Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Paul McCartney Reissues His Crappiest Albums

I was surprised to see all the promo around Paul McCartney reissuing his two solo albums McCartney and McCartney II. Both albums were put out as transitional exercises and were really Paul blowing off steam between formal recording projects.

I know there are a lot of people who hold McCartney close to their hearts, but as much as I have tried to enjoy that album, I still think it's mostly garbage. And don't get me started on McCartney II. A total piece of crap.

But I guess Paul is trying to save up for honeymoon number three, so he is putting out major packaging options around these reissues, such as double-disc Special Editions and Deluxe Editions, with DVDs and more bonus content. They will also be available on vinyl and digitally. Both versions come with all sorts of bonus tracks, including live material and B-sides.

The packages look gorgeous but you can't polish a turd. Hell, even in the below promo videos, Paul admits these were fun projects and were not supposed to be consumed as real top-notch recordings.

Unlike Pete Townshend's Scoop series, which offer loads of raw, unpolished noodlings and Who demos, Sir Paul is basically reissuing dross.

Paul is almost apologetic in the below but you tell me - are you going to buy any of this? Am I smoking dope here?



4 comments:

Sean Coleman said...

I need a Temporary...

Secretary.

Wait for it!

Temporary Secretaire...

harmolodic said...

"McCartney" always seemed half-baked to me, though I'm really itching to hear the bonus material on the reissue so I'm totally grabbing it. I'm especially curious to hear whether the outtake of "Suicide" is the version that was cut into "Hot As Sun/Glasses" - I have two complete versions of the song, both recorded after the "McCartney" sessions, but I really want to hear the 1970 (or earlier) version.

As for "McCartney II" it has always been one of my all-time favorite McCartney records, and now you know why I use the British spelling of "parlour" in much of my online activity. Purely out of tribute to that record. It's a really weird sounding record, very much of its time soncially, and that always appealed to me. The instrumentals are more fully formed than on "McCartney," the blues exercises actually come off as genuine, "Coming Up" is hands down one of his catchiest pop songs and very early-Beatlesque (couldn't have been more appropriate to see Paul dress up in his early mop-top garb in the video), and "One Of These Days" is such a pretty, poignant, affecting song that I could never, ever get sick of it. I sang it a capella once at an open mic in Santa Rosa and it went over really well, so well that some kid asked me afterwards to sing "Strawberry Fields Forever" with him. I've owned the album on 8-track, LP, cassette, CD, and I'll be very happy to add a super deluxe multidisc hardbound book edition with a DVD to my collection. Can you tell that I'm excited about this one?

Isorski said...

Michael, damn you. Now I may just have to check that album out again. I have high respect for your tastes in music. I have the LP here - maybe I'll pop it on and see what happens.

Agreed on Coming Up by the way - one of my faves of Macca's. But I almost don't count it as a MCII track, as I knew it from the Kampuchea show and video first.

Dan said...

Love and loved them both. Sorry man! Great stuff from a man who was in between himself. Finding his way in a world where all he knows is music. Thanks for reminding me how much I like them.