Paul McCartney Album by Album Thread

It's hard to disagree with much of that, and yet somehow it remains for many (me included) a fantastic album to spend time with and enjoy, despite the flaws!

 

I'd stay on McCartney for a few more days. For my Monkees song by song threads I posted a new album every Monday for Monkee Monday. That worked pretty well and folks looked forward to the new album each Monday. You could do McCartney Monday and focus on a new album every Monday. I guess you could post on Wings Wednesday as well?

 

I love The Family Way. When I'm listening to a bunch of McCartney, It makes a great palate cleanser between main albums. It's also a very pleasant morning album. The horns etc. take me back to Penny Lane and that whole era.

 

Well, that's all what matters from a music fan perspective. For instance, I really enjoy listening to Rock 'N' Roll by John Lennon, even though I admit it's a minor work from his brief catalog.

 

Thrillington Thursdays? Fireman Fridays?

 

Great album and one of his best.
Junk, Every Night & Amazed are some of the best songs of his career and the rest is Macca therapy. Almost Paul's POB, probably won't hear as honest Paul record till Chaos again.
Love Macca Solo from here till 74 flaws & all.

 

Family Way soundtrack - it's a pleasant listen. The main melody Paul composed for this project is really good. It stands out. I don't listen to this one often, but I enjoy it when I do. Truthfully, it's my favorite of Paul's "classical" albums that I've heard. True, it's mostly that melody presented in a bunch of different ways, but he and Martin did a good job.

McCartney - I'm going to stand up for Singalong Junk here. It's my favorite track on the album. It's a sunning melody and while I like Paul's voice, as an instrumental this one really shines. When I first heard the album I didn't realize it was the same song as Junk, just instrumental. That was a very happy surprise when I neared the end of the album! I wouldn't drop anything from the album, but if I did I'd only have Singalong Junk and not the vocal one. As for the rest of the songs, there are some really good ideas here but they're not fully fleshed out as most everyone has said. Still, I like that he did the album this way. We already knew what Paul McCartney was capable of. I'm glad he put out an album that's so out of left field. Best tracks are Singalong Junk, Maybe I'm Amazed and Every Night.

 

Well of course, those go without saying, and don't forget the ever important Twin Freaks Tuesday!

 

The Family Way is nice. It was recorded just before the start of the Pepper sessions and you can feel a bit of what was soon to come--I'm thinking of the brass band material on side one and the Pepper title track.

The McCartney album seemed unfinished in some respects, but when it's good it's very good. BTW, Ooh You def got some radio play where I grew up too.

 

Maybe we should even include Oobu Joobu Radio Shows into our discussions somehow?

And by the way, there was Band On The Run 25th Anniversary Edition with the 2nd bonus CD full of music and interviews.

Just a thought ;-)

 

Perfect timing, as that will be nap time for me.

 

Listened to McCartney today, Maybe I'm Amazed might be one of my least favorites on the album. Between Every Night, Man We Was Lonely, Junk, Teddy Boy and That Would Be Something are some of the best McCartney songs.

 

It’s not Band on the Run, or RAM for that matter, but, like others here, I find the “homespun” simplicity of it kind of refreshing. Delightful, even.

While “Maybe I’m Amazed” is the clear standout, I wouldn’t say there’s only “one strong track.” A matter of opinion, of course, but I certainly think “Every Night” is just as strong.

I’d never heard “Every Night” until Paul did MTV Unplugged, but it really stood out for me, and that, along with the other two McCartney (the album) songs in that show (“That Would Be Something,” and an instrumental “Junk”) led me to to finally seek McCartney out. Glad I did, as I think it’s something of an understated, unheralded gem.

Again, just one guy’s opinion but I think even the unfinished songs (I would throw “That Would Be Something” on that list since it’s really just a repeated chorus) all have their charms. And, slight as some of them are, they sound great

Then there’s “Momma Miss America,” which is just as cool an instrumental as I’ve ever heard. Very much of its time, and I love it. Another standout, IMO.

