***Do We Still Need Him?***

Paul McCartney is (almost) 64, but a surprising new album suggests his glory days aren't all behind him
By JOSH TYRANGIEL

If you want to scare a music critic, whisper these four words in his ear: new Paul McCartney album. In the 35 years since the Beatles broke up, McCartney has made 19 albums. Some have been good. Many have not. McCartney admits that he writes and records with varying degrees of seriousness, and the throngs who will pay any price to watch Sir Paul beep-beep his way through Drive My Car (he was the top-grossing live act in the world as recently as 2002) wouldn't think of holding that against him—nor would they think of declaring any of his recent work his best.

Luckily, the 20th Paul McCartney album, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, out Sept. 13, makes matters easy. It took two years to record, in part because McCartney plays almost all the instruments on it (including drums, harmonium and flugelhorn) and in part because he actually cared. Chaos and Creation is adventurous, melodic and emotionally complicated—the first album in his post-Fab Four catalog that really matters. If it is not as dark or as brilliant as TIME Out of Mind, Bob Dylan's "Hey, I can still do this!" album, it belongs on a shelf nearby. "Since the Beatles, I've approached making records every which way," says McCartney. "A lot of times it's a real casual thing. Do a few tracks a day, have a bit of fun. Normally I kind of say, 'I'd like to make a good album.' This time there was motivation, determination. 'I'm going to make a good album. I'm going to, and that's that.'"

The urgency behind McCartney's renewed ambition is not hard to figure out. Sitting in the Manhattan town house that serves as his office, he praises an "old black drummer," then stops mid-sentence. "I say 'old black drummer,' and it's terrifying, actually. He's about my age [James Gadson, 64]. Excuse me. I'm still coming to grips with the fact that I'm an old white cat." McCartney is 63. With his hair dyed forest-floor brown, he looks younger, "but numbers don't lie, man."

He has already buried a wife of almost 30 years and a songwriting partner, and George Harrison's 2001 death from cancer shook him again. "George and I met as kids on the school bus," says McCartney.

"It's surprising when one of your friends who you've known that long just ups and goes--'No, no, we hadn't said it all yet. I need more time.' It's a very weird feeling, and it spills over to all aspects of your life. You want to get moving, to say things that haven't been said."

When McCartney sorted through his emotions and decided that he wanted to say some of those unsaid things on a new record, he did what he always does—call George Martin. Martin has retired from producing, but he remains the artistic Svengali in McCartney's life, and in a shrewd bit of psychology, he suggested Nigel Godrich as a possible producer. Godrich is almost 30 years younger than McCartney, and his work with Radiohead (OK Computer) and Beck (Sea Change) has earned him a reputation as the most innovative producer in rock. He is also known for expressing his opinions with the sweetness of barbed wire.

"I met with him and said I'd do it," recalls Godrich. "But I said I didn't love a lot of his solo stuff and that we'd have to do this my way. I was absolutely s_____ myself as I said this—it is Paul McCartney. But I think the penny dropped there and then to him that he wanted to get out of his comfort zone." Says McCartney: "It appealed to me. When you've done as much as I've done, it's nice that people are impressed, but it can work against you. You want real hard opinions."

Almost immediately, Godrich started dispensing them. McCartney brought in a sprawling series of demos he had recorded at home; Godrich listened and announced that he would work only on the songs that interested him. "No '50s rock-'n'-roll pastiche numbers," says Godrich. "He's a jolly old soul, but I thought maybe just for once we could steer him away from those things." After a week of recording, Godrich told McCartney that his regular band had to sit this one out.

"In any tense moment, he'd look over at those guys and say, 'What do you think?' It was too easy for him to deflect getting put on the spot. I could only cope with it by isolating him."

McCartney understood that Godrich was trying to play the role of iconoclast to the complacent icon, and he was willing to go along with it, to a point. "There were a few times I thought, I could sack this guy," says McCartney. "I've produced more records than he's even looked at in a shop." Instead he convinced Godrich that he didn't need to be confrontational to get his point across, and gradually a positive form of creative tension emerged. "When I write, there are times—not always—when I hear John [Lennon] in my head," says McCartney. "I'll think, O.K., what would we have done here?, and I can hear him gripe or approve. And one of the good things about working with Nigel is that he became more of a co-worker rather than a grownup producer. His opinion mattered to me in a way that made me want to impress him."

