Chosen By: Paul
Comments -
Paul: I didn't know what to expect from this but I largely got what I was expecting. Let me explain. I haven't heard a non-Beatles McCartney album before but I found this not far removed from his late-Beatles writing.
There are the rocky ones, the quirky ones, that ones that don't do a lot, the ones that go on too long, the ones where it sounds like not much time has been spent on the lyrics... it's kind of more predictable than I imagined but that doesn't mean I don't like it.
Album opener Too Many People (a pop at John and Yoko) is a belter, I also thoroughly enjoy Smile Away, and Monkberry Moon Delight is great fun too. Ben might be able to say more about the musicality and arrangements but everything seems in the right place to me.
On the whole, well worth a listen but I doubt I shall return to it.
Dean: RAM - what a jaunty chap that McCartney is. I really had no appreciation of his later post Beatles work and, to be brutally honest, I have not been a Beatles fan so, I was genuinely surprised by this optimistic and, yes, I'm going to say it, pleasant offering.
I am glad I heard it. His virtuosity is impressive. His relevance less so. I enjoyed listening a few times but was not inspired to listen further. I was thinking that many bands, once they find their sound, lay back on their lack of heterogenousness and the project loses some poignance. I've been feeling this a lot lately.
PM does not do that. He is searching. Raise a glass
Ben: After an initially disappointing listen I warmed to this record. There are positives - some good tunes and interesting approaches to the music. Also it sounds like they had a lot of fun writing and making the record. The choice of instrumentation is also interesting - it’s stripped back with a lot of acoustics at a time when prog, hard rock and glam were getting off the ground.
I dont hear much in the way of progression from the Beatles to Wings in the record. I guess it also shows just what a strong influence he was over the Beatles sound, especially in the later years. The excellent documentary, Get Back, also showed this, with all 3 of the others seeming to take a back seat to McCartney’s drive and creativity.
The negative? I am a little conflicted with my admiration though as this is the man who inflicted? the frog chorus, mull of kintyre and some pretty dull collabs on us. Overall though I enjoyed this record, Dean’s ‘jaunty’ adjective sums things up nicely.
Stu: First up I must mention my love of the Beatles. I remember spending hours and hours listening to the RED and the BLUE LPS! Stuffed full of classics with the lyrics included! Then cemented more by the WHITE ALBUM & SGT PEPPERS! The HOUSE OF LOVE speculated that you either loved the Beatles or the Stones. I love both!! Before listening to this LP, a first, I can’t possibly do so without acknowledging the weight of McCartneys musical history up to this point. I remember WINGS, never bought a record and his early singles Temporary Secretary and Coming Up. Ben has already mentioned sings that would send you running for the hills! Having also acknowledged the heavy weight contributions from Lennon, Harrison and Starr I mused for days until such time as I could give this record my ears. I did indeed conjure up a sound in my head that I was expecting only to be mistaken. I can hear some Beatles and I’m pleased that there’s no frog chorus!! Overall an enjoyable listen. I like Uncle Albert and Smile Away and I like the wig out tracks. He has an ear for a tune. Some tracks lacked a kick up the ass. I waited for songs to kick on. I like the fact that he’s still hard at it making music. I listened twice today whilst driving to Northampton and I was humming away freely. I’m sure with a couple more great tracks this would be near a star!!
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