Worst McCartney album?
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While I can't pick out a "worst" in my opinion (nor could I pick out a best), because I do listen to all of his albums at some point or another, there are three that come to mind as albums I wouldn't miss...and those would be "Wild Life", "Chaos and Creation In The Backyard", and "Memory Almost Full". Those are probably the three Macca albums I listen to the least.
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After some deliberation, probably Pipes of Peace, but it's still an album I love, which just goes to show how damned good all the others are. I like Wild Life as well - it's great, and as for Press to Play, well that's an absolute gem, in my top 3.
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Memory Almost Full.
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Worst album Paul did? I find that hard to believe. I don't think I have one to really name. For me Paul's just too good for me to name a worst album.
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I hate to condemn any of Paul's albums, but McCartney II would have to be my least favourite. I find myself begging for "Temporary Secretary'' to finish. It definitely doesn't represent his finest work although there are some ok songs on there.
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I really find this thread fascinating because obviously with such a huge catalog there is something for everyone but some favorites end up at the bottom of the barrel for others. I happen to love McCartney II and Temporary Secretary is one of my all time favorite Macca songs. It's definitely not a typical song of his, but I think it's great and totally fun. Also - I really love Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. I'm surprised to see it mentioned here. It's really a soul baring album. Paul gets knocked around for his lyrics lacking depth sometimes, but that whole album is Paul at his most vulnerable IMO. My vote for my least favorite - Press to Play (although I love the video for Press, just can't tolerate the song, or any song on the album)
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Are you kidding me? Someone mentioned Chaos? They must be deaf or evil. Chaos is Paul's masterpiece. Worst easily is Wild Life. Two riffs, a cover, an embarrassing Linda vocal, leaving four songs. Fortunately the wonderful Red Rose Speedway came out only 6 months later.
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dappa-macca:
I really find this thread fascinating because obviously with such a huge catalog there is something for everyone but some favorites end up at the bottom of the barrel for others. I happen to love McCartney II and Temporary Secretary is one of my all time favorite Macca songs. It's definitely not a typical song of his, but I think it's great and totally fun. Also - I really love Chaos and Creation in the Backyard. I'm surprised to see it mentioned here. It's really a soul baring album. Paul gets knocked around for his lyrics lacking depth sometimes, but that whole album is Paul at his most vulnerable IMO. My vote for my least favorite - Press to Play (although I love the video for Press, just can't tolerate the song, or any song on the album)
Agree about McCartney II and Temporary Secretary. Great album. It seems to have an atmosphere unlike anything else he has done, and a bit of dark ambient thrown in as well, which is always a good thing.
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I would have to give it to Pipes Of Peace. So disappointing after Tug Of War. Most musical "sequels" are disappointments, really, but so many of these tracks are just half-baked ideas, so to speak. Wild Life may have too much jamming, but at least it's GOOD jamming. And McCartney II does have some nice atmosphere. The production on Pipes is just dull and uninspired where it's not completely overblown; can't believe George Martin was capable of this. I'm shocked that anyone would pick Chaos as a low point, too. Definitely in my Top Three.
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Hard to pick anything, perhaps Pipes of Peace, being a rare record where I don't find myself wanting to spin it.
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TommyC909:
Are you kidding me? Someone mentioned Chaos? They must be deaf or evil. Chaos is Paul's masterpiece. Worst easily is Wild Life. Two riffs, a cover, an embarrassing Linda vocal, leaving four songs. Fortunately the wonderful Red Rose Speedway came out only 6 months later.
Actually RRS Speedway was released 17 months after Wild Life. That was an eternity back in the 70s. Wonder how long we'll need to wait for Paul's next pop album. It's been a year already.
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TommyC909:
TommyC909:
Are you kidding me? Someone mentioned Chaos? They must be deaf or evil. Chaos is Paul's masterpiece. Worst easily is Wild Life. Two riffs, a cover, an embarrassing Linda vocal, leaving four songs. Fortunately the wonderful Red Rose Speedway came out only 6 months later.
Actually RRS Speedway was released 17 months after Wild Life. That was an eternity back in the 70s. Wonder how long we'll need to wait for Paul's next pop album. It's been a year already.
Probably not until 2016, at least, since he's supposed to be doing the soundtrack for an animated film for release next year.
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All of his studio albums are from good to great to my ears. Think I can sing along to every one of them. Maybe the first The Fireman album, "Strawberries Oceans Ships Forrest", it has its moments but drags on for seventy minutes in the same trance groove without too much going on, very repetetive. It's like his "Electronic Sound" or "Unfinished Music". I remember I once read an interview with Youth and he said that he would have liked to prepare it a little bit but McCartney had just released it as it were.
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My least favorites are mccartney II, wild life and driving rain I think. I'm also not a fan of pipes of peace or press to play.
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Not Crazy about London Town (too many Denny Laine weak songs) and Pipes Of Peace (weak leftovers after Tug Of War)...Red Rose Speedway is not great BUT I love the feel of it and Learning to LOVE McCartney II ..Same way with Wild Life ..and Driving Rain could have had less songs and it may have been ok ...Press To Play I've rediscovered...some cool songs made worse by 80'S SOUND..I blame MTV and Phil Collins ...
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Pipes of peace is his worst of the 1980's (weakest of the George Martin trilogy of Tug of War, Pipes of Peace, and Give My Regards to Broad Street). Overall the worst has to go to Wild Life.
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I love them all for different reasons and of varying degrees. As far as Worst goes, I may consider these: Off the Ground and Driving Rain - listen to these rarely but when I do I enjoy them, but not as much as the others. Broad Street - This probably takes the cake. The covers are pretty weak and not much in the way of new materiel.
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Hendrix Ibsen:
All of his studio albums are from good to great to my ears. Think I can sing along to every one of them. Maybe the first The Fireman album, "Strawberries Oceans Ships Forrest", it has its moments but drags on for seventy minutes in the same trance groove without too much going on, very repetetive. It's like his "Electronic Sound" or "Unfinished Music". I remember I once read an interview with Youth and he said that he would have liked to prepare it a little bit but McCartney had just released it as it were.
To me, Strawberries... is a super-extended, maxi 12" single.
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I think it's okay as an experiment but it remains my least played McCartney album. I find the ambience of "Rushes" more listenable, you can sink down into the music, like a mood or an atmosphere, or something.
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edcrawf:
Pipes of peace is his worst of the 1980's (weakest of the George Martin trilogy of Tug of War, Pipes of Peace, and Give My Regards to Broad Street). Overall the worst has to go to Wild Life.
I agree "Wild Life" was the worst followed closely by "Pipes Of Peace" and "McCartney II".