Paul McCartney - New

Paul McCartney – New
2013, MPL Music

Paul McCartney.  You know… the former Beatle.  He’s at it again.  His latest album is New, and it’s the most vibrant work out of McCartney since Flowers in the Dirt.  The energy and newness this time around come from McCartney working with a host of producers. The result is a different feel and mojo for each song. 

New launches with "Save Us", an urgent rocker with Wings era flair.  The chorus is pure melodic magic, and in the days of AOR radio would have been a major hit. "Alligator" is a quirky little pop song typical of McCartney. "On My Way To Work" is a brilliant observational love song with a twist. . Written with a swaying feel, McCartney’s subject is obsessed from a distance.  "Queenie Eye" is a silly bit of fun typical of McCartney. 

"Early Days" is a gorgeous reminiscence of the early days with The Beatles. Gone is any sense of fame or stardom, and in its place is the sense of inspiration that got it all started in the first place. "New" sounds like a classic Beatles tune, full of melodic gold and interesting little musical turns. McCartney goes for a decidedly more modern sound on "Appreciate", using a looped electronic arrangement as the bed for as bland and repetitive pop tune that McCartney has ever released. 

"Everybody Out There" hearkens back to McCartney' work with Wings, but with a more urgent feel. It's edgy and dark, but with that singular pop sensibility that stands apart from the crowd. "Hosanna" is an unwieldy yet appealing love ballad that's more speculative than anything else. It's an enjoyable look at McCartney writing in dark timbres. "I Can Bet" is a wonderfully edgy piece of song craft from a man perhaps cajoling a wary love along into something deeper. Te arrangement is at times diffuse and without direction, but the overall effect is stunning. 

"Looking At Her" explores insecurity in the light of beauty in a fashion that most everyone has experienced a least once in their life. The universality of the song is appealing, and the edgy pop sensibility is icing on the cake. "Road" is a story song that is less accessible than the rest of the album, but no less intriguing for that. There's a mix of hope and hopelessness hear that seems disconnected but is so closely sound they are inseparable. McCartney bows with "Scared", a lovely baroque pop ballad full of overcast light. Love and its complications are on display here in minor keys and beautiful reflections.

It's amazing that after all these years that McCartney can still reach into the depths of genius and pull out a surprise. New shows McCartney’s edge and experience, but behind it all is that same simple genius that has driven his success with The Beatles, Wings, and on his own.  The voice perhaps isn’t as strong as it once was, and not everything here works on all levels, but McCartney still retains the alchemy to spin gold out of eight simple notes.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.paulmccartney.com.  

Paul McCartney - McCartney / McCartney II

Paul McCartney - McCartney and McCartney II
2011, MPL/Concord Music Group

The Paul McCartney Archive Collection got two more entries last month with the long-awaited re-release of McCartney (1970) and McCartney II (1980), the two albums that bookended his career phase with Wings.  McCartney followed close on the heels of the breakup of The Beatles, and featured three fan favorites, including what might be the pinnacle of McCartney's love songs, "Maybe I'm Amazed".  McCartney II was a #1 album in the UK and #3 in the US, and signaled McCartney's continued relevance in the pop world with such tracks as "Coming Up" and "Waterfalls".  Both albums are presented fully re-mastered by the same team that recently re-mastered the Beatles catalog, with Paul McCartney supervising the project.

The real treat for each collection, however, are in the expanded editions.  Each CD is available as a 2-CD "Special Edition" set with bonus tracks.  McCartney is also available as a 2 CD/1 DVD "Deluxe Edition" with rare footage, a 128-page hard-bound book and high-resolution downloads of the original album and bonus tracks.  McCartney II gets even more expansive, with a 3 CD/1 DVD "Deluxe Edition" featuring seven additional audio tracks and unreleased footage, including a video for the unreleased song "Blue Sway".    Like the first album, this special expanded set includes high resolution downloads and a 128 page hard bound book.  180gm audiophile vinyl recordings of both albums will also be released.

