EGYPT STATION
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wingsoverkc wrote:
As a 50 year fan of McCartney (got the White Album for my 11th birthday), I'm just not getting the debate over "Fuh You" and "Come On To Me". IMO, these two songs just blast into my headphones and make me realize why I have loved his music for half a century. They are loud, fun, risque, and just plain rock. And as always, I go to my twenty something children. My daughter told me yesterday, "thanks Dad, I can't that "Fuh You" song out of my head". I really respect everyone's opinion on this site (even Bruce and Kestrel), but don't understand the negativity surrounding these two songs. I love them.
Wingsoverkc,
Very good post. It makes me feel good that you and other fans here (and especially your 20 something daughter) are liking "Fuh You". For me personally I can't wait to see how I feel about the whole album and how the songs jell together including "Fuh You". As I said in my reply to Susy above, it's not that I believe "Fuh You" in itself is a bad, terrible song. Having heard it a few times (even on Sirius Radio in the car) I just wonder how it will work against a backdrop of typical (and good) Beatlesque and Wings' style songs judging by the early reviews we've seen so far. Fuh You's production just speaks today's Top 40 music and looking at Bruce's post, it's not making any dent on the charts. "Come On To Me"while also "modern" sounding does have a Wings' feel to me and maybe not surprisingly is doing relatively well (for an older artist like Paul) on the Adult Alternative charts.
Will "Fuh You" stick out like a sore thumb on the album and sound totally out of place? Will I be skipping it because I like the other songs so much better? I Don't Know (pardon the pun) at this point. These are some of the questions I have. At a tad over 3 minutes, I might find that I like it as a "brief detour" like the reviewer from the Morton Report said. I might find it refreshing and fun. The fact that it is not too long (Something that Paul on some Solo songs is guilty of) is a good thing. I won't know until I get the album and listen for a few weeks. I'm so anxious to get this album and as a huge Paul fan, I will certainly be listening to the whole album (including every song) on the first few listens.
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B J Conlee wrote:
Yankeefan2 wrote:
Beatles4Ever&Ever wrote:
B J Conlee wrote:
Yankeefan2 wrote:
mike.woodruff_53961 wrote:
Just read a copy of the new Q magazine and Egypt Station gets a very encouraging 4* with the heading stating that "Macca is on vintage form!" It singles out "Dominoes" "Despite Repeated Warnings" and "I Don't Know" as the standout tracks but has special mentions for "Confidante" "Hand in Hand" "Do it Now" and "Happy With You"
This has really got me excited about the album now!
Sounds great and all available reviews have been very positive, still waiting on Rolling Stone which to me is kind of like Broadway show waiting for review from the NY Times.
I feel the same...Rolling Stone is still the main one I'm waiting for. I wonder who at RS decides which music reviewer gets that task. I'm just hoping whoever it is, he/she is fair.
Since we are only 10 days away, I'm a little surprised we haven't got more reviews at this point. Maybe I'm just being impatient because I can't wait to get my hands on Egypt Station. Looking also for the review from Jim Fusilli, the pop-rock reviewer from Wall Street Journal. He usually is very fair with McCartney. Yesterday at my local supermarket, I also looked at the latest People Magazine issue (with Aretha Franklin on the cover) but no Egypt Station review yet. We will probably get a ton of reviews next week.
I'm sure there will be a quite a few critics that will take a real shot at "Fuh You". As Mr. Lipp (one of the first detailed reviews we've seen) pointed out, it is a "minor detour" and the only song where Paul doesn't seem at home. I'm expecting much more negativity on "Fuh You" and possibly "Come On To Me".
I believe if Paul had officialy named it "For You" and then sung it just the way he does, it would be looked at differently. It could be seen as a more tongue-in-cheek bit of cleverness, not subjected to the more obvious meaning which is ripe for criticism....Paul being his age and all. "Come On To Me" really needs a bridge and to be a bit shorter since he just repeats the same thing over and over....
