I’ve grown fond of this album over the years. It is overstuffed and I’d have liked some trimming of the fat (Backwards Traveller, Cuff Link, Girlfriend and Children, Children). It does lack another good rocker, like Girls School. My main disappointment back then, as a big Wings fan, was the missed opportunity to put together a great “rock” album on the heels of Wings Over America and the band firing on all cylinders. Deciding to record on a boat, along with Linda’s pregnancy and too many drugs I think got in the way of that, and perhaps informs the cobbled together feel of London Town. Wings best harmony album though.
I think Back To The Egg is ten times the record that London Town is. London Town is my least favorite Wings album by a substantial margin. "With a Little Luck" is sublime, but most of this album seems half-baked at best.
I would love to hear the album without the electric piano and synths. Hopefully there are demos with acoustic piano and guitar.
Echoing the OP and others - my fav Wings LP (and their longest) - first I got as a new release (and also got 45 of WALL) - follow BTTE was my least fav I love the folk vibe, the couple rockers, the joy and synth on With A Little Luck, the childlike exuberance Denny brings and the wackiness of Morse Moose, Grey Goose & Famous Groupies. Really enjoy every tune here but WALL is my fav and the title track (and its ridiculous video) my least fav. Never wished any track was replaced with Girls School or Mull though nice to have them as bonus tracks. Probably the tune here that made him the most dough was Girlfriend, when Off The Wall sales soared even higher after Thriller's success.
Don't think 12" singles were a thing yet really and why include it when 2 million people had just bought the 7 inch single (in the UK)?
They started in 75 with Love To Love You Baby but were initially only used for dance tracks with heavy bass. We called them "Disco Singles" in the 70s.
I tried a few months ago. I did buy it new when it came out. It was my last Macca/Wings music til Off The Ground. I thought it was a snoozefest then..and not much changed for me upon a fresh listen.
I agree completely. I revisited London Town a few years ago and was shocked at how good it was. I had believed the reviews that said the album was just late-70s soft rock, but that is not the case at all. I have no emotional investment in overrating Paul's solo albums, mind you, but I was not expecting the album to be this good. The title track is one of his most beautiful melodies, and the lyrics to that song are sublime.
Good to know I'm not alone. "Band On The Run" is a half decent album imho. I always thought "London Town" was more interesting. At least to my ears it is much more melodic overall - and I also love Paul's attitude of ignoring Punk and Disco by releasing his most relaxed and laid back album to date. Not a perfect album by any means, but a pretty good one.
I was regularly visiting London at the time the album came out and not only brought the LP in London but would hear it being played in many of the record shops i frequented, so yeah it's a fave for me as it evokes so many happy memories of that time and place.
London Town & Back To The Egg are my favorite Paul albums. Love the songs on London Town (minus Girlfriend) but not a big fan of the sound. Could definitely use a remaster if not a remix. I hope that these 2 get the Archive treatment soon.
I need to give London Town another shot. I still love “With A Little Luck”, but the record seemed a little blah to me when I was a kid.
Mull of Kintyre remains the biggest selling non charity single of all time in the UK. I think there are some really good tracks on the album. A few fillers, though. Good album and best to get the original UK CD. Sounds very nice. Better than 1st Japanese CD, too much treble on that. Does anyone have definite info it is the next archive release? I've actually not been that impressed with the archive releases. Give me the SQ of the original 80's CD's. More natural sounding.
It was blah to me as an adult. Came out in the middle of the punk/new wave assault. Didn’t stand a chance.
Six of the songs are cowritten with Denny Laine. I like his song Time To Hide from Speed of Sound and Again and Again and Again from back to the egg, but his songs on London Town don't hold up to repeated listening for me. Seems like the cowritten songs are songs Denny had written and McCartney completed for him like No Words from Band On The Run, which I like. The cowritten London Town single only made it to number 39 on the charts and the McCartney written I've Had Enough only made it to 25. Other thing is the year before Denny, Paul and Linda recorded Denny's solo album, Holly Days containing lesser known Holly songs. Seems like McCartney was trying to cram Denny Laine down our throats. Then shortly after that he released a single by Linda, Seaside Woman. It seems like McCartney was turning the keys to Wings over to Denny and Linda, but their songs were not good enough but even Paul's songs aren't that good except for With a Little Luck.
