Paul McCartney Album: “Back to the Egg”
Album Information : |
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Release Date:1998-11-24
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Type:Unknown
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Genre:Soft Pop, Classic Rock, Mainstream Rock
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Label:EMI
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Explicit Lyrics:No
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UPC:077774820028
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Track Listing : |
1 |
Reception |
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2 |
Getting Closer |
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3 |
We're Open Tonight |
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4 |
Spin It On |
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5 |
Again and Again and Again |
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6 |
Old Siam, Sir |
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7 |
Arrow Through Me |
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8 |
Rockestra Theme |
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9 |
To You |
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10 |
After the Ball/Million Miles |
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11 |
Winter Rose/Love Awake |
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12 |
Broadcast |
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13 |
So Glad to See You Here |
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14 |
Baby's Request |
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15 |
Daytime Nightime Suffering |
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16 |
Wonderful Christmastime |
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17 |
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reggae |
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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
- We're Open Tonight (for Fun)
One of the most overlooked aspects of Paul McCartney's career is his versatility. This is the man who could write and perform Helter Skelter, Honey Pie, Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, and Blackbird all on the same record. His ability to compose in quite literally any style (including those outside the realm of popular music, such as classical) has always been impressive in and of itself. This eclecticism has helped and hindered him over the years, exposing his strengths and his weaknesses both, and nowhere is this more obvious than on 1979's Back to the Egg.
After the peculiar (but successful) soft rock/Euro-pop/Celtic folk amalgam of London Town, Back to the Egg functions like a late 70s version of the Beatles' "Get Back" project as Paul returns to straight-up rock & roll. Pounding out pummeling riffs and thunderous drums he crafts some fine rockers, even teaming up with an all-star "rockestra" including Pete Townsend, John Bonham, Dave Gilmour, and more for two huge songs, So Glad to See You Here and the Grammy-winning Rockestra Theme. Of course, that doesn't mean Wings (with its strong new and last lineup: in addition to the usuals Laurence Juber on guitar and Steve Holly on drums) can't rock on their own - Old Siam, Sir is one of Paul's heaviest cuts.
Although rock & roll is prevalent, Paul goes all over the place stylistically, tackling all the music predominant at the close of the 70s. Punk, funk, rock, pop, disco, folk, jazz, ballads, and even spoken word (The Broadcast) and a Celtic-gospel fusion like a twisted hangover from London Town (Million Miles) all make appearances, to varying degrees of success. The opener (the static-laden Reception), closer (the 30s-style Baby's Request), and others point toward a kind of "concept" about radio, and if it isn't quite successful it does help lend this scattershot record a sense of unity. This lack of focus derives mostly from the lyrics - the best songs have the best words, naturally enough, but less amazing cuts like To You and Spin It On are almost cringe-worthy. (Denny Laine gets in a shot too, with the poppy Again & Again & Again.)
This album represents both the best and worst in Paul McCartney and isn't the ideal place for introductions. But if you've already heard the astonishing Band on the Run and are digging albums like Venus & Mars, Back to the Egg is certainly worth a listen.
NOTES FOR REMASTERED PAUL MCCARTNEY COLLECTION:
And the bonus tracks? Daytime Nighttime Suffering is sheer pop perfection and Back to the Egg is worth the price tag if only for this one song. The others, the holiday-themed Wonderful Christmastime and its B-side Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reggae... are for McCartney completists.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
- A Musicians view of this album
Why do people insist on bashing this album? For an album that was recorded intentionally as a non-commercial effort, Back To The Egg is a full band effort for Wings full of hooks, melody, and a great overall sound. A very rock influenced album, it is full of McCartney gems that found McCartney channeling his need to be seen as a fully-fledged rock star.
In my opinion, the reason I feel that people pan this album is because of the diversity that it shows. It contains some disco-pop (Arrow Throguh Me), Ray Charles influenced piano blues (after The Ball), Jazz oriented slow tunes (Baby's Request), Funk music (Reception), Classical (winter Rose), Accoustic (Love Awake) and artistic (Open Tonight). But what makes these songs and diversity work is the production (recording and mixing) of the songs. The well recorded, prominent Bass lines, great sounding drum tracks, and dueling guitar lines from Mr. Juber and Laine make the songs enjoyable.
The overall sound of the album has this very dark and rocky feeling to it, and we find McCartney (in my opinion) singing in his best rock voice ever. Prime example of that is McCartneys hardest-rocking song 'Old Siam Sir'. McCartney Belts every song out on this album as if he has something to prove.
If you are interested in buying this album, buy it for the simple reason of an overall listening experience. From start to finish, it is very eclectic, but the overall sound, feel, variety, and artisticness in the songs themselves will make you feel fullfilled.
I do suggest buying Band On The Run and Driving Rain before this album... Just to get used to the McCartney-ish type rock, but do buy it indeed!
Favorites:
All the Best, The AndyMan
Customer review - October 08, 1999
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
- wings never flew higher
I bought this album when it first came out in 1979 and wore the grooves away. The ultimate tragedy is that this line up of Wings went bust after Paul's Japanese jail time. I admit there is some filler on this effort but it is very interesting filler. Paul gives it his all vocally and the guitar parts are always inspired.If you have access to a surround sound system you will appreciate the fine production value. Truly a sleeper that will wake you up once again to the beauty that is McCartney.
demien (U.S.A.) - July 01, 2005
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
- Mccartney goes for the JUGULAR
I've always thought this album was one of Macca's best as it displays his hard edged rockin' vocals at their very peak with an ecclectic batch of quality tunes.
"Getting closer" was the single and it cooks with big hooks and
ROCKS with Mccartney's scorching vocals.
"Arrow through me" has got to be one of the SMOOTHEST coolest songs Macca's ever put out with a soulful strutting groove accented with some "Steely Dan" style horns capped off by Macca's suave sophisticated vocals.
Mccartney also tackles some blues in the lazy swing of "After the ball" which flows right into the acapella gospel of "Million Miles".
The brief but elegantly enchanting "Winter rose" finds Mccartney at his refined melodic best and "Love awake" is laid back acoustic beauty.
"Old siam,sir" has got to be the hardest rocking tune here as it sports a riff heavier than a ton of bricks complemented by Macca on fire belting out his vocals like a man possessed.
There are a few questionable eccentric creations like the aimless repetitive "Reception" and the useless ramblings of the "Broadcast" but "Back to the Egg' is primo Macca for the most part.
The low key jazzy charm of "Baby's Request" closes out what i consider to be unquestionably Macca's hardest rocking album and certainly one of his best.
Oscar F.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
- Back To The Egg
I am not the biggest McCartney fan, and I own (of his musical output post-Beatles) only "Band on the Run", "Venus and Mars", "London Town", "McCartney 1 & 2", and on other occasions "Flowers in the Dirt", "Tug Of War" and "Ram" (now all sold!). But the one album I would not get rid of that McCartney produced is "Back to the Egg". This album has to be the best thing he did after leaving The Beatles. I re-submit, I am NOT the biggest McCartney fan, preferring the work of George Harrison, but "Back to the Egg" has absolutely great songs all over it. "Arrow Through Me" I'm surprised never made it to radio, it's one of his finest compositions. His bass work throughout this album makes it worth the price of admission. The only album of his I would keep if my house was on fire and I had to save just one of McCartney's solo albums.
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