Defense Case 1- Press to Play
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And as usual, the worst song on the album was lifted for the single.
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WingsOfMacca:
PTP is, IMO, the result of some negative experiences in Paul's life. -Pipes Of Peace and Give My Regards To Broad Street. Bad works, and it had passed four years since Tug of War. -John's death. Is not a surprise, but after his death and the results of his last works, many people (music critics) began to believe that Paul's time was over, or worst, they said that he was completely lost without his best friend. Pure opportunism, but it was a straight attack to his confidence. He called Ian Stewart to write some songs, and when he came to his house the first day, he asked Paul "what did you write?". Paul said "nothing"... he was empty, lost... that's why he called Ian. Anyway I guess he had a big ambition, that's why he called the great Hugh Padghman to produce Press To Play. When Paul gave Hugh his new material, Hugh said himself "man, this is a complete s**t". We're talking about a man who produced 'Genesis' and 'Invisible Touch' from Genesis, all Collins's solo albums in the 80's, The Police's 'Synchronicity'... he probably was the most requested producer of the moment. Bad choice... if you call a great producer, make sure you have good stuff to give. Press To Play is more famous for his production, not for his songs. I love 'Footprints', is delightful, specially the chorus. The rest of the songs... they can be nice or not, depends of the opinions. But the conclusion is that PTP is an album created in a period of chaos and personal crisis. The 80's were not confortable for him, he was a 40 years old man trying to create his own space in the middle of big (and younger) stars like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Simple Minds and others.
Interesting comments, and some truth to them, I'd say. Press to Play feels to me like an uncomfortable attempt to sound modern that mostly doesn't succeed. For my money the 3 originals on "Broad Street" run circles around anything on Press to Play. For those who enjoy the album, by all means enjoy. Mostly I'd rather listen to my washing machine, which at least sounds like it's doing something meaningful.
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I also enjoy this album. I do think it sounds much better on vinyl and without the bonus tracks. I hope a rerelease (with a second disc of bonus tracks) in the archive series might provide a new perspective on the album, as with "McCartney II".
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Bruce M.:
Interesting comments, and some truth to them, I'd say. Press to Play feels to me like an uncomfortable attempt to sound modern that mostly doesn't succeed. For my money the 3 originals on "Broad Street" run circles around anything on Press to Play. For those who enjoy the album, by all means enjoy. Mostly I'd rather listen to my washing machine, which at least sounds like it's doing something meaningful.
You know, it feels like Paul did everything he needed to do to make a great album, but he fail in the most important thing: the composition. The sound is modern, but the producer can't do a great work if he doesn't have the appropriate material.
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I will always have a soft spot for this album, 'cos I was at that stage of having discovered all the solo follow-on music, and this was the next real-time release. I must've listened to it thousands of times. Had it on vinyl and cassette (for the car) and when the CD-technology was introduced, this (with INXS' Listen Like Thieves) was the first CD I ever bought. I do like Stranglehold, Only Love Remains, However Absurd, Move Over Busker, Footprints, Angry, Press. I never liked Pretty Little Head and Talk More Talk, Good Times Coming/Feel the Sun were too forced for me. I do like the songs that didn't make it on the album. It's Not True, I really, really liked. There was some real stirring stuff in that song.
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Press To Play album is one of my favourite albums of Sir McCartney. The song 'Footprints' IS my all time favourite track. It's all just my personal subjective impression. I'm a very new McCartney's fan (since New album) - so I had that possibility to listen to ALL his albums at once and look at his whole past at one glance so to say. And the most striking change seemed to be Press To Play album (that time era): these deep emotions of loss, desperate pain expressed in voice, melody and breathtakingly sincere words. For me it's like two different McCartneys: before and after Press period. As some of you mentioned a difficult period in his life at that time. It's felt in this record very much and in his interviews too. Footprints, However Absurd, Once Upon a Long Ago, Talk More Talk, Only Love Remains, Good Times Coming/Feel the Sun, Stranglehold, Pretty Little Head, Spies Like Us - are my fav from this period.
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WingsOfMacca:
Bruce M.:
Interesting comments, and some truth to them, I'd say. Press to Play feels to me like an uncomfortable attempt to sound modern that mostly doesn't succeed. For my money the 3 originals on "Broad Street" run circles around anything on Press to Play. For those who enjoy the album, by all means enjoy. Mostly I'd rather listen to my washing machine, which at least sounds like it's doing something meaningful.
You know, it feels like Paul did everything he needed to do to make a great album, but he fail in the most important thing: the composition. The sound is modern, but the producer can't do a great work if he doesn't have the appropriate material.
