Paul McCartney - Egypt Station - Traveller’s Edition / Explorer's Edition*

• Got the standard vinyl, coloured vinyl, cd, deluxe cd. A year down the line it’s the biggest turkey he’s released since Driving Rain ... and that’s despite repeated listenings.

Chris

 

Just curious. Why did you keep buying it?

 

He bought 4 copies and hated every one. That's %400 the hate.

 

‘The food is terrible!’

‘Yes, and such small portions...’

 

How else do you expect a number one album from a total dog?

 

I’m shocked that you feel this way.


Shocked, I tell you!

 

You haven't exhausted all formats yet

 

I don't bother with album rankings or any goofy stuff like that. But I gotta ask, would you consider Egypt Station to be Paul's worst album? Even with a few ok songs, I'm inclined to give it that distinction.

 

Surprisingly (to some), no. It's the one I bag on the most here lately because it's the one that gets talked about the most here lately. I'd consider it lower-middle tier or upper-lower tier.

This ("goofy stuff" ) is still pretty accurate except I'd put ES solidly in Level IV now that, after a year, what little bloom of newness was on the rose is off.

 

For an album you describe as a dog you spend remarkable amount of time telling others how much you dislike it.
Personally I like dogs and Egypt Station

 

Actually I don't find that ranking system goofy. I was more picturing like giving them definitive numbered rankings from 1 to... well, whatever release number ES is. That style is pretty handy. Or this one, which is quite popular lately:

I'd have to stick ES in the E tier. And it's only getting saved from F tier because of the songs I like. And I don't think I'd rank any other album of his lower than a D.

 

I’m not sure what planet you guys are on, but I’m sure glad I don’t live there.

 

Just because I don't like it doesn't mean you can't.

 

I just don’t understand why anyone would put so much energy, time, and emotion into something they don’t like.

And obviously, you are in a very small minority. This is a very popular album. Calling it a dog, or some of the other pejoratives is a bit insulting to the majority who really like it, and it does nothing to present a case as to why we are loving something that you find lacking.

 

A very small minority among whom and "very popular" by what measure? Do you think actually there's a worldwide consensus about ES that I'm on the other side of by a "very" large margin? It went to number one for one week a year ago largely because he gave it away for free to people who came to watch him sing Beatles songs. Let's not get over our skis. Have you heard or read one thing about this "very popular album" in mainstream life since the marketing budget ran out?

Like it or don't like it, but this seems like a strange situation for an argumentum ad populum.

 

I’m holding out for the throwback 8 track

 

I don’t have time for this crap. Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and make a poll?

 

POLL: How do you rate Paul McCartney's "Egypt Station" album?

 

My opinion and reaction to the album is independent of what anyone else feels. That's, like, how opinions work, man. I'm not sure why you think I'm putting a lot of energy, time, or emotion into this. Surely I do put some in, because I am a McCartney fan of course! But most of my energy, time, and emotion goes into things I DO like. For instance, from January through May I listened to my entire Beatles collection, a whopping 240 hours or so at the time (next week it will be a little bigger). From August 2016 through February 2017 (with a few breaks for new releases and because I was missing a few albums) I listened to my entire McCartney collection, something I am getting the itch to do again (next year....) And maybe, just maybe, I like being a little annoying too, in good fun. Again, if you like the album, that's great! It's horses for courses, my friend!

But then you pile on with these incorrect arguments and unsubstantiated statements ("majority?" What majority? Majority of people who have bought the album? Heard the album? Population of the world? C'mon, now!), and that's just uncalled for. I don't know why you need to devote so much energy, time, and emotion into me not liking something. But ultimately, that's your prerogative, so have at it!

Woof!

EDIT: and I just voted in that poll @MPLRecords shared above. I chose "lower tier." Looks like the MAJORITY voted it to be at best "not bad."

 

Not sure what poll your looking at, but the MAJORITY voted it to be
"A pretty solid effort - worth recommending".

 

Must be about time for another edition of this to be announced.....

 

47% is a majority now?

Anyway, the claim was that my opinion of it as a lower-middling effort was in the "very small minority" and that the album was "very popular." Neither of those seems to be particularly...uh...how to put this delicately...true, even here among the faithful.

 

It's a good album with some memorable Macca moments. Is it groundbreaking? No. But I think 3-4 of these tracks are really amazing. It's more than we deserve at this point from 76-year-old Paul.

Look at Paul's contemporaries in 2018....Stones are covering others songs. Dylan is covering other songs. Paul Simon is covering his own songs.

Robert Plant put out a nice original record, but there are s0 few 60s era artists who did what Paul did in 2018.

 

That's impressive. I listened to Band on the Run through Saturday night (in my Saturday night state) and felt proud of myself. Seems like a less impressive effort now.

I came back in here when all the jokesters starting piling on the guy who bought multiple copies expecting it to be good but wound up not liking it. Seemed mean. Not much time, effort or emotion involved. Hadn't posted in earnest here since May.

People shouldn't worry much about my time, energy or emotion. I've got plenty of time and energy, and I have few emotions.

 

Well, that's kind of what I thought - before I ran my poll...

I think those who were particularly enthusiastic about the album tended to dominate the discussion in post-release threads, leading me to think it was as as popular as, say, "New". But the data shows different results. Using the same scale as all his other albums, it ranks #16 in popularity. If one includes Electric Arguments in the official canon (which I do), that means it's #16 out of 26, as ranked by members here.