Uncut gave McCartney 4/5 stars.. claming its his best album since Band On the Run

'Mac to where he once belonged'
Really - His best since Band On The Run

"..delivering an album fit to bat in the same ballpark as anything he made with The Beatles.. he's pulled it off"



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so so article.. not a great review on the album, but defiantly not a bad one

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They gave Chaos and Creation 3.5 stars

Paul McCartney
Chaos and Creation In the Back Yard (3.5 stars)

Is it fair to Paul McCartney that behind his new melodies you always hear the echo of one of his classic songs?

For better or worse, McCartney can never be heard out of order. And so Sir Paul does no favors when he describes "Jenny Wren"—an above-average song, granted—as "the daughter of 'Blackbird.'" Listen to "Jenny Wren" and about halfway through you'll want to take it off and play "Blackbird."

Still, and this gets lost too often in the disappointment that has unfairly shadowed McCartney his entire post-Beatles career, when it comes to melody, he has no peers this side of Mozart; he only has himself to compete with. As with Driving Rain from 2001, Chaos and Creation In the Back Yard finds McCartney thoroughly engaged, if not totally inspired. The pleasures here are plenty: the craft of "Fine Line," the pretty ease of "Certain Softness" and McCartney's disarming charm on "Promise to You Girl."

But be warned, McCartney is still capable of being sappier than a Vegas headliner on the subject of love. The stomach-churners here include: "Follow Me" and "This Never Happened Before."
[Edited 8/31/05 16:01pm]
[Edited 9/1/05 12:50pm]

I have heard more than half of the album already.. and I think its his best since "McCartney" & "Ram"

definantly in his top 3 in his solo career..


might I add his voice sounds better than his last 3 albums.. he sounds great this time around.. Sounds like Nigel pulled the best out of him on this one..

I also find it odd that reviewers go back to comparing Jenny Wren to Blackbird just cause McCartney himself calls it "Daughter of blackbird"
they sound nothing alike..

I hear he's not smoking so much weed since meeting his new wife. Perhaps he's lost some of his laziness, not to mention regained some of his voice?

andyman91 said:

well thats one way to look at it.


I heard he was pushing a very tight time during Driving Rain, and was very sick when recording vocals.. its very evident compared to this album

his vocals are smokin on the new album.. impressed very much so

Sdldawn said:

errrr.....surely "band on the run" is his greatest post beatles album..and dont give me any "wings" cobblers

blackbob said:

I'll agree thats one of his best.. but I think the album flakes towards the end.. there are about 5 good songs on that album.. RAM had more than that..

Updated with a 4 star review snippit for UNCUT

Sdldawn said:

Band on the Run does end badly with those reprise songs--Like "Ho Hey Ho" was so good it had to return! And Band on the Run's reprise is totally forced. But 1985 is good & Let Me Roll It, too.

McCartney is one of my favorites, though you could easily make the case for it being one of his worst, as well.

I also like Red Rose Speedway.

andyman91 said:

If your a fan of his, I think, no doubt this one will be a favorite.. ive heard bout 8 of the 14 so far and they are terrific..

Sdldawn said:

I was a huge fan, the biggest. I followed him through the Liverpool Oratorio. But at some point I swung in Lennon's direction and thought of Paul as the biggest goofball ever. Recently the pendulum has swung back a bit. You can't deny his greatness. Like with Beatles & Stones I fugure, why can't you like both?

And even when I was anti-Paul, I admired most of his Beatles work and felt a nostalgic fondness for him.

I probably won't but this album unless I hear & really like some of the songs, but I'm still interested in what he's up to.

wings were the band that the beatles wanted 2 b!