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

Drumming and backup vocals only. You also get to see Ringo showcased (drumming and talking, clowning around, etc.) while they are at work during recording and mixing sessions. But this whole CD/DVD is very entertaining. Besides music, Liam produced some video and animation stuff on his computers which is quite interesting and is included on the DVD disc. He put out an audio/video package that showcased all the stuff he is into, including building a robot and tinkering with it. I think the whole thing succeeds very well. Great value for the money.

 

Super duper Tuesday is upon us, and it is a great day to add some Chaos to the mix.



Chaos and Creation in the Backyard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chaos and Creation in the Backyard
Studio album by Paul McCartney
Released 12 September 2005
Recorded Winter 2003 - Spring 2005
Genre Rock
Length 46:53
Label Parlophone, Capitol, EMI
Producer Nigel Godrich

Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is an album by Paul McCartney released in 2005. A long time in the making, the set was produced by Radiohead and Beck collaborator Nigel Godrich — at George Martin's suggestion.

The album showcases McCartney's gifts for inventive melodies and well-crafted arrangements. McCartney plays almost all of the instruments, making the album something of a throwback to the 1970 McCartney and its sequel, the 1980 McCartney II. In addition, Chaos And Creation In The Backyard marks the first time since 1984's Give My Regards to Broad Street that McCartney was not involved in producing one of his studio albums.

Chaos and Creation in the Backyard was McCartney's last rock album release for longtime label EMI. He signed a deal with Hear Music, owned by Starbucks, in March 2007.

Details
According to McCartney, Godrich was at times blunt in his appraisal of McCartney's songs-in-progress during the making of Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, challenging McCartney to get the best out of the music. Although initially taken aback, McCartney appreciated Godrich's tenacity and honesty and respected him all the more for it.

Advance reviews for Chaos and Creation in the Backyard were very strong and signified that after delivering Flaming Pie, Run Devil Run, Driving Rain and this album — all in uninterrupted succession — McCartney is in a late-career creative peak. Many critics and longtime listeners also acknowledged that the album was unusually reflective and intimate-sounding for McCartney. The sudden shift in direction was generally considered an unexpected and welcome surprise, and resulted in three Grammy nominations for the album, including the coveted award for 'Album of the Year'.

The first single, the upbeat "Fine Line", was released in late August 2005, ahead of the release of Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, and reached #20 in the UK. A second single, "Jenny Wren", reached #22 in the UK that November. The album entered the UK charts at #10 and peaked at #6 in the US, McCartney's highest position there since Flaming Pie in 1997. McCartney has also said that the song Friends To Go is influenced by, and dedicated to George Harrison.

The cover for Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is from a photograph of McCartney strumming a guitar in his family's back yard in Liverpool, taken by brother Mike McCartney (aka Mike McGear) and originally entitled Paul Under Washing, before being retitled Our Kid Through Mum's Net Curtains.

There was a promotional concert for the album held at Abbey Road Studios, called Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road.


Track listing
All songs written and composed by Paul McCartney.