Chaos and Creation is full of the melodies that have always been McCartney's trademark—the single, Fine Line, grabs you by the ear in four bars—but for the most part, they've been stripped of cuteness and nostalgia. What strikes you first is that the sad songs are really sad. At the Mercy gets past the sentimental and into the startling fact that genuine love can leave you powerless and insecure. Riding to Vanity Fair, a trippy ballad about rejected friendship, is the most misanthropic thing the composer of Ob-La-Di has ever recorded. He insists it's not directed at anyone in particular, and the lyrics--"You're not aware/ Of what you put me through/ But now the feeling's gone"—don't offer up any autobiographical clues, but it seethes with bitterness. The trick to these very tough tunes is that they're essentially untethered from anything like a formal chorus. They don't try to resolve themselves; they just drift into provocative emotional territory and linger for a while. Chaos and Creation has its share of bright moments too—the arena-ready Follow Me, the joyously goofy Promise to You Girl—but the album feels like a catalog of all McCartney's emotions, not just the easy ones.

McCartney knows that he didn't rise to his place in the pop firmament by pushing the envelope. "I'm not a rebel," he says. "In actual fact, I'm pretty straight, and I don't mind at all that people see me that way." Still, he seems to have turned a musical corner. When he thinks about the U.S. tour he will launch Sept. 16 in Miami, he says, "It'll be great not to be out there with a crap album, singing songs I don't care much about." And if audiences still mostly pine for another roundelay of Hey Jude? "They'll get that too, but you have to move forward as well as go back. As they say, the show must go on!" And now there's a compelling reason to tune in.

Sdldawn said:

I do

PANDURITO said:

Co-sign


I love that kat shrek 2 picture of yours

The world will ALWAYS need Sir Paul! He's still the man I want to marry.

Thanks for the article! I'm super psyched about this album, sounds like it's gonna be brilliant. After reading that article, I wish McCartney had workded with tougher producers in the past, maybe it would have resulted in better albums. I do think that one of the reasons he has released so many weak albums is that he's PAUL MCCARTNEY and everybody's gonna tell him that everything he does is brilliant when in actuality it's not. I love McCartney though and I got tickets to see him on Sept. 16th, opening night in Miami!!!!!

emilio319 said:

Nigels a tough one.. and thats exactly what he needed...


Driving Rain would have been brilliant as well if had the right producer..


I know soemone else that needs to follow same suit... BIG TIME

Anyone who has the same birthday as me has got to be cool.

scorpio13 said:

Sdldawn said:

Who might that be?!?
For real, all your posts about Macca's new CD got me delving into his past and present. The man has so may great songs. And I did purchase the new CD/DVD edition today. Heard most of it and I like it. I don't think I've ever purcased a Paul solo album ever! I did buy With a Little Luck on 45 (showing my age ya'll) when I was a kid but that's about it.
It's funny I just bought George Clinton and PFAS's new CD as well and George and Paul are like the same age.I Like that CD to. Gotta support the funk. It's nice to see artists I grew up with still putting out what I think is relevant stuff.
Back to Paul, I ordered McCartney II which seems to divide a lot of people but the reasons I ordered it is because it sounds like it is his most experimental.
I like when Paul gets weird and different. Any other suggestions?

Well, my personal favorite Paul solo cd's are:

Tug of War, Flaming Pie, Driving Rain, Band on the Run, Venus and Mars


I'm really liking "Chaos and Creation...." but I must admit I'm slightly disappointed that so many of the songs are at a rather slow tempo and their aren't too many upbeat tunes. My favorite songs on it so far are "Jenny Wren" (instant classic....definitely coulda been on the White Album) and "English Tea."


"Flaming Pie" is a brilliant album, some truly classic stuff on their. And if you haven't heard "Driving Rain," I personally think it's a killer album. I especially love "Lonely Road," "From A Lover To A Friend," and "Your Loving Flame."

emilio319 said:

I know some of the comments regarding his new album is that the tempo is slow.. but it wasnt anything they planned.. it came out that the best material wasnt exactly "rockish" but It really doesnt bother me.. the quality of the songs are much braver and seems they will outstand anything he's done in the last 20 years.. im pretty confident of that.

I also think that NIgel and paul did so many songs.. he is gonna release another album within the next year or so.. so thats something else to look forward to.

As far as Paul's experimental stuff goes, I would recommend the album 'Rushes' (1998), which Paul did under the name 'The Fireman' - The Fireman is/was actually a duo of Paul and ambient/ dance music producer Youth. 'Rushes' is an almost entirely instrumental album of drifting, ambient grooves and soundscapes. Paul plays piano, guitar and bass among other things, and I personally find it very relaxing and interesting (if a little repetitive here and there).