"Come On To Me" is one thing you can partially blame a producer for letting song drag on with McCartney repeating the same thing over and over. Once again I will say, Nigel Godrich did not allow that type of thing to happen on CHAOS and it shows why it was a very good album with no clunkers. I am willing to bet Nigel would have told McCartney not to include "Fuh You" on an album that he produced every other song and did not fit on the album. I actually like "Fuh You" but after reading reviews of the album, it is probably going to stick out like a sore thumb.
While we haven't heard Egypt Station yet, I have a strong feeling that you both are right and they might possibly be the 2 clunkers on the album. Not the first time that Macca worked too hard on a "single" to promote an album and it works out to be one of the worse songs on the album...think Press on Press to Play. Actually if all the other tracks (12 not counting the beginning and ending instrumentals) are between good and very good and far more McCartneyesque, I will be thrilled.
When the bigger reviews hit in a few days, I will be very surprised if some of them will crucify "Fuh You" for all the reasons we have seen (here and in many comments on the internet). I'm just hoping that the song doesn't detrack from the overall review/grade of Egypt Station particularly if the other songs are as positive as these early reviews are saying. Sometimes one or two inferior/bad songs in the review can overcome the quality of the whole album. I hope that doesn't happen.
As far as "Come On To Me", I have more hope about the overall track as not being a clunker to the whole album. Like "Fuh You", this is also another example Paul trying to be "modern". It is so obvious on "Fuh You" that it does really stick out like a sore thumb. I have a little more optimism for "Come On To Me". While I agree with you on the overly repetitiveness of the track, I do like the overall production. After a few repeat listens, the song to my ears does have a bridge. It is subtle, but when the horns come in "solo" midway in the song, it does act like a bridge that makes it less repetitive. I really like the horns too. As far as the rest of the song, I like the way the different instruments meld toward the end of the song and especially into the "Yes I Will" parts. You distinctively hear that glorious bass, piano, guitar and horn parts along with Paul's 2 part vocals blending so well together.
Now I have only heard "Come On To Me" 6 or 8 times at this point. Once I hear the song as part of the album, it just may be too repetitious where I start to skip it... but I'm hoping that I like the music part so much that I find it to be a good album cut. It is a tad long but at a little over 4 minutes, I'm hoping that as one reviewer said, it doesn't overstay its welcome. We will see of course.
I'm just hoping I can stop singing "I Can Bet" when "Come On To Me" starts up.....very very similar.
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Reactions to music are really personal. I love some songs that do nothing for others (e.g. Nod Your Head, Feet in the Clouds) and hate some that others love (e.g. half of "Ram"). As the car ads say, your mileage may vary. As for Fuh You, it's just nails on a blackboard to me, an old guy trying badly to sound young and modern. If you love it, more power to you. I can skip a track and it won't kill me.
Meanwhile, on a less controversial note, Come On To Me continues to do well on Triple A radio in the U.S., producing this happy headline from Billboard on Wednesday:
Paul McCartney Scores First Adult Alternative Songs Top 10 in Two Decades
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I have been feeling pretty upset by alot of negative comments about Paul's music amd lyrics for is album. Of course everyone has a right to their own opinion. But I saw too many negative comments on Paul's official Faceboo k page and I was quick to come to Paul's defense.
I guess Im one of the weird people who thinks that all three songs Come On To Me, I Don't Know, and Fuh You are great songs and I love whatever Paul writes for music. I love the song Come On To Me makes me want to dance to it. Its a good jam!
I believe music should be written from the heart on how one is feeling and that is what Paul is doing with his lyrics. He writes about how he is feeling and I can relate to his lyrics.
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maccasfangirl30 wrote:
I have been feeling pretty upset by alot of negative comments about Paul's music amd lyrics for is album. Of course everyone has a right to their own opinion. But I saw too many negative comments on Paul's official Faceboo k page and I was quick to come to Paul's defense.