"Fine Line" – 3:05
Paul McCartney - Piano, spinet, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, shakers, tambourine, vocals
Millennia Ensemble - Strings
Joby Talbot - String arrangement, conducting
"How Kind of You" – 4:47
Paul McCartney - Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, piano, flugelhorn, shaker, guerrero, drums, vocals, piano loops, acoustic guitar loops
Nigel Godrich - Piano loops, acoustic guitar loops
"Jenny Wren" – 3:47
Paul McCartney - Acoustic guitar, floor tom, vocals
Pedro Eustache - Duduk
"At the Mercy" – 2:38
Paul McCartney - Piano, electric guitar, bass guitar, cello, vibes, tambourine, organ, vocals
Jason Falkner - Electric guitar
James Gadson - Drums
Millennia Ensemble - Strings, brass
Joby Talbot - String arrangement, brass arrangement, conducting
"Friends to Go" – 2:43
Paul McCartney - Piano, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, drums, tambourine, flugelhorn, melodica, shakers, vocals
"English Tea" – 2:12
Paul McCartney - Piano, bass guitar, bass drum, recorders, tubular bells, vocals
Millennia Ensemble - Strings, brass
Joby Talbot - String arrangement, brass arrangement, conducting
"Too Much Rain" – 3:24
Paul McCartney - Piano, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12 string guitar, bass guitar, autoharp, drums, maracas, vocals
"A Certain Softness" – 2:42
Paul McCartney - Classical guitar, bass guitar, piano, harmonium, gong, cymbal, triangle, vocals
Jason Falkner - Classical guitar
Joey Waronker - Bass drum, bongos, shaker
"Riding to Vanity Fair" – 5:07
Paul McCartney - Bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, glockenspiel, Wurlitzer organ, vocals
The Los Angeles Music Players - Strings
David Campbell - String arrangement
James Gadson - Drums
"Follow Me" – 2:31
Paul McCartney - Bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, percussion, block, tambourine, vocals
Rusty Anderson - Acoustic guitar
Brian Ray - Acoustic guitar
Abe Laboriel Jnr. - Percussion, block, tambourine
Millennia Ensemble - Strings
Joby Talbot - String arrangement, conducting
"Promise to You Girl" – 3:10
Paul McCartney - Piano, bass guitar, electric guitar, drums, Moog synthesizer, tambourine, triangle, shaker, vocals
"This Never Happened Before" – 3:24
Paul McCartney - Piano, bass guitar, electric guitar, drums, vocals
Millennia Ensemble - Strings, brass
Joby Talbot - String arrangement, brass arrangement, conducting
"Anyway" – 7:22 (actual song ends at 3:50)
Contains a hidden track at 4:10: "I've Only Got Two Hands" – 3:12
Paul McCartney - Piano, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, Moog synthesizer, harmonium, vocals
Millennia Ensemble - Strings, brass
Joby Talbot - String arrangement, brass arrangement, conducting

Special Edition DVD
"Between Chaos And Creation" - Documentary (30 mins)
"Fine Line" - Studio Performance Video (4 mins)
"Line Art" - 12 Minute Animated Film - drawings by Brian Clarke. Animation by Momoco. (Includes 3 instrumental tracks: "Riding To Vanity Fair", "At the Mercy" and "Anyway").
"How Kind of You" - DVD Menu (5 mins)

From Promotional Film of Fine LineExecutive Producer: Paul McCartney. Director & Editor: Simon Hilton. Producer: James Chads. Production Company: Maguffin. DVD Mastering: Abbey Road Interactive


Bonus tracks
In addition to the above tracks, the Japanese release of the CD included the song "She Is So Beautiful". The song was also offered as a free download in Windows Media Audio format to US customers who purchased the CD at Target stores. Other bonus downloadable songs were made available to people who bought the CD at certain other stores, such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart. Also, "Fine Line" and "Jenny Wren" appeared on singles with their running time shortened.

There are six songs which were recorded for Chaos not released on the album but were released as B-Sides and on imports:

"Comfort of Love" - 3:12
"Growing Up Falling Down" - 3:27
Both available on "Fine Line" CD single
"Summer of '59" - 2:11
Available on vinyl "Jenny Wren" single
"This Loving Game" - 3:15
"I Want You to Fly" - 5:03
Both available on "Jenny Wren" CD single
"She Is So Beautiful" 3:01
On Japanese version of "Chaos..."
"Jenny Wren (Live From Abbey Road"
Exclusive download from Paulmccartney.com (powered by 7 Digital)
All songs except "She Is So Beautiful" can be purchased on 7 Digital

Musicians
Rusty Anderson - Guitar
David Campbell - String arrangement
Pedro Eustache - Duduk
Jason Falkner - Guitar
James Gadson - Drums
Nigel Godrich - Loops
Abe Laboriel Jnr. - Percussion
The Los Angeles Music Players - Strings
Paul McCartney - Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, piano, percussion, drums, Moog synthesizer, harmonium, flugelhorn, autoharp, organ, Wurlitzer organ, spinet, melodica, loops, vibes, glockenspiel, cello, recorder
Millennia Ensemble - Strings, brass
Brian Ray - Guitar
Joby Talbot - String arrangement, conducting, brass arrangement
Joey Waronker - Percussion

 

Chaos is in my personal top three McCartney albums of all time! An amazing feat considering that before Chaos came out my personal top three had remained unchanged for almost 25 years!

