June 30, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd400/d424/d424882g6hh.jpg Album : Anthology Rating : 3.5 Stars Release Date : Nov 3, 1998 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine During the great John Lennon revival of the late '80s, Yoko Ono licensed to have the Westwood One Radio Network air scores of unreleased home recordings and demos as the Lost Lennon Tapes radio show. At the time, there was endless speculation about when highlights would be released, likely as a box set. The proposed set never materialized, yet most of the material was heavily bootlegged, as the producers and Ono must have suspected. Despite the bootlegs, Ono didn't agree to an official collection of unreleased Lennon material until 1998, after the Beatles' Anthology series proved a critical and commercial success. Hence, the birth of Lennon's Anthology — a four-disc box set, comprised entirely of unreleased home recordings, demos, and outtakes, many of which have never been previously bootlegged. As it's constructed, it's more of an aural biography than a music album. All the dialogue snippets, half-finished songs, throwaways, and parodies ensure that it's never casual listening, yet that very approach creates an intriguing portrait of Lennon — a portrait of the man, not the artist. As such, there aren't really any forgotten treasures buried on the collection, even if many of these songs and takes are either completely unheard of or legendary among collecting circles. For every small pleasure, such as the Cheap Trick-backed version of "I'm Losing You," there is a small disappointment, such as how the Dylan diatribe, "Serve Yourself," doesn't quite live up to its legend. Ultimately, it doesn't matter if there are no major works or revelations, just a few good alternate tracks, because Anthology goes a long way toward capturing Lennon with all of his strengths and weaknesses. Tracks 1 Working Class Hero [#] Lennon 4:21 2 God [#/version] Lennon 3:32 3 I Found Out [#] Lennon 3:50 4 Hold On [#/excerpt] Lennon :44 5 Isolation [#/version] Lennon 3:48 6 Love [#] Lennon 2:47 7 Mother [#] Lennon 3:51 8 Remember [#] Lennon 2:46 9 Imagine [#] Lennon 3:22 10 Fortunately [#] :19 11 Baby Please Don't Go [#] Williams 4:06 12 Oh My Love [#] Lennon, Ono 2:54 13 Jealous Guy [#] Lennon 4:10 14 Maggie Mae [#] Traditional :52 15 How Do You Sleep? [#/version] Lennon 5:22 16 God Save Oz [#] Lennon, Ono 3:27 17 Do the Oz [#] Lennon, Ono 3:08 18 I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier [#/version] Lennon 5:20 19 Give Peace a Chance [#] Lennon, McCartney 1:53 20 Look at Me [#] Lennon 2:53 21 Long Lost John [#] Traditional 2:15 22 New York City [#] Lennon :55 23 Attica State [live/#] Lennon, Ono 4:07 24 Imagine [live/#] Lennon 3:29 25 Bring on the Lucie (Freda Peeple) [#] Lennon 4:08 26 Woman Is the n***** of the World [#] Lennon, Ono :39 27 Geraldo Rivera [#] :40 28 Woman Is the n***** of the World [live/#] Lennon, Ono 5:15 29 It's So Hard [live/#] Lennon 3:10 30 Come Together [live/#] Lennon, McCartney 4:20 31 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) [#] Lennon, Ono 3:33 32 The Luck of the Irish [live/#] Lennon, Ono 3:43 33 John Sinclair [live/#] Lennon 3:43 34 The David Frost Show [#] :53 35 Mind Games [#] Lennon 1:03 36 Mind Games [#] Lennon 1:14 37 One Day (At a Time) [#] Lennon 3:14 38 I Know (I Know) [#] Lennon 3:13 39 I'm the Greatest [#] Lennon 3:37 40 (It's All da-Da-Down to) Goodnight Vienna [#] Lennon 2:43 41 Jerry Lewis Telethon [#] 2:01 42 A Kiss Is Just a Kiss (As Time Goes By) Hupfield :12 43 Real Love [#] Lennon 4:15 44 You Are Here [#] Lennon 4:56 45 What You Got [#] Lennon 1:15 46 Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) [#] Lennon 5:39 47 Whatever Gets You Thru the Night [#] Lennon :38 48 Whatever Gets You Thru the Night [#] Lennon 3:34 49 Yesterday [#] Lennon, McCartney :34 50 Be-Bop-A-Lula [#] Davis, Vincent 2:54 51 Rip It up/Ready Teddy [#] Blackwell, Marascalco 2:31 52 Scared [#] Lennon 5:06 53 Steel and Glass [#] Lennon 4:48 54 Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox) [sweet Bird of Paradox] Lennon 2:59 55 Bless You [#] Lennon 4:16 56 Going Down on Love [#] Lennon :54 57 Move Over Ms. L. [#] Lennon 3:11 58 Ain't She Sweet [#] Ager, Yellen :29 59 Slippin' and Slidin' [unreleased Take] Bocage, Collins ... 2:28 60 Peggy Sue [#] Allison, Holly, Petty 1:19 61 Bring It on Home to Me/Send Me Some Lovin' [#] Cooke, Marascalo, Price 3:52 62 Phil and John, Pt. 1 [#] Lennon, Spector 2:15 63 Phil and John, Pt. 2 [#] Lennon, Spector 2:00 64 Phil and John, Pt. 3 [#] Lennon, Spector :55 65 When in Doubt, f*** It [#] Lennon :10 66 Be My Baby [#] Barry, Greenwich, Spector 4:34 67 Stranger's Room [#] Lennon 3:20 68 Old Dirt Road [#] Lennon, Nilsson 3:54 69 I'm Losing You [#/version] Lennon 4:06 70 Sean's Little Help [#] :58 71 Serve Yourself [#] Lennon 3:50 72 My Life [#] Lennon 2:37 73 Nobody Told Me [#] Lennon 3:33 74 Life Begins at 40 [#] Lennon 2:24 75 I Don't Wanna Face It [#] Lennon 3:31 76 Woman [#] Lennon 4:03 77 Dear Yoko [#] Lennon 2:36 78 Watching the Wheels [#] Lennon 3:05 79 I'm Stepping Out [#] Lennon 4:19 80 Borrowed Time [#] Lennon 3:58 81 The Rishi Kesh Song [#] Lennon 2:27 82 Sean's Loud [#] :35 83 Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) [#] Lennon 4:13 84 Mr. Hyde's Gone (Don't Be Afraid) [#] Lennon 2:42 85 Only You [#] Ram, Rand 3:24 86 Grow Old With Me [#] Lennon 3:19 87 Dear John [#] Lennon 2:16 88 The Great Wok [*] 3:14 89 Mucho Mungo [*] Lennon 1:25 90 Satire, Pt. 1 [*] 2:22 91 Satire, Pt. 2 [*] 4:36 92 Satire, Pt. 3 [*] :46 93 Sean's in the Sky [*] Lennon :46 94 It's Real [*] Lennon 1:05
June 30, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd300/d346/d34608s570k.jpg Album : Wonsaponatime Rating : 3 Stars Release Date : Nov 3, 1998 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Released simultaneously with Anthology, Wonsaponatime condenses a four-disc box set into a digestible single disc that feels more revelatory than its parent. That's because the compilers did an excellent job of selecting the highlights from the long-winded box, spotlighting the best alternate takes and unreleased songs. Wonsaponatime has a similar feel to Anthology, since it is culled from the same rough takes and studio rambling, but it's simply more accessible, letting less dedicated fans appreciate everything from the Cheap Trick-backed "I'm Losing You" and "God Save Oz," to alternates of "Working Class Hero," "God," "I Found Out," and "How Do You Sleep?" Again, these outtakes are not revelatory in the manner of Dylan's Bootleg Series, or even the Beatles' own Anthology, but they humanize Lennon, who has often been viewed as something of a saint in the years since his assassination. For that alone, Wonsaponatime is as welcome an addition to his catalog as the exhaustive Anthology. Tracks 1 I'm Losing You [version] Lennon 3:56 2 Working Class Hero Lennon 3:58 3 God [version] Lennon 3:15 4 How Do You Sleep? [version] Lennon 5:00 5 Imagine [Take 1] Lennon 3:04 6 Baby Please Don't Go Williams 4:03 7 Oh My Love Lennon, Ono 2:43 8 God Save Oz Lennon, Ono 3:21 9 I Found Out [version] Lennon 3:47 10 Woman Is the n***** of the World [live] Lennon, Ono 5:16 11 A Kiss Is Just a Kiss (As Time Goes By) Hupfield :12 12 Be-Bop-A-Lula Davis, Vincent 2:40 13 Rip It up/Ready Teddy Blackwell, Marascalco 2:26 14 What You Got Lennon 1:15 15 Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) Lennon 5:02 16 I Don't Wanna Face It Lennon 3:31 17 Real Love Lennon 4:09 18 Only You Ram, Rand 3:25 19 Grow Old With Me Lennon 3:19 20 Sean's "In the Sky" Lennon 1:25 21 Serve Yourself Lennon 3:49
