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

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mrjinks, Jul 14, 2014.

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  1. Mike Visco

    Mike Visco Forum Resident

    Location:
    Newark, NJ
    McCartney 1 was organic, McCartney II was synththetic.
     
  2. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    I'm biest, since it was the first Macca/Beatle recording I bought when released!
    I was 12, and loved it to death!
     
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  3. DrBeatle

    DrBeatle The Rock and Roll Chemist

    Location:
    Midwest via Boston
    Same here...I love it because it's so bizarre, so un-McCartney like, so experimental, and even the songs that seem to be tuneless have a melody buried underneath (see: Temporary Secretary)
     
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  4. ampmods

    ampmods Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA, USA
    Often an artist makes records later in their career that get attention mainly because the artist used to make really interesting/great albums but not necessarily for the quality of their current album.

    But to me McCartney II stands on it's own as a really interesting and great. If McCartney had been an unknown in 1980, I think the album would have still been considered a great album on the strength of "Coming Up" and "Waterfalls" alone. In fact, it might have been considered even greater than it was if he had been an unknown.
     
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  5. setalpgninnpsekil

    setalpgninnpsekil Forum Resident

    This might be the McCartney album I listen to the most all the way through. You can tell that he was really having fun here.
     
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  6. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    It's interesting. Nowhere near as polished as Tug Of War would be 2 years later, but not meant to be. Even this 'experimental' album produced 2 UK top 10 singles in Coming Up and Waterfalls. The whole thing isn't as obviously melodic as some of McCartney's stuff, but repeated plays benefit it. There are glimmers of his magic to be enjoyed. Always liked the LP artwork. I'd imagine Paul's expression in the picture on the front cover would be similar to the ones on many fans faces as they played it for the first time!

    It's not my favourite Macca album, but I remember (and still play) it with great fondness.
     
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  7. drasil

    drasil Former Resident

    Location:
    NYC
    the McCartney albums where Paul is totally stoned are always the ones I listen to the most, and this is right at the top of the list--with the first album and london town, you've got the holy trinity of a quick hit and check... my machine... check...

    these days, it has a kind of mini-ram effect going for it, where the record is being resurrected largely by those who weren't around to see it panned in the first place. there was a year where nearly every mix I was given had 'temporary secretary' on it. and those synth instrumentals sound very similar to music that's pouring out of brooklyn right now.

    plus Linda's amazing gatefold photo warrants a mention--possibly one of her best portraits of anyone.

    II will work for you if you're into hearing a verite snapshot of Paul's mind, just like the white album or McCartney (clearly, by design). if the ultra-professional band on the run Paul is your thing, skip it. but for some folks, a group that apparently includes songwriters for TLC, the idea of him up at three in the morning with a spliff in one hand and an ARP in the other writing songs about what rock music will sound like in the future is pretty seductive.
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2014
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  8. maccafan

    maccafan Senior Member

    I would never ever tell anyone to avoid McCartney II.

    It's just my personal opinion that it's his absolute worst ,along with that Fireman stuff.

    If others like it, that's great.

    That's the wonderful thing about McCartney's music, there's something for everyone!
     
  9. Fivebyfive

    Fivebyfive Forum Resident

    Location:
    East coast, US
    And the same could be said for any album by any artist, including the Beatles.
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2014
  10. McCool

    McCool Forum Resident

    I've always enjoyed McCartney II. I like all of that stuff..."Temporary Secretary", "Check My Machine" (which was a b-side), the album version of "Coming Up" (John Lennon was right about this one). It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea and certainly not the album which to use to introduce someone to McCartney's solo catalog but that aside it's fascinating. I always enjoyed the instrumentals too..."Front Parlour" and "Frozen Jap" are cool songs.
     
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  11. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    absolutely not, no way, no how.
     
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  12. Chris from Chicago

    Chris from Chicago Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes

    I like it. Don't love it. I want to love it. I've tried... repeatedly. It has some nice moments, though. I really like the bluesy simplicity of On The Way. But the seemingly endless synths wear on me after a while
     
  13. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    So you think EVERY album ever made has 1-3 good songs, 1-3 okay songs and filler? :confused: :wtf:
     
  14. Fivebyfive

    Fivebyfive Forum Resident

    Location:
    East coast, US
    I think 2 people could listen to the same album -- by any artist -- and one person treasures every track and the other thinks "well it has 1-3 good songs, 1-3 OK songs and the rest filler."

    Mostly I was taking issue with this idea that McCartney is somehow unusual in having filler on his albums. I think that's true of every artist. It's just we don't all agree on what qualifies as the good stuff and what qualifies as the filler. I could point to any number of albums by Dylan, or Bowie, or the Stones, etc., that I think have maybe 3 great tracks, 3 good ones, and the rest filler. That's what half the threads on this forum are about -- people debating what they think is the good stuff and what's not.
     
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  15. Fivebyfive

    Fivebyfive Forum Resident

    Location:
    East coast, US
    :cool: I knew that would get some people's blood boiling. But just yesterday I saw a music writer in a major newspaper describe the White Album as "patchy." Now I think it's brilliant. But haven't we had countless threads here about the White Album, and which tracks are good, which tracks are OK and which are filler?

    Sorry for the thread derail. Back to topic: McCartney II is a great album IMO. I would rather listen to it any day than anything Paul released in the 80s.
     
  16. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Obviously you're not going to find any album about which every person in the world agrees. But the argument you appeared to make is that the general consensus would view ALL albums as 1-3 good songs, 1-3 decent ones and then filler, and that's just perplexing... :shrug:
     
  17. tosaguy

    tosaguy Active Member

    Location:
    USA
    It's not my favorite, but I enjoy most of it. I recently discovered this McCartney II interview and had two thoughts:

    1. Do you think Paul was referring to The Gap stores?
    2. We all know how Paul tells the same stories ("let's write a swimming pool"), but how many stories like that did the other Beatles ever tell? At least Paul has tried, over the years, to offer more insight than the others ever did.

     
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  18. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Because he's had the most successful solo career - and put out by far the most material - Macca is/was always gonna be in the public eye more than the others. That's good and bad, as a) it means he talked to the press more, but b) he also told the same damned stories more! :laugh:

    Paul has always been more concerned with public appearances than the others, too, which I think is part of the reason we get the same tried 'n' true stories over and over...
     
  19. There's no McCartney solo album that I'd rate as the lowest rating here ("avoid at all costs"), but I voted for "Lower-tier McCartney - only a couple songs worth revisiting ".
    I think his absolute weakest is "Pipes Of Peace", & that both "Press To Play" & "McCartney II" are pretty much around that shelf. All have great moments, but they are few & far between, on exist on his least realized efforts.
     
  20. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    pretty much the only one I listen to on a regular basis, Genius! It reminds me of David Byrne & Brian Eno's My Life In the Bush of Ghosts....
     
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  21. GubGub

    GubGub Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sussex
    That is high, if baffling praise indeed. :righton:
     
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  22. Love it. Always have, always will. Essential Macca Music.
     
  23. Holy Diver

    Holy Diver Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I do like the live version of Coming Up way more than the one on II.
     
  24. Yovra

    Yovra Collector of Beatles Threads

    It's not without dud tracks, but there are 3 or 4 great tracks!
     
  25. Jerry Horne

    Jerry Horne WYWH (1975-2025)

    Location:
    NW
    My favorite McCartney lp. Warm songs with a cold synthetic production. Music for cold days and warm tea.
     
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