Beatles the Solo Years Album by Album Thread: Approaching the 2000s and Beyond!

To me it doesn't sound out of sequence at all. It sounds closer to Band on the Run and Junior's Farm instrumentally, but less sparse, and warmer, richer, and more layered in detail, and better bass. I wouldn't call it raw exactly, but more aggressive and growly in places. Definitely not slick or overproduced. But there's a lot of variety in the textures, too. That's the way it sounds to me, anyway. For my money, it's the best instrumental sound Wings ever got.

 

My favorite songs from Memory Almost Full are "Ever Present Past", "See Your Sunshine" and "Mr. Bellamy". These three songs are what bring me back to MAF. I'm somewhat disappointed in the "medley". I remember reading about this medley before the album came out, thinking it would sound something like Side 2 of Abbey Road. Instead, it's basically just a few songs that sort of connect, but I really don't think it's a true medley. Don't get me wrong, that section of the album is great, I just expected something a little more challenging from Paul.

 

"Memory Almost Full" is definately in the top 5 McCartney albums, but anyone that knows me knows that "Chaos and Creation" holds the number one slot.

Four things about MAF I'm not crazy about:
1. the terrible sound
2. "gratitude"
3. "nod your head"
4. that i bought the dvd-case-sized deluxe edition when i would have much preferred the contents and size of the super deluxe edition, but i'm sure not buying it again. sorry!

I think "Ever Present Past," "See Your Sunshine," "Only Mama Knows," "Vintage Clothes," "Feet in the Clouds," "Mr. Bellamy," etc.. all great.

I put it above "Driving Rain," but I'm not sure about "Flaming Pie." Some gems on that album. Maybe a tie.

 

What ?? You won't pop for the "Super-er Deluxe Edition with the ten minute version of "Nod Your Head" ?

 

Funny, I feel the same way about Chaos and Creation in the Backyard as you do about Memory Almost Full.
I like it, but there aren't any total killers on there for me . If I had to pick between the two, (which is silly, because I don't have to pick between the two) I'm going for Memory Almost Full.

They are both good in different ways though.

 

I'm with you on this one! Love Chaos, but Mr. B, House of Wax, Vintage Clothes, Only Mama Knows, and That was Me just rock! MAF feels almost like an answer to all the critics for Chaos, "Oh, you don't think I rock enough, well here, chew on these rockers for awhile - oh, and that's me on guitar on "House of Wax" by the way!" - says Paul!

 

This is my opinion. Excellent album...

 

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MAF is a step back to the "old Paul" from the Paul of Chaos. It's more a regular Paul album, where Chaos was very somber and stately, as it were.

There are some absolute killer tracks on MAF (Mr Bellamy, House of Wax) and a whole bunch of great tracks (Ever Present Past, You Tell Me, Vintage Clothes, etc.), but unfortunately a few tracks that aren't very special to me (Gratitude, See Your Sunshine). The B-side "Why So Blue" is another essential track that should've been part of the album.

MAF is firmly in my top 10 Paul albums, perhaps even top 5, but it's not in the same league as Chaos. Still, Paul is definitely hitting a career high these last few years, and I hope we won't have to wait very long for the next album either.

 

The mastering is the only low point for me, too.
Anyway, we can get it a little bit better on the LP version, and that's a plus.

 

Also not a fan of Gratitude. The only one that I skip when I spin it on...

 

I think its the mastering.. "Gratitude" is the worst sounding song on the album.. way too bombastic for what it is. If the song was on "Chaos" or a more well-produced album, it might not be as bad...

But "Nod your Head" is just embarrassing. The live version is great (thanks Ron).. but as an album track, it makes you want "Why So Blue" in there.

 

I think Nod Your Head is one of the fun and harmless tracks Paul is used to pen it. It does not improve the album's quality; does not make it weaker either.

 

Initially I liked about half of MAF a lot better than his other recent releases, but I haven't liked much of what he's done in the last 20+ years. The two singles I was already skipping after the first play. The more rocking tracks were a nice change to have back again. But now, after seeing/hearing several of the TV appearances and small live shows, I'm already tired of hearing the new songs that initially seemed really good. MAF has been totally gone off of my iTunes playlist for months.

Even though MAF still seems better than other recent Paul releases, it hasn't held my interest.

 

Just out of curiosity... since I seem to have a minority opinion regarding Memory Almost Full, in that I don't think it's a classic album, top-tier album, etc... I'm curious what everyone thinks is so good about the album that they think SO highly of it. I think it's a good album, but not better than Driving Rain. I know why people like it. I know why I like it. But what are the specific reasons for it being considered one of his absolute best albums?