I dunno. I can see how some might dismiss it as something he quickly knocked off. Some tracks are better than others, certainly. But I think it was the right album for Paul at that time. He just needed to get something out there, and go his own, simplified path. Make some music for himself and have fun (Something he hadn’t had in awhile) with it again. Sort of an “anti-statement”?

An anti-statement with one really powerful statement (“Maybe I’m Amazed”) tucked within, just to show everyone he’s still got it.

George needed to make a bold statement — and he did — with all those songs he had saved up. John had his demons to exorcise. Ringo was Ringo. I don’t think it made sense for Paul to overthink it, or to drive himself bonkers trying to make some grand, epic debut that would compare with Abbey Road or whatever.

It’s cool if you don’t like it, but I just don’t see it as “poor” by any stretch. Personally, I’d save that term for his late ‘70s and most of his ‘80s albums. Maybe a couple of others.

The McCartney album is something of an oddity, I guess, but I find it a really satisfying listen. Moreso than most of the solo Beatles albums.

 

“... some of the best songs of his career and the rest is Macca therapy” is perfect.

You managed to say in one sentence what it took me 10 rambling paragraphs to express. Well done!

 

I like Paul’s instrumentals. I wish there were more of them.

 

As you may know, the whole instrumental album by Paul is gonna see release this year ;-)

 

With the long awaited track, “Quarters”

 

My My, Hey Hey

Neil was brilliant. He would know brilliance even if it is 'half baked.' That's part of the album charm. If he had gone full on production with it it would've gotten equally critical reviews like RAM. Paul was going to lose either way.

I think McCartney actually gets less respect than it deserves. Paul gets very bluesy on this album in parts. Almost like he's really identifying with the blues himself, having gone through a tough break up. There really is nothing else quite like this album. It's almost like a private performance for the listener. Paul is singing right to you, an audience of one. It's personable and intimate, not commercial at all, but still completely relaxed.

I think That Would Be Something is Why Don't We Do It In The Road done right. Not that I hate Why Don't We Do It In The Road. But That Would Be Something is so much more open to imagination, while still being provocative. Love the mouth percussion on that track.

 

Oh dear, we're gonna need you to see a doctor

 

I can see why Beatles fans at the time McCartney was released were disappointed. Not only did they have to deal with “Paul breaks up The Beatles” but he didn’t even have the courtesy to put out a BIG STATEMENT, instead he put out a lo-fi homespun album of some great songs and some other odds and ends. Then when John and George released their BIG STATEMENTS later in the year, it must have looked even worse in comparison.

If it had been released as a side project, an experiment even, earlier in The Beatles’ career it probably would have been received better at release. But instead it was the wrong album at the wrong time for a lot of Beatles fans, I imagine. Thankfully it can now be listened to free of that context.

 

I think that Paul probably also felt that some of these songs were just demoes. He did some additional arrangements when he had to play them live -- as is the case with "Every Night" and "Hot as Sun" for the final Wings tour and "That Would Be Something" in the Unplugged concert.

 

The coolest thing about the McCartney album is how loose it all feels. It's completely natural. Real hippie stuff. Barefoot and lazing around the house with wine and weed and instruments. It sounds completely of it's time. And while there are plenty of things that feel dashed off or half-finished... there is also some real genuine moments of pure clarity that just sparkle with genuine magic.

Favorites: "Junk," "Singalong Junk," "Every Night"

 

Wow. Maybe I'm Amazed is his greatest ever song (probably)

 

I had another listen.
The biggest thing wrong with this album is fans trying to pump it up as a masterpiece. It is Paul messing around with varying degrees of success. It has some good songs, and some bits and pieces, and taken at that level it's pretty good.
It is not some genius masterpiece of modern songwriting

 

I’ve probably just heard that song too much tbh, but I means it’s obviously his signature solo song as it should be.