McCartney - 1 / Apple (1970)
Plus: Paul and Linda play all the instruments. Home-styled recording. Recorded just as The Beatles were closing shop.
Minus: Paul and Linda play all the instruments. About 1/2 the album is "so-so". That said, it's still pretty good.
Key Tracks: Maybe I'm Amazed, Every Night, Man We Was Lonely.
Plus: Paul and Linda play all the instruments. Home-styled recording. Recorded just as The Beatles were closing shop.
Minus: Paul and Linda play all the instruments. About 1/2 the album is "so-so". That said, it's still pretty good.
Key Tracks: Maybe I'm Amazed, Every Night, Man We Was Lonely.
Paul & Linda McCartney - Ram / Apple (1971)
Plus: David Spinozza, Hugh McCracken and Dennie Seiwell guest. Surer recording. Better songs. More cohesive sound.
Minus: None.
Key tracks: Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Too Many People, Monkberry Moon Delight, Heart Of The Country.
Plus: David Spinozza, Hugh McCracken and Dennie Seiwell guest. Surer recording. Better songs. More cohesive sound.
Minus: None.
Key tracks: Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Too Many People, Monkberry Moon Delight, Heart Of The Country.
Wings - Wild Life / Apple (1971)
Plus: Added presence of Denny Laine and Denny Seiwell. One senses the beginnings of a group ethos.
Minus: 95% of the album juvenile and uninspired.
Key track: Love Is Strange (originally a hit for Mickey & Sylvia, 1956).
Plus: Added presence of Denny Laine and Denny Seiwell. One senses the beginnings of a group ethos.
Minus: 95% of the album juvenile and uninspired.
Key track: Love Is Strange (originally a hit for Mickey & Sylvia, 1956).
Wings - Red Rose Speedway / Apple (1973)
Plus: David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken are back with engineering help from Alan Parsons.
Minus: Less than memorable songs.
Key track: My Love (also, oddly, the album's worst track).
Plus: David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken are back with engineering help from Alan Parsons.
Minus: Less than memorable songs.
Key track: My Love (also, oddly, the album's worst track).
Paul McCartney & Wings - Band On The Run / Apple (1973)
Plus: Excellent production and playing, memorable songs, plenty of hit singles, recorded in Lagos, Nigeria.
Minus: Mamunia, the album's worst track.
Key tracks: everything else (especially the title track, Jet, Let Me Roll It and 1985).
Plus: Excellent production and playing, memorable songs, plenty of hit singles, recorded in Lagos, Nigeria.
Minus: Mamunia, the album's worst track.
Key tracks: everything else (especially the title track, Jet, Let Me Roll It and 1985).
Paul McCartney & Wings - Venus & Mars / Apple (1975)
Plus: New Orleans production work, slicker performances, good mix of album tracks and hits. Tom Scott's sax solos.
Minus: Not enough "rocker" tracks, too many "poppy" songs.
Key Tracks: Listen To What The Man Said, Medicine Jar, Venus & Mars/Rockshow.
Plus: New Orleans production work, slicker performances, good mix of album tracks and hits. Tom Scott's sax solos.
Minus: Not enough "rocker" tracks, too many "poppy" songs.
Key Tracks: Listen To What The Man Said, Medicine Jar, Venus & Mars/Rockshow.
Wings - At The Speed Of Sound / Apple (1976)
Plus: More "democratic" approach to the album (one senses there is a Wings). Layered production on the two biggie hits.
Minus: Side 2 veers terribly close to boredom.
Key Tracks: Silly Love Songs, Let 'Em In, Wino Junko, Beware My Love.
Plus: More "democratic" approach to the album (one senses there is a Wings). Layered production on the two biggie hits.
Minus: Side 2 veers terribly close to boredom.
Key Tracks: Silly Love Songs, Let 'Em In, Wino Junko, Beware My Love.
Wings - London Town / Capitol (1978)
Plus: Atmospheric synths add mood to much of the album. Introspective lyrics.
Minus: Guitarist Jimmy McCulloch woefully underused. Would leave that year. Dies at age 26 in 1980.
Key Tracks: London Town, With A Little Luck, Café on The Left Bank, Famous Groupies.
Plus: Atmospheric synths add mood to much of the album. Introspective lyrics.
Minus: Guitarist Jimmy McCulloch woefully underused. Would leave that year. Dies at age 26 in 1980.
Key Tracks: London Town, With A Little Luck, Café on The Left Bank, Famous Groupies.
Wings - Back To The Egg / Columbia (1979)
Plus: New guitarist (the excellent Laurence Juber) and drummer (Steve Holly). Chris Thomas (Sex Pistols, Pretenders, Roxy Music) produced.
Minus: Side 2 (again!) is OK, at best.
Key Tracks: Getting Closer, Old Siam Sir, Arrow Through Me.
