New - Track-by-track thoughts
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some people have no musical taste or an ear for music....
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I Can Bet... is Superb!
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harleyblues:
I Can Bet... is Superb!
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tough crowd. Looking forward to hearing it tonight if I can find the time. Might have to wait until tomorrow unfortunately.
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prudence1964:
tough crowd. Looking forward to hearing it tonight if I can find the time. Might have to wait until tomorrow unfortunately.
You'll not regret making the time!
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Guys and ladies, I just picked up the CD this morning (great deal at Target). I think some of you are "jumping the gun" here relative to rating each track and comparing to other Paul CD. I know from the past that it will take me at least 3-4 weeks of consistent plays before I get a good feel for a Paul album. Invariably a song that I thought was one of the best becomes one in the middle and vice versa. You also can't be distracted. You really have to have quiet time with a Paul album (certainly not at work). I like what I hear generally so far but it will take me quite a lot longer to decide if "new" is a good, fair or great Paul album.
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cfergoid:
harleyblues:
I Can Bet... is Superb!
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Just listened again. My opinion has not changed. NEW is about like CHAOS and DRIVING for me. And those were just OK, IMO. MAF was better, as was FLAMING PIE, OFF THE GROUND and FLOWERS. It is no BAND ON THE RUN!!! For my part, NEW is the best song on the CD, and SAVE US is about the second best. The rest I can take it or leave it. That's cool. Paul McCartney has nothing to prove, he already wrote YESTERDAY and HEY JUDE. If I were to see him live ever again and he played five songs off of NEW, I would listen gladly.
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B J Conlee:
Guys and ladies, I just picked up the CD this morning (great deal at Target). I think some of you are "jumping the gun" here relative to rating each track and comparing to other Paul CD. I know from the past that it will take me at least 3-4 weeks of consistent plays before I get a good feel for a Paul album. Invariably a song that I thought was one of the best becomes one in the middle and vice versa. You also can't be distracted. You really have to have quiet time with a Paul album (certainly not at work). I like what I hear generally so far but it will take me quite a lot longer to decide if "new" is a good, fair or great Paul album.
There is something to be said for this. I was cool to FLOWERS IN THE DIRT when it came out but ended up really liking it.
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RMartinez:
Just listened again. My opinion has not changed. NEW is about like CHAOS and DRIVING for me. And those were just OK, IMO. MAF was better, as was FLAMING PIE, OFF THE GROUND and FLOWERS. It is no BAND ON THE RUN!!! For my part, NEW is the best song on the CD, and SAVE US is about the second best. The rest I can take it or leave it. That's cool. Paul McCartney has nothing to prove, he already wrote YESTERDAY and HEY JUDE. If I were to see him live ever again and he played five songs off of NEW, I would listen gladly.
We agree again
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Received my deluxe edition this morning, cleared everything off my schedule so I could give this album a few really good listens. My thoughts are... Save Us - I like the studio version much better, what really strikes me is how good McCartney's vocals are. What doesn't surprise me is the muffled bass sound, really wish McCartney would stop recording with the Hofner. Alligator - THIS SONG IS ABSOLUTELY MASTERFUL! The bass is muffled once again but McCartney vocals are excellent. This may be my fave song on the album! On My Way To Work - I like this one, vocals are excellent once again, the bass is too far back in the mix but it is recorded very well, I like when you can hear everything very clearly. Queenie Eye - I don't like this much, but again the vocals are very good. Early Days - I like the lyrics, but it doesn't do anything for me. New - As I've already said I like this one, it's a nice safe song, a very pleasant listen. Appreciate - I like this one, I hear a smooth funk groove, a good one to nod your head. Everybody Out There - It's okay, a call & response song, McCartney's ad lib shouting at the end should of been louder, the background vocals are louder than his lead. Hosanna - Muffled bass again, doesn't really do anything for me. I Can Bet - I like this one! This song would have attracted major attention as the lead off single! I like the power pop of this one. The vocals are excellent. Looking At Her - I don't like the drum machine, to me it interrupts the groove. This could of been a smooth jazzy groove, but many of the added sounds are to jarring and interrupt the flow. Road - It's okay, pleasant music to listen to. Turned Out - I like this one, very upbeat and catchy. McCartney's vocals shine once again, parts of this song remind me of the Traveling Wilbury's. Get Me Out Of Here - I like this one, that loud bang is totally unnecessary. Love it anytime McCartney goes blues or r&b. Scared - I know this is about his love for his wife, but it doesn't do anything for me. It goes nowhere, there's no melody. There's no real rock and roll on this album, but for the most part it's an enjoyable listen. McCartney's vocals are the highlight for me!