June 30, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drg500/g534/g53430d74cm.jpg Album : Acoustic Rating : 2.5 Stars Release Date : Nov 2, 2004 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine The 2004 compilation Acoustic collects 16 tracks featuring John Lennon alone (more or less) backed only by his acoustic guitar. It's a good idea for a compilation, but the execution is problematic. First of all, Lennon's solo albums didn't have all that many solo acoustic songs on them; they were carefully constructed in a studio, often featuring layers of overdubs, even on such emotionally direct albums as Plastic Ono Band. So producer Yoko Ono has chosen to rely primarily on demos and home recordings for this compilation — a choice that may not sit well with casual fans lured in by the simple, classy title, thinking that this is a more polished affair than it is. More problematic is that this 16-track collection is a hodgepodge of nine cuts previously released on the 1998 rarities box Anthology and seven previously unreleased tracks. Home recordings and demos are by their nature music that appeals primarily to die-hard fans, of which Lennon has many. However, those very fans will already own over half of this collection on the box set, and they'll not only wonder why they have to buy these songs again, but why the seven "new" songs didn't appear on Anthology in the first place, especially since they are very good. Of particular note: a lean, mean version of "Well Well Well" with a heavily phased vocal; a folky, laid-back "God"; a revved-up, tense "Cold Turkey" where John uncannily mimics Marc Bolan's high-pitched, lamb-like warble; a terrific, rollicking "What You Got" that cuts to the quick of the song; and a simple, light "Dear Yoko." These are all well worth hearing, but it's hard to recommend Acoustic as an album not only because of the recycling but because of the haphazard liner notes that never acknowledge when the recordings were cut (outside of the live tracks taken from a 1971 Ann Arbor, MI, rally for John Sinclair and a cut from an Attica benefit concert that year), nor offer any liner notes or context. The booklet simply offers fake book arrangements for the 16 tracks here, complete with lyrics, a chord chart, transcribed chatter ("I just wanted you to go and A&R it. OK, I'll try it."), and the meaningless instructions of "Flat Tuning," which presumably means that John's guitar was slightly out of tune when he cut the song (it's hard to tell, since "flat tuning" is not a musical term). This booklet along with the repeated recordings makes Acoustic feel like less than the sum of its parts, but those hardcore fans will likely buy it anyway because these seven previously unreleased tracks are worth hearing. But they'll grumble when they lay their money down. Tracks 1 Working Class Hero Lennon 4:00 2 Love Lennon 2:32 3 Well Well Well Lennon 1:17 4 Look at Me Lennon 2:50 5 God Lennon 2:41 6 My Mummy's Dead Lennon 1:16 7 Cold Turkey Lennon 3:29 8 The Luck of the Irish [live] Lennon, Ono 3:41 9 John Sinclair [live] Lennon 3:22 10 Woman Is the n***** of the World Lennon, Ono 0:42 11 What You Got Lennon 2:26 12 Watching the Wheels Lennon 3:07 13 Dear Yoko Lennon 4:07 14 Real Love Lennon 4:04 15 Imagine [live] Lennon 3:11 16 It's Real [instrumental] Lennon 1:08
June 30, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drh000/h038/h03806jxffr.jpg Album : Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon Rating : 4.5 Stars Release Date : Oct 4, 2005 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine There sure hasn't been a shortage of John Lennon compilations over the years, but there hasn't been a new collection since 1997's Lennon Legend and there haven't been any two-CD sets covering his entire career — until 2005's Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon, that is. Released on October 4, 2005, this surely was intended as a tie-in to the Broadway show Lennon: The Musical, but it wound up appearing ten days after the musical concluded its disastrous run. Even if the show did tank, it provided the occasion for this strong collection. Working Class Hero may tread familiar territory — not only does it have all the usual suspects, from "Instant Karma" to "(Just Like) Starting Over," it has them in a sequencing that feels familiar, even it doesn't correspond to any specific previous release — but that's fine, because it provides a rather thorough overview of Lennon's best-known solo songs. In many cases, these are often his best, but there are surely some great songs missing here, particularly because the comp emphasizes material with a slight romantic bent or songs that play into the myth of St. John (meaning, mixed alongside the hits there are plenty of songs about Yoko and being a father, and rockers are given short shrift). But these are minor complaints: anybody who wants a succinct yet comprehensive compilation of most of Lennon's solo best should be satisfied with this. Tracks 1 (Just Like) Starting Over 3:57 2 Imagine 3:02 3 Watching the Wheels 3:31 4 Jealous Guy 4:13 5 Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) 3:21 6 Stand by Me King, Leiber, Stoller 3:26 7 Working Class Hero 3:48 8 Power to the People 3:22 9 Oh My Love Lennon, Ono 2:44 10 Oh Yoko! 4:17 11 Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) 5:07 12 Nobody Told Me 3:34 13 Bless You 4:38 14 Come Together [live] 4:23 15 New York City 4:31 16 I'm Stepping Out 4:06 17 You Are Here 4:08 18 Borrowed Time 4:30 19 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) Lennon, Ono 3:37 20 Woman 3:33 21 Mind Games 4:12 22 Out the Blue 3:23 23 Whatever Gets You Thru the Night 3:26 24 Love 3:25 25 Mother 5:34 26 Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) 4:01 27 Woman Is the n***** of the World 5:16 28 God 4:10 29 Scared 4:36 30 #9 Dream 4:47 31 I'm Losing You 3:56 32 Isolation 2:52 33 Cold Turkey 5:03 34 Intuition 3:09 35 Gimme Some Truth 3:15 36 Give Peace a Chance 4:50 37 Real Love 4:12 38 Grow Old With Me 3;20
July 1, 200718 yr Author PAUL McCARTNEY http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/pic200/drP100/P146/P14607U2XT2.jpg Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Out of all the former Beatles, Paul McCartney by far had the most successful solo career, maintaining a constant presence in the British and American charts during the '70s and '80s. In America alone, he had nine number one singles and seven number one albums during the first 12 years of his solo career. Although he sold records, McCartney never attained much critical respect, especially when compared to his former partner John Lennon. Then again, he pursued a different path than Lennon, deciding early on that he wanted to be in a rock band. Little more than a year after the Beatles' breakup, McCartney had formed Wings with his wife, Linda, and the group remained active for the next ten years, racking up a string of hit albums, singles, and tours in the meantime. By the late '70s, many critics were taking potshots at McCartney's effortlessly melodic songcraft, but that didn't stop the public from buying his records. His sales didn't slow considerably until the late '80s, and he retaliated with his first full-scale tour since the '70s, which was a considerable success. During the '90s, McCartney recorded less frequently, concentrating on projects like his first classical recording, a techno album, and the Beatles' Anthology. Like Lennon and George Harrison, Paul McCartney began exploring creative avenues outside the Beatles during the late '60s, but where his bandmates released their own experimental records, McCartney confined himself to writing and production for other artists, with the exception of his 1966 soundtrack to The Family Way. Following his marriage to Linda Eastman on March 12, 1969, McCartney began working at his home studio on his first solo album. He released the record, McCartney, in April 1970, two weeks before the Beatles' Let It Be was scheduled to hit the stores. Prior to the album's release, he announced that the Beatles were breaking up, which was against the wishes of the other members. As a result, the tensions between him and the other three members, particularly Harrison and Lennon, increased and he earned the ill will of many critics. Nevertheless, McCartney