Plus: New guitarist (the excellent Laurence Juber) and drummer (Steve Holly). Chris Thomas (Sex Pistols, Pretenders, Roxy Music) produced.
Minus: Side 2 (again!) is OK, at best.
Key Tracks: Getting Closer, Old Siam Sir, Arrow Through Me.
McCartney II / Columbia (1980)
Plus: Macca Goes Electronica!
Minus: Macca Goes Electronica...Alone! And Temporary Secretary.
Key Track: Coming Up
Plus: Macca Goes Electronica!
Minus: Macca Goes Electronica...Alone! And Temporary Secretary.
Key Track: Coming Up
Tug Of War / Columbia (1981)
Plus: No more Wings! George Martin produced. 10CC's Eric Stewart adds guitars. Top drawer session guests.
Minus: Good though far from great Side 2 (predictable by now, no?).
Key Tracks: Tug Of War, Take It Away, Ebony and Ivory (with Stevie Wonder).
Plus: No more Wings! George Martin produced. 10CC's Eric Stewart adds guitars. Top drawer session guests.
Minus: Good though far from great Side 2 (predictable by now, no?).
Key Tracks: Tug Of War, Take It Away, Ebony and Ivory (with Stevie Wonder).
Pipes Of Peace / Columbia (1982)
Plus: Same crew as used for Tug of War. Some of the songs recorded during same session.
Minus: Scraping barrel song-wise over 90% of album.
Key Track: Say Say Say (with Michael Jackson).
Plus: Same crew as used for Tug of War. Some of the songs recorded during same session.
Minus: Scraping barrel song-wise over 90% of album.
Key Track: Say Say Say (with Michael Jackson).
Give My Regards To Broadstreet / Columbia (1984)
Plus: Track 1.
Minus: Total, unarguable turkey from Track 2 onwards. Presence of Beatles tracks smacks of filler, album smelled of Writer's Block. Overproduced, overblown, overhyped. Movie with the same name also a dud.
Key Track: No More Lonely Nights.
Plus: Track 1.
Minus: Total, unarguable turkey from Track 2 onwards. Presence of Beatles tracks smacks of filler, album smelled of Writer's Block. Overproduced, overblown, overhyped. Movie with the same name also a dud.
Key Track: No More Lonely Nights.
Paul & Linda McCartney - Press To Play / EMI (1986)
Plus: Hugh Padgham (The Police, Genesis) produced. Many, many guests add sweetening.
Minus: Songs merely OK at best. Macca's least remembered LP.
Key Tracks: None.
Plus: Hugh Padgham (The Police, Genesis) produced. Many, many guests add sweetening.
Minus: Songs merely OK at best. Macca's least remembered LP.
Key Tracks: None.
Choba B CCCP / EMI (1988)
Plus: Initially only released in the USSR, this covers album is a fun romp thru rock's back pages. Backing by (among others) guitarist Mickey Gallagher and drummer Henry Spinetti.
Minus: None. The album's mood is playful and energetic.
Key Tracks: Kansas City, Lucille, Ain't That A Shame.
Plus: Initially only released in the USSR, this covers album is a fun romp thru rock's back pages. Backing by (among others) guitarist Mickey Gallagher and drummer Henry Spinetti.
Minus: None. The album's mood is playful and energetic.
Key Tracks: Kansas City, Lucille, Ain't That A Shame.
Flowers In The Dirt / EMI (1989)
Plus: Elvis Costello co-produces, Robbie McIntosh, Chris Whitten and Hamish Stuart form his "core" band (thankfully, NOT as Wings).
Minus: No real hit single, songs are generally fine but really unnoticeable.
Key Track: My Brave Face.
Plus: Elvis Costello co-produces, Robbie McIntosh, Chris Whitten and Hamish Stuart form his "core" band (thankfully, NOT as Wings).
Minus: No real hit single, songs are generally fine but really unnoticeable.
Key Track: My Brave Face.
Off The Ground / EMI (1993)
Plus: Same basic feel as Flowers In The Dirt.
Minus: Apart from three really good songs, the rest of the set is as memorable as most of Flowers In The Dirt.
Key Tracks: Hope Of Deliverance, Biker Like An Icon, C'mon People.
Plus: Same basic feel as Flowers In The Dirt.
Minus: Apart from three really good songs, the rest of the set is as memorable as most of Flowers In The Dirt.
Key Tracks: Hope Of Deliverance, Biker Like An Icon, C'mon People.
Flaming Pie / EMI (1997)
Plus: Released just after he worked on The Beatles' Anthology sets, Flaming Pie is a superior Macca set, loaded with enjoyable songs (some sad, though not sentimental). Guests included Jeff Lynne and Steve Miller. George Martin, Jeff Lynne and Geoff Emerick co-produced.
Minus: No Linda (sadly, she was diagnosed with cancer and died in 1998).
