19/04/2007
Un nouvel Album pour Paul McCartney
Intitulé « Memory almost full », le prochain opus de l’ex-Beatles sortira aux Etats-Unis le 11 juin prochain et atterrira chez nous soit à la même date, soit la semaine suivante, le 18 juin. Le clip du premier single « Dance tonight » réalisé par le français Michel Gondry mettra en scène l’actrice Natalie Portman. « Memory almost full » fait suite au très critiqué "Chaos and creation in the backyard", sorti en septembre 2005.

Overall, a more balanced album than "Chaos and Creation", but missing the Beatle-esque style tune of "Friends to Go". Hard to describe, but it's like "Ram" meets "Back to the Egg". Which is VERY, very good in my book.

"Chaos and Creation" sounds more like a "coffee shop record" to me... can't imagine Starbucks blasting "Only Mama Knows".

This album is pretty deep - he's all over the place. Fun rockers, songs that almost completely reflect his past, with some excellent "Magnesium and Titanium Man" meets "Uncle Albert"-type stylings. I can't imagine this review is helping much to create the feel of the record in your head...

Bottom line: A great album that will please the McCartney fan more than a newbie... but that's okay. He's 64 and kicking everyone else's butt - a shockingly solid album for a guy who usually follows up a critically-praised album like "Flaming Pie" with the dreaded, "Driving Rain". Kahne must have gotten a good talking-to to get the producing job again - and he doesn't disappoint!

Track Listing:

1. Dance Tonight - A "Ram"-like opening. Fun little ditty - love it actually, a real treat. Like a "Hello" version of his song, "Goodbye". A simple song played on ukelele - sounds odd when you first put on the album, but it thankfully changes direction. A light toe-tapper, but then it kicks into...

2. Ever Present Past - Great rocker. Kicks butt. My favorite McCartney single in YEARS. Most have heard this one already. Driving verses and goes into a catchy and simple Macca-esque chorus.

3. See Your Sunshine - Thought the song was called, "So Fine" - it repeats many times. Well-produced, with a bit of "So Bad" in it... not the best, but still good. Great bridge in this.

4. Only Mama Knows - Total "Back to the Egg" McCartney. Rocks harder than anything since. Catchy melody, too. I love it. Starts with a unique and rather ominous classical-type string arrangement before kicking into the hard-driving rocker it is.

5. You Tell Me - Intense ballad. Maybe I should hold off on my review because I can't play the music right now. I haven't memorized lyrics yet. Would fit on "Chaos" perfectly.

6. Mr. Bellamy - Excellent song! SO odd and different. Wild little piano piece that changes style many times over his singing. Closest thing I can associate with it is one of his songs for animation. He does a few voices but it's SO well written. The closest thing he's ever come to do something like this is, "Return to Pepperland". This SMOKES "Pepperland" but it's the only way to describe it... I think it's about his cat. That's my guess! About "someone" who won't "come down" from somewhere because it will interfere with their "plans". I love this track.

7. Gratitude - Ugh. A bit of a show stopper, the weakest song on the album (though still okay) - he sounds like he's singing through his dentures. One of his attempts at "Souvenir" or "Call Me Back Again" though it doesn't work so well. He starts the song with singing "Gratitude... gratitude..." which is a bit amelodic. Again, doesn't do much for me. The melody is better than the execution... I wish he dropped the whole "Gratitude" part. You can really hear his spittle rumbling behind his teeth. "Grat(spittle)it(spittle)yuuude".

8. Vintage Clothes - Another excellent song. "What we are is what we are and what we are vintage clothes" he sings. It's modern but turns Beatle-esque in certain parts. A bit tongue in cheek - not too corny, though. It's cool.

9. That Was Me - Acoustic driven song about things he's done. Like "Summer of '59" (a b-side from "Chaos") - very similar actually. Just a few chords. I like it though.

10. Feet In The Clouds - Another lighter song in an acoustic vein...

11. House Of Wax - I'm blanking on this one but it's a rather intense ballad like "You Tell Me".

12. End Of The End - Wow. Killer. The melody didn't hook me at first, but now it does. It's raw (Paul whistles!) both production-wise (piano with scant strings) and lyrically. It could have been corny and awful, but he anticipates his death not with the more obvious, "I hope when I die, peace prevails" but rather about how he's going to a better place and he hopes jokes are told and stories are relayed fondly now that he's gone...

13. Nod Your Head (hidden track) - Hard guitars don't help this much - basic melody. If you like him, nod your head. And if you forgot how, he tells you to nod it up... then down.

Jeff

Full Album Credits & Notes To Editors

All tracks written and composed by Paul McCartney
Produced and programmed by David Kahne

Paul McCartney played all instruments except:
Paul 'Wix' Wickens - keyboards; Rusty Anderson - guitar; Brian Ray - bass guitar and Abe Laboriel Jnr. - drums; played on Only Mamma Knows, You Tell Me, Vintage Clothes, That Was Me, Feet In The Clouds, and House of Wax

Recorded at Hog Hill Mill Studios, Abbey Road Studios, Henson Recording Studios, Air Studios, RAK Studios
Mastered by: Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering

Memory Almost Full will be released on Friday 1st June

This release will be the first ever Paul McCartney album available digitally

Memory Almost Full is Paul McCartney’s 21st solo album since leaving The Beatles

Recording sessions started in October 2003 – The mixing was completed in February 2007