I very much agree on this! Composition !!! this is the weakest composition McCartney album have ever. as a die hard fan after listening 50- 100 times I got used to part of few songs : Footprint intro, Only Love Remains. but they are just a shadow of what Paul McCartney can do! or sound. I remember listening to it the first time on cassette and wondered .. did I really buy Paul's album ??? this is not his voice , and the track is not close to anything even when Paul can write simple words he never fails at melody, his bass playing, his dreamy strong beautiful voice. Again: This album is a turning point in Paul's history in my opinion. it nailed top 10 on charts because it is Paul McCartney album with all success and reputation he had before. if it was in any other singer name then it would have never been in charts or anyone's memory. BUT after many people listening to this, they started to turn away unfortunately. Sadly his name was never as strong as before this album. this was the real flop in his history.
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I can't remember the last time I listened to this album. Years ago. Always have placed it quite near the bottom, but I will have to have another listen.
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favoritething:
The basic album has the 10 songs ending with "However Absurd" and the original CD added the three bonus tracks Write Away, It's Not True (remix), and Tough On A Tightrope. The 1993 CD reissue added two additional bonus tracks: Spies Like Us, and Press (dub mix).
My 1993 CD has "Once Upon A Long Ago" and not "Press (dub mix)" as second bonus track.
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The last time I listened to this was in 1986.
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I think the songs on "Press to Play" are mostly good, maybe not great as there are no obvious classic best of tracks or even big classic hits, but I enjoyed it a lot when it came out and it got favorable reviews, I find it strange how it has slided down to be considered his low point. I don't think there are any particular terrible studio albums in his discography and "Press to Play" to me are no exception, it's a bit like "Back to the Egg" and "Wild Life", there's no big hits on it but fun enough for what there is. A variety of styles and some 80's production experiments.
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"Back to the Egg" beats the crap out of PTP
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It's more upfront, with a tight band, but I enjoy "Press to Play" for its eccentricities , or what to say.
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I wish Paul would release a "naked" version of the PTP album. Without the crappy 80s production and a more rock oriented sound.
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It's not that 80s sounding to me, except for a couple of tracks, maybe "Talk More Talk" "Press", "Pretty Little Head". There was supposed to be a followup and there exist a bootleg of recordings called "Return to Pepperland", it's almost like the 80s album that never was. Although the production on "Press to Play" may be bit sterile, at least the CD, I think it's warmer sounding on LP.
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Hendrix Ibsen:
It's not that 80s sounding to me, except for a couple of tracks, maybe "Talk More talk" "Press", "Pretty Little Head". There was supposed to be a followup and there exist a bootleg of recordings called "Return to Pepperland", it's almost like the 80s album that never was. Although the production on "Press to Play" may be bit sterile, at least the CD, I think it's warmer sounding on LP.
I have the Argentinian LP and I don't like the sound of it either lol
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I like it, ha-ha. Well, It seems as if "Press to Play" is one of his albums that split the listeneres in two camps and it's okay for me. It's not my favorite but I enjoy it.
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I don't mind Press to Play and the "crappy" 80s production. At least there's a lot of decent materiel there. No bad songs anyway. A timeless classic when compared to Bowie's Tonight (also produced by Hugh Padgham). NB: I also have a soft spot for Tonight.
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PTP must not be all that bad; I listened to it a lot, at one point. I did wish it was as classic and outstanding, as great, as Tug of War and wondered why it was not, since Paul is so talented. And this came out just a few years after TOW. Did it finally completely sink in to him, the enormity of what happened to John, and that deeply felt realization knocked the stuffing out of Paul creatively? For a time? PTP seemed to go in odd different directions as if Macca were a bit disoriented or distracted. It did feature some hard rockin' fare too. "Angry" was Paul being gritty and digging down deep to express strong furious emotions like John did in song regularly. Lennon could sound more pissed off than anyone, however. Paul still didn't sound quite as pissed off as John. "Pretty Little Head" was weird in a multi-culty "world music" and surrealistic manner and could transport one into a Gaugin painting where one was the native and not the uptight whitey. Free of western civilization, and wild. The song "Press to Play" I still find catchy in a way and quite "pop" with a sexual theme. Full of sexual innuendo. He sounds so enthused singing it, it's sort of irresistible his singing, there. "Talk More Talk" sounds too herky jerky in rhythm but is English eccentric to the max, which can appeal at times. It certainly is not as poetic and English eccentric, or remarkable, as the rather bizarre "I Am the Walrus" by John.
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Of course, everybody have their own opinion. Mine is he did PTP for reasons that I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he didn't do it because he felt he had good material in his hands. Honestly, I feel I'm hearing Hugh Padghman featuring Paul McCartney. It should be the opposite way. Like TOW, where you feel Paul doing magic and George improving everything he made. Anyway, PTP didn't have to be great as TOW to have a good consideration. It just needed good compositions.