became a hit, spending three weeks at the top of the American charts. Early in 1971, he returned with "Another Day," which became his first hit single as a solo artist. It was followed several months later by Ram, another homemade collection, this time featuring the contributions of his wife, Linda. By the end of 1971, the McCartneys had formed Wings, which was intended to be a full-fledged recording and touring band. Former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine and drummer Denny Seiwell became the group's other members, and Wings released their first album, Wild Life, in December 1971. Wild Life was greeted with poor reviews and was a relative flop. McCartney and Wings, which now featured former Grease Band guitarist Henry McCullough, spent 1972 as a working band, releasing three singles — the protest "Give Ireland Back to the Irish," the reggae-fied "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and the rocking "Hi Hi Hi" — in England. Red Rose Speedway followed in the spring of 1973, and while it received weak reviews, it became his second American number one album. Later in 1973, Wings embarked on their first British tour, at the conclusion of which McCullough and Seiwell left the band. Prior to their departure, McCartney's theme to the James Bond movie Live and Let Die became a Top Ten hit in the U.S. and U.K.. That summer, the remaining Wings proceeded to record a new album in Nigeria. Released late in 1973, Band on the Run was simultaneously McCartney's best-reviewed album and his most successful, spending four weeks at the top of the U.S. charts and eventually going triple platinum. Following the success of Band on the Run, McCartney formed a new version of Wings with guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Geoff Britton. The new lineup was showcased on the 1974 British single "Junior's Farm" and the 1975 hit album Venus and Mars. At the Speed of Sound followed in 1976, and it was the first Wings record to feature songwriting contributions by the other bandmembers. Nevertheless, the album became a monster success on the basis of two McCartney songs, "Silly Love Songs" and "Let 'Em In." Wings supported the album with their first international tour, which broke many attendance records and was captured on the live triple album Wings Over America (1976). After the tour was completed, Wings rested a bit during 1977, as McCartney released an instrumental version of Ram under the name Thrillington and produced Denny Laine's solo album Holly Days. Later that year, Wings released "Mull of Kintyre," which became the biggest-selling British single of all time, selling over two million copies. Wings followed "Mull of Kintyre" with London Town in 1978, which became another platinum record. After its release, McCulloch left the band to join the re-formed Small Faces and Wings released Back to the Egg in 1979. Though the record went platinum, it failed to produce any big hits. Early in 1980, McCartney was arrested for marijuana possession at the beginning of a Japanese tour; he was imprisoned for ten days and then released, without any charges being pressed. Wings embarked on a British tour in the spring of 1980 before McCartney recorded McCartney II, which was a one-man band effort like his solo debut. The following year, Denny Laine left Wings because McCartney didn't want to tour in the wake of John Lennon's assassination; in doing so, he effectively broke up Wings. McCartney entered the studio later that year with Beatles producer George Martin to make Tug of War. Released in the spring of 1982, Tug of War received the best reviews of any McCartney record since Band on the Run and spawned the number one single "Ebony and Ivory," a duet with Stevie Wonder that became McCartney's biggest American hit. In 1983, McCartney sang on "The Girl Is Mine," the first single from Michael Jackson's blockbuster album Thriller. In return, Jackson dueted with McCartney on "Say Say Say," the first single from Paul's 1983 album Pipes of Peace and the last number one single of his career. The relationship between Jackson and McCartney soured considerably when Jackson bought the publishing rights to the Beatles songs from underneath McCartney in 1985. McCartney directed his first feature film in 1984 with Give My Regards to Broad Street. While the soundtrack, which featured new songs and re-recorded Beatles tunes, was a hit, generating the hit single "No More Lonely Nights," the film was a flop, earning terrible reviews. The following year he had his last American Top Ten with the theme to the Chevy Chase/Dan Aykroyd comedy Spies Like Us. Press to Play (1986) received some strong reviews but the album was a flop. In 1988, he recorded a collection of rock & roll oldies called Choba B CCCP for release in the U.S.S.R.; it was given official release in the U.S. and U.K. in 1991. For 1989's Flowers in the Dirt, McCartney co-wrote several songs with Elvis Costello; the pair also wrote songs for Costello's Spike, including the hit "Veronica." Flowers in the Dirt received the strongest reviews of any McCartney release since Tug of War and was supported by an extensive international tour, which was captured on the live double album Tripping the Live Fantastic (1990). For the tour, McCartney hired guitarist Robbie McIntosh and bassist Hamish Stuart, who would form the core of his band through the remainder of the '90s. Early in 1991, McCartney released another live album in the form of Unplugged, which was taken from his appearance on MTV's acoustic concert program of the same name; it was the first Unplugged album to be released. Later that year, he unveiled Liverpool Oratorio, his first classical work. Another pop album, Off the Ground, followed in 1993, but the album failed to generate any big hits, despite McCartney's successful supporting tour. Following the completion of the New World tour, he released another live album, Paul Is Live, in December 1993. In 1994, he released an ambient techno album under the pseudonym the Fireman. McCartney premiered his second classical piece, "The Leaf," early in 1995 and then began hosting a Westwood One radio series called Oobu Joobu. But his primary activity in 1995, as well as 1996, was the Beatles' Anthology, which encompassed a lengthy video documentary of the band and the multi-volume release of Beatles outtakes and rarities. After Anthology was completed, he released Flaming Pie in summer 1997. A low-key, largely acoustic affair that had the some of the same charm of his debut, Flaming Pie was given the strongest reviews McCartney had received in years and was a modest commercial success, debuting at number two on the U.S. and U.K. charts; it was his highest American chart placing since he left the Beatles. Flaming Pie certainly benefited from the success of Anthology, as did McCartney himself — only a few months before the release of the album in 1997, he received a Knightship. On April 17, 1998, Linda McCartney died after a three-year struggle with breast cancer. A grieving Paul kept a low profile in the months to follow, but finally returned in fall 1999 with Run Devil Run, a collection primarily including cover songs. The electronica-based Liverpool Sound Collage followed a year later, and the pop album Driving Rain — a successor, of sorts, to Flaming Pie — came a year after that. The live album Back in the U.S. appeared in America in 2002 with the slightly different, international edition Back in the World following soon after. McCartney's next studio project included sessions with super-producer Nigel Godrich, the results of which appeared on the mellow Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard, released in late 2005. McCartney performed every instrument (not including the strings) on 2007's David Kahne-produced Memory Almost Full, a bold but whimsical collection of new songs, some of which were recorded before the Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard sessions.