For the truly hard core Beatles/McCartney collector, nothing but the Deluxe Editions of each album will do.  For most, the single-disc versions will be fine, but the two-disc versions of McCartney and McCartney II probably provide the most bang for your buck.  McCartney's early solo material was uneven, prone to bizarre flights of fancy that sometimes turned to genius, and sometimes to stone.  But both albums are offered up in pristine sound quality, and there are versions available to please all levels of McCartney fandom.  On the whole, these are solid collections that add to the collectible material available from McCartney, but are more about re-packaging a proven product that truly offering something new.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

 Learn more about Paul McCartney at http://www.paulmccartney.com/. 

McCartney is available from Amazon.com as a Special Edition CD, Deluxe Edition CD, on Vinyl or as a Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

McCartney II is available from Amazon.com as a Special Edition CD, Deluxe Edition CD, on Vinyl or as a Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Paul McCartney & Wings – Band On The Run

Paul McCartney & Wings – Band On The Run (Special Edition)
2010, MPL Communications/Concord Music Group

When you talk about legends of the rock n roll era, Paul McCartney’s name floats to the top almost immediately.  One of the driving creative forces behind The Beatles, McCartney has gone on to have a lucrative second career with Wings and as a solo artist.  In 1973, Paul McCartney & Wings released their iconic album Band On The Run, earning seven-times platinum designation from the RIAA and three separate stints at #1 on the Billboard charts.  In November of this year, MPL Communications and Concord Music Group re-released Band On The Run in multiple versions just in time for the holidays.

If you’re already familiar with Band On The Run then you know what you’re getting.  If you’re not, you have the opportunity to hear for the first time one of the seminal albums of the 1970’s.  You don’t have to like The Beatles to get McCartney & Wings.  Band On The Run finds McCartney taking his brand of melodic genius – the one that lay at the core of all those Beatles hits of the previous decade – and turning it loose unfettered by other voices.  The album is brilliant as has been remarked many times before by more august publications than ours.    The bonus disc includes the tracks “Helen Wheels”, “Country Dreamer” and “Zoo Gang”, as well as six tracks from the unreleased documentary One Hand Clapping. 

Also included in the package is a DVD full of bonus materials that will turn McCartney fans green with envy.  Includes are music videos for “Band On The Run”, “Mamunia” and “Helen Wheels”.  An album promo is included, as well as short films “Wings In Lagos”, “Osterly Park” and the aforementioned documentary One Hand Clapping.   A deluxe edition adds a third CD plus a 120-page hard-bound book.

A healthy level of cynicism is always warranted with such re-issues.  Record labels and artists are motivated to sell you something you already have by packaging it with something you do not.  It really becomes a question of whether the bonus materials are worth dropping the money for.  In the case of Band On The Run it really comes down to your level of fanaticism for Paul McCartney and his music.  Hard core McCartney fans will love the bonus disc and DVD.  The sound quality on the original album doesn’t seriously differentiate itself from prior releases, so this one is all about the bonus materials.  For the true McCartney fan, this one is gold.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Paul McCartney at http://www.paulmccartney.com/ or www.myspace.com/paulmccartney.  Band On The Run is available from Amazon.com as a Standard CD, Special Edition 2-CD/1 DVD set, Deluxe Edition 3-CD/1 DVD set, 2-CD and 2-DVD Limited Special Edition,  LP or Digital Download.

Review: Barenaked Ladies – All In Good Time

Barenaked Ladies – All In Good Time
2010, Raisin Records/EMI

When the Barenaked Ladies lost co-front man Steve Page last year some fans questioned whether the band could carry on. The four remaining members Ed Robertson (vocals, guitar); Kevin Hearn (keys, vocals, guitar, etc.); Jim Creeggan (bass, vocals) and Tyler Stewart (drums, vocals) decided to continue as a quartet. While their early shows as a foursome did show some growing pains as the band learned different vocal parts than they had sung for, in some cases, the last two decades, it was clear that the change energized the band. On March 23, 2010 (Canada) and March 30, 2010 (USA), Barenaked Ladies will release their first album with the new lineup, All In Good Time. Longtime fans may have their worries, but this is Barenaked Ladies’ best work to date.

