Music review: Paul McCartney – 鈥楨gypt Station鈥�
When you were a part of perhaps the greatest band of all time and recognized as one of most successful musician/composers in pop music history, expectations are always high when you release new music.
With 55 years in the business of making memorable albums as a Beatle, leader of Wings and a solo artist, Paul McCartney continues to create music that moves and inspires. On his latest offering, 鈥淓gypt Station,鈥� the 76-year-old McCartney delivers 16 new arrangements that possess a sentimental and creative flair heard earlier on tracks written at the beginning of his solo career.
While listening to the new material, you鈥檒l hear hints of the Beatles, classic elements from Wings and vintage solo McCartney.
All of this variety makes for a gratifying listening experience. McCartney is still in fine voice and plays a majority of the instruments on the album. As a result, McCartney delivers one of his best solo efforts.
鈥淥pening Station鈥� begins the musical journey as a graceful instrumental introduction that sets the stage for the upcoming destinations along the way.
鈥淚 Don鈥檛 Know鈥� quickly follows with a melancholy touch as McCartney tenderly describes feelings of self-doubt and fear of failure. It鈥檚 one of his best tracks in years.
McCartney once sang, 鈥淵ou鈥檇 think that people would have had enough of silly love songs/I look around me and I see it isn鈥檛 so/Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs/And what鈥檚 wrong with that/I鈥檇 like to know.鈥�
鈥淐ome On to Me鈥� is a new McCartney love song that contains a more direct approach as McCartney sings, 鈥淚 saw you flash a smile, that seemed to me to say/You wanted so much more than casual conversation/I swear I caught a look before you turned away/Now I don鈥檛 see the point resisting your temptation.鈥�
鈥淗and In Hand鈥� is yet another love song that is anything but silly as McCartney sounds vulnerable and sincere announcing, 鈥淲anna give you my heart/Wanna tell you my story.鈥�
鈥淗appy with You鈥� finds McCartney reminiscing about his younger days declaring, 鈥淚 sat around all day/I used to get stoned/I liked to get wasted/But these days I don鈥檛.鈥�
In 1969, John Lennon delivered the powerful protest number 鈥淕ive Peace a Chance.鈥� Here we are in 2018 and McCartney is still echoing Lennon鈥檚 sentiments on 鈥淧eople Want Peace鈥� by singing, 鈥淭he message is simple, it鈥檚 straight from my heart/And I know that you鈥檝e heard it before/But what does it matter, we鈥檙e in it together/And I鈥檓 not quitting while people are crying for more.鈥�
McCartney gets political on 鈥淒espite Repeated Warnings鈥� and cranks it up a notch on the rockers 鈥淲ho Cares鈥� and 鈥淗unt You Down/Naked/C-Link.鈥�
Lyrics from 鈥淒ominoes鈥� aptly describe the new album with the music legend singing, 鈥淚n time we鈥檒l know, it鈥檚 all a show/It鈥檚 been a blast.鈥�
Soak this one in and enjoy.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.