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd100/d108/d10864h0m5u.jpg Artist : Paul McCartney Album : McCartney Rating : 4 Stars Release Date : Apr 20, 1970 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Paul McCartney retreated from the spotlight of the Beatles by recording his first solo album at his home studio, performing nearly all of the instruments himself. Appropriately, McCartney has an endearingly ragged, homemade quality that makes even its filler — and there is quite a bit of filler — rather ingratiating. Only a handful of songs rank as full-fledged McCartney classics, but those songs — the light folk-pop of "That Would Be Something," the sweet, gentle "Every Night," the ramshackle Beatles leftover "Teddy Boy," and the staggering "Maybe I'm Amazed" (not coincidentally the only rocker on the album) — are full of all the easy melodic charm that is McCartney's trademark. The rest of the album is charmingly slight, especially if it is read as a way to bring Paul back to earth after the heights of the Beatles. At the time the throwaway nature of much of the material was a shock, but it has become charming in retrospect. Unfortunately, in retrospect it also appears as a harbinger of the nagging mediocrity that would plague McCartney's entire solo career. Tracks 1 The Lovely Linda McCartney :44 2 That Would Be Something McCartney 2:37 3 Valentine Day McCartney 1:40 4 Every Night McCartney 2:31 5 Hot as Sun/Glasses McCartney 2:07 6 Junk McCartney 1:54 7 Man We Was Lonely McCartney 2:57 8 Oo You McCartney 2:48 9 Momma Miss America McCartney 4:05 10 Teddy Boy McCartney 2:23 11 Singalong Junk McCartney 2:35 12 Maybe I'm Amazed McCartney 3:50 13 Kreen-Akrore McCartney 4:14
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd100/d108/d10857dj377.jpg Artist : Paul & Linda McCartney Album : Ram Rating : 5 Stars Release Date : May 17, 1971 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine After the breakup, Beatles fans expected major statements from the three chief songwriters in the Fab Four. John and George fulfilled those expectations — Lennon with his lacerating, confessional John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Harrison with his triple-LP All Things Must Pass — but Paul McCartney certainly didn't, turning toward the modest charms of McCartney, and then crediting his wife Linda as a full-fledged collaborator on its 1971 follow-up, Ram. Where McCartney was homemade, sounding deliberately ragged in parts, Ram had a fuller production yet retained that ramshackle feel, sounding as if it were recorded in a shack out back, not far from the farm where the cover photo of Paul holding the ram by the horns was taken. It's filled with songs that feel tossed off, filled with songs that are cheerfully, incessantly melodic; it turns the monumental symphonic sweep of Abbey Road into a cheeky slice of whimsy on the two-part suite "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey." All this made Ram an object of scorn and derision upon its release (and for years afterward, in fact), but in retrospect it looks like nothing so much as the first indie pop album, a record that celebrates small pleasures with big melodies, a record that's guileless and unembarrassed to be cutesy. But McCartney never was quite the sap of his reputation, and even here, on possibly his most precious record, there's some ripping rock & roll in the mock-apocalyptic goof "Monkberry Moon Delight," the joyfully noisy "Smile Away," where his feet can be smelled a mile away, and "Eat at Home," a rollicking, winking sex song. All three of these are songs filled with good humor, and their foundation in old-time rock & roll makes it easy to overlook how inventive these productions are, but on the more obviously tuneful and gentle numbers — the ones that are more quintessentially McCartney-esque — it's plain to see how imaginative and gorgeous the arrangements are, especially on the sad, soaring finale, "Back of My Car," but even on its humble opposite, the sweet "Heart of the Country." These songs may not be self-styled major statements, but they are endearing and enduring, as is Ram itself, which seems like a more unique, exquisite pleasure with each passing year. Tracks 1 Too Many People McCartney 4:10 2 3 Legs McCartney 2:47 3 Ram On McCartney 2:29 4 Dear Boy McCartney, McCartney 2:15 5 Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey McCartney, McCartney 4:54 6 Smile Away McCartney 3:54 7 Heart of the Country McCartney, McCartney 2:23 8 Monkberry Moon Delight McCartney, McCartney 5:25 9 Eat at Home McCartney, McCartney 3:24 10 Long Haired Lady McCartney, McCartney 6:04 11 Ram On McCartney 0:55 12 Back Seat of My Car McCartney 4:37 13 Another Day [*] McCartney, McCartney 3:44 14 Oh Woman, Oh Why [*] McCartney 4:34 * Bonus Tracks
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc700/c739/c739445rbxw.jpg Artist : Wings Album : Wild Life Rating : 2.5 Stars Release Date : Dec 7, 1971 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine The irony of the first Wings album is that it seems more domesticated than Ram, feeling more like a Paul 'n' Linda effort than that record. Perhaps it's because this album is filled with music that's defiantly lightweight — not just the cloying cover of "Love Is Strange" but two versions apiece of songs called "Mumbo" and "Bip Bop." If this is a great musician bringing his band up to speed, so be it, but it never seems that way — it feels like one step removed from coasting, which is wanking. It's easy to get irritated by the upfront cutesiness, since it's married to music that's featherweight at best. Then again, that's what makes this record bizarrely fascinating — it's hard to imagine a record with less substance, especially from an artist who's not just among the most influential of the 20th century, but from one known for precise song and studiocraft. Here, he's thrown it all to the wind, trying to make a record that sounds as pastoral and relaxed as the album's cover photo. He makes something that sounds easy — easy enough that you and a couple of neighbors who you don't know very well could knock it out in your garage on a lazy Saturday afternoon — and that's what's frustrating and amazing about it. Yeah, it's possible to call this a terrible record, but it's so strange in its domestic bent and feigned ordinariness that it winds up being a pop album like no other. Tracks 1 Mumbo McCartney, McCartney 3:57 2 Bip Bop McCartney, McCartney 4:09 3 Love Is Strange Baker, Smith 4:51 4 Wild Life McCartney, McCartney 6:41 5 Some People Never Know McCartney, McCartney 6:36 6 I Am Your Singer McCartney, McCartney 2:18 7 Bip Bop Link McCartney, McCartney :52 8 Tomorrow McCartney, McCartney 3:27 9 Dear Friend McCartney, McCartney 5:59 10 Mumbo Link McCartney, McCartney :53 11 Give Ireland Back to the Irish [*] McCartney, McCartney 3:46 12 Mary Had a Little Lamb [*] McCartney, McCartney 3:34 13 Little Woman Love [*] McCartney, McCartney 2:11 14 Mama's Little Girl [*] McCartney 3:41
