MUSIC REVIEW:
"DRIVING RAIN"
Although all critics can't say a single
negative word about Paul McCartney's latest
CD, this writer has one or two to say...
by Ernest Barteldes
his
column's weekly reader might think that I am obsessed with the Beatles.
After all, this is the third time in a row that I tackle one of the
former Fabs.
The truth of the matter is that this review had been planned weeks ago.
However, other urgent matters got in the way, and, totally by coincidence,
all had to do with the former members of the group of Liverpudlians that
changed rock as we know it.
In the meantime, I got to read several reviews of Sir Paul McCartney's
new solo effort, Driving Rain (which hit stores a week before
Thanksgiving).All of them say that this album is one of his best in years
- something that I simply cannot totally agree with.
Of course, his bass playing is great and unlikely agressive (to the
point of using distortion effects in some songs, most notably "She's
Giving Up Talking"), and his voice seems incredibly youthful despite a
forty-year-plus career - something not even Mick Jagger can boast.
When it comes to the songs, however, I cannot help but think that
McCartney's muse has seen better days - for example, his previous original
effort (Flaming Pie) was a much better album.
Take, for example, the opening track, "Lonely Road", which is
supposedly a tribute to his late wife, Linda. Why does he sound so
apologetic in the words "Don't want to walk this lonely road again" while
his voice sounds so cheerful?
The music, however good-sounding, does not match the words - maybe
Paul, in the haste of recording (the whole album, except for the final
track, was recorded within a few weeks) let this pass on during the
post-production phase.
Another weak track is the title song, "Driving Rain". The song
takes me way back to one of the Beatles' silliest tracks, "All Together
Now", with its " 1 2 3 4 5, let's go for a drive" refrain and its
meaningless lyrics (according to a recent Reader's Digest
interview, Paul the idea for the song came while driving around with his
fianceé, Heather Mills).
"Tiny Bubble" is also quite forgettable, with its
pseudo-meaningful lyrics, uninspired playing and of course, the music.
In this new album, McCartney attempts to try musical
formats he hadn't tried before, but unfortunately that backfires. Take,
for example, the The Tommy-sounding finale for "Magic", and the
overwhelming "Rinse The Raindrops", in which the band takes a
progressive approach - can anybody tell me what that was
supposed to mean?
The album, is, however, not completely weak. In "Your Way", a
country-sounding tune, I had to check the credits to make sure that it
wasn't some unreleased Wings track, in which I could almost swear I'd
heard Linda and Denny Laine on the harmonies. "Heather" is a
beautiful instrumental suite that is only spoiled by the silly lyrics in
its end. "From A Lover To A Friend", the one critics didn't like
(which was supposed to be the first single), is a polished gem - both
lyrically and musically.
"She's Given Up Talking" is the best track musically speaking,
although the lyrics don't make much sense. It was possibly the only of the
"experiments" in the whole album that actually worked.
Of course, there is the studio-enhanced live rendition of "Freedom",
which was performed at Madison Square Garden during the "Concert For New
York" last October.
As it is widely known, McCartney wrote "Freedom" (which is
basically consisted of two short stanzas and a refrain)
in New York City the day after the attacks on America.
The song, which was included just in time for release, is by far the
strongest one in the whole album. The lyrics, although brief, are strong,
and send a poignant and direct message to those who tried, in vain, to
thwart who we are.
Truth be told, Paul McCartney is a man who can afford to do anything he
wants to do (at least musically), and his core audience will support him
no matter what. Also, one has to admit that even Paul McCartney can't
write fully youthful songs at the mature age of 59, just like he couldn't
compose teeny-sounding ones at 25, as he said at the time The Beatles' Sgt
Pepper's came out.
In my opinion, what "Driving Rain" lacks is proper production,
like he had from George Martin in albums such as "Tug Of War" and
Jeff Lynne in the best moments of "Flaming Pie" - someone to simply
chip in ideas and help, not take control (something Paul would NEVER
take).
In conclusion, "Driving Rain" is at best an OK album if you do not
raise your expectations too much.
For more information on McCartney, check out http://www.paulmccartney.com
****
Related notice: Plastic Sole, the Beatles tribute band from New York
will be performing, for the seventh time, at The Real McCoy, on Staten
Island, on Dec. 21 - For more information log on to
http://www.angelfire.com/ks/barteldes/plasticsole.html
