Mccartney II [Original recording remastered]

Then in the late spring of the following year, 1980, Paul put out a Solo Album. Called 'McCartney 2'. This would not only provoke debates as to why this wasn't a Wings record bit inevitably invited comparisons with Paul's first solo venture, entitled 'McCartney' from ten years earlier in 1970. And suffered by comparison. For this record is not only not in the same league as that inauspicious though pretty damn impressive debut, it is also not even as good as the last Wings album 'Back In The Egg' (1979). Which invited its fair share of unwarranted criticism from the usual quarters. But at least 'Back To The Egg' was a full blooded attempt at something different. With more than a few highlights and a great spirit in evidence throughout the entire album.
McCartney 2 like its predecessor from 1970, is obviously a Home Recording. Recorded at home. And in its way it is as brave an attempt at a different sound as 'Back To The Egg' or anything Paul has done before or since. But here it is a lacklustre effort, mostly. For unlike on 'McCartney', the doodling here is for the most part uninspired in its melody, vastly inferior in its lyric and just comes across as what it actually was. Not a serious attempt at making an album. And no reason to split Wings up for sure. And although Paul has said that it was not until after Lennon's death (in December 1980) that he finally decided to 'fold' Wings, it cannot be a coincidence that the poor sales of 'Back To The Egg' surely prompted Paul to try his luck under his own name, infinitely more well known after all. Not until his 1982 album 'Tug Of War' (1982) did he do this decision anything like justice. This first solo album for 10 years was a mediocre affair if we are honest. Not that you would think that from the opening track (and single) 'Coming Up'. Which was a brave and interesting single and so different from anything he'd done up to this point that you would hardly recognise it was from him. Bliemy...even New Musical Express gave it a good review. Precisely for that reason. So a good start.
But it's pretty much downhill from here. 'Temporary Secretary' is still as pretty bad as it was back then. Awful synthesiser. 'On The Way' is a pretty good bluesy rocker, 'Waterfalls' is a decent ballad for sure, and the last track of Side 1 (vinyl record) is an engaging non sensical romp which is fun to listen to.

But Side 2 is nowhere near as interesting. Two forgtettable instrumental doodles (yes, Doodles), a melodic but meandering slow number 'Summer's Day Song', the funny but disposable 'Bogey Music', the avantgarde-ish but equally disposable 'Darkroom'. Side 2 is only rescued at the end by the sublime ballad 'One Of These Days'. Which is simply Great.

So in summary, I first bought and enyoyed this album back in 1980. And even with hindsight it has its moments, if not the Tale Of Two Ditties some critics have said of it, it is at best, even from me, the tale of no more than four or five ditties. And that by my standards is a little disappointing. By this great man's standards anyway.
The bonus tracks are no better I'm afraid.

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Prehaps as a result, McCartney II displays some of his outstanding melodys and dissonant styles of production that people never even tried to copy. "Temporary Secretary" is a good example of that. I'd love to see someone present me with another song with a structure anything like that. "Waterfalls", and "Summer's Day Song" show McCartney at his lyrical and melodic best, while ignoring nearly all production conventions. I mean, McCartney wouldn't even use a mixing desk when recording this album! Those who mock McCartney's collaborations in dance music, should check out "Darkroom", where he seems to predict or inspire several of the common motifs of the genre. And "One Of These Days" is one of those songs that would have been legendary if it had finished a Beatles album.

I am still amazed at how many people hate this album, but in my opinion it is a corker. Ok, Maybe 'Frozen Jap' or 'Front Parlour', might not be your cup of tea, but otherwise, you are getting eight superb Macca songs that have no parallel. But those of you who prefer your Macca trying to turn slight songs into another anthemic "Hey Jude" may have no interest here...

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