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc700/c739/c73941fmi3d.jpg Artist : Paul McCartney & Wings Album : Red Rose Speedway Rating : 4 Stars Release Date : Apr 30, 1973 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine All right, he's made a record with his wife and a record with his pickup band where democracy is allegedly the conceit even if it never sounds that way, so he returns to a solo effort, making the most disjointed album he ever cut. There's a certain fascination to its fragmented nature, not just because it's decidedly on the softer side of things, but because his desire for homegrown eccentricity has been fused with his inclination for bombastic art rock à la Abbey Road. Consequently, Red Rose Speedway winds up being a really strange record, one that veers toward the schmaltzy AOR MOR (especially on the hit single "My Love"), yet is thoroughly twisted in its own desire toward domestic art. As a result, this is every bit as insular as the lo-fi records of the early '90s, but considerably more artful, since it was, after all, designed by one of the great pop composers of the century. Yes, the greatest songs here are slight — "Big Barn Bed," "One More Kiss," and "When the Night" — but this is a deliberately slight record (slight in the way a snapshot album is important to a family yet glazes the eyes of any outside observer). Work your way into the inner circle, and McCartney's little flourishes are intoxicating — not just the melodies, but the facile production and offhand invention. If these are miniscule steps forward, consider this: if Brian Wilson can be praised for his half-assed ideas and execution, then why not McCartney, who has more character here than the Beach Boys did on their Brother records? Truthfully. Tracks 1 Big Barn Bed McCartney 3:49 2 My Love McCartney, McCartney 4:07 3 Get on the Right Thing McCartney, McCartney 4:16 4 One More Kiss McCartney 2:29 5 Little Lamb Dragonfly McCartney 6:20 6 Single Pigeon McCartney 1:52 7 When the Night McCartney 3:36 8 Loup (1st Indian on the Moon) McCartney 4:23 9 Medley: Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love/Power Cut McCartney, McCartney 11:25 10 C Moon [*] McCartney, McCartney 4:34 11 Hi, Hi, Hi [*] McCartney, McCartney 3:08 12 The Mess [live/*] McCartney 4:57 13 I Lie Around [*] McCartney, McCartney 4:59
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf800/f858/f85884y35wt.jpg Artist : Paul McCartney & Wings Album : Band on the Run Rating : 4.5 Stars Release Date : Dec 5, 1973 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Neither the dippy, rustic Wild Life nor the slick AOR flourishes of Red Rose Speedway earned Paul McCartney much respect, so he made the self-consciously ambitious Band on the Run to rebuke his critics. On the surface, Band on the Run appears to be constructed as a song cycle in the vein of Abbey Road, but subsequent listens reveal that the only similarities the two albums share are simply superficial. McCartney's talent for songcraft and nuanced arrangements is in ample display throughout the record, which makes many of the songs — including the nonsensical title track — sound more substantial than they actually are. While a handful of the songs are excellent — the surging, inspired surrealism of "Jet" is by far one of his best solo recordings, "Bluebird" is sunny acoustic pop, and "Helen Wheels" captures McCartney rocking with abandon — most of the songs are more style than substance. Yet McCartney's melodies are more consistent than any of his previous solo records, and there are no throwaways; the songs just happen to be not very good. Still, the record is enjoyable, whether it's the minor-key "Mrs. Vandebilt" or "Let Me Roll It," a silly response to John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?," which does make Band on the Run one of McCartney's finest solo efforts. However, there's little of real substance on the record. No matter how elaborate the production is, or how cleverly his mini-suites are constructed, Band on the Run is nothing more than a triumph of showmanship. [The Parlophone reissue includes the bonus track "Country Dreamer."] Tracks 1 Band on the Run McCartney, McCartney 5:12 2 Jet McCartney, McCartney 4:13 3 Bluebird McCartney, McCartney 3:24 4 Mrs. Vandebilt McCartney, McCartney 4:44 5 Let Me Roll It McCartney 4:52 6 Mamunia McCartney, McCartney 4:51 7 No Words Laine, McCartney 2:33 8 Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me) McCartney, McCartney 5:52 9 Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five McCartney, McCartney 5:29 10 Helen Wheels [*] McCartney, McCartney 3:47 11 Country Dreamer [*] McCartney 3:13
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre300/e348/e34873jp4o1.jpg Artist : Wings Album : Venus and Mars Rating : 3 Stars Release Date : May 27, 1975 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Band on the Run was a commercial success, but even if it was billed as a Wings effort, it was primarily recorded by Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine. So, it was time to once again turn Wings into a genuine band, adding Joe English and Jimmy McCulloch to the lineup and even letting the latter contribute a song. This faux-democracy isn't what signals that this is a band effort — it's the attitude, construction, and pacing, which McCartney acknowledges as much, opening with an acoustic title track that's a salute to arena rock, leading to a genuine arena rock anthem, "Rock Show." From that, it's pretty much rocking pop tunes, paced with a couple of ballads and a little whimsy, all graced with a little of the production flair that distinguished Band on the Run. But where that record was clearly a studio creation and consciously elaborate, this is a straightforward affair where the sonic details are simply window dressing. McCartney doesn't really try anything new, but the songs are a little more varied than the uniform, glossy production would suggest; he dips into soft-shoe music hall shuffle on "You Gave Me the Answer," gets a little psychedelic with "Spirits of Ancient Egypt," kicks out a '50s rock & roll groove with "Magento and Titanium Man," and unveils a typically sweet and lovely melody on "Listen to What the Man Said." These are a slight shifts on an album that certainly feels like the overture for the arena rock tour that it was, which makes it one of McCartney's more consistent listens, even though it's possible to scan the song listing after several listens and not recognize any song outside of "Listen to What the Man Said" and the opening medley by title. [The European import includes three extra songs, "Zoo Gang," "Lunchbox/Odd Sox," and "My Carnival] Tracks 1 Venus and Mars McCartney 1:20 2 Rock Show McCartney, McCartney 5:30 3 Love in Song McCartney 3:03 4 You Gave Me the Answer McCartney 2:14 5 Magneto and Titanium Man McCartney 3:16 6 Letting Go McCartney 4:33 7 Venus and Mars (Reprise) McCartney 2:05 8 Spirits of Ancient Egypt McCartney 3:04 9 Medicine Jar Allen, McCulloch 3:37 10 Call Me Back Again McCartney 4:58 11 Listen to What the Man Said McCartney 4:01 12 Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People McCartney 4:23 13 Crossroads Theme Hatch 1:09 14 Zoo Gang [*] McCartney 2:01 15 Lunch Box/Odd Sox [*] McCartney 3:50 16 My Carnival [*] McCartney 3:57