I guess Im one of the weird people who thinks that all three songs Come On To Me, I Don't Know, and Fuh You are great songs and I love whatever Paul writes for music. I love the song Come On To Me makes me want to dance to it. Its a good jam!
I believe music should be written from the heart on how one is feeling and that is what Paul is doing with his lyrics. He writes about how he is feeling and I can relate to his lyrics.
Well said, maccasfangirl30. I'm just glad that Paul is still singing his songs and making his music, and appreciate listening to whatever he's offering to us. We wouldn't want him to stop! I'm all for sending lots of support and encouragement for him to continue. I enjoy listening to all the new songs so far, they're all unique and special in their own way, and can't wait to hear the rest when the album is released!
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Thank you. I am cherishing whatever Paul is giving to us especially while he is still here with us. For me Paul is all I have left for music I like Ringo but Paul is the one who has stolen my heart away for music.
I hate speculating on what Paul should or should not do with his music. I let Paul use his imagination and be creative. Its his music and he can make it the way he wants to and I would be happy with that!
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maccasfangirl30 wrote:
I have been feeling pretty upset by alot of negative comments about Paul's music amd lyrics for is album. Of course everyone has a right to their own opinion. But I saw too many negative comments on Paul's official Faceboo k page and I was quick to come to Paul's defense.
I guess Im one of the weird people who thinks that all three songs Come On To Me, I Don't Know, and Fuh You are great songs and I love whatever Paul writes for music. I love the song Come On To Me makes me want to dance to it. Its a good jam!
I believe music should be written from the heart on how one is feeling and that is what Paul is doing with his lyrics. He writes about how he is feeling and I can relate to his lyrics.
Maccasfangirl,
No need to be upset...as Bruce said, music is very personal.
As I have said, I'm just waiting to get my hands on Egypt Station (less than 10 days now). I always try to keep an objective mind relative to a new Paul album and see how it jells as a whole. I tend to be an "album" type of fan and I'm encouraged by the early reviews we have seen. I love being in my car listening to a great (or near great) album from beginning to end (especially Paul). And of course, when it is a new one filled with new songs, it is the best experience.
I have always thought that Paul's post beatles work had a lot of honesty to them. Yes, some of his albums haven't been the best (relative to Macca). Sometimes I get frustrated when he throws an absolute clunker (in my opinion only) to screw up a good to great mix of songs, but they are honest. Whatever reasons he might have, he doesn't care because it is probably what he is feeling at the time. I have always found that even some of Paul's weakest albums (again my opinion) he always has a few gems on them. Wildlife is a good example. While on the whole it is lower tier Macca, I love songs like Tomorrow, Some People Never Know and Dear Friend.
Another integral part of an album is how the songs jell. So many times the songs that aren't being pushed (or the singles) eventual become my favorites. Often they are "growers" and fit the overall theme/sound of the album (musically and /or lyrically. That is why I'm so excited about Egypt Station especially after the reviews we've seen so far. The Morton Report review really has me optimistic because it detailed many of the other songs and they sound very interesting and varied. I think that is why I'm not going crazy over the 3 singles that we have heard so far. They just might be the most commercial on the album and judging by Macca's past work, they are not always my favorites on many of his albums.
We will see in a few days. I do like "I Don't Know" a lot. It is a typical Paul ballad but it is also distinct. I am confident that I will like "I Don't Know" as a strong album cut. Because the other 2 have a very modern sound (especially "Fuh You") they do sound different to many of us older fans used to Paul's Beatleque sound. That is probably why you are seeing some negativity. But let's just wait to see how those 2 songs jell on the complete album. I remember hearing "Rough Ride" when Flowers in the Dirt was released. I wasn't too crazy about it, but after getting used to the whole album, I now never skip that song. It just fits the album well in my opinion. Maybe I'll feel the same way about "Come On To Me" and/or "Fuh You". I will find out and for those interested, give my honest opionion in a few weeks.
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maccasfangirl30 wrote:
I have been feeling pretty upset by alot of negative comments about Paul's music amd lyrics for is album. Of course everyone has a right to their own opinion. But I saw too many negative comments on Paul's official Faceboo k page and I was quick to come to Paul's defense.
