smoe.org mailing lists
ivan@stellysee.de
| From | jchasin@nyc.rr.com |
| Subject | McCatney: I Like It! |
| Date | Fri, 15 Jun 2007 10:39:53 -0400 |
[Part 1 text/plain us-ascii (4.2 kilobytes)]
(View Text in a separate window)
I decided midway through the third listen that I really like Memory
Almost Full. Here's what I told the good people at Amazon:
Among McCartney's work from 1980 on, it is generally accepted that the
two best records are Tug of War (1982) and Flowers in the Dirt (1989).
Memory Almost Full deserves a place beside these two later-period
works; it is certainly his best since Flowers in the Dirt.
When Linda McCartney passed away, clearly a part of Paul died with her,
and his post-Linda records (Run Devil Run, Driving Rain, and Chaos and
Creation) all sounded fragile, brittle, old, lonely. This from an
artist who is all about whimsy, playfulness, who had a number one hit
with the wry and self-aware "Silly Love Songs." Somber and mortal don't
sound well on Paul, cute doesn't age well, Peter Pan should never grow
up.
At first I thought this record was going to fall into that cluster of
recent records that just didn't work. But some time during my third
listen, it all snapped into place. The melodies had worked their way
into my brain, and I am happy to announce that Memory Almost Full is a
solid return to the musical DNA of his best work. And especially after
the moody downbeat experimentation of Chaos and Creation, I say,
hallelujah.
This is not to say he's repeating himself, or rehashing old ground.
Rather, I think that Paul sounds quintessentially like Paul here, and
if you've gone for that over the years, you will find this a welcome
revelation.
"Dance Tonight" is an infectious if innocuous ditty of the sort he's
been pulling off and tossing off for years; "Ever Present Past," the
single, grows on you and works better in the context of the record than
as a standalone. It is the first of several songs here in which Paul
looks back on his life and legacy; talk about a guy who can't escape
his ever present past, eh? "See Your Sunshine" is a winning
arrangement, lush with gorgeous backing vocals; it harkens back
sonically to Tug of War, I'd say.
"Only Mama Knows" is one of those rockers of his like "Junior's Farm"
or "Girls School." Some have said that this record is reminiscent of
the Wings stuff, and I think it is-- and what's wrong with that, I'd
like to know "You Tell Me" is a gently loping, somewhat haunting ballad
built around acoustic guitar. "Mr. Bellamy" most certainly bears at
least a passing acquaintance with a Mrs. Vanderbilt. "Gratitude" is a
winning vampy tune with an exquisite and chilling ascent on the
harmonies of the refrain that make it sheer ear candy.
Then "Vintage Clothes" begins a 5-song medley which looks back at the
artist's life (its OK to wear old clothes, but don't live in the past);
the song segues into "That Was Me," a nice upbeat number (or "noom-
bah," as Paul would say) that sees him owning up to, embracing his past
("That was me on the river, Mersey-beatin', with the band... that was
me.") Later in the song he sings, "If fate would decree that all of
this would make a lifetime, who am I to disagree? That was me." Another
neat segue into the pretty "Head in the Clouds," then the more
somber "House of Wax," more great vocal arrangements, and nice lush
orchestration, then some tasty minor key guitar work.
The medley ends with "The End of the End" (the title a wink at the
final track on Abbey Road?) which is the most maudlin thing on here;
Paul talks about what he wants at his funeral. But then he, literally,
goes whistling past the graveyard.
Then a coda of a sort, the hard rocking "Nod Your Head."
The singing--and especially the backing vocals--is outstanding
throughout, but more than anything else, with only a couple of
exceptions, the moroseness is gone and the whimsy is back. The melodies
are memorable, burrowing into your brain and setting up camp there, so
that as you play the record you're thinking, "Oh yeah, I like this
one!" as each tune rolls by. The songs exude the combination of
seductive playfulness combined with seeming total effortlessness that
marks his best work. And as always, the musicianship is first rate,
especially the old fella on bass.
But hell, don't take my word for it--go to Starbucks and give it a
listen.
For assistance, please contact
the smoe.org administrators.