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Elly Roberts reviews
Parlophone
- Cat.no: 3379612
- Released: September 2005
- Rating: 2/10
Days of writing great songs appear to be over for ex-Fabster Paul McCartney.
The only McCartney albums I’ve ever bought are Ram (1971), Band On The Run(1973), Wings Over America (1977) and Back In The World from 2003 which areall top class releases.
Somewhere after Wings Over America, a superb live double album, I lostinterested, primarily because of some shocking singles. Anything after MaybeI’m Amazed (1977) sucks- that’s how long it’s been. His last world tour wasonly a resounding success because of the heavy Beatles repertoire – whichwas very impressive – as I caught up with him at the ENA Manchester. It waswithout doubt the best pop concert of all-time. Had it just been McCartneydoing solo sets, it’s very unlikely he’d have had such a reaction, as he wasseriously un-cool.
This album is a real ‘solo effort’ as he plays all the instruments, whichdoesn’t help matters with the general ambience. At various times he’s playeddrums, before Ringo was embraced in the Fab Four, guitar, piano and bass ofcourse. Under the guidance of producer Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Beck)who’s supposed to be a no-nonsense taskmaster, Macca still hasn’t pulled itoff, and I find that incredible. Despite Godrich having no truck withMcCartney’s opinions, it remains a very disappointing offering. What itlacks is spirit and soul, the essence of his Lennon collaborations.
Instead of McCartney being McCartney, and doing what he does best, humableclassics, it feels like he’s tried too hard to be re-established as cool.
These days it’s almost a crime to write a great pop song, and it’sdefinitely spurned upon by critics. McCartney has never been rock – pop ishis forte.
Even the single Fine Line, is anti-pop and a flop. On the album, as hard ashe tries to forget, he still has Beatles leanings at the average end likePromise To You Girl and This Never Happened Before. Jenny Wren is as near asyou get to anything of any quality and that’s a Beatles throwback –Blackbird. Oh, there’s the quintessentially English Tea – if that’s notBeatles, I’ll eat my proverbial hat! Riding to Vanity Fair is a completedisaster and laboured.
The almost ‘hidden’ part 2 of Anyway, is a total waste of time bringing thewhole cacophony to a mammoth seven minutes plus.
Even the lazy album intro of, “Uh, one, two, three…” is out of touch andsmacks of Beatles getting ready for a take.
Vocally, he’s beginning to weaken, and there are some glaringly strainedmoments, particularly on Anyway, the CD closer.
Overall, the songwriting is average at best, and despite his attempts at amore organic approach, this quote sums it up – “We really made lot of it upas we went along.” – And it shows.
He was once inspirational, and then cheesy, now he’s conventional.
Weblink:Paul McCartney.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Fine Line
2. How Kind Of You
3. Jenny Wren
4. At The Mercy
5. Friends To Go
6. English Tea
7. Too Much Rain8. A Certain Softness
9. Riding To Vanity Fair
10. Follow Me
11. Promise To You Girl
12. This Never Happened Before
13. Anyway
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.