This is a very laid back CD and is not 'dance music' at all. It barely sounds like McCartney, tho if you listen closely you can hear Linda's voice reading some verse and even Paul singing in odd places deep in the ever-evolving mix. Those 'in the know' consider this to be one of Paul's major solo works even tho it was released with no publicity under an alias and with his organisation denying any connection between Paul McCartney and the Fireman. There was an earlier Fireman album in about 1994, which was apparently more techno-ey, but the second one, 'Rushes' is considered to be far superior. If I were to describe 'Rushes' in one sentence I would say it was - updated '70s ambient Brian Eno meets 'Dark Side/ Wish You Were Here' Pink Floyd meets Paul McCartney stoned at an Apple Mac.

Paul even did a live internet concert as the Fireman dressed in fireman gear playing alone with his face hidden.

There is also the 'Liverpool Sound Collage' from 2000, which is kind of Paul's version of John and Yoko's Revolution No. 9 from the 'White Album'. Paul works with and without Youth and also Welsh band Super Furry Animals. There are even Beatles samples on it! They ingenuously sample pieces of studio chatter from the Beatles while recording the 'Help!' album (I think) including a snatch of George's voice that has been mutated into a bassline! This album is very much an acquired taste but worth seeking out for its curiosity value at least.

By the way I am not a McCartney completist. The only other solo albums I own are 'McCartney', 'Ram' (which I think rivals the better Beatles albums), 'Wingspan' and now 'Chaos and Creation', which is great so far. I too enjoy Paul when is 'experimenting'.

If only Paul would find a way to integrate all his musical ventures and styles (including pop, rock n' roll, classical, ambient and avante garde) on one album under his own name, he could produce the album of his career (or a right mess!).

I now think that Paul McCartney is not the man many people think he is.

Miles said:

Rushes was a great experimental album. I think that its something that will probably outlast most that ambient stuff.. just because of the organic nature of the content.

I think Choas touches on some of the most delicate sides of his experimentation.. its a good album that has a mix of diversity in sound. I love the sound.. the dark sides that shade some hope. very enlightening. Hopefully this new album will be remembered as a major highlight of his career, cause this album only gets better everyday.. I havent felt that way about his albums since the late beatle period (along with McCartney and Ram)

http://classicrock.about...._chaos.htm
Times Change, So Does McCartney
Guide Rating - ****

Well, he finally did it. Paul McCartney's 20th post-Beatles solo album ventures where the artist hasn't gone for quite a while: outside his comfort zone.

One Man Band
McCartney himself seemed to acknowledge the absence of any particularly significant albums in recent years when he told the Associated Press, "I decided to lay it on the line for myself and challenge myself and say, 'You're going to make a good album here.'"
His first step out of the box was to hire Nigel Godrich, who is best known for his work with alternative rockers Beck and Radiohead, to produce the album. This was at the suggestion of George Martin, the producer of most of The Beatles' albums.

It was Godrich who booted McCartney's tour band from the recording studio in favor of having the artist play virtually every instrument himself. It was Godrich who butted heads with McCartney over the right tempo for Riding To Vanity Fair. Godrich won. It was Godrich who insisted that what McCartney considered a wrong note when he hit it during a rehearsal, stay in the album's first single, Fine Line. It did.

Paul will always have my respect as a musician and entertainer. I'm a huge Beatles fan and love some of Pauls solo work too. I don't have the new cd yet, but will get it soon.

Sdldawn said:

Thank's to both of you for this info. I am on a mission to find this snow. And because of all these discussions (sdldawn) I've been rediscovery Paul's work. Thanks. It's cool when people turn you onto to things (The Dissociatives) I also agree the new CD is nice. I like it the more I play. Any thoughts on Mccartney II. I'm still waiting on my in the mail.

Sdldawn said:

Not to bash Paul, he's done some good records--McCartney, Ram, Red Rose Speedway, Band on the Run, Tug of War--but this quote raised the question with me, has he ever done any really significant solo records? I mean something that challenged people to think or act.

John's stuff wasn't as good as Beatles either, but Plastic Ono Band is highly challenging and Imagine is one of the most significant pop songs ever.

Have any of Paul's albums or even songs ever truly been significant? I think his greatest statement came in Silly Love Songs. "Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs/what's wrong with that?"

Maybe that's his significance; he tries to live his live with the love that Lennon & Harrison preached about but seemed unable to achieve in their lives (maybe they had love, but I'm not so sure about peace & happiness, which Paul seems to have in spades).

Sdldawn said:

Can you confirm that? If so,that would be extremely cool.

emilio319 said:

Let me see if I can find the article in which I read that.. will post it here..