New - Paul McCartney album review - Oldies music
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About.com Rating
The combination of a musically upbeat yet emotionally wary Paul is what makes New the best of his many comebacks. There's a strict dualism throughout the album: lyrically, he finds himself drawn to his vulnerable pre-Beatles past, where he finds echoes of his current turbulence. Musically, he mirrors that with echoes of his trademark pop filtered through the current mainstream, engaging George Martin's son Giles, but also Mark Ronson (Bruno Mars), Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon), and Paul Epworth (Adele) to help him sort it all out.
The title track and first single was appropriateky whimsical, but it was a red herring: the second single, "Queenie Eye," is a much better representation of the album's mood, a forward-thinking midtempo piano number with a few stylistic tricks up its sleeve. Using a childhood game as a metaphor for what happened with Mills is the kind of brilliant craftmanship Paul's always been capable of, but allowing his very carefully constructed public facade to crack is the bigger victory. A New Paul? No. But a more complex one, which is exciting -- emotional complexity is the one height he hasn't scaled yet.
Tracklisting
About.com Rating
The combination of a musically upbeat yet emotionally wary Paul is what makes New the best of his many comebacks. There's a strict dualism throughout the album: lyrically, he finds himself drawn to his vulnerable pre-Beatles past, where he finds echoes of his current turbulence. Musically, he mirrors that with echoes of his trademark pop filtered through the current mainstream, engaging George Martin's son Giles, but also Mark Ronson (Bruno Mars), Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon), and Paul Epworth (Adele) to help him sort it all out.
The title track and first single was appropriateky whimsical, but it was a red herring: the second single, "Queenie Eye," is a much better representation of the album's mood, a forward-thinking midtempo piano number with a few stylistic tricks up its sleeve. Using a childhood game as a metaphor for what happened with Mills is the kind of brilliant craftmanship Paul's always been capable of, but allowing his very carefully constructed public facade to crack is the bigger victory. A New Paul? No. But a more complex one, which is exciting -- emotional complexity is the one height he hasn't scaled yet.
Tracklisting
- Save Us (2:39)
- Alligator (3:27)
- On My Way To Work (3:43)
- Queenie Eye (3:48)
- Early Days (4:07)
- New (2:56)
- Appreciate (4:28)
- Everybody Out There (3:21)
- Hosanna (3:29)
- I Can Bet (3:21)
- Looking At Her (3:05)
- Road (4:51)
- Scared (2:48)
