Instrument Review - Atari Synthosaur

Album Review - Paul McCartney's Egypt Station

By now you have probably read all the reviews, describing McCartney's 18th solo effort as either his greatest album released in decades or just another generic entry into his lengthy and impressive catalog.  My personal opinion is that it is a mix of both.

Generally speaking, I have found his last three albums (excluding Kisses on the Bottom) to be very good, and in that regard this album is no exception.  Through a first listen, I found myself enjoying the sounds of each track, some more than others.  There were times where I would think to myself that some of the songs were too McCartney-ish.  The lyrics felt superficial and forced but McCartney pulls it off because he knows how to craft a song with catchy melodies and rhythms.  I believe his co-written tracks stand out on this album and in my opinion his collaborations are wonderful exercises at reigning in all that Macca fluff. 

The Good:

I originally pre-ordered the album off of Amazon when I heard of the release but when I read a couple days ago that Target \got an exclusive with two additional tracks I initially balked, but when I was shopping the other day I couldn't resist when I saw it was on sale.  A quick listen in the car had me wondering why McCartney left perhaps his two best tracks off of the wider release.  Even my 5-year-old son was singing along by the time we got home.  One of the tracks, "Get Started," was a solo effort that is not risky but a wonderful pop tune, but "Nothing For Free" was a pleasant surprise and made me searching for the writing credits when I got home.  While it was one of the few co-written tracks with Ryan Tedder, it sounded modern yet uniquely Paul, and I personally would have led with this as one of the first singles, along with "Fuh You," which once you get past the novelty of the controversy is quite catchy.  Collaborations tend to reign McCartney in (see works with artists like John Lennon, Youth, Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder, etc.)  For some reason the final track makes me think of his Press To Play album and his single for "Spies Like Us," and that's a good thing.

"Back in Brazil" has some catchy rhythms and features some typical McCartney story telling lyrics but definitely stands out.  The synth line is catchy and the beat is fun.  For some reason I find this track reminiscent of Barry Manilow's "Copacabana."

"I Don't Know" and "Come On To Me" are great in their own right and also make wonderful A-Sides, although I find the ending of the latter to sound a bit forced while still a little fun to sing. 

"People Want Peace" sounded very formulaic but catchy and fits well with some of his earlier peace-related songs, like "Pipes of Peace." 

"Happy With You," "Hand In Hand," "Who Cares," and "Do It Now" are also fine songs that are very complimentary to the rest of the album and do not feel like filler.

"Hunt You Down/Naked/C-Link" is also another good title but the sum of the parts does not equate to a great song.  I found that it opens up to a great rocker with a great beat but it abruptly enters into the slower paced "Naked," which in turn awkwardly flows into "C-Link."  While McCartney is known for playing with medleys, this one felt a little unfinished and rough around the edges.  Had those parts been fully developed into three separate tracks I feel that they would be stronger additions to this album.

The Bad

I really don't believe any of the tracks to be categorically bad.  I didn't really care much for the instrumental "Station" tracks but found them pleasant when I realized they were playing and was too late to skip to the next song.  I would more accurately describe the rest of this album as just "okay."

"Confidante" is one of those songs where I enjoy listening to it until I start to listen to the lyrics and I find myself questioning the author.  The song is heartfelt but feels silly at the same time. 

"Dominoes" is also an okay song but after a few listenings did not stand out.  I am sure it will be one of those songs that will pop up on a future random playlist, I give it a listen, I enjoy it, and then it goes back into the vault for next random encounter.

"Caesar Rock" sounds food but just kind of generic.  After hearing it sung you can hear the play on words - "She's a Rock" - but it doesn't sound as groundbreaking or original as many of his other songs.  I would probably classify this as "filler."

"Despite Repeated Warnings" is also another fine entry.  A medley of sorts, this song has gotten attention as being a shot at President Trump.  I love the song and some of the hooks.  It has some points where I am reminded of his past medleys like "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" but like the other medley on this album I find the transitions to be a bit abrupt for my liking.  Still a great listen.

Overall

I find this to be a great album with great replay quality.  There are instant personal hits that I will be singing for years and I would definitely love to see some of these tracks performed live.  For being in his mid-seventies, McCartney keeps a busy schedule and it feels like eons since his last solid release.  Albums like Kisses on the Bottom are pleasant surprises but take a bit to warm up to.  I personally love his collaborations, both past and present, and hope that he does more in the future, in part hoping that doing so will help keep a healthy output of McCartney material for years to come.