I would have never guessed that Paul had an album of this caliber in him at this stage in his life/career.

To me in the same way that his first album, McCartney, seemed to be a follow-up, relative, or logical extension of Let It Be, so too did Chaos have that self same relationship to Abbey Road. Unfortunately where the McCartney/Let It Be relationship makes sense in time and space, the Chaos/Abbey Road comparison makes no logical sense. But the feeling inside of me is still the same, I can't explain it very well.

 

I know some of you have created "Utter Chaos" compilations that include all six of the additional trax in with the running order. Before I chime in on this disc, could somebody post their running order, so that I could burn it and hear the album "fresh"?

thanks!

 

My version takes a little more work. I cut the hidden instramental tracks off of the end of the album, then added the bonus tracks in this order.

tracks
1-13 original album order - love the original sequencing
14 - Bonus Track -She is So Beautiful
15 - B-side -I Want You To Fly
16 - B-side -Comfort of love
17 - B-side -Growing Up Falling Down
18 - Instramentals/hidden track from the end of Anyway

I used to add Summer of '59, but it never really fit that well, and it fits perfectly in the Suite on Memory Almost Full.

 

Chaos is a good album with some excellent songs.

The big drawback for me is, he should of stuck with using his band, as good as these songs are, imagine if his band had played them. I know many like McCartneys playing (I do to) but I like the sound of his band better.

Also the album is one dimensional and stays in the same mood too long.

It really irritated me when Rolling Stone put on their cover in regards to Chaos, Paul McCartney finally makes a good album! I guess they forgot what they themselves wrote about Flowers, and Flaming Pie?

 

Here's my take on "Complete Chaos":

01. Fine Line (DVD version with extra studio doodling at start)
02. Growing Up, Falling Down
03. How Kind of You (originally omitted, but it grew on me)
04. Jenny Wren
05. At The Mercy
06. Friends To Go (with extra guitar bit from DVD)
07. I Want You To Fly
08. English Tea
09. Too Much Rain
10. A Certain Softness (with extra sound fx at start from DVD)
11. Heather (I wanted something else uptempo, and this fit)
12. This Never Happened Before
13. Promise To You Girl (with extra vamping at start, from DVD)
14. Anyway (with unfaded ending, from DVD)

BONUS TRACKS:
15. Riding To Vanity Fair
16. Comfort of Love
17. Follow Me
18. This Loving Game
19. You Are So Beautiful
20. I've Only Got Two Hands ("remix" of CD and DVD versions)

HIDDEN TRACK:
21. Summer of '59

REALLY HIDDEN TRACK:
22. I've Only Got Two Hands (excerpt -- the "noisy" bit)

 

I'm fine if he never goes back to using his band. There is something very special in thinking that Paul's hands are playing all of the instruments. These are the sounds he wants to produce, and we are getting as close to pure Paul as possible.

 

Time magazine was even worse, saying it was the first good solo album of his CAREER! I could understand "forgetting" about Flowers and even Tug of War, but what about a little something called Band On The Run!?

EDIT: I just stumbled on my mini-rant about the Time article in one of the Chaos threads. It was worse than I remembered: they said it was the first solo album that "really matters."

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=1259342&postcount=22

 

Sean you are a sick man .

How do "Riding To Vanity Fair", etc., get placed as bonus tracks on your comp, when they were official tracks ? Just askin...

P.S. To me, once you add songs from other albums (Heather) rather than B sides from the singles from THIS album , then you are opening up a can of worms and this isn't really a Chaos comp anymore. Your thoughts ?

 

Yeah baby, and a little something else called... wait for it.... Wildlife!

P.S. Oh yeah, Dr. Pepper starts a new page! He rocks...give him props!