All In Good Time opens with the album’s first single “You Run Away”, a song that seems clearly written about the frustration felt by Robertson at the departure of Steve Page. While the band has been very professional about Page’s departure, the emotions expressed here are very clear even if Page is never mentioned. The melody is a thing of beauty; simple but lasting. “Summertime” carries echoes of some of Paul McCartney’s work with Wings while introducing some particular muscular guitar in counterpoint to the easy-listening arrangement. It’s a surprising turn for the band but a very enjoyable one. Kevin Hearn takes the mic for “Another Heartbreak”, a mid-tempo tune that fits Hearn’s tendency toward writing upbeat sounding songs with melancholic lyrics. It’s one of the better songs Hearn has contributed as a songwriter to the band thus far. Barenaked Ladies pull another sonic surprise on “Four Seconds”, a rapid-fire lyrical experience with a distinctly European flavor. Don’t be surprised if “Four Seconds” ends up as a single with a wildly successful dance club mix down the line.

Jim Creeggan brings a quirky ballad in “On The Lookout”, a 1970’s AM Radio-style tune with modern flourishes. Creeggan’s voice has been vastly under-represented on past albums and it’s good to hear his distinctive sound here. Robertson is up next with “Ordinary”, a gorgeous folk-rocker with some country attitude in its origins. For whatever else they may have lost in the past year, the vocal mix here sounds as good as ever. “I Have Learned” finds Robertson amidst an angry, muscular rocker that’s very atypical of the band’s past work. Fans will speculate if “I Have Learned” reflects on the band’s last year, and it’s quite possible, but it’s a nice change of pace from a band that’s garnered a reputation for a lighter sound. “Every Subway Car” is a love song that seems to be colored in the dark textures of urban decay. The song is positively upbeat while taking a slightly darker perspective of the world than fans may be used to.

Kevin Hearn’s “Jerome” sounds like an ode to the Old West; a down-tempo paean to the ghosts that still walk the streets. “How Long” is a high-powered rock tune that displays some seriously melodic muscle. Robertson takes vocals on “Golden Boy”, perhaps the clearest song reference to Page on the album. The song echoes sentiments raised in “You Run Away” as well as some of the comments Page has made in the press since departing the band. The song is very solid, with the sort of upbeat chorus you’d expect from Barenaked Ladies, but includes uncharacteristic anger delivered in gentle but pointed tones. Creeggan takes the mic one last time for “I Saw It”, a gentle breakup ballad that is a nice counter to the preceding track while perhaps staying on subject. “The Love We’re In” is a brief and rueful observation on a relationship that isn’t working. Ed Robertson takes vocals for the last time on the album in a song that sounds like it’s incomplete, although that plays entirely to the subject of the song. Kevin Hearn says goodnight on behalf of Barenaked Ladies with “Watching The Northern Lights”, a peaceful rumination that reflects, after all of the struggle of the past year, Barenaked Ladies have landed in a good place.

You never know what a major personnel change will do to a band. Some come out as good as ever, while some bands flounder until either the original line-up reunites or the band hangs it up. Barenaked Ladies seem to be trying for the much rarer distinction of actually getting better. All In Good Time lacks the narcissistic anger and dysfunction that Page’s songwriting brought, but that well is filled by real emotion generated through the trials and tribulations of the past year. Musically, All In Good Time is Barenaked Ladies’ finest work yet. This is an album you’ll live with for a while. All In Good Time is a new cornerstone for the band, and a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Barenaked Ladies at http://www.barenakedladies.com/ or www.myspace.com/barenakedladies. All In Good Time drops March 23, 2010 in Canada and March 30, 2010 in the US and the UK. All In Good Time can be pre-ordered from Amazon.com in either the standard edition or special edition (with t-shirt and bonus tracks). Digital versions are available through Amazon.com and iTunes.