 

Well, people have an initial subjective response, but I don't think the album is old enough for getting a real perspective on it, or more objectivity, if you will. One reason might be that the album seems more personal and more reflective than most of McCartney's albums - it's a bit autobiographical in some places. McCartney has always done some songs based on experiences he has had - but not obviously so. Those songs tend to be indirect because I suppose he wants to universalize the songs so everyone can relate on some level. The impersonality (I don't mean the term negatively) is partly because he mixes in third-party story or impression-type songs, and partly because he buries or camoflages his emotions in the songs that do relate to his experiences. On MAF, the emotions and the personal refernces are closer to the surface. Only somewhat, though - Paul will never be a confessional songwriter. But there is enough of a personal flavor this time around to be noticeable, and refreshing as well. I can't give you specific examples off the top of my head without listening again, but other folks have commented with observations on the lyrics in the multi-part MAF thread.

 

I'll take the plunge Chief .

My first thought is that there is nothing on Memory Almost Full that grinds my delusional listening to a screeching halt . This is one of the very few solo albums of Paul's where there isn't some clunker that hasn't stopped the momentum dead in it's tracks and basically I have to work around something, or many things, listening- wise .

As I had mentioned earlier, the whole thing flows from point "A" to point "Z" for me and because MAF isn't very long, before I know it, it's over.

I also like Driving Rain, so you will get no argument from me on that point.
I think both albums have a great mix of up tempo and down tempo Paul and most tempos and moods in between the two, whereas Chaos has basically one feel or mood to it. A very nice mood, but kind of down and introspective.

Paul has always been very creative when it come to arranging, but I really enjoy the arrangements of Memory Almost Full . I like the little touches like the Clavioline in "Ever Present Past".

Maybe because I was raised on the Beatles, I like that this album seems a little more Beatles- like in arrangement and sequencing.

Unlike most others here who think "Dance Tonight" is happy and slight, I think the song has a very melancholy feel to it, mainly because of the wistfull sounding keyboard sound , and part.

I also like the way the "medley' kind of picks up steam as it goes and then the album is basically wrapped up with "The End of the End" where Paul makes a "big " statement without resorting to a "big" arrangement ala "C'mon People" or similar , where the arrangement tries so hard to be "serious" and weighty that the whole song sinks due to the overblown arrangement .

I'm also a sucker for Paul's goof rock things like "Oh Womah Oh Why" so "Nod Your Head" is a nice bonus for me.

So Chief, without spending "deep time" going song by song with you on this album,that's my summary of why I like it better than some of Paul's albums.
Oh. Great vocals with a little more sincerity than usual also !

Glenn

 

I feel sometimes these two albums are highly praised more for their lack of bad songs than their surplus of great songs. They are more consistent listens than practically anything Paul had done in his solo career. But for me they are a series of B pluses and A minuses, rather than A's or A pluses.

 

off topic: this thread went from the beatles albums through Memory Almost Full.. covering Live at the BBC and Let it Be... Naked.. but ignoring the Anthologies, Yellow Submarine Songtrack, 1, and Love.

As for why MAF is in my top 5.. it's simply more enjoyable to me than most Macca albums. I like McCartney, Ram, Band on the Run, yes even Pipes of Peace.. and everything since Flaming Pie. I'm missing a few here or there and I have a handful more that I can't get into as much.. It is very consise.. and while it sounds bad, it's a very creative listen.

 

Unfortunately I can't think of many of Paul's solo albums that would rate an A or A plus . Individual songs sure, but not albums.

I have mentioned a couple of times before that I agree that there isn't a great song to point to on Memory Almost Full. But I like every song on MAF enough that as a total listening experience (TLE ) Memory Almost Full works better for me than most of Paul's other albums.

 

So are we ending on Liverpool 8, then ?

 

What I meant was, his albums used to wobble between A's and C's (or worse!) Now they are more consistent but I don't feel he hits the same heights anymore either. I'm not sure which way I prefer!

 

Every one is different , but I like his early post Beatles things, then there is a big downtime in the middle period, except for a few songs on Tug of War and then there is a big resurgence from Flaming Pie through..today.
We will all never agree on this though , because he has released such a wealth of material, and everyone's opinion will vary.

The difference is that I am right. I'm "Kidding !

P.S. Once in awhile I feel like Paul has lost the ability to write a killer hook or the great melody, but then he pulls something out of the air and I have to shut up.

 

Well... you definitely can't please everyone. A little history, the first thread in this "set" went through all of the Beatle albums and solo releases from when the Beatles were a band and that thread stopped with Let it Be. Then I started the Beatles Solo Thread, and started with McCartney's first solo release, that I also had included in the first thread because it to me is the bridge between the Beatles and solo material.

When we reached "new" Beatles material I thought I would include that, so I posted Live at The BBC. That was not taken to well, so we had a discussion and decided to forgo the Anthologies. When we got to "Let It Be Naked" I decided to include it because it was more or less our current solo "Paul" looking back and re-interpreting this earlier work the way he thought it should be. It is not perfect logic, but it is the only logic I had on me at the time.

 

Yes, unless Paul releases something soon!