 

I absolutely adore "Chaos and Creation." I wasn't too excited about it's arrival because I didn't care much for "Driving Rain." The day it came out, I listened to 30-second clips of the songs online and was bored by each one. I know this isn't a sufficient way to preview music so I picked it up anyways and from the first spin I was hooked. I've played that album more then probably any that I have in his back catalog. I think it is perfect from top to bottom, including the groovy hidden track. I'm not going to do a song-by-song analysis because I'm at work, but there is something in each song..be it instrumention.. be it a neat change.. a harmony.. a lyric..a bridge.. I'm hooked on the entire thing. Even a few mates told me it was a great album and I had no idea they even owned it. I really wish I bought the special edition, but I had no expectation of loving the album as much as I do. I hope, since he released MAF a couple times, that a version with all the b-sides together finds its way to record shops.. but I guess I shouldn't hold my breath. Fab album! My favorite Macca album hands down.

 

I don't disagree with you.

"Vanity Fair" and "Follow Me" are the weakest songs on the album, but I felt bad just throwing them away, and among the lesser b-sides, they actually stand out. So I kept them on the CD, but banned them from the "album."

I can't defend the decision to add "Heather" to my "Complete Chaos" comp, but I'll go ahead and try:

a. If Chaos has any flaw, it does suffer from a "samey-sameness" that can be a little bothersome.
b. "Heather" is upbeat, piano-based, and built around an all-Paul demo
c. I'm insane

Technically, you're probably right -- by including a non-Chaos track, I have put the validity of my Chaos comp at risk. I'll say a silent pennance when I listen to it.

 

Nah Sean, you're not insane. It just makes me laugh that there are OTHER geeks besides myself that obsess about these things. It makes me feel better about myself.

As far as having "Heather" on your Chaos comp : Take a Beatle "time out" in the corner buddy.

 

That's my take on it as well, as he has a distinctive sound and feel on whatever he plays. And it is why the solo albums where Paul plays all or most of the parts rank as my favorites.

 

Yes. I like his current band and Paul has always had competent players in his bands, but the musical magic lies within Paul McCartney in my opinion, so I would rather have Paul create parts and play them himself rather than delegate the parts to other people.

 

Follow Me is a great little ballad.

I would put it as one of the best on the album and it would have made for a much better single than the forgettable Fine Line.

 

Yes, this is true, since I've had Sean's level of insanity to compare to, I now feel relatively sane! Thank you Sean! The Chief too for that matter, and don't even get me started on Claudio! Of course, whenever I look at my avatar, I begin to have my doubts.

 

I differ with you on this one . Although I like the studio version on Chaos better than when he previewed the song live, I still don't care for it.
Besides not caring for the song in general, Paul's vocal on this sounds tired and/or worn out or something to me.

They are forecasting 20 inches of snow here by tomorrow, so I expect I will have plenty of time to relax and ramble on about the rest of Chaos later tonight or tomorrow.

 

To me, "Follow Me" was a pretty average song, with trite lyrics and a pedestrian melody. The production and singing almost save it, but not quite. Not for me, anyway.

I agree that "Fine Line" isn't terrific, but I wouldn't call it forgettable. It sounds a bit forced, like he was trying to come up with a rocker to serve as album-opener and single. The arrangement sounds labored-over, rather than effortless. But it's decent enough, and it serves its purpose (album opener) well enough.

 

Anything I can do to help.

 

I think "Follow Me" is a weak track too -- the song is OK but the performance seems kind of perfunctory. (When I heard it I thought, "Paul should have done that with the band." And it turned out he did do it with them!)

 

"Follow Me" isn't some great artistic achievement.. but it's a solid track and if he did it in the 60's, it would be much loved.. I enjoy it.. great bridge.

 

Yeah. I never really warmed up to "Fine Line" in a big way either. It's OK, but it never really sucked me in like other songs of Paul's that I initially thought were just OK, but eventually I collapsed and "got" them .

I agree that Paul probably needed something upbeat as a single so "Fine LIne" became it. It doesn't fit the rest of the mood of Chaos to my ears.
Sometimes if I am pressed for time I skip it and then play most of the rest , but I'll save my thoughts about that for later.

 

I agree... about the bridge anyway. It's the best part of the song for me.