't write any lyrics and whemn people listen to classical music there is no lyrics!
111 - fab4fan
Grillo what does being a huge Paul fan have to do with using MSN? I happen to be a huge Beatles fan especially a huge highly impressed John and Paul fan since I'm 9 and I got my first Beatles book for my 11th birthday and I had every album by the age of 13,and I was born in 1965 during the middle of their recording career!
Do you know that there are at least 6 music professors teaching courses on The Beatles at good universities? One is award winning music professor Dr.Glen Gass at Indiana University. He's been teaching a Beatles and rock music course since 1982. On his web site for this course it says he teaches about this extraordinary group and song writing partnership. It says the main purpose of this course is to get students to have a better appreciation for The Beatles remarkable recordings.One of Dr.Gass's students said on a message board that he knew that most people think The Beatles are amazing but now he understands *why* they were so amazing! Dr.
Gary Kendall's Beatles course is the most popular at North Western University. There is also a music professor by the last name of Heinonen at JYVASKYLA university in Finland teaches a Beatles course in the department of music there. And University of Southern California has a course on The Beatles albums.
112 - fab4fan
I just want to add about the painful experiences that people have mentioned Paul going through over the last 25 years,the truth is his first real tragedy was when he was only 14 and his wonderful nurse midwife mother Mary McCartney died of breast cancer in about a month.
In the authorized Paul biography by Barry Miles Paul says how 12 years after she died he had a vivid dream about his mother and he saw her alive again and she gave him advice in the dream to just accept things as they are.And when he woke up he said how wondeful it was to see her alive again and that's when he wrote the great beautiful song Let it Be. And when he sings the lines When I find myself in times of trouble mother Mary comes to me,speaking words of wisdom Let it Be,it's his mother Mary he's singing about!
113 - fab4fan
Ron van der lem,
There would also have to be a Beatles Day on October 9 on the birthday of the leader and founder of The Beatles,genuis John Lennon!
114 - Ron
Saw McCartney in New York.
Out-rocked the Stones!!!!
115 - Victor Lana
I've been listening to this one for a while now, and I think it's Paul's best solo work since BAND ON THE RUN. That is a long time ago.
Paul has always been a good rocker (think of his screeching "Long Tall Sally" way back when). He just loses his way sometimes, and does get a little too cute here and there.
I also believe that he should go acoustic (as in earlier comments); remember when he sang "Yesterday" all alone on stage w/ guitar during Beatle days? He'd do very well going that way.
116 - fab4fan
Paul wrote plenty of his *own* great rockers even in the early Beatles days,his great blues rocker from late 1964,She's A Woman and the screaming hard rocker especially for 1965,I'm Down and lets not forget Helter Skelter has been called by many to be the first true heavy metal song along with John's I Want you She's so Heavy. His cover vocal of Kansas City Hey Hey Hey was also great! Plus he's written so many great rockers in his solo/Wings career too!
117 - Ron van der Lem
hey fab4fan,
of course you are right about john's equal rights to start a beatle day on the birthday of the starter of the beatles. but mac still lives and it would be nice to honor him this way while he is still around. that was the basic idea...
118 - fab4fan
Ron,
But John Lennon was a brilliant singer and song writer just like Paul who was tragically killed at only the age of 40 by a crazy fan,so we should certainly have a day to honor his music contributions too!
119 - Ron van der Lem
True Fab4fan,
pfffffff... maybe a more neutral day is better... which day did they start?
i mean... when did j&p meet each other?
btw the chaos-cd is still great. an unexpected highlight in ma's senior days for me. btw. does anyone knows his project 'the fireman'? is it worth to buy?
120 - Ro_McCartney
I am 13 and I love Macca!! He is the best, and C&C too!! The Beatles, Solo, and Wings are a great part of his career
121 - rick
No matter how many godamned times I've tried liking this album, it is shit...sounds like home demos.....McCartney should be punished for releasing this shit....you are fucking dying on your feet Paul..just retire....you have lost it anymore...what a fucking shame....why can't you keep up the good work..WHY???
122 - karl wallinge
You can't please everyone. I still love this album after a few months of playing. I don't expect McCartney to be doing heavy rock stuff anymore, like some people do. That really would be sad. He can still do it, and he proves this at live gigs. But this new CD is a lot more subtle, which I really like.
It's also not overproduced - Rick - if my home demos sounded like this I'd be dead chuffed.
123 - I_Am_Who_ I_Am
I agree that Paul is GROSSLY underrated. I mean if George Harrison or John Lennon would have released c & c It would have been instantly classed as "pure genius" the man can't win. What I like most about Paul is that, unlike George and John, or anyone else for that matter, he has consistly made music that has evolved, changed, and demonstrated what it truely means experiment. He was the force behind Sgt Pepper, Abbyroad,White and fuckin LIB... brillance man (Thank you Paul for not taking the easy road,before leaving us with classics that will live on forever). No one will ever been satisfied with the man unfortunately, but they are the one's who miss out (NOTE: It's one thing to objectively and constructively critique a piece of work, but bull shittin' on someone because of who they are for the hell of it is a whole different ball game).
