Allgemein
Trackliste CD - 1
BeschreibungBeschreibungNeither the rustic Wild Life nor the slick AOR flourishes of Red Rose Speedway earned Paul McCartney much respect, so he made the self-consciously ambitious Band on the Run partially to rebuke his critics. On the surface, Band on the Run appears to be constructed as a song cycle in the vein of Abbey Road, but subsequent listens reveal that there are only passing similarities between the two albums. Some of this is quite showy, particularly the whimsical mini-suite of the title track and the surging surrealism of “Jet,” but some of the most enduring moments are simpler, like the sunny acoustic "Bluebird" and rocking, rolling "Helen Wheels." Sometimes McCartney’s whimsy is a little strong, but song for song Band on the Run is always enjoyable, whether McCartney is running through “Picasso’s Last Words” or responding to John Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep” taunts with "Let Me Roll It." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine BeschreibungNeither the dippy, rustic Wild Life nor the slick AOR flourishes of Red Rose Speedway earned Paul McCartney much respect, so he made the self-consciously ambitious Band on the Run to rebuke his critics. On the surface, Band on the Run appears to be constructed as a song cycle in the vein of Abbey Road, but subsequent listens reveal that the only similarities the two albums share are simply superficial. McCartney's talent for songcraft and nuanced arrangements is in ample display throughout the record, which makes many of the songs -- including the nonsensical title track -- sound more substantial than they actually are. While a handful of the songs are excellent -- the surging, inspired surrealism of "Jet" is by far one of his best solo recordings, "Bluebird" is sunny acoustic pop, and "Helen Wheels" captures McCartney rocking with abandon -- most of the songs are more style than substance. Yet McCartney's melodies are more consistent than any of his previous solo records, and there are no throwaways; the songs just happen to be not very good. Still, the record is enjoyable, whether it's the minor-key "Mrs. Vandebilt" or "Let Me Roll It," a silly response to John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?," which does make Band on the Run one of McCartney's finest solo efforts. However, there's little of real substance on the record. No matter how elaborate the production is, or how cleverly his mini-suites are constructed, Band on the Run is nothing more than a triumph of showmanship. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine Mitwirkende
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