Fine Line is an extremely catchy opener, and How Kind Of You builds into quite an impressive slower number, with some nice bass and percussion. It is not quite as much of a "stripped down" album as one might expect, containing some full, varied, punchy and solid instrumentation. Jenny Wren is a return to the acoustic Blackbird style that McCartney had not employed for quite a few years now. These have never been my favourite type of McCartney songs, but this one is pleasant enough, staying a fair way from twee. More than you would expect.
At The Mercy is a plaintive, short typically McCartney piano and vocal ballad. Friends To Go is a jaunty, short, melodic and appealing number. All these songs are perfectly enjoyable, but I have to say I preferred the lengthier, more rocky numbers of the previous three albums.
English Tea is McCartney at his absolute worst, for me, I'm afraid. It is twee and positively dreadful. "Whimsy" to the highest degree. As is often the case with these songs, it is insufferably catchy and quite evocative. I still can't bring myself to really like it though. It is the one track from the album that sticks in my head, though, all the time. So, there you go.
Too Much Rain restores things somewhat, as does the Elvis Costello-esque A Certain Softness. The beguiling, laid-back Riding To Vanity Fair is worth more than a few listens. Follow Me is very much typical of later-era Paul McCartney material. It is perfectly ok, but it has lost that rock vitality of the afore-mentioned albums and helps to put this album in the category of "just another Paul McCartney album". For me, stuff like this is nothing particularly special. Promise To You Girl starts very Beatles-ish before bursting out into some Venus And Mars-style Wings rock.
Both This Never Happened To Me and Anyway are very Wings in style. Both are perfectly pleasant and inoffensive, but, for me, this is nowhere nearly as enjoyable as McCartney's rockier, bluesier material. (Funnily enough, the closing track, Anyway has a "hidden" bit of rock-dub instrumental at the end, for three minutes or so, which is the best bit on the album).
