Ever since he established himself as the chief surviving Beatle, news of any new McCartney album has always brought a mix of anticipation and dread. Such was the case with Chaos And Creation In The Backyard. The first disturbing sign was the title, accompanied by a cover based on a photo brother Michael took some 45 years previously. Then came the news that not only was it produced by the guy who worked with Radiohead and Beck, but the crackerjack band he was soon to tour with were not used; rather he played most everything himself, leading to the obvious comparisons to his first album (but none to the less-heralded McCartney II or Flaming Pie). Our fear was unfounded. Each of the tracks here was honed to near-perfection, and nothing sounds like it was tossed off in a few minutes. Rather than the homemade sound of the McCartneys or the slap-dash but pleasant Pie, here he went into a room with a young producer who had the cojones to goad him into completing tracks worthy of the McCartney brand.
“Fine Line” is probably the best place to start the program, since it’s the most overtly McCartneyesque song here. Musically it’s a cross between “Flaming Pie” (the song) and “Keep Under Cover” (from Pipes Of Peace), and it’s a toe-tapper. “How Kind Of You” is based around a series of loops, mostly of wine glasses. It’s a mysterious one, and sits there until the buildup in the last half, which really takes hold. “Jenny Wren” is very reminiscent of early Wings stuff, and comparing it to “Blackbird”, as so many did, sells it short; it’s very original, and takes what could have been a lazy rewrite to another level. We’ve yet to figure out what “At The Mercy” sounds like. “Friends To Go” was said to have been written in George’s style, and it shows particularly in the chords and harmonies. George might have even liked it. While “English Tea” may come too close to “Cups And Cakes” by Spinal Tap, at least it’s short, with a flute solo from “Happiness Runs” off Mary Hopkin’s first album. At the same time, “Too Much Rain” is a little too close to “Young Boy”, but there’s a Wings feel on this, and a good ending too.
“A Certain Softness” is one of the few that features other players, so maybe that’s why it sounds out of place. “Riding To Vanity Fair” starts out with the same vibe as heard on World Party’s song with a similar title; no word yet on what Karl Wallinger thinks about it. It’s a rare mood for Paul, spooky and genuinely pissed off. “Follow Me” isn’t great, except for the middle bit. Fats Domino meets the Beach Boys in “Promise To You Girl”. He sounds decades younger, particularly in that guitar solo, but unfortunately it ends too quickly. Except for that bass, the first 30 seconds or so of the atmospheric “This Never Happened Before” don’t sound at all like him. The grand closer “Anyway” is a perfect example of what makes him so good. Like “Only Love Remains” or “Beautiful Night”, it would stand out on one of his not-so-stellar albums, except here it’s on an album full of more worthy companions. The steal from “People Get Ready” wears off soon enough, making way for a nod to “Little Willow”. (Apparently the hidden track, a hodgepodge not unlike “Rinse The Raindrops”, is called “I’ve Only Got Two Hands”. It definitely runs rings around “Ou Est Le Soleil”.)
The album divided a lot of people, which is too bad; overall it’s very strong, very focused and very mature. “Fine Line” may be the only one he tossed off quickly; the rest definitely sound like they were worked on and honed to satisfaction. Sonically it could even be compared to the White Album, in that there’s almost a claustrophobic feeling to the tracks.
If the sober-sounding Chaos And Creation In The Backyard was to be Paul’s last statement as a songwriter, it would have been an amazing one. Luckily, he hasn’t planned on checking out anytime soon. He went on tour soon afterwards, and any of the hype about the album was lost in the tabloids under news of his impending divorce from Heather.
Paul McCartney Chaos And Creation In The Backyard (2005)—4½
This is honestly one of my favorite solo efforts by Macca. He is at his best when working with someone who he respects and is willing to tell him when an idea is half baked, as was the case here.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. While I do recall cringing at "English Tea" upon hearing it on the radio (a Sunday "Breakfast w/the Beatles" type show) I thought the album was a through and through winner when I heard it all in context. I don't get the reviewers that didn't like it.
ReplyDeleteSorry but I really dislike this record. A pain to listen.
ReplyDeleteReally? How so?
ReplyDeleteFor my money, the best McCartney album released after the Beatles break up, just ahead of Ram.
ReplyDeleteDoing those classical albums recently must have put Paul in a certain mood. This the most self-consciously “arty” music he had done since The Beatles. Even the title is a little bit pretentious. Now, I don’t know squat about Beck or Radiohead. Somehow, their producer managed to take Paul back to the place where he wrote songs like “Eleanor Rigby”, “For No One” and “She’s Leaving Home”. That was quite a surprise.
ReplyDeleteThis rather British stateliness lends a lot of charm to songs like “Riding to Vanity Fair”, “Jenny Wren” and “How Kind of You”. This only becomes a bit too much on “English Tea”. “So very twee/so very me”. Paul, talk about painting such a potential target on your back! Good thing it wasn’t 1971. “Friends to Go” is an obvious George cop, but who would be more entitled to cop George than Paul?
The one thing that album lacks, for the most part, is Paul’s upbeat, pop-rocking side, except for “Promise to You Girl” and the excellent “Fine Line”. We do get a taste of his avant-garde in the amusingly titled "I've Only Got Two Hands". Maybe so, but he put them to really good use here.
The only dud for me is another bossa nova excursion, “A Certain Softness”. No, these things aren’t exactly “The Girl from Ipanema”, but why, Paul, why? Still, that’s what skip buttons are for. I’m glad that it sold well, even if reviews, including from the WRC, were mixed. But, again, a full point above “Band on the Run”? I’ll never get that.