Paul McCartney: McCartney III - 2020
I have a strange relationship with Paul McCartney's music. He was my least favourite Beatle, but I liked his hit singles with Wings a lot, more than I should have, maybe, and I also own lots of his albums, despite not really loving them as I do those by many others. When he releases an album, though, I am there, listening to it as I would a Springsteen, Costello or Weller release.
Anyway, this is his third “McCartney” offering and is by far the best of the widely-spaced trio. I really like it. Recorded, like the other two, with McCartney playing everything, Stevie Wonder-style, it has elements of folk, acoustic rock, occasional rock ‘n’ roll elements and a fuzzy rock sound that reminds me in places of the afore-mentioned Elvis Costello’s latest album and, to my immense pleasure, there is no “whimsy”. It has a warm sound quality to it along with a comforting bucolic tinge to some of the lyrics.
It is very much the product of a man of advanced years and, as one of those myself (not quite as old), it appeals to me as McCartney sings of tasks he has remembered he needs to do in his garden. He may well attract some criticism for that, but probably not too much, as he is still roundly revered by many. In spite of that, however, the album has attracted the now extremely predictable shots of "his voice has gone" and "he should retire". Bollocks to that, I say. If he wants to carry on making music at the age of seventy-eight then fair play to him. The music is still good, it doesn't need comparing to Band On The Run. Just take it on face value.
Released as it was in winter, a week before Christmas, and containing some winter references, it certainly is an album very suited to that season. The songs begin with the rustic acoustic folkiness of the semi-instrumental Long Tailed Winter Bird, which has some strong Americana country blues influences. Some robust guitar breaks arrive along with the occasional vocals.
Find My Way is pleasingly and rockingly upbeat in a typical McCartney way, it is enjoyably catchy and in possession of a nice warm rumbling bass line. The drum break half way through is good too. The more laid-back Pretty Boys is a number that could have been from any of McCartney's albums over the last fifteen-twenty years or so. Once again, McCartney has managed, single-handedly to create a really warm, strong sound. Sonically, this is as good as any of McCartney's albums have sounded.
The ageing McCartney dispenses some advice to Women And Wives, maybe a bit patronisingly, but he includes husbands and lovers, mothers and men, sisters and brothers too. It is another warm, very appealing number, however. The Polythene Pam-esque Lavatory Lil is musically very catchy, upbeat and rocky, but lyrically and thematically it is set back in the sixties/seventies and features some positively awful, bovine-sounding backing vocals. I still quite enjoy it, though. It is probably the album's most rocky number and is infuriatingly singalong. Maybe that is its strength.
Deep Deep Feeling, at over eight minutes is by far the album's longest track and is has several changes within its basically slow, brooding melody, including a false ending and a return to the original beat. It is beguilingly attractive. Slidin' is a fuzzy, muscular, pounding slow rock number with a slightly muffled vocal. It reminds me of something else but I can't put my finger on it.
The Kiss Of Venus is a gentle, acoustic ballad with McCartney's voice going several octaves higher and sounding a bit shaky (although I don't have as much a problem with that as some do) while Seize The Day is a song that McCartney felt was too Beatles-ish circa 1967-68 but then decided to go with it anyway, what the hell. Fair enough.
Another "deep" song, Deep Down is one of my favourites, with another nice bass and drum backing, along with some nice faux brass breaks. It reminds me of some of the material on Elvis Costello's Wise Up Ghost album. The folky acoustic vibe that ushered in the album is back on the closer, Winter Bird-When Winter Comes, that has McCartney ruminating about how best to protect his carrot crop. It has its own appeal, as indeed does all of this refreshingly varied album.