I guess Im one of the weird people who thinks that all three songs Come On To Me, I Don't Know, and Fuh You are great songs and I love whatever Paul writes for music. I love the song Come On To Me makes me want to dance to it. Its a good jam!
I believe music should be written from the heart on how one is feeling and that is what Paul is doing with his lyrics. He writes about how he is feeling and I can relate to his lyrics.
More often than not, we, his staunch fans, are more critical of Paul than music critics or casual fans are.
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Metacritic now has four reviews, ranging from "meh" to "very good". Ha, sounds like a McCartney album. One of the reviews has the best line for his thought on "Come On To Me"; he calls it a 'walloping, swaggering tune that swallows every last molecule of bandwidth!' Exactly!!
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"Come On To Me" achieves #6 week of Sept 1, 2018 on Billboard's Adult Alternative Songs airplay chart
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Great to hear that its on the top ten!
I pre ordered my copy of Egypt Station on Amazon they will ship it out soon! I gotta get me a pirtable cd player walk man though. I m old school I still like to us CD format.
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maccasfangirl30 wrote:
Great to hear that its on the top ten!
I pre ordered my copy of Egypt Station on Amazon they will ship it out soon! I gotta get me a pirtable cd player walk man though. I m old school I still like to us CD format.
Go to Target for a cd version. It has 2 extra songs!
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Cool thanks!
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We have a new Egypt Station review from the Los Angelas Times's critic Mikael Wood. Maybe someone can put it up here so fans can read it.
The interesting thing about this review is that Mr. Wood combines Macca new work with Paul Simon's new CD...Out in the Blue. The latter is more of Paul Simon reworking many of his "deep cuts" from past albums that most people don't know. Thankfully, Macca's album is all new material.
One of the disadvantages of this "2 aging stars" approach of Mr. Wood is that you don't get a full review of Egypt Statlion. He does gives us some interesting tidbits of several songs on the album. The good news is that his review of Egypt Station is generally positive.
Two of his highlights include "Happy With You" and "Back to Brazil". The only lowlight he specifically mentions is "Caesar Rock". He calls it "hardly a song" (just a riff and beat). He feels that it would have been better served as part of the multi-song tracks... "Despite Repeated Warnings" or "Hunt You Down/Naked/C-Link".
You can tell that Mr. Wood is a younger, more of a modern era Pop critic when it came to "Come On to You" and "Fuh You". He was generally positive about both songs.
All in all, another positive review about "Egypt Station" but I wished he would have been much more detailed about the whole album. Again, that is the problem about any review that tackles 2 new albums. He had to divide his review on both albums and artists. It was interesting to read about the different approaches of both Paul and Paul.
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B J Conlee wrote:
We have a new Egypt Station review from the Los Angelas Times's critic Mikael Wood. Maybe someone can put it up here so fans can read it.
The interesting thing about this review is that Mr. Wood combines Macca new work with Paul Simon's new CD...Out in the Blue. The latter is more of Paul Simon reworking many of his "deep cuts" from past albums that most people don't know. Thankfully, Macca's album is all new material.
One of the disadvantages of this "2 aging stars" approach of Mr. Wood is that you don't get a full review of Egypt Statlion. He does gives us some interesting tidbits of several songs on the album. The good news is that his review of Egypt Station is generally positive.
Two of his highlights include "Happy With You" and "Back to Brazil". The only lowlight he specifically mentions is "Caesar Rock". He calls it "hardly a song" (just a riff and beat). He feels that it would have been better served as part of the multi-song tracks... "Despite Repeated Warnings" or "Hunt You Down/Naked/C-Link".
You can tell that Mr. Wood is a younger, more of a modern era Pop critic when it came to "Come On to You" and "Fuh You". He was generally positive about both songs.
