Paul McCartney - Chaos And Creation In The Backyard CD

List All 11 Reviews

 Finally, McCartney's making music that he WANTS to make!
Here, on this album, we see that Paul McCartney is making the kind of music that he probably wants to make: introspective, layered, and unabashed pop. And boy, does he deliver. Of course, at Paul's age, who wouldn't be thinking about one's life and what they did with it (let's not count Mick Jagger)? This was the emotional background to the brilliant album "Memory Almost Full", which Paul was actually working on before "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" was started. And, it is some of Paul's tightest playing in years. The over-experimentation (in my opinion) of "Driving Rain" and the free-wheeling "Flaming Pie" and the oldies-flavored "Run Devil Run" had places where they subtly unraveled, where some part would be out of place, or a song didn't exactly work, or what-have-you. People have expected this before on McCartney's albums, but here there is none of that. All of it is deliberate, and beautifully unforced. You would never recognized Paul if you listened to this album, especially if you listened to some of his other albums. Definitely, a unique album by an artist whom people had thought pegged down to a specific genre. Well, so much for the McCartney stereotype! Take a listen and see for yourself.
Submitted by Galen (Anchorage, AK, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  2 of 3 found this helpful.

 DONT BUY SPECIAL EDITION
This is the official release of Chaos. The DVD version of the album is horrible because the DVD is very boring and un- informative.
Submitted by keithsilvers (Wausau, Wisconsin, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  2 of 3 found this helpful.

 Finally!!
This new work by Sir Paul is his best work in 20 years plus! His voice is still remarkable and man he can even hit those famous highs. The music is complex and simple at the same time. The only weak track is the title track. Highly Recommended!
Submitted by Marty "GE" McD. (Toronto, ON. Canada) 
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  1 of 2 found this helpful.

 Still Great!
This is a top notch collection of songs. Paul is still out there challenging himself. He makes solid "adult music". Any fan will appreciate this cd. It is time to give him his due.
Submitted by Pete (Matawan, NJ USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  1 of 2 found this helpful.

 Chaos and Creation is... an Evolution :)
Well, its fair to say that almost any artistic/musical critique is ALWAYS a subjective affair. That being said, taking this album on its merits and McCartney on his, its not a bad go. McCartney's musicianship, of course, is as always extraordinary. Whether you like his music or not, please at least acknowledge he is one heck of a musician, and rather better than just competent. As for his songwriting: well now, who am I to judge someone so talented. I could only HOPE to come up with so many great "duds", let alone so many more superb concoctions. Given the number of creative endeavors he has undertaken, musically and otherwise, I think we maybe ought to give him a little leeway now and then. I say this all only as background though. For my heart's money and so forth, McCartney's first solo album holds a permanent place on the stage and so for me all his other work is considered relative to that album in some way, not so much as to style as to ... soul. He puts a lot of that into his work, but I gotta admit there is usually, and I mean this relative to his other work, there is sometimes a fair bit of what we might call "filler" or at least what strikes us as such. Nothing like some good editing to find the diamond in the rough. I'm not so sure McCartney is always his own best editor, but then none of us usually are. Here is my list of favorites from Chaos and Creation: Fine Line; Jenny Wren; Friends To Go (Channeling Harrison?); English Tea; Too Much Rain; A Certain Softness; Promise To You Girl; This Never Happened Before; Anyway Well there you go... just about the whole album makes the mark, but especially Jenny Wren, English Tea and A Certain Softness in my opinion outshine the rest. How Kind Of You, Riding To Vanity Fair and Follow Me strike me as a little forced in their performance and likely in there composition: some great ideas as always but the little tensions still feel like they need to be worked out like when your throat is dry and you need a glass of water or your muscles need a stretch. But like I said before, who can really complain. We can only pretend we are George Martin for a minute and get to be the sole arbiters of what works and what doesn't. Thats okay; it engages us in the process. For somone to give us so much music to consider... and hopefully enjoy... we might consider ourselves fortunate and show some gratitude in our spirit... and I am not referring to the 15 or so bucks you might pay for this album. Good things make the world a little better place bit by bit. So, a thoughtful thanks to Macca for his contributions, from a grateful fan :) PS: Riding To Vanity Fair aint so bad actually, so long as you bother to listen to it in its entirety. PSS: ... and a nod to Linda... miss hearing her voice in the mix nowadays, but so it goes I suppose.
Submitted by Dane (Noank, Connecticut)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No

List All Reviews

Have you heard this album?