Defense Case 2- Off the Ground
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Another clear case of disappointment. Like Press to Play, people weren't expecting this type of music from Paul. They expected another FITD. What they got was a much more light-hearted, less artsy but more catchy, album that has a lot to offer. The songwriting is great, Hope of Deliverance, Cmon People should go into his list of masterpieces. Yes the faster tempo songs were more simple but that's how faster music tends to be. FITD had much more slow songs, hence the more diverse writing. And it's good to have more faster songs. That was my one complaint with FITD. Every song on that album is perfect by itself, but added together they are too sad, not enough straight forward rockers. Off The Ground combines all tempos, and we should respect that. Any thoughts?
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I loved this album from the first moment. I genuinely don't understand the criticism. Every song just makes me want to dance in delight. I don't really 'expect' anything from McCartney. I just listen and see if I like it, and Off the Ground is a definite yes yes yes.
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Yes, I found FITD unnecessarily "heavy" as a whole, and this album was fun and breezy, with the band really sounding comfortable together. "Get Out Of My Way" is the one weak link, despite the great use of horns.
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I always liked OFF THE GROUND. Not sure why FITD seems to overshadow it. Flowers REALLY took a long time to warm up to, then I liked that LP a lot. OTG has cool songs, like the title cut, C'mon People, Wine Dark Open Sea, Mistress and Maid, Hope Of Deliverance, I Owe It All To You, Golden Earth Girl, all were pretty great, I thought.
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Off the Ground has a misconceived new age quality about it. The songs range between from anti-vivisection to "peace in the neighbourhood" without saying anything original or new about these issues; in fact, they're presented in such vague doped up terms that they can antagonise. Some are nice in spite of all this - Golden Earth Girl, for example. Or I Owe It All To You. The low point is the plainly abject attempt at a narrative song - Biker Like an Icon which, to this day, cannot be heard without Paul's exortation to "think about it" and the inevitable cringe. Winedark Open Sea is a long pointless dirge which has no business outside of a soundcheck; C'Mon People appears to be an offensive end of history track re fall of Communism. Peace in the Neighbourhood is a sort of drive-by song. The high points are the collaborations with Costello, particularly The Lovers that Never Were, which stands head and shoulders above everything else here. The album's case is not helped by the fact that those songs recorded at the sessions and then reserved for b-sides and extra tracks on Cds are better than most of the rubbish on it. Though not that much better, it has to be said. Plus the cover art is atrocious.
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Squid:
Off the Ground has a misconceived new age quality about it. The songs range between from anti-vivisection to "peace in the neighbourhood" without saying anything original or new about these issues; in fact, they're presented in such vague doped up terms that they can antagonise. Some are nice in spite of all this - Golden Earth Girl, for example. Or I Owe It All To You. The low point is the plainly abject attempt at a narrative song - Biker Like an Icon which, to this day, cannot be heard without Paul's exortation to "think about it" and the inevitable cringe. Winedark Open Sea is a long pointless dirge which has no business outside of a soundcheck; C'Mon People appears to be an offensive end of history track re fall of Communism. Peace in the Neighbourhood is a sort of drive-by song. The high points are the collaborations with Costello, particularly The Lovers that Never Were, which stands head and shoulders above everything else here. The album's case is not helped by the fact that those songs recorded at the sessions and then reserved for b-sides and extra tracks on Cds are better than most of the rubbish on it. Though not that much better, it has to be said. Plus the cover art is atrocious.
You like it then?
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I still love everything about it. I'm afraid I'm one of those who likes all his albums, which doesn't seem to go down well with some on here.
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Its not so much the songs or even the performances that ruin OTG for me, but the soulless,sterile production job its lumbered with.
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I am one of the people who really love this album! My favs are Off The Ground, Hope of Deliverance, I Owe It All to You, Peace In The Neighborhood, Golden Earth Girl, Get Out of My Way, Winedark Open Sea and C'mon People...pretty much the whole album! Two songs I always skip tho...
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Squid:
Off the Ground has a misconceived new age quality about it. The songs range between from anti-vivisection to "peace in the neighbourhood" without saying anything original or new about these issues; in fact, they're presented in such vague doped up terms that they can antagonise. Some are nice in spite of all this - Golden Earth Girl, for example. Or I Owe It All To You. The low point is the plainly abject attempt at a narrative song - Biker Like an Icon which, to this day, cannot be heard without Paul's exortation to "think about it" and the inevitable cringe. Winedark Open Sea is a long pointless dirge which has no business outside of a soundcheck; C'Mon People appears to be an offensive end of history track re fall of Communism. Peace in the Neighbourhood is a sort of drive-by song. The high points are the collaborations with Costello, particularly The Lovers that Never Were, which stands head and shoulders above everything else here. The album's case is not helped by the fact that those songs recorded at the sessions and then reserved for b-sides and extra tracks on Cds are better than most of the rubbish on it. Though not that much better, it has to be said. Plus the cover art is atrocious.
So it's like all his CDs since 2002.
