Paul McCartney has nothing left to prove.
“New,” Paul McCartney’s sixteenth studio release, isn’t an “Abbey Road” or “Sgt. Pepper,” but it is by no means a disappointment. Expecting the music legend to recreate, at the age of 71, what is arguably the best album in the history of music is unrealistic.
McCartney’s newest album achieves something rare in the music industry: a work which is brilliant and bears significance simply because it is the 16th album released under McCartney’s name. “New” is by no means the best work of McCartney’s illustrious career, but the fact that he is still putting out decent music is worth lauding.
After sharing his innate musical gift with the public through the Beatles, Wings, and a legendary solo career, McCartney could walk away from music at any moment undeserving of condemnation.
McCartney’s work has always been characterized by a special listenability few other artists can produce. The opening track “Save Us,” reminiscent of “Band on the Run” at the peak of its build, shows McCartney’s age in no way hinders his songwriting. It’s clear from the opening seconds of “New” that McCartney is in touch with contemporary audiences. Pleasant and passionate, “Save Us” could be a beneficial musical tutorial for today’s whiny, brooding, hipster bands (Best Coast, your career’s almost over).
Utilizing a robust acoustic guitar and a spacey falsetto chorus, “Alligator,” though possessing prevalent Beatles influences, is unlike anything McCartney has released to date.
“Early Days” is the album’s low point. McCartney’s relentlessly vibrating falsetto (think of Mrs. Miller singing “A Hard Day’s Night”) transforms what could be an adequate deep track into four minutes of disappointment. McCartney recovers quickly, however. Beatles-esque lead single and title track “New” takes the listener right back to “Magical Mystery Tour.” Perky quarter notes, masterful harpsichord integration, and perfectly timed horn runs create a modern synthesis of “All You Need is Love” and “A Day in the Life.” “New” is the closest sounding tune to a Beatles reunion the on the album.
McCartney shows Muse he can do Muse better than it can itself with “Appreciate.” Overpowering electronica-based choruses and distorted vocals, McCartney, while retaining originality, flawlessly captures Matt Bellamy’s neo-arena rock timbre. The second half of “New,” though weaker than its first, is by no standards a flop. Introspective “Hosanna,” smooth and energetic “I Can Bet” (arguably the latter half’s highlight) and the emotional conclusion “Road” are well worth a listen.
No other artist of any era has found a way to remain relevant in seven different decades the way McCartney has. With nothing musically left to prove, McCartney has achieved success simply by recording a good, contemporary album at the age of 71.
McCartney and the Beatles captivated the baby boomers on Feb. 9, 1964 with an iconic performance (to the largest television audience ever) of “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” and 50 years later partied with college students in Manchester, Tennessee this June as he headlined Bonnaroo.
There is no greater link in popular culture between the baby boomers and Generation Y than Paul McCartney.
By producing a solid album in 2013, McCartney has validated his genius of the 1960’s and his status as god among men in the music industry.
aeaton@hillsdale.edu