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf700/f763/f76398zhvt1.jpg Artist : Wings Album : Wings at the Speed of Sound Rating : 2 Stars Release Date : Mar 25, 1976 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine If Venus and Mars had the façade of being an album by a band, Wings at the Speed of Sound really is a full-band effort, where everybody gets a chance to sing, even contribute a song. This, ironically, winds up as considerably less cohesive than its predecessor despite these efforts for community, not because Wings was not a band in the proper sense, but because nobody else in the band pulled as much weight as Paul McCartney, who was resting on his laurels here. Consider this: the two hits "Let 'Em In" and "Silly Love Songs" are so lightweight that their lack of substance seems nearly defiant. They have sweet, nice melodies and are well crafted, but as songs they're nonexistent, working primarily as effervescent popcraft of their time. And that's the case for most of At the Speed of Sound, as tracks like "She's My Baby" play like the hits, only without memorable hooks. There is a bit of charm to the record, arriving in Linda's awkwardly sung "Cook of the House," the mellow "Must Do Something About It," and especially "Beware My Love," the best-written song here that effortlessly moves from sun-drenched harmonies to hard rock. Apart from the latter, these are modest pleasures buried on an album that may have been a chart-topping blockbuster, but now seems like one of McCartney's most transient works. [The CD reissue contained three bonus tracks, including the trad jazz instrumental "Walking in the Park with Eloise," which his father wrote, and the charming laid-back country "Sally G," which was better than most of the songs on Speed.] Tracks 1 Let 'Em In McCartney 5:11 2 The Note You Never Wrote McCartney, McCartney 4:20 3 She's My Baby McCartney 3:06 4 Beware My Love McCartney 6:29 5 Wino Junko Allen, McCartney, McCulloch 5:20 6 Silly Love Songs McCartney, McCartney 5:52 7 Cook of the House McCartney 2:38 8 Time to Hide Laine 4:32 9 Must Do Something About It McCartney 3:43 10 San Ferry Anne McCartney 2:09 11 Warm and Beautiful McCartney 3:21 12 Walking in the Park with Eloise [*] McCartney, McCartney 3:10 13 Bridge on the River Suite [*] McCartney 3:10 14 Sally G [*] McCartney, McCartney 3:39
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd700/d729/d729629567j.jpg Artist : Wings Album : Wings Over America (Live) Rating : 3 Stars Release Date : Dec 11, 1976 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Bruce Eder Basically, there are two things that rock bands do: they make an album and they go on tour. Since Paul McCartney fervently wanted to believe Wings was a real rock band, he had the group record an album or two and then took them on the road. In March of 1976 he released Wings at the Speed of Sound and launched a tour of America, following which he released Wings Over America, a triple-album set that re-created an entire concert from various venues. It was a massive set list, running over two hours and featuring 30 songs, and it was well received at the time, partially because he revived some Beatles tunes, partially because it wasn't the disaster some naysayers expected, and mostly because — like the tour itself — it was the first chance that millions of Beatles fans had to hear McCartney in concert properly (the Beatles had toured, to be sure, and had played before millions of people between 1963 and 1966, but as a result of the relatively primitive equipment they used and the frenzied, omnipresent screaming of the mid-'60s teen audiences at their shows, few of those present had actually "heard" the group). Wings were never a particularly gifted band, and nowhere is that more evident than on Wings Over America. Matters aren't really helped by the fact that the large set list gives McCartney full opportunity to show off his vast array of affected voices, from crooner to rocker to bluesman. Also, the repertory, in retrospect, is weighted too heavily toward the recent Wings albums Wings at the Speed of Sound and Band on the Run, which weren't really loaded with great tunes. (It's also hard to believe that there were two Denny Laine vocals so early in the program, or that the concert ended with the plodding rocker "Soily," which was never released on any other McCartney album.) In its defense, the album offers bracing renditions of "Maybe I'm Amazed" — arguably the best of McCartney's post-Beatles songs and possibly his single greatest composition — and "Band on the Run," as well as nicely distilling the harder side of his repertory, with a few breaks for softer songs such as "My Love" and "Silly Love Songs"; another highlight is the rippling bass sound, showing off that instrument in a manner closer in spirit to, say, a John Entwistle solo LP than to McCartney's more pop-focused studio work. The triple LP, issued two weeks before Christmas of 1976, was priced so low that it was offered by most stores as a "loss leader" to pull customers in; what's more, the Beatles mystique was still very much attached to record and artist alike — at the time, John Lennon had seemingly burnt out a major chunk of his talent, George Harrison was losing his popular edge and had done a disastrous 1974 American tour, and no one was expecting great things from Ringo Starr — and it seemed like McCartney represented the part of the group's legacy that came closest to living up to fans' expectations. Thus the album ended up selling in numbers, rivaling the likes of Frampton Comes Alive and other mega-hits of the period, and rode the charts for months. The double-CD reissue offers considerably improved sound, though the combination of workmanlike performances and relatively pedestrian songs diminishes the appeal of such small pleasures as the acoustic Beatles set or the storming "Hi Hi Hi." Wings Over America is most valuable as a souvenir for hardcore fans and also as a reminder of the excitement — beyond the actual merits of the group's work — that attended McCartney and Wings' work in the lingering afterglow of the Beatles. Tracks 1 Venus and Mars/Rock Show/Jet McCartney, McCartney 10:19 2 Let Me Roll It McCartney 3:44 3 Spirits of Ancient Egypt McCartney 4:05 4 Medicine Jar Allen, McCulloch 4:06 5 Maybe I'm Amazed McCartney 5:20 6 Call Me Back Again McCartney 5:15 7 Lady Madonna Lennon, McCartney 2:37 8 The Long and Winding Road Lennon, McCartney 4:28 9 Live and Let Die McCartney, McCartney 3:34 10 Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me) McCartney, McCartney 1:53 11 Richard Cory Simon 3:05 12 Bluebird McCartney, McCartney 3:43 13 I've Just Seen a Face Lennon, McCartney 2:11 14 Blackbird Lennon, McCartney 2:27 15 Yesterday Lennon, McCartney 1:49 16 You Gave Me the Answer McCartney 2:06 17 Magneto and Titanium Man McCartney 3:21 18 Go Now Banks, Bennett 3:46 19 My Love McCartney, McCartney 4:14 20 Listen to What the Man Said McCartney 3:40 21 Let 'Em In McCartney 4:08 22 Time to Hide Laine 4:55 23 Silly Love Songs McCartney, McCartney 6:05 24 Beware My Love McCartney 4:58 25 Letting Go McCartney 4:33 26 Band on the Run McCartney, McCartney 5:46 27 Hi, Hi, Hi McCartney, McCartney 3:48 28 Soily McCartney 5:44
