Disco de Paul McCartney: “London Town [Bonus Tracks]”

On London Town, Wings was again back down to a trio. The album is a definite step up from Wings At The Speed Of Sound and it contains some excellent songs. "With A Little Luck" is a synth-laden song that is what Mr. McCartney does best; simple pop songs with great vocals and catchy hooks. This one is as infectious as anything he's ever recorded and became his sixth number one single in the spring of 1978. "I'm Carrying" is a pretty acoustic ballad and "Cafe On The Left Bank" is a pulsating rocker. "Backwards Traveler" is an interesting song, "Girlfriend" is done much better by Michael Jackson, "I've Had Enough" is a good rocker and "Name & Address" is an attempt at rockabilly. London Town is a solid, well-made effort. The bonus tracks are the hard rocking "Girls School" and the elegant "Mull Of Kintyre". The latter was a major hit in England in 1977, staying at number one for nine weeks and become the UK's biggest selling single of all-time at the time (it's currently number four all-time) and the first to sell over two million copies. In the US it was regulated to the b-side of "Girl's School" which peaked at number 33 in early 1978.

A Cuff Link...guess Phil Collin's sucess of the 80s was helped alot by this cool sound (Collins is a big Fan of any thing Beatle). Besides the Hits of this album, I really Recomend "Name and Adress", its Brilliant and Respectfull of Elvis (which is why Paul lets it Fall apart, cause the Mimic so Good). Morse Moose is alot of Fun too. Maturity has brought ME even more Insight,Taste, and an appreciation; to Melody+Composition+ Talented Fun, as I am a well experienced Music Lover. Mull of Kintyre and Don't let it Bring you Down, give me a welcomed Mist to my Eyes. Girls School arouses My arousals(Jimmy Durante tone here), even though I Like mature women, and Good Clean Fun....this song Rocks tooo. Bought this with Back to the Egg(Combo Price Premo). Both Album Covers are Worth Framing... also. Oh Yeah !

Though this album is generally considered rather weak, it is actually an exceptional record with many catchy Paul songs included. "Cafe on the Left Bank" is an engaging rocker and "I'm Carrying" is one of Paul's better ballads. Beautiful acoustic guitar work here.

This is a much superior album to "Ram," "Venus and Mars" and some other McCartney albums which inexplicably are regarded as better products than this. As an extra treat, one of the bonus tracks here is one of Paul's greatest and catchiest rock songs from his Wings years, "Girls School." A great song and a fine album.

Originally titled "Water Wings", and recorded on a yacht in the Virgin Islands (to dodge the British taxman), this is a more polished and consistent album than "At The Speed Of Sound". Like during the recording of "Band On The Run", a few inconveniences took place. Denny Laine had to be hospitalized for sunstroke, Jimmy McCulloch lost his hearing in one ear, and drummer Joe English (and his drum kit) took a tumble when the seas got rough. McCulloch and English then left before the album was complete. Nonetheless, Paul, Linda, and Denny perservered and gave us a pleasant pop album with several decent tunes. Many of the tracks have a British theme, like the tuneful title track and "Cafe on the Left Bank", which boasts a typically good Jimmy McCulloch guitar solo. "I'm Carrying" is a sweet Paul ballad, and I love "Backwards Traveler", although that seems more like a fragment than a complete song. Denny Laine really delivers with "Deliver Your Children" and Paul sings a wonderful falsetto on "Girlfriend", a track that former pal Michael Jackson later covered. Hit single "With a Little Luck" opens the second side, which includes the rocking "Name and Address" as well as the boring "Don't Let It Bring You Down". CD includes bonus track "Girls' School". Like "Band On The Run" and "Venus and Mars" this is pretty even and consistent.

The Wings albums or Paul McCartney's should I say, are always a fascinating listen, and London Town is no exception. I found this album to be somewhat similiar in feel to Red Rose Speedway, but perhaps more confidently done. Recorded mostly on a yacht in the Virgin Islands in 1977 (amazing to consider when you listen to the album) London Town oscilates (like most Wings LPs) between the masterful pop numbers and obscure curiosities if you like. The songs London Town and With a Little Luck are your standard McCartney classics with Had Enough being perhaps one of Paul's most convincing rockers. I'm Carrying is the sweet sweet ballad number which I personally found a little too sweet. Cafe On the Left Bank is quite a trashy number now that I reflect on it, but it seems to work. But the two songs Backwards Traveller (despite the awful lyrics) and Cuff Link which are segued together I think are outstanding, with Cuff Link following in the same vein as Morse Moose and the Grey Goose (don't be put of by the criminal title). Even though Morse Moose is a nautical song (see what I mean about the obscure curiosities?) both it and Cuff Link are classic examples of the organic, instrumental rock infusions that McCartney was very good at, I think. Famous Groupies is a fun, tongue-in-cheek number, while Deliver Your Children sometimes comes across as a hard-edge country number: McCartney as mysterious loner. Girlfriend is a number that was intended by Paul for Michael Jackson and I'm not sure if Paul's version of it, sung in falsetto, really works. Maybe he was influenced by the BeeGees at the time. But London Town is a fascinating album and probably the best after Band on the Run.