Key Tracks: The Song We Were Singing, The World Tonight, Used To Be Bad, Beautiful Night.
Plus: Released just after he worked on The Beatles' Anthology sets, Flaming Pie is a superior Macca set, loaded with enjoyable songs (some sad, though not sentimental). Guests included Jeff Lynne and Steve Miller. George Martin, Jeff Lynne and Geoff Emerick co-produced.
Minus: No Linda (sadly, she was diagnosed with cancer and died in 1998).
Key Tracks: The Song We Were Singing, The World Tonight, Used To Be Bad, Beautiful Night.
Run Devil Run / EMI (1999)
Plus: Paul sought his rock & roll roots in a reconnecting way after Linda's death. Chris Thomas returns to production chair. Backing By Pink Floyd's David Gilmour along with Ian Paice, Geraint Watkins, Dave Mattacks, Pete Wingfield and Mick Green.
Minus: None.
Key Tracks: She Said Yeah, Lonesome Town. Movie Magg, Coquette, I Got Stung.
Plus: Paul sought his rock & roll roots in a reconnecting way after Linda's death. Chris Thomas returns to production chair. Backing By Pink Floyd's David Gilmour along with Ian Paice, Geraint Watkins, Dave Mattacks, Pete Wingfield and Mick Green.
Minus: None.
Key Tracks: She Said Yeah, Lonesome Town. Movie Magg, Coquette, I Got Stung.
Wingspan: Hits & History / EMI (2001)
Plus: Nice retrospective of key hits and album tracks. Superb remastering job. Lots of "singles only" releases.
Minus: 45 RPM version of Junior's Farm and Listen To What The Man Said. Later albums poorly represented.
Key Tracks: Helen Wheels, Daytime Nighttime Suffering, Live & Let Die, Mull Of Kintyre.
Plus: Nice retrospective of key hits and album tracks. Superb remastering job. Lots of "singles only" releases.
Minus: 45 RPM version of Junior's Farm and Listen To What The Man Said. Later albums poorly represented.
Key Tracks: Helen Wheels, Daytime Nighttime Suffering, Live & Let Die, Mull Of Kintyre.
Driving Rain / EMI (2001)
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard / EMI (2005)
Memory Almost Full / Hear Music (2007)
Kisses On The Bottom / Hear Music (2012)
Plus: The first three albums listed tried to bring Macca into the 21st century as he worked with noted producers (David Kahne, Nigel Godrich). From Chaos on, has worked with solid new band which includes Abe Laboriel Jr., Rusty Anderson and Paul "Wix" Wickens.
Minus: The 2000s really sucked for Macca. First two listed here recorded while married to Heather Mills ('nuff said there, hunh?). Go ahead, name me a single, memorable song off ANY of the first three. Memory includes a 5-song "medley", a word that should no longer cross his lips. Kisses On The Bottom is a covers albums of standards and jazz numbers. Never a good thing when Macca "goes softie" on our asses.
Key Tracks: not a single one off any of these four sets.
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard / EMI (2005)
Memory Almost Full / Hear Music (2007)
Kisses On The Bottom / Hear Music (2012)
Plus: The first three albums listed tried to bring Macca into the 21st century as he worked with noted producers (David Kahne, Nigel Godrich). From Chaos on, has worked with solid new band which includes Abe Laboriel Jr., Rusty Anderson and Paul "Wix" Wickens.
Minus: The 2000s really sucked for Macca. First two listed here recorded while married to Heather Mills ('nuff said there, hunh?). Go ahead, name me a single, memorable song off ANY of the first three. Memory includes a 5-song "medley", a word that should no longer cross his lips. Kisses On The Bottom is a covers albums of standards and jazz numbers. Never a good thing when Macca "goes softie" on our asses.
Key Tracks: not a single one off any of these four sets.
New - Hear Music (2013)
Plus: Macca hires on Giles Martin (George's son) to executive produce the album (also sitting in the producer's chair are Marc Ronson, Paul Epworth and Ethan Johns, son of noted producer/engineer Glyn). Band is superb, production work is effervescent and the songs totally personal and introspective. It doesn't sound like a "5 producers" kind of album.
Minus: The album's title: it won't be "new" when he releases his next album now, will it?
Key tracks: Save Us, Alligator (the album's highlight), Queenie Eye (the single), I Can Bet, Road.
(Qex13)
Plus: Macca hires on Giles Martin (George's son) to executive produce the album (also sitting in the producer's chair are Marc Ronson, Paul Epworth and Ethan Johns, son of noted producer/engineer Glyn). Band is superb, production work is effervescent and the songs totally personal and introspective. It doesn't sound like a "5 producers" kind of album.
Minus: The album's title: it won't be "new" when he releases his next album now, will it?
Key tracks: Save Us, Alligator (the album's highlight), Queenie Eye (the single), I Can Bet, Road.
(Qex13)