Paul McCartney
Memory Almost Full

Make way, clear the path.

I adore Sir Paul, so let me be the one to criticize this album. I can, those who haven't shattered their eardrums with years of everything he has recorded must be silent and show respect. Because we're talking about a great, perhaps the greatest of all time.

Even Napoleon lost some battles, right?

Exactly, this is one of Paul’s lost battles (not the first, alas). Those who expected another classy release at the level of "Chaos & Creation" were disappointed, and I am among them. Those who feared a fall from grace comparable to "Driving Rain," "Press to Play," or even "Wild Life" now rush to justify the good old Paul by saying, "but yes, the divorce, the stress, the humidity," but I am not among them.

Sir Paul can do whatever he wants. He records classical music, oratorios, chamber music, underground, and he's right to do so. But he should understand that the world of Beatles and derivatives music suffers for years of thirst, and when a new album of his unreleased works comes out, it's like a drunkard in withdrawal eagerly consuming it. So he cannot and must not fail. But he did.

I know why, and I deduced it from the albums of the last 10 years. The fact is that Paul is not a good music producer. Actually, in that field, he is mediocre. It hurts me to admit it, but Paul is like the largest raw diamond in the world, which without an excellent craftsman jeweler, is worth little and says even less. But with a good sound craftsman (George Martin, to use the first name that comes to mind...) you end up with "Abbey Road," the year zero of modern music, you see what I mean?

This David Kahne, the same as the embarrassing "Driving Rain," is evidently either not capable or doesn't know how to assert himself. He believes (maybe not without reason) he has a Messiah in front of him and goes with "the first take is good." Thus, we have a series of songs with already heard sounds, old and boring effects, a voice (perfectly in tune, mind you) that at times is a bit pale. What a shame! Practically Kahne doesn’t even make it to the podium in a go-kart race with a Ferrari under him. Congratulations!

This is not an excuse for my idol, to be clear. But Paul’s solo discography teaches us that unfortunately, it corresponds to reality. Or is it a coincidence that in the wonderful album a few years ago, "Flamming Pie!" among the producers, you also see the old G. Martin (saint immediately!). We need someone who says, "with all due respect, Paul, this vocal effect is dreadful. Be patient, Paul, but I would work a bit on the sound of this guitar... etc!" Otherwise, as in this case, you find yourself facing an album that struggles to stand on its feet, which can only somewhat please those who, like me, have patiently listened to it a hundred times.

The songs:

"Dance tonight" is the house specialty, 2 chords 2, nothing epic (and I miss the times of "Moorse moose and the Grey goose").

"Even present past" is cheerful and quite inspired (great repeated link before the second chorus), and in the long run, it sticks well in your head, in short, it works fairly well.

"See your sunshine" stands well in the verses but drops in intensity and support in the choruses, overall almost adequate.

"Only mama knows" is perhaps the best song on the album. The nice introduction isn’t very clear (the production is decent here), but when the song starts, you feel a good rhythm and a decent level of old Rock Pop vibe. In short, a great forgotten rarity bootleg song, to me, or slightly more.

"You tell me" is an example of why Kahne should be condemned without appeal. The melody is there, but the piece really doesn't work, and I find it hard not to give a bit of blame even to Napoleon... too weak overall, devoid of ideas even if somewhat passionate.

"Mr. Bellamy" is distressing to me. It would be cute, even slightly ironic and with some sharp ideas like the stubborn piano and the Elvis-style interlude... and yet it bothers my ears. The melody is there, the ideas too, McCartney is inspired... My God, but then? Any producer would give a kidney to be in that situation, yet the song doesn’t deliver. Mystery! Suggestion: someone go to Paul's house and burn that horrible vocal delay with which he has already ruined many songs in the past...

"Gratitude" I plead the fifth on judging such a wreck. I don't like anything about this song. George Martin, please send Christmas greetings to Paul... you never know.

"Vintage clothes", well, so-so. Mediocre with peaks of flair in the whistled parts, but at least supported and convinced overall.

"That was me" isn't bad, and here Kahne works fairly well. Good sound mixing, appealing and persistent verse, overall the track works even though it's slightly repetitive.

"Feet in the clouds": help. Everything wrong, everything contrary to what Paul is and what he must do to feed a myth that anyway carries on by itself. It's slow, naive, repetitive, heavy, and produced so crudely that it seems like a rehearsal, a discard. In the repeated passage <> we really hit rock bottom. And my heart aches.

"House of wax" somewhat better. Beneath the surface, there is a decent song, but it is really hard to grasp it. Thumbs down, especially for Kahne.

"End of the end" is a pale attempt of one of the greatest ballad authors of the last century. It's hard not to fall into the clichéd when speaking of your own death, and Paul falls right into it. Rather dull, but it might appeal to those who long for stuff like "My love"

"Nod Your Head": a discard retrieved from who knows where. Paul shows he still has a voice to scream, and Kahne begs for mercy (which no judge will ever grant him) with passages somewhat reminiscent of a recent superhero soundtrack... well.

The last songs are attached to each other. I am ready to engage physically with anyone who dares to compare this with the sublime and unmatched second side of "Abbey Road." Dear Paul. I forgive you, of course, but I do not recommend buying this album to anyone I want to convince of your greatness. I am already eagerly awaiting the next one, hoping it will be something like "Run devil run."

Goodbye!

Vito (http://www.the4fabs.com/)