advertisement
follow us
Newsletter signup
Get a little Crawdaddy! right in the inbox once a week:
Straight to Video
Rock Art Rock
The Decemberists
September 19, 2009
Terminal 5, New York, NY
By Amanda Hatfield "The Decemberists played a special one night 'lottery show,' where the songs played were picked at random by a master of ceremonies, played by John Wesley Harding..."
Ra Ra Riot
April 4, 2009
Webster Hall, New York City, NY
By Amanda Hatfield "This show was, at the time, the biggest one Ra Ra Riot had sold out as headliners, and it was clear to me after watching it that the band is destined for even bigger and better things..."
Florence and the Machine
October 28, 2009
Bowery Ballroom, New York City, NY
By Amanda Hatfield "Florence Welsh and her backing band delighted and mesmerized a sold-out crowd at Bowery in her first official NY headlining show..."
Dirty Projectors
July 19, 2009
Williamsburg Waterfront (Brooklyn, NY)
By Amanda Hatfield "I was skeptical about how well Dirty Projectors' gorgeous, complex vocal harmonies would carry over outdoors, standing under hot sunshine..."
See more in the Rock Art Rock gallery.
Most Read Articles
- The Smoke-Filled Room: Music and a Woman’s Right to Choose
- What Goes On: Liam Gallagher Reveals Post-Oasis Plans, and Other News
- My Life Is the Road: Clarence White and Jim Morrison Stretch on a 747
- It Shows, What Goes On: Live Show Review: Devo at the Regency Ballroom, San Francisco
- What Goes On: This Just In: Steven Tyler Is the Rainbow
- Reviews: Weezer: Raditude
- Introducing: His Name Is John Michael Rouchell
polls
Loading ...-
What’s the Buzz: Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Memory Almost Full
(Hear Music, 2007)
When you share significant responsibility for having created one of the wonders of the world—in this case the Beatles’ body of work, their songs and recordings—it’s hard to assume the proper degree of modesty when presenting yourself to the public, as on a new album of solo songs and recordings. Yet, Memory Almost Full, Paul McCartney’s new solo album, is a triumph of unassuming modesty at the same time that it succeeds in laying a claim to its author/performer’s central role in creating the most remarkable body of work in modern music.
The cleverness at points in the lyrical and melodic echoes in Memory Almost Full are so Beatleish that we recognize their antecedents as McCartneyish, thus giving him his due as coauthor of the original masterwork. Nice work. “I do, I do, I do…” “A big eye, big idea!” Well done! The echoes are smart, to use a Britishism, and leave us no doubt that the man who’s charming us so effortlessly is indeed the survivor of that collective that had such ability to charm us then, back then, at the end of the end. And how smart that wherever we are in the world, we had to drag ourselves to the nearest Starbuck’s to get our copy, perhaps taking it out with a cup of coffee and a sweet roll, helplesssly aware that the man knows what we’re doing. He does the same himself. Similarly, the album is full of intimacies, moments that reveal the person-ness of the man who’s singing and writing, and of ourself who’s listening. A good idea. Rich entertainment. It seems we have an everpresent past as well. And, of course, ours is also the Beatles’.
Paul Mac has done it again. Shown us that he’s bigger than his everpresent past. And that music can be the doorway to self-knowledge. An open door, even though the self is ever-changing. He’s got too much on his plate, and we’re grateful he’s able to give us his attention anyway. Gratitude. The word will never be the same. And isn’t that what music’s all about? A series of intimacies with the power to overwhelm. Whether memory’s almost full or not.” And in the end, my sweet friend, I’ll remember you.”
Watch: official “Dance Tonight” video [at youtube.com]
» Previously: Patti Smith’s Twelve Main Highways
6 Comments
Ooh the video was rad! It’s so nice to see my favorite Beatle writing good music again! (Can’t say I was a fan of Wings…) Thanks for the review, Paul, I think I got my new music for the next month :)
hey paul –
it is beyond wonderful to br reading your writing again on a regular basis. i still own almost every issue of the original CRAWDADDY! and i treasure each and every one(and re-read them). i don’t know how many records i bought on your recommendation over those years but many of them are still among my very favorite of all time. i am glad to see your great review of beatle Paul’s latest, whicj i also love. i was fortuante enough to see him at Amoeba Misuc in Hollywood a month or so ago, and it was one of the most moving experiences of my 40+ year Rock’n'Roll life. at this point when his music has become part of the air we breathe, to see and hear it all come out of the man who created it was staggering, a shock of beautiful recognition, and quite overwhelming. also, thanx for turning me on to Philip K. Dick. i think i’ve read at least 30 of his books, and have ecently re-read UBIK, PALMER ELDRITCH CASTLE, and they too are, of course, still things of wonder. thanx for everything, Paul.
sorry ’bout the typos
sorry, but like most of paul’s solo work, this album blows
Paul McCartney doesn’t have to answer to anyone–no one , do you hear me?—for his music. Not even for the pablum he has put out on a regular basis for 30 odd years now, What a waste.
Sorry but this album is a big let-down. Paul did much better on Chaos, even though it wasn’t so popular. I guess we should feel lucky that he still wants to release music – even if there are only one or two tracks on here worthwhile. That Was Me is pretty good!!