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre700/e774/e77479qhctt.jpg Artist : Wings Album : London Town Rating : 4 Stars Release Date : Mar 31, 1978 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Reduced to the core trio of Linda and Paul McCartney, and Denny Laine after the successful Wings at the Speed of Sound tour, London Town finds Wings dropping the band façade slightly, turning in their most song-oriented effort since Band on the Run — which, not coincidentally, was recorded with this very trio. And although its high points don't shine as brightly as those on its two immediate predecessors, it's certainly stronger than Speed of Sound and, in its own way, as satisfying as Venus and Mars. What London Town has in its favor is Wings' (or, more likely, McCartney's) decision to settle into slick soft rock, relying on glossy, synth-heavy productions as he ratchets up the melodic quotient. This gives the album a distinctly European flavor, a feeling that intensifies when the lyrics are taken into the equation, and this gives London Town a different flavor than almost any other record in his catalog. And if its best moments aren't as strong as McCartney at his best, they, along with the album tracks, find him skillfully crafting engagingly light, tuneful songs that charm with their off-handed craft, domesticity, and unapologetic sweetness. McCartney's humor is in evidence here, too, with the terrific "Famous Groupies," which means there's a little of everything he does here, outside of flat-out rocking. It's a laid-back, almost effortless collection of professional pop and, as such, it's one of his strongest albums. [EMI's 1998 reissue was remastered and featured two bonus tracks.] Tracks 1 London Town Laine, McCartney 4:09 2 Cafe on the Left Bank McCartney 3:26 3 I'm Carrying McCartney 2:44 4 Backwards Traveller McCartney 1:08 5 Cuff Link McCartney 2:01 6 Children Children Laine, McCartney 2:22 7 Girlfriend McCartney 4:41 8 I've Had Enough McCartney 3:05 9 With a Little Luck McCartney 5:46 10 Famous Groupies McCartney 3:35 11 Deliver Your Children Laine, McCartney 4:17 12 Name and Address McCartney 3:08 13 Don't Let It Bring You Down Laine, McCartney 4:35 14 Morse Moose and the Grey Goose Laine, McCartney 6:24 15 Girls' School [*] McCartney 4:38 16 Mull of Kintyre [*] Laine, McCartney 4:42
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf700/f791/f79194khcg3.jpg Artist : Wings Album : Back to the Egg Rating : 2 Stars Release Date : 1979 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Back to the Egg is Paul McCartney's attempt to get back to rock & roll after the soft rock of London Town. Assembling a new lineup of Wings, McCartney leads the group through a set of his most undistinguished songs, ranging from the forced arena rock of "Old Siam, Sir" to the formulaic adult contemporary pap of "Arrow Through Me" — and those are two of the more memorable cuts on the record. Part of the problem is the weak sound of the record and Wings' faceless performances, but the true problem is the songs, which have no spark whatsoever. On the basis of Back to the Egg, it's no wonder that McCartney returned to solo recordings after its relative failure. [The MLP reissue features remastered sound and appends three bonus tracks.] Tracks 1 Reception McCartney 1:07 2 Getting Closer McCartney 3:22 3 We're Open Tonight McCartney 1:28 4 Spin It On McCartney 2:13 5 Again and Again and Again Laine 3:34 6 Old Siam, Sir McCartney 4:11 7 Arrow Through Me McCartney 3:36 8 Rockestra Theme McCartney 2:35 9 To You McCartney 3:13 10 After the Ball/Million Miles McCartney 4:00 11 Winter Rose/Love Awake McCartney 4:58 12 The Broadcast McCartney 1:30 13 So Glad to See You Here McCartney 3:22 14 Baby's Request McCartney 2:59 15 Daytime Nighttime Suffering [*] McCartney 3:21 16 Wonderful Christmastime [*] McCartney 3:48 17 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reggae [*] Marks 1:50
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd100/d126/d126750n94f.jpg Album : McCartney II Rating : 3.5 Stars Release Date : May 21, 1980 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Entitled McCartney II because its one-man band approach mirrors that of his first solo album, Paul McCartney's first record since the breakup of Wings was greeted upon its release as a return to form, especially since its synth-heavy arrangements seemed to represent his acceptance of new wave. In retrospect, the record is muddled and confused, nowhere more so than on the frazzled sequencing of "Temporary Secretary," where McCartney spits out ridiculous lyrics with a self-consciously atonal melody over gurgling synths. Things rarely get worse than that, and occasionally, as in the effortless hooks of "Coming Up," the record is quite enjoyable. Nevertheless, the majority of McCartney II is forced, and its lack of memorable melodies is accentuated by the stiff electronics, which were not innovative at the time and are even more awkward in the present. At least McCartney II finds Paul in an adventurous state of mind, which is a relief after years of formulaic pop. In some ways, the fact that he was trying was more relevant than the fact that the experiments failed. Tracks 1 Coming Up McCartney 3:52 2 Temporary Secretary McCartney 3:13 3 On the Way McCartney 3:36 4 Waterfalls McCartney 4:41 5 Nobody Knows McCartney 2:51 6 Front Parlour McCartney 3:30 7 Summer's Day Song McCartney 3:24 8 Frozen Jap McCartney 3:38 9 Bogey Music McCartney 3:25 10 Darkroom McCartney 3:18 11 One of These Days McCartney 3:33 12 Check My Machine [*] McCartney 5:51 13 Secret Friend [*] McCartney 10:30 14 Goodnight Tonight [*] McCartney 4:18
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre700/e702/e702826a3pb.jpg Album : Tug of War Rating : 4.5 Stars Release Date : Apr 26, 1982 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Reuniting with producer George Martin was a bit of a masterstroke on the part of Paul McCartney, since it guaranteed that Tug of War would receive a large, attentive audience. Martin does help McCartney focus, but it's hard to give all the credit to Tug of War, since McCartney was showing signs of creative rebirth on McCartney II, a homemade collection of synth-based tunes. This lush, ambitious, sprawling album couldn't be further from that record. That was deliberately experimental and intimate, while this is nothing less than a grand gesture, playing as McCartney's attempt to summarize everything he can do on one record. There's majestic balladry, folky guitars, unabashed whimsy, unashamed sentimentality, clever jokes, silliness, hints of reggae, a rockabilly duet with Carl Perkins, two collaborations with Stevie Wonder, and, of course, lots of great tunes. If anything, McCartney's trying a bit too hard here, and there are times that the music sags with its own ambition (or slightly dated production, as on the smash single "Ebony and Ivory"). But, at its best — the surging title track, the giddy "Take It Away," the vaudevillian stomp "Ballroom Dancing," the Lennon tribute "Here Today," the wonderful "Wanderlust" — it's as good as McCartney gets. Tracks 1 Tug of War McCartney 4:22 2 Take It Away McCartney 4:16 3 Somebody Who Cares McCartney 3:19 4 What's That You're Doing? McCartney, Wonder 6:22 5 Here Today McCartney 2:29 6 Ballroom Dancing McCartney 4:08 7 The Pound Is Sinking McCartney 2:55 8 Wanderlust McCartney 3:49 9 Get It McCartney 2:28 10 Be What You See [Link] McCartney :34 11 Dress Me up as a Robber McCartney 2:42 12 Ebony and Ivory McCartney 3:43