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Squid:
Off the Ground has a misconceived new age quality about it. The songs range between from anti-vivisection to "peace in the neighbourhood" without saying anything original or new about these issues; in fact, they're presented in such vague doped up terms that they can antagonise. Some are nice in spite of all this - Golden Earth Girl, for example. Or I Owe It All To You. The low point is the plainly abject attempt at a narrative song - Biker Like an Icon which, to this day, cannot be heard without Paul's exortation to "think about it" and the inevitable cringe. Winedark Open Sea is a long pointless dirge which has no business outside of a soundcheck; C'Mon People appears to be an offensive end of history track re fall of Communism. Peace in the Neighbourhood is a sort of drive-by song. The high points are the collaborations with Costello, particularly The Lovers that Never Were, which stands head and shoulders above everything else here. The album's case is not helped by the fact that those songs recorded at the sessions and then reserved for b-sides and extra tracks on Cds are better than most of the rubbish on it. Though not that much better, it has to be said. Plus the cover art is atrocious.
You know squid, why are you on this forum. I have never seen you compliment any worthwhile album. You even have put Flaming Pie on your bottom 5 list. Almost every opinion must be respected but yours are just so incorrect it's not even worth listening to. The production wasn't sterile, and many of then songs he wrote were based off of direct observation a dealing with the world he was writing about.
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jgm0228:
Squid:
Off the Ground has a misconceived new age quality about it. The songs range between from anti-vivisection to "peace in the neighbourhood" without saying anything original or new about these issues; in fact, they're presented in such vague doped up terms that they can antagonise. Some are nice in spite of all this - Golden Earth Girl, for example. Or I Owe It All To You. The low point is the plainly abject attempt at a narrative song - Biker Like an Icon which, to this day, cannot be heard without Paul's exortation to "think about it" and the inevitable cringe. Winedark Open Sea is a long pointless dirge which has no business outside of a soundcheck; C'Mon People appears to be an offensive end of history track re fall of Communism. Peace in the Neighbourhood is a sort of drive-by song. The high points are the collaborations with Costello, particularly The Lovers that Never Were, which stands head and shoulders above everything else here. The album's case is not helped by the fact that those songs recorded at the sessions and then reserved for b-sides and extra tracks on Cds are better than most of the rubbish on it. Though not that much better, it has to be said. Plus the cover art is atrocious.
You know squid, why are you on this forum. I have never seen you compliment any worthwhile album. You even have put Flaming Pie on your bottom 5 list. Almost every opinion must be respected but yours are just so incorrect it's not even worth listening to. The production wasn't sterile, and many of then songs he wrote were based off of direct observation a dealing with the world he was writing about.
Winedark Open Sea is such a great song!! Squidward, I am having trouble understanding such negative comments 
I so love the cover too, and the video too...Hear the sound...Hear the sound... -
Paul tries too hard on most of this album & it comes off as feeling "forced". Looking for Changes, Cmon People, and Biker Like an Icon are "message" songs that simply doesnt work. Get out of my Way, Winedark Open Sea, Hope of Deliverance are examples of Paul trying to write to a certain style & it feels like songwriting by numbers - too sterile, no soul. The only songs that are in any way innovative or above average are the 2 Elvis collaborations and Golden Earth Girl.
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Kestrel:
Its not so much the songs or even the performances that ruin OTG for me, but the soulless,sterile production job its lumbered with.
I second this. Off the Ground has a very early-90s sound (which was carried through into those dated piano-led Hope dance mix b-sides) that makes it all a little bland and humorless. I liked the band, a few of the songs were good (I Owe it All to You, Winedark Open Sea, C'mon People and the Elvis Costello collaborations particularly), but the production hasn't aged well. It's too MOR for me.
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jgm0228:
You know squid, why are you on this forum. I have never seen you compliment any worthwhile album. You even have put Flaming Pie on your bottom 5 list. Almost every opinion must be respected but yours are just so incorrect it's not even worth listening to. The production wasn't sterile, and many of then songs he wrote were based off of direct observation a dealing with the world he was writing about.
I disagree. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and to post on this board, unless they're singling someone out for abuse. A person's view isn't only valid when it corresponds with you. ?I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.? (Voltaire) (Never thought I'd apply that quote to Off the Ground
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It's funny. All the criticism being leveled at OTG can be said about all of his releases from Driving Rain to NEW. Forced songwriting, uninspired, etc. And really, it's in the ear of the beholder. OTG may not hold up with his best, but really, these sorts of negative comments can be applied to Red Rose Speedway,Venus and Mars, At The Speed Of Sound, London Town, I even found Tug Of War to be too slick, over produced, and MOR. I mean, come on! Ebony and Ivory? Makes OTG seem like an Aerosmith LP! Let's be honest. His solo output is pretty uneven. Ram and Band On The Run are as good as it gets with McCartney. And those are damn good.
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jgm0228:
You know squid, why are you on this forum. I have never seen you compliment any worthwhile album. You even have put Flaming Pie on your bottom 5 list. Almost every opinion must be respected but yours are just so incorrect it's not even worth listening to. The production wasn't sterile, and many of then songs he wrote were based off of direct observation a dealing with the world he was writing about.
?First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.?
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It's a very sweet, soft album. I love it, but is not better than FITD for me. Is cool, better than POP and PTP. Like everybody, I love Hope of deliverance and C'mon People, and Golden Earth Girl really delights me.
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As you say RMartinez, it really is in the ear of the listener. My top 5 McCartney albums would be: Press to Play Flowers in the Dirt Ram Off the Ground Flaming Pie. But even POP at the bottom is a great album in my opinion. Just not as great as the others.
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Although not my favorite, I don't view this album in the same dim light as the albums you mentioned in the first two threads