For me, Paul's music is an eccletic treasure chest of gems and stones that sometimes appear beautiful, and at other times dull and ordinary, but they ALWAYS grow on you. I can't say that for any other artist. He has NEVER played it safe contrary to popular belief. He was always the one to push boundaries and experiement, even on the other beatles works. He's underrated as a musician, as a lyricist (yes, you read right), as a visionary and revolutionist.
Many, MANY people mistake a lot of his work for being John's which is why he has to fight so damn hard to protect his art, his babies. I know what it's like because I'm an artist myself. It's easy to shit on him because of who he is, but the truth of the matter is Paul leaves more to the imagination than many think or previously thought. I mean, Who the hell would have thought Got To Get You Into My Life was about drugs?? who the hell I ask you?!?
Wings Rocked like hell, and solo wise he has continued consistly to be different. Not one track on the same album sounds the fuckin same. He's a brilliant star who only seems dim in the eyes of those who don't have a telescope. I hope he never quits doing what he does. Not one album sounds the same! I mean I don't think people realize how difficult it is to pump out hit song after hit song, when you don't have a fuckin' boyband or a couple of dancers backin' your ass, but he sure as hell did it and did it well! And to be honest a lot of people have despised him because of it, but that's a price one must pay to be at the lonely top. Either way, he's doing what he loves, and I for one ain't mad at him for it. He's a true artist and deserves to be seen unbiasedly as one. Sure, he can't hit gold everytime, but as I recall, neither did John or George, and no one else for that matter has either! He can be detatched from his music and yet still attached. I don't know how the hell he does it, I just know he does. Part of the complex saga of Paul, I like that he didn't wear his heart on his sleeve. Compared with most artists, Paul is like a book, and everyone else is like the booked turned into a movie, leaving very little to the imagination. I'm not criticising other artists, just showing how tastes differ. Some people like books turned into movies, while I prefer just the book itself, where I can draw my OWN comclusions.
And so what he did a commercial, get the hell over it. It's not selling out... it's called doing his job. It doesn't make it any less artistic, it's still a song and it's still art. We, all of us, sell ourselves every damn day. John did it, George did it, Ringo does it, Dylan does it etc.... it's called living.
He's almost 64, can still sing, can still write and can rock like nobody's fuckin' business.
I'm just glad Paul is finally coming to terms with himself, crafting his art HIS way, minding his business and giving everyone a nice "fuck off!" in return. Nice one, Sir Paul. Rock on.
124 - IaBeatleLvr
I was 8 yrs old when I first watched the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show and have loved them, especially Paul, ever since! I was there when it all happened, as it happened.
The thing about McCartney is that either you "get" him or you don't. Just "rock" or "love ballad"?? Can't you see that it's just him? He has earned the right to do what he likes when he likes and those of us who love him love what he does! :-)
Poopoo on the rest of the world!
125 - Rev. John C. Link
Weighing in way after the fact...Chaos & Creation was/is the best album the year it came out (2005)...the only I like better this decade is "Suprise" by Paul Simon. I'm 42, and yes I can name and own all the Macca solo stuff...however that doesn't mean I am crazy for all of it (McCartney II, Press to Play & Pipes of Peace are all bottom of the barrel with a few great tracks on each)...but I do think he's vastly under appreciated/ misunderstood as a solo artist. Most importantly I think that his work since 1989's Flowers In The Dirt has been simply amazing. Off The Ground was even better, and Flaming Pie as grand a solo work as he's done. Run Devil Run improved on the previous USSR roots album, and Driving Rain was great as well. Chaos is as great a solo work as he's made. Period. Simply breathtaking. For the record my top tier (in no particular order) would be: Band On The Run, Ram, Flaming Pie, Tug Of War, Off The Ground, Chaos & Creation In The Backyard. (all these are A+/A)
Very close second tier would be: Flowers In The Dirt, Back To The Egg, Venus And Mars, Driving Rain, Run Devil Run (A/A-)
Third level: McCartney, Red Rose Speedway, CCCP/USSR (A-/B+)
Fourth level: London Town, Wings Wild Life, Wings At The Speed Of Sound (B+/B)
Fifth: Press To Play, Pipes Of Peace, McCartney II (B-/C+)
I don't count "Broad Street", which was a lousy movie and is a lousy album...or the best of's. I think all the live albums are at least A- works with Wings Over America being the best of the lot. Blessings of Love & Light to all who read this.