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre600/e600/e600624ss6w.jpg Album : Pipes of Peace Rating : 2.5 Stars Release Date : Nov 1983 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Perhaps it isn't surprising that McCartney's grip on the pop charts started to slip with Pipes of Peace, since it was released after his 40th birthday — and most rockers do not mature particularly gracefully. Although it's rather fascinating that the album didn't reach the Top Ten, despite a blockbuster duet with Michael Jackson in "Say Say Say," Pipes of Peace bewilders in other ways, particularly in its allusions to Tug of War. It often seems as if this album was constructed as a deliberate mirror image of its predecessor; it is also produced by George Martin, also contains two duets with an African-American superstar (Jackson here, Stevie Wonder there), also acknowledges an old bandmate (a Lennon tribute there, a Ringo cameo here), and even contains "Tug of Peace," a deliberate answer song to its predecessor. If only it were nearly as adventurous as Tug of War! Instead of dabbling in all his myriad musical personas, McCartney settles back into a soft rock groove, tempered somewhat by a desire to be contemporary (which means a heavy reliance on drum machines and synthesizers). Instead of sounding modern, McCartney winds up sounding like an aging rocker desperately trying to keep up with the time, but that in turn means that Pipes of Peace can often reveal what the early '80s were like for aging rockers — he does embrace technology, but he winds up with immaculate productions that are decidedly of their time. Still, at its best, Pipes of Peace is ingratiating soft rock. In particular, the first side is close to irresistible, with the title track being a mid-tempo mini-epic, "Say Say Say" being fine pop-funk, "So Bad" being so sickly sweet that it's alluring, "The Man" being an effervescent Jackson duet, and "The Other Me" scoring with its square dance beats and winning McCartney vocal. Not enough to add up to a latter-day triumph from McCartney, but it still contains better songs than its blockbuster mid-'70s counterparts, and even if it's a little lightweight, it has more flair in its craft and more style in its sound than other McCartney albums, which is enough to make it a minor musical success, despite its disappointing chart performance. Tracks 1 Pipes of Peace McCartney 3:56 2 Say Say Say Jackson, McCartney 3:56 3 The Other Me McCartney 3:58 4 Keep Under Cover McCartney 3:05 5 So Bad McCartney 3:20 6 The Man Jackson, McCartney 3:55 7 Sweetest Little Show McCartney 2:53 8 Average Person McCartney 4:33 9 Hey Hey [instrumental] Clarke, McCartney 2:54 10 Tug of Peace McCartney 2:55 11 Through Our Love McCartney 3:28 12 Twice In A Lifetime [*] 2;59 13 We All Stand Together [*] 4:22 14 Simple As That [*] 4:17
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre500/e587/e58776ickky.jpg Album : Give My Regards to Broad Street Rating : 2 Stars Release Date : Oct 1984 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine There's no justifying, let alone explaining, Macca's disastrous 1984 film Give My Regards to Broad Street — a nearly impenetrable "farce" involving stolen tapes, ghosts, and funny moustaches — and the soundtrack, if anything, is even messier. With just a few exceptions, this relies on older McCartney material from Revolver to Tug of War, with one significant touch — everything has been re-recorded. And that doesn't just mean that "Yesterday" has a new solo McCartney version, it means that he's recut songs as recent as "Ballroom Dancing" and Pipes of Peace's "So Bad." Perhaps if he reinterpreted them, this would at least be interesting, but he replicates the original recordings, down to the same solos. This would be an unmitigated disaster if it wasn't for "No More Lonely Nights," an absolutely lovely mid-tempo tune graced by a terrific David Gilmour guitar solo. Of course, he has to diminish that tune by including three versions of it (five on the CD reissue), which means that it's a much better bet to pick that up on All the Best instead of here. Tracks 1 No More Lonely Nights (Ballad) 5:13 2 Good Day Sunshine/Corridor Music 2:33 3 Yesterday 1:42 4 Here, There and Everywhere 1:43 5 Wanderlust 4:07 6 Ballroom Dancing 4:50 7 Silly Love Songs 5:27 8 Not Such a Bad Boy 3:28 9 So Bad 3:24 10 No Values/No More Lonely Nights 4:12 11 For No One 2:12 12 Eleanor Rigby/Eleanor's Dream 9:12 13 The Long and Winding Road 3:56 14 No More Lonely Nights [Playout Version] 5:07 15 Good Night Princess 3:58
July 1, 200718 yr Author http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre600/e698/e69826m2htv.jpg Album : Press to Play Rating : 2.5 Stars Release Date : Sep 19, 1986 Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine At the time, Press to Play was occasionally promoted as Macca's response to punk — which we all better hope is not true, since that means he was responding ten years after the fact, signaling just how out of touch he was. But McCartney wasn't that disconnected from reality (he did talk about punk in interviews from the late '70s), so a more accurate view of Press to Play is to see it as McCartney trying to reconnect with his classic strengths, from orchestral pop and whimsy to driving rockers and sweet love songs. All this is apparent on the record, often in pretty charming fashion. "Stranglehold" has an offhand charm, "Good Times Coming/Feel the Sun" feels like a forgotten Red Rose Speedway medley, "Move Over Busker" has a brisk gait (better than its cousin, "Angry," anyway), and "Press" is a terrific mid-'80s drum machine-driven slice of synth-pop, utterly featherweight in the best possible way. Each of these captures a different side of McCartney, and that's the overriding impression of Press to Play — McCartney is dabbling in each of his strengths, just to see what works. It doesn't wind up as one of his stronger albums, but it's more interesting than some of his more consistent ones, and those aforementioned cuts demonstrate that he could still cut effective pop records when he put his mind to it. Tracks 1 Stranglehold McCartney, Stewart 3:36 2 Good Times Coming/Feel the Sun McCartney 4:56 3 Talk More Talk McCartney 5:17 4 Footprints McCartney, Stewart 4:32 5 Only Love Remains McCartney 4:16 6 Press McCartney 4:43 7 Pretty Little Head McCartney, Stewart 5:13 8 Move over Busker McCartney, Stewart 4:05 9 Angry McCartney, Stewart 3:36 10 However Absurd McCartney, Stewart 4:58 11 Write Away McCartney, Stewart 3:01 12 It's Not True McCartney 5:53 13 Tough on a Tightrope McCartney, Stewart 4:51 14 Spies Like Us [*] McCartney 4:48 15 Once upon a Long Ago [*] McCartney 4:36
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