Paul McCartney - McCartney III - 7/10

 

The release of Paul McCartney’s self-titled records have always coincided with times of change. McCartney I was released in 1970 just months after the demise of the Beatles and the end of the hazy days of the sixties. McCartney II came ten years later as the seventies, which Paul had predominantly spent writing and recording with Wings, gave way to the eighties. McCartney III arrives at the end of 2020, a year that has turned the world upside down, and finds Paul excelling in his role of rock’s elder statesman. It is exciting and reassuring to find him still willing to experiment and unleash his creativity in his 78^th year.

McCartney is one of pop music’s true perfectionists. Always the most eager of the four Beatles in securing the perfect sound and arrangements, he carried this trend on with his solo material which has always been highly polished and aimed at critical success. That is what makes his self-titled solo records so interesting and endearing. On these albums, Paul has become famed for rejecting watertight production and instead enjoyed unleashing his unbridled creativity without the filter of a commercial lens. It may not have won him critical acclaim at the time of release (both McCartney I and II were panned by the critics initially) but these albums have gained significant reverence over the years and have even been credited with conceiving genres.

So how does McCartney III fare? This latest release is a lockdown record in its truest form. When Paul was faced with time on his hands earlier in the year, he decided to spend it finishing up half-written songs and experimenting in the studio. Like McCartney’s I and II, the majority of all the song writing, performing, and recording was done by Paul himself. This rag-tag band of songs began to thread together and Paul realised he was writing and recording his next record – a collection of songs made in response to isolation and lockdown but certainly not focused on it.

The album begins with the majestic ‘Long Tailed Winter Bird’, a predominantly instrumental track which soars between a stirring acoustic riff and coo-ing backing vocals. The song slowly builds over 5 minutes and is a beautiful piece of music that neatly matches the season in which it is released. It is obvious from the off that this album finds Paul embracing creative freedom and discarding the shackles of formulaic song writing.

‘Women and Wives’, influenced by Leadbelly, finds McCartney try out a deeper sounding vocal as he ruminates “hear me women and wives, hear me husbands and lovers, what we do with our lives, seems to matter to others” over a simple piano melody. ‘Slidin’ meanwhile, finds him embracing a heavier side. The song is powered along by a grimy guitar riff and off-kilter vocal that is reminiscent of the Raconteurs. It is an odd combination for McCartney but it somehow works.

Whilst the experiment in sound is mostly pulled off, there are moments where it falls down. ‘Lavatory Lil’ is McCartney’s attempt at the type of character assassination song that Lennon was so adept at (see 'Abbey Road’s' 'Mean Mr Mustard' and 'Polythene Pam') but unfortunately just sounds like the efforts of a mediocre noughties indie band. ‘Deep Deep Feeling’ may demonstrate McCartney’s multi-instrumental abilities (it is easy to forget how good a drummer he is) but what the 8 minute plus track achieves could have been managed in 2 (and even then it is not entirely clear whether it would have been worth it).

Trials and error  aside, there is still plenty of the traditional McCartney elements at play too. The piano pop sentiments and simple narratives of ‘Find my Way’ and ‘Seize the Day’ are both classic moments of McCartney song writing – strong, catchy narratives that get stuck between your ears. The guitar solos of the latter are particularly enjoyable and are reminiscent of some of the later Beatles recordings. ‘Pretty Boys’ and ‘The Kiss of Venus’ both strip away the excess and are enjoyable moments of more simple balladry. It is clear that as he steadily approaches his 80^th birthday, McCartney’s grip on melody is as strong as ever.

McCartney III may not join the pantheon of this music legend’s classic recordings, but it is still a really enjoyable album. It’s great to find a music legend who could have hung up his boots and rested on his laurels years ago, still willing to head to the studio and try out new sounds and identities. The McCartney series are not remembered for consistency and polish, and this latest addition is no different but it still deserves the time of day. Applause to Paul for delivering one of this strange year’s most interesting records.