credit: MARY MCCARTNEY/MPL COMMUNICATIONS
The old hack Mac is back with an 11-track crack at another self-produced album, Mccartney III. This time, however, it's gone to number one - a feat which Paul last achieved with a solo album 31 years ago.
Now, before we tuck into the music itself, I have a partiality to declare in case I'm hung, drawn and quartered in the nearby town square by a rabble of rabid Beatles fans, for calling Paul an old hack. I am, actually, a Beatle-head, too, and like many others, Paul's music has been a soundtrack to my life, ever since I can remember.
So with that ring-kiss aside, I think it makes sense to run a quick crash course in Paul's creative journey thus far, to get us all up to speed. Then, we'll crescendo with a nice juicy album review so that everyone walks away from this feeling well-fed.
So, in the spirit of extending that laboured food metaphor, i think its safe to say Paul was the cheese to John's onion, in The Beatles. For the most part, he gave us many of the footstompers, the singalong choruses, and the jovial lyrics. John, meanwhile - particularly in later years - was sharp with raw emotion, authentic stories, and political commentary. Paul's cheese really began to mature, however, in the post-Rubber Soul era, with personal favourites including Got To Get You Into My Life, Roccy Racoon and Fixing A Hole.
credit: Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images
After the Fab Four split in April 1970, Paul's career, like the rest of the group's (well, except Ringo's of course - bar the Thomas the Tank engine gig) remained colourful and electric for some time. In April 1970, while The Beatles cadaver was still steaming, our man Maccer dropped the first installment in what would eventually become a trilogy of solo LPs - titled, "Mccartney". True to Paul's style, it was simple, quaint, and rather pretty.
Hot on the heels of this debut release, while not part of the trilogy, came Ram, which opens with Too Many People - an honourable stab at Lennon for, as Paul sees it, breaking up the Fab Four. Unfortunately for some, this attitude didn't stick around for the rest of the album, which ultimately recieved mixed reviews.
Throughout the '70s, Paul continued to be a prolific and successful musician, forming Wings, and bagging five consecutive number one albums, including the critically acclaimed Band on the Run in 1973, and Wings at the Speed of Sound in 1976.
By 1980, Paul had released the second installment of his solo trilogy, Mccartney II, which was a precursor for the disbandment of Wings, as well as - arguably - the pop sound of the 80s.
credit: Jack Kay / Hulton Archive, Getty Images
At this point, I'll assume you have neither the time nor inclination to read about Paul McCartney's extensive discography in exhaustive, chronological detail, and fast-forward to the present day, and the release of the final installment of the solo album trilogy, Mccartney III. This chart topper was recorded at Maccer's home studio in Sussex, during, as he puts it, COVID-19 "Rockdown".
This self-produced LP was a "house keeping" project for Paul - comprised of song fragments that had been knocking around for some time, before a decision was made to have a clean out, finish them, and whack them on a disc.
The record opens flaccidly with a rather annoying jam, called Long Tailed Winter Bird, which sounds a bit like an angry captain hook playing a left handed guitar.
The second song, Find My Way, has a catchy melody and riff, with a satisfying sound, which is thick and grainy - like drinking a mug of boiling water and undissolved bisto. The only issue with that is, if you want to be cool or modern, dont go around knocking up mugs of bisto and water, dissolved or otherwise.
This seems to be a common thread on Mccartney III, though. Paul is really trying to produce music that is young and hip, but in failing to do so, the album's authenticity is impacted.
Listen to Lavatory Lil, Slidin' and Deep Down, and you'll see what I mean. A part of me wishes Paul would just embrace his age and wisdom more - like Dylan and Cohen did - and channel it into the sound.
Arguably, he does that very briefly on Kiss of Venus. This is my favourite moment on the album, and was inspired by a book on the movement of the planets. It features a regal harpsichord, and showcases the mature and beautifully simplistic style of music that made me fall in love with Paul from the very start (not literally).
credit: Capitol Records/YouTube
Around the midway point, comes a track called Deep Deep Feeling, which while melodically vanilla, should be commended for its level of experimentation. An 8 minute song, deploying a Brenall 1/4" reel-to-reel to layer 40 guitar tracks for each chord - creating a guitar orchestra of sorts - should be respected for its chutzpah. This is as close to cool as Mccartney III gets.
Overall, the album is worth a listen. The sound Paul has achieved, at 78, and on his own, is impressive. Its rich, textured, and at times, experimental. However, dont dig too deep. There isn't much in the way of content. Think of it as a chocolate Easter egg - sweet on the outside, but lacking in substance all the way through. Indeed, you'd be forgiven for wondering whether an album of this standard could reach number one under a breakthrough artist.
Either way, lets not forget how honoured we are to still have minds like Paul's around. May he stick around for many albums to come, so we can put our feet up by the fire, tuck in to a steaming mug of hot water and bisto, and revel in how comforted it makes us feel.
Written by Hamish Monk of Ocean Flaws
Ocean Flaws are an indie guitar band from Essex. Make sure to listen to their lastest single 'Spirit Level' on Spotify, Apple Music and all Streaming Platforms!
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