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I think McCartney can do country and still sound like McCartney. But these examples on NEW sound like Paul is trying to sound like someone else, or something else. OK, he is talented enough to do it. But I prefer HEART OF THE COUNTRY or SALLY G. Or ONLY ONE MORE KISS. As far as blues, I'd rather hear ON THE WAY. As for Lennon-ish songs, I prefer LET ME ROLL IT or COME ON PEOPLE. Having said that, I am going to listen to NEW some more over the next few days, see if it grows on me!
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Listened to it twice so far. A little disappointing, overall. But I have learned, over the years, to be suspicious of albums that sound too good, too fast. They often wear out their welcome quickly. Maybe this one will be a grower. To my ears the clear highlights are Queenie Eye, New, and Appreciate. I Can Bet, Turned Out, and Save Us all seem pretty solid. Road is an intriguing closer. I have to listen to that one again. On My Way To Work is dreadful. Early Days is marginally better, but not by much. Queenie Eye is the album's best track, in my opinion. It's fantastic.
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But I really shouldn't rush to judgement. There is a lot to like on the album.
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just got home w/it an hr ago...ALOT to take in...BUT LOVE MOST OF IT. Faves so far...Alligator, Queenie Eye,Apperciate,I Can Bet, Turned Out (very Wings) ..
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sarah1471:
the best post Beatles' album Paul has done! Period.
To Each His Own...but yes, absolutely!!!
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We're a diverse bunch aren't we, I think that is PM fans all over! I think this album is stupendous. Its really cohesive, flows easily, has all the trademarks of a Paul album, fabulous melodies, quirky lyrics, wonderful musicianship. There isn't a duff track on here. The only song that sounds slightly forced is Everybody Out There. Possibly Paul is guilty of songwriting by numbers here. My 5* go to Road, Hossana, Early Days & Alligator. I think my favourite track is a toss up between Road and Hosanna. Road is very different/amazing/wow/ wasn't expecting anything like this. The bass is off the wall! If anyone says Paul hasn't got it still, I'll stick this one on. Also loving Turned Out ( deliciously melodic). I think this is classic Macca! Infectious. Queenie Eye, very quirky, lyrically clever. Save Us much better on the recording, more subtle with great vocals. On My Way to Work is a charmer, reminds me of English Tea. Its very knowing. Great vocals again. I actually also love Get Me Out of Here, its very funny. Like a long lost relative of Rocky Racoon. Appreciate is an ear worm with a real groove going on, again not expected. Growers but liking more are Looking at Her and I Can Bet. Not instant but already thinking I've under valued Looking At Her. New is sweet and toe tapping with a nod to his past. Scared is stunning, with the piano leading the way. Very beautiful. So for me its a winner all the way.
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RMartinez:
If I am harsh, it is because I expect greatness. Since 2002, I have heard McCartney just doodling a lot in the studio, lots of studio tricks and sounds that may come off as "modern" but are not songwriting. Some things on FLOWERS, OFF THE GROUND and FLAMING PIE had this vibe, but mostly those albums had songwriting, Paul McCartney songwriting on them. A lot of what I hear in the last eleven years is just "vibes" and "grooves" and Paul repeating a vocal riff or something.
I'm afraid I tend to agree with the above. On first impressions, I'm fairly underwhelmed with the album. It makes me laugh when people talk about 'Press To Play' being over-produced, but I feel that is indeed the case with 'New'. The flashy production, while interesting for the most part, covers up the fact there are precious few strong songs on it. I think Paul can still write them - 'Memory Almost Full', My Valentine and (I Want To) Come Home proved that - but on this album he seems more interested in making 'cool', hip sounds than crafting sturdy, melodic tunes with good lyrics. The exception is Save Us, which I absolutely love. Wish the rest of the album had been as good.
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prudence1964:
tough crowd. Looking forward to hearing it tonight if I can find the time. Might have to wait until tomorrow unfortunately.
I pre-ordered it and downloaded this morning but had to work for 12 hrs. I will listen when I get home later. Nice thing about being in IT is that I can check out board in between doing normal work - lol.
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I would love to see a chart or graph with everyone's favorites ranked. It would be interesting, to say the least, seeing as how there are so many different/contrasting opinions and a number of similar ones. Quite entertaining to see the debating and discussion. I just got off the phone with a friend of mine who grew up with Beatlemania, has been a McCartney-influenced songwriter for 4 decades, and feels that Flowers In The Dirt was the last great solo album. He thought New was around okay, but overhyped and nothing special. I argued and bantered with him about it, as friends do. He likes "New" and the chords of "Everybody Out There" grew on him; he thought "Save Us" was decent, but overall he was disappointed and felt that Paul has run out of steam. I may have disagreed with him quite a bit, but it was even better when we both agreed on something. Amazing how one man's music continues to drive us - one way or the other.