All in all, another positive review about "Egypt Station" but I wished he would have been much more detailed about the whole album. Again, that is the problem about any review that tackles 2 new albums. He had to divide his review on both albums and artists. It was interesting to read about the different approaches of both Paul and Paul.
Here is the link:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-paul-mccartney-paul-simon-20180831-story.html
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oobu24 wrote:
B J Conlee wrote:
We have a new Egypt Station review from the Los Angelas Times's critic Mikael Wood. Maybe someone can put it up here so fans can read it.
The interesting thing about this review is that Mr. Wood combines Macca new work with Paul Simon's new CD...Out in the Blue. The latter is more of Paul Simon reworking many of his "deep cuts" from past albums that most people don't know. Thankfully, Macca's album is all new material.
One of the disadvantages of this "2 aging stars" approach of Mr. Wood is that you don't get a full review of Egypt Statlion. He does gives us some interesting tidbits of several songs on the album. The good news is that his review of Egypt Station is generally positive.
Two of his highlights include "Happy With You" and "Back to Brazil". The only lowlight he specifically mentions is "Caesar Rock". He calls it "hardly a song" (just a riff and beat). He feels that it would have been better served as part of the multi-song tracks... "Despite Repeated Warnings" or "Hunt You Down/Naked/C-Link".
You can tell that Mr. Wood is a younger, more of a modern era Pop critic when it came to "Come On to You" and "Fuh You". He was generally positive about both songs.
All in all, another positive review about "Egypt Station" but I wished he would have been much more detailed about the whole album. Again, that is the problem about any review that tackles 2 new albums. He had to divide his review on both albums and artists. It was interesting to read about the different approaches of both Paul and Paul.
Here is the link:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-paul-mccartney-paul-simon-20180831-story.html
Thanks so much Oobu!
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B J Conlee wrote:
We have a new Egypt Station review from the Los Angelas Times's critic Mikael Wood. Maybe someone can put it up here so fans can read it.
The interesting thing about this review is that Mr. Wood combines Macca new work with Paul Simon's new CD...Out in the Blue. The latter is more of Paul Simon reworking many of his "deep cuts" from past albums that most people don't know. Thankfully, Macca's album is all new material.
One of the disadvantages of this "2 aging stars" approach of Mr. Wood is that you don't get a full review of Egypt Statlion. He does gives us some interesting tidbits of several songs on the album. The good news is that his review of Egypt Station is generally positive.
Two of his highlights include "Happy With You" and "Back to Brazil". The only lowlight he specifically mentions is "Caesar Rock". He calls it "hardly a song" (just a riff and beat). He feels that it would have been better served as part of the multi-song tracks... "Despite Repeated Warnings" or "Hunt You Down/Naked/C-Link".
You can tell that Mr. Wood is a younger, more of a modern era Pop critic when it came to "Come On to You" and "Fuh You". He was generally positive about both songs.
All in all, another positive review about "Egypt Station" but I wished he would have been much more detailed about the whole album. Again, that is the problem about any review that tackles 2 new albums. He had to divide his review on both albums and artists. It was interesting to read about the different approaches of both Paul and Paul.
You are right BJ, found it funny that he really liked the newer sound songs and mentioned McCartney embracing his raunchy side which he liked. This is in contrast to what most people have thought about these songs. A positve review and like you wish it could have been just dedicated to Egypt Station but understand a reviewer doing these two albums together since they are two icons releasing new album the same day.
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4/5 from Rolling stone magazine and very positive review!
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mike.woodruff_53961 wrote:
4/5 from Rolling stone magazine and very positive review!
Here is the German language version of the Rolling Stone review. https://www.rollingstone.de/reviews/paul-mccartney-egypt-station/
Use Google Translate if you don't read German.
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I went into my local HMV store this morning and reserved a copy of the Deluxe edition which I'll purchase next Saturday (the day after the release).
The helpful member of staff said they were getting 30 copies and that it was very unlikely that it would sell out quickly. However, I wasn't going to take a chance on that so made sure that my copy will be there for me next weekend.