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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9880 Posts |
 Posted - 03/02/2012 : 18:23:41
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Inspired by his new wife, Paul McCartney takes on the Great American Songbook. The result? VINTAGE MACCA
By Adrian Thrills, Mail online
Verdict: A class tribute act
Rating: 4 Star Rating
Love me do: Sir Paul has been inspired by his new wife Nancy Shevell
There's nothing an old Beatle likes more than the warm glow of nostalgia.
When he toured the UK before Christmas, Paul McCartney played no fewer than 26 Fab Four songs in a three-hour show that was a magical celebration of shared memories.
This collection from Sir Paul goes back even further. An intensely personal trip through U.S. classics of the Thirties, Forties and Fifties, it is his first account of what he calls ‘the songs that inspired the songs’.
Before he hooked up with John, George and Ringo, a young McCartney was exposed to American greats such as Harold Arlen and Irving Berlin by his father Jim, a trumpeter who fronted his own jazz combo.
‘My dad used to play the piano at home, so I heard all these songs from him,’ says Sir Paul.
‘On New Year’s Eve, they’d roll back the carpet and all the ladies would sit around, sipping rum and blackcurrant. After half-an-hour, they’d all start singing, so I associate these songs with good times.
‘Later, when I got into songwriting, I realised how well structured the songs were, and I learnt a lot from that. I loved all the beautiful little tricks. John and I based a few songs on them.’
McCartney has been thinking of dipping into The Great American Songbook for at least 20 years. ‘In the end, it was now or never,’ he says.
In a twist, however, he’s added two original numbers written in the style of the old standards. As you would expect, the new songs, My Valentine and Only Our Hearts, are not out of place.
Kisses On The Bottom — its title lifted from Macca’s version of Fats Waller’s 1953 hit I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter — benefits from a strong support cast.
Recorded with veteran producer Tommy LiPuma, it features virtuoso pianist (and wife of Elvis Costello) Diana Krall and her band of high-quality jazz players. There are also mouth-watering cameos from Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder.
As much as the album is a tribute to McCartney’s father, it also comes across as a love letter to new wife Nancy Shevell. It is easy to envisage the old charmer crooning these tunes to his American heiress in one of the couple’s luxury homes.
On a superb new ballad, My Valentine, that is certainly true, with Clapton supplying acoustic riffs as McCartney croons: ‘I’d tell myself that I was waiting for a sign / Then she appeared, a love so fine / My Valentine / And I will love her for life.’
Fab Four Sir Paul (far right) with his fellow Beatles (from left) George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr
But not every track is an ode to late-life contentment. The beautiful Home (When Shadows Fall) is tinged with wistful regret. Even Bye Bye Blackbird is not as innocent as it sounds — the song is widely thought to be about a prostitute.
Some moments are languid (Irving Berlin’s Always is soporific). But these are exceptions.
The album ends with a pair of gems. McCartney offers a lesson in elementary arithmetic on Frank Loesser’s The Inch Worm before joining forces with Wonder for the first time since 1992’s Ebony And Ivory on the yearning ballad Only Our Hearts.
Covers albums can be the last resort of the creatively bankrupt. This is nothing of the sort — it is the work of a man at the top of his game.
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers-
-thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses.
Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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Edited by - lemonade kid on 16/02/2012 20:11:27 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9880 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2012 : 19:19:36
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Paul McCartney to stream 'Kisses On The Bottom' live set on Thursday (February 9)
Singer will perform tracks from his new LP in the studio where he recorded them
Paul McCartney is set to live stream a performance of songs from his new album 'Kisses On The Bottom' next week.
The former Beatles man releases the album, which is largely comprised of cover versions, into shops on Monday (February 6) and will celebrate by performing tracks live at Capitol Studios, where the album was recorded, on Thursday (February 9). The whole set will be live streamed over iTunes.
The album is made up of songs McCartney listened to as a child as well as two new songs, 'My Valentine' and 'Only Our Hearts'.
It has been recorded with producer Tommy LiPuma, Diana Krall and her band and it also features appearances from Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder.
McCartney revealed over the weekend that his love of mischief led him to call the album 'Kisses On The Bottom' and that he believed a little controversy is "good for the soul".
He said: "I like mischief. It's good for the soul, it's always a good idea - if only because people think it's a bad idea."
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers-
-thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses.
Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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Edited by - lemonade kid on 03/02/2012 19:24:40 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9880 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2012 : 19:22:44
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers-
-thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses.
Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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SignedRW
Fifth Love
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2012 : 23:09:52
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| Gotta confess to some initial apprehension as Sir Paul joins the ranks of Rod Stewart and Barry Manilow in recording this material; although how anyone could posssibly be incapable of appreciating Harry Nilsson's magnificent versions, or Linda Ronstadt's, for that matter, eludes me. A suggestion on approaching this one; start with track five, "The Glory of Love." The track with Clapton on guitar and the one with Stevie Wonder on harmonica are pretty fine, too. It's certainly not rock n' roll, but there's some very fine stuff on this... |
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DaveyTee
Fourth Love
United Kingdom
238 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2012 : 23:31:57
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I suspect that this will be wretchedly awful.
DT |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9880 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2012 : 00:04:17
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No...it is very enjoyable once you accept what is happening and what Paul is doing here. Of course one must appreciate the originals in the first place. I do. And Paul seems to be paying homage to the great songs he grew up with. I respect his courage in tackling the iconic songs from his youth.
But then, I still play my old Sinatra and Bennett LPs...I left my heart....
Maybe I have an advance copy as it looks like it is not released yet...if you are ready to NOT like it, you won't. It reminds me of the kind of off the cuff material Paul plays during the Let It Be sessions. I can picture a young Paul dancing and singing with a top hat, while spinning a cane...in the best sense. Paul has the chops to pull it off ...he could a' been a crooner too.
sample plays here..play it through and you will get it.
http://www.amazon.com/Kisses-Bottom-Paul-McCartney/dp/B006OAB3ME
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers-
-thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses.
Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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DaveyTee
Fourth Love
United Kingdom
238 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2012 : 10:17:21
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quote:
Originally posted by lemonade kid
...if you are ready to NOT like it, you won't.
I regret that there is probably some truth in that, if only because I have never thought much of McCartney's voice, not even back in the 60s. However, I've had a listen to the Amazon link you provided and while pleasant enough (there's a damning phrase!) I really don't think that McCartney's voice, which hasn't improved with age, is strong enough to carry it off. Nice backings though.
DT |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9880 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2012 : 19:19:43
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Well, there is the rub, Davy my friend. You gotta love Paul, as I do!!
Cheers!
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers-
-thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses.
Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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Joe Morris
Old Love
3492 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2012 : 16:14:16
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is it as good as Ram or Unplugged?
a little disappointed that the 3DVD Mccartney collection only had the first 4 songs off from Unplugged - I think thats a fabulous McCartney album, though the best McCartney is (of course) Monkberry Moon Delight!
How many albums does this make by Paul including Wings? 40? 50? |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2012 : 14:06:43
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Looking forward to hearing his new stuff...He's been around for a while...plenty of stuff for him to mine going all the way back to his roots...He's been pretty prolific since the Beatles..one has to admire that....Mr. C Moon is still into his performing game... |
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Joe Morris
Old Love
3492 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 03:29:31
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I count 50 albums all told, including Wings and solo compilations
Terribly disappointed you can't watch the Unplugged set in its entirety on the recent 3DVD Mccartney set
Nice to have the videos for "Wonderful Christmastime", sure, but that Unplugged performance was the best set any of the Beatles did! Where else can you hear Paul playing his first song "I lost my little girl"
Not as good as "In spite of all the danger" though!!
is Paul a billionaire yet? anyone? Bueller?! |
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 14:11:12
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is Paul a billionaire yet?
If not then it's amazing Mark Z of Facebook has more money than him! I can't believe how loaded that guy is. |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9880 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2012 : 22:13:31
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Live stream today on iTUNES..Feb 9th...10PM EST ...live VIDEO stream.
Good reviews from listeners
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers-
-thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses.
Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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Edited by - lemonade kid on 09/02/2012 22:22:21 |
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9880 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2012 : 22:29:57
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15 minute interview...song clips and great words from Paul.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2CAuZbKtKg
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers-
-thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses.
Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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lemonade kid
Old Love
USA
9880 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2012 : 22:51:12
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Paul tries rapping....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DJpCKUBb7c
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We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers & discoverers-
-thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses.
Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams.
-Peter S. Beagle 1973
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rocker
Old Love
USA
3606 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2012 : 13:56:38
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| KOTB...a little different! To me he's kind of following of what Bryan Ferry did a few years ago doing all sorts of old standards, (20's I think). The singing style is close. |
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MACCA-Robber's Ball & Cold Cuts
