fredag 8 maj 2015

PAUL McCARTNEY/McCARTNEY II PCTC 258 (-80) UK

I know a couple of die hard McCartney fans who truly hate this album and consider it the worst solo effort by any Beatle. But since it was a million seller topping the UK list, reaching #3 on Billboard and going top ten in many other countries it's clear opinions differ. Recordings made summer 1979, almost a year before release, by McCartney home alone. I've seen claims most of it just was him having fun, testing a Studer 16-track home studio and some new electronic device - and that's exactly what it sounds like. A random mix of pop, rock'n'roll and synth pieces, some apparently made in the spur of the moment and others seemingly unfinished. It was a smart move putting all the strongest tracks on side one - "Coming Up" is good catchy pop, "Temporary Secretary" annoying but rather funny, "On The Way" sounding half done yet a pleasant blues attempt, "Waterfalls" ballad with hit feeling and "Nobody Knows" a totally OK rock'n'roll pastiche. Side two has more synth experimenting which obviously wasn't his area. Maybe he should have called Eno for structure. A disappointment in comparison to the 1979 masterpiece "Back To The Egg" , but with enough good cuts to make it worthwhile. First US on CBS (FC-36511) came with a bonus single ("Coming Up" live). Premiere UK had label as shown here and glossy fold/out cover with picture/lyric inner. (BÄ*) (PÖX*)(MÄCC*)

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