McCartney II (Deluxe edition)

by

Paul McCartney

Edit

*Note that this is the last half of my review on the McCartney and McCartney II reissues. If you haven't already, look on the McCartney page.

After the listener listens to this album, they might make the confused face that Paul has on the album's cover. It's easy to understand: this album is very experimental, but so was McCartney in some way. McCartney II is actually a really good album. I like the sound of it personally. It's different and kind of trippy and funky. This album was recorded in July 1979, shortly after Wings had released their seventh (and later, final) album Back To The Egg. Paul recorded this album in Scotland and like McCartney, he played all the instruments, but this time with the aid of a sixteen track machine. Paul also had a new toy: a synthesizer. This is one of the reasons why some critics and fans don't care for McCartney II. I'm not a big fan of the synth either but Paul makes this easy to listen to. The album opens with "Coming Up", an instant classic. The live version taken from the 1979 gig in Glasgow made "Coming Up" a #1 hit single. If you're reading this, please go check out the promo/music video to "Coming Up". It's just wacky. Some people may skip over songs like "Temporary Secretary", "Front Parlour", "Frozen Jap", and many others due to the fact that there all use one too many synthesizers. I actually like "Temporary Secretary" and I also really dig "Frozen Jap", which is also an awesome song title! I like the entire first side of the album. Along with "Coming Up" and "Temporary Secretary", there's the slow rocker "On The Way", the simply beautiful "Waterfalls", and the upbeat "Nobody Knows". The second side isn't as good. My least favorite song is probably "Bogey Music". It's got this 1950's feel but it's kind of annoying. "Frozen Jap" is much like "Front Parlour" but there's something I like about it. I think it's the Japanese-like sound it has! I also like the reggae-flavored "Darkroom".

The second disc for McCartney II has eight songs and a run time of 48 minutes. Some of these songs are edits of long songs (the full length versions can be found on the third disc on the deluxe edition of this album. Both McCartney and McCartney II have deluxe editions w/ photo books and a DVD) The hit live version of "Coming Up" is on here as is "Wonderful Christmastime", which was another hit for Paul. "Check My Machine" is a very funky track that I'm really liking. It was a B-side to "Waterfalls". There's also the ten minute "Secret Friend", which was a B-side for "Temporary Secretary". For all of you real die-hard fans, there's three previously unreleased tracks that didn't make the final album (which are on a bootleg called The Lost McCartney II Album). Those three are "Mr H Atom/You Know I'll Get You Baby", "Bogey Wobble", and "All You Horse Riders/Blue Sway".

I was undecided at first as to buying these two reissues. I have to say that I'm pretty happy with my purchase. These are two really good albums and they sound clean. You also got the bonus discs, which have some lost treasures that are worth listening to. If you're a die-hard fan of the Beatles and/or Paul McCartney, you may want to pick these up.

McCartney II finds Paul McCartney losing Wings and heading back to style of recording he did on his first solo album. Instead of the down home, easy stylings of the first record, McCartney II finds him experimenting with the new wave, electronic sounds of the time. The album is heavily drenched with keyboards and while it doesn't always work, the spirit of the attempt is true. "Coming Up" is an excellent, funky song that in a live version would be his first number one song of the 80's. There are two instrumentals, "Frozen Jap" and "Front Parlour" aren't too impressive. "Waterfalls" is a good ballad as is "One Of These Days". Some of the bonus tracks are interesting. "Blue Sway" (the first version) is a string-laden almost disco like song. "Mr. H Atom" is a strange chanted like song and "Secret Friend" is a ten minute spaced out number that ranks as one of the most experimental things he's ever done.