A qualified thumbs-up for Paul McCartney's new album
Paul McCartney has a tendency to conjure up self-named albums at moments of pressure, like a release valve. The first McCartney came out in 1970 when The Beatles were in their death throes. His soon-to-be ex-bandmates were angry at its timing: they believed McCartney was using the break-up to promote his solo debut. They were also dismissive of the songs. “He’s a good PR man, Paul,” John Lennon jibed.
McCartney II came out a decade later in 1980, after he had been jolted by the anxious experience of 10 days in jail in Japan for cannabis possession. Disillusionment with his band Wings was another spur for making the album. Its quirky experiments with synthesisers and drum machines foretold Wings’ end the following year. Its reception was unfavourable, although it has since acquired a cult following.
Now comes McCartney III. Like its predecessors, it is literally a solo record: McCartney plays all the instruments and does all the vocals. Unlike McCartney or McCartney II, it arrives without any obvious personal or professional drama in his life. This time the pressure lies outside. McCartney made it during the spring lockdown in his East Sussex farmhouse as coronavirus ripped through the world.
Source: ft.com
