Any question about my views on this one?

Lots of anticipation for this one at certain other sites, but I was not really expecting anything great, not having purchased a new Macca LP since...well, never I guess, although I do have a recently purchased Ram and Band on the Run in the collection.

But then I started reading all kinds of positive reviews, and they all seemed to say that this was among Paul's best solo work...EVER. Now, for me, critical acclaim for a pop record is normally like Kryptonite. The louder the critical buzz, the less I like the band (for reference, see early releases by the White Stripes).

OK. Enough of my blathering. This is an incredible CD. If you are looking for a rocking record, this ain't it, but it is some of the nicest, most well recorded music I have heard in a long, long time.

Its sonics will not be confused with a new Steely Dan release, but while those records can sound almost too perfect and in fact, antiseptic, Macca's work here sounds as close to analog is I can imagine coming from a CD.

It sounds dynamic, and not at all bright, harsh, or compressed. Someone will probably publish a wave form putting the lie to all that, but in my room, my gear, my ears, its probably one of the best sounding pop releases I have heard in a long, long while.

Paul is in great voice, and his vocals are mixed upfront, dead center, and with very little if any processing. No lie; sitting dead nuts in the sweet spot, it sounds like Paul is in the room. Incredible sound.

I am not sure that there is any really new musical ground here, and there are a few echos to tunes from Paul's days with that other band he played in during the 60's(!), but I can forgive all that. Actually, what this music most reminds my of is if you took Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "Summerteeth", put them in a blender with Beck's "Sea Change", made it a little poppier, and had Paul handle the vocals.

One tip: After the last track plays, resist the temptation to stop the disc. About 20 seconds later begins what I guess are 3 studio out takes. The first is not that great, but the 2nd is a really cool sounding piano track, and last is some ambient noise that brings to mind some of the sonic mayhem in "A Day in the Life" mixed with "Tomorrow Never Knows" channelled through Wilco.

Putting all that aside, if this CD does not clean-up at the Grammies next year, I will be shocked.

Brian

Edit: Mods...feel free to edit the thread title so it won't look like I am a total doofus that does not know how to spell Chaos!

[AnthonyC]

I hated most of Driving Rain so I was pleasantly suprised to find that C&C is fantastic--a few clunkers but mostly, it's fantastic--I love "Friends to Go."

[Ted Lee]

thanks for the review! i may check this one out. also, i have a friend who may be selling his pair of tickets ... so i may actually get to see sir paul live!

[matthewRaz]

i bought this release mostly on the name of the producer (i listen to early mccartney and havent bought any of his recent stuff )
nigel godrich produces all the radiohead stuff from ok computer on and recorded beck's sea change, divine comedy's regeneration and co-produced the last air album.
best producer ever in my opinion.

[John Milton]

I also decided to buy this CD based on reading that the producer was the guy who worked on the Radiohead CD. I've always liked some of the McCartney songs I've heard but this is the first disc of his that I have purchased. I too think it's a great disc and I'm now thinking about purchasing Paul's earlier works.

[AlexCremers]

I also bought the CD because of the Radiohead's producer involvement. It sounds good, but is it really good? That's the question.

Well Alex, let me answer that one for you!

With the disclaimer that I am an old geezer (44...got Abbey Road when it was NEW!), who does not buy much new music by new bands because it all sucks both sonically and musically, this CD is the best piece of new music I have purchased in recent memory.

I don't consider any of the tracks truly throw-aways, even "English Tea" has a certain Beatle-esque charm.

And the sonics are perfect for the type of music being presented. I have a dedicated 2CH rig, and sit dead nuts at the top of the triangle. Paul's vocals are front and center, bass and drums are center but back a way, and the various piano/guitar/string parts are beautifully spread around the front of the room. Bass is warm and full, with tonality taken straight off of Abbey Road. As I mentioned earlier, its very analog sounding, in that the top end is rolled off, but the mids, particularly Paul's vocals just float in air above the mix.

I bought this last Friday, and have played it end to end perhaps 6 times since then. I NEVER do that.

IMHO, AFAIK, YMMV........

Brian

[Stu Rosen]

I'm not thrilled by the album - the melodies, usually his strongest point, sound like not-quite-complete first drafts - but I will say that for the first time since, Flowers in the Dirt, I guess, he sounds like he's trying. Some of it works, some of it doesn't, but it's an album I can see listening to occasionally.

[Craig S]

Put me in the "love it" camp. Great to have Paul back in such fine form.

I picked up the set with the DVD, which contains 3 music videos, and a 30-minute documentary on the making of the album. The doc is pretty good, with several segments breaking down the individual songs. Well worth the extra coin for Macca fans.

[kerrySan]

awesome review, worth a look

[ThomasC]

Holy shit. First off, I'm listening to this on my iPod with Sennheiser HD280 PRO headphones, and the sonics are AMAZING. I love the music as well.

[Robin_B]

I haven't heard "Driving Rain" yet or the new one but I have "Flaming Pie" which I thought was a great album. I'll probably get both some time. I have all his other studio albums.