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Post by Chippa on Jan 31, 2016 6:11:42 GMT
I chose a whole album for this week. Paul McCartney's 1997 album "Flaming Pie", most of which was co-produced by Jeff Lynne.
Track List
"The Song We Were Singing" "The World Tonight" "If You Wanna" "Somedays" "Young Boy" "Calico Skies" "Flaming Pie" "Heaven on a Sunday" "Used to Be Bad" (Duet with Steve Miller) "Souvenir" "Little Willow" "Really Love You" (written by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr) "Beautiful Night" "Great Day"
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Post by dillwyn on Jan 31, 2016 16:25:12 GMT
Interesting... This is like reassessing an old friend
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Post by unomusette on Jan 31, 2016 20:50:21 GMT
I'm not the world's greatest Macca fan, but if the Lord Dame was involved it's worth a listen
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Post by BSJ on Feb 1, 2016 0:34:42 GMT
Well 'ello everyone! BSJ throwing her two cents in. I bought “Flaming Pie” when it came out and I’ve loved it from first play. Beatle Paul, Solo Paul, Wings Paul are all here (did I miss any?). Signature ballads, rockers and pop. And his voice in fine form! Stand outs: “Somedays” – George Martin produced, nice love song, “Young Boy” – just classic Paul, “Heaven On A Sunday” – beautiful. I think his son James plays on this, “Calico Skies” – classic guitar and vocal, “Souvenir” – great guitar, nice production from Jeff, “Beautiful Night” – kick ass rocker, Ringooooo! and George too, and “Great Day” – Linda’s on this, and because this song could have been on his first solo album “McCartney”, a favorite. (Linda was dying from cancer when he worked on “Flaming Pie”.) His jam with Miller, not great, but fun to listen to. The only real clunkers are, "Flaming Pie" and "Really Love You”, written with Ringo (only McCartney & Starr collaboration?) 9/10 Mr McCartney was surrounded by a great supporting cast when making this album. Mr Lynne?
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Post by Helmut83 on Feb 1, 2016 0:40:31 GMT
Calico Skies is a masterpiece. Check out this version with the strings, they enhance the song a lot IMO:
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Post by BSJ on Feb 1, 2016 0:50:57 GMT
It is a song that only Paul could write. Genius.
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Post by 88keys on Feb 1, 2016 2:49:47 GMT
This is one I haven't listened to in a long time. Here we go.
The Song We Were Singing.......This is about his early days, working with John. Favorite moment - "for a while, we could sit/smoke a pipe/discuss all the vast intricacies of life".
The World Tonight..... I think this could have fit in well on ELO's Zoom. Favorite moment - "I go back so far/ I'm in front of me!"
If You Wanna....... A good "driving song". Favorite moment - the guitar break before "when you're ready/let me know".
Somedays......Best song, so far. Very Beatles-like sound, reminiscent of She's Leaving Home. Favorite Moment- the acoustic guitar break, repeating each phrase.
Young Boy.....It's charming in the most annoying way. lol. Favorite Moment - The end when the tempo slows down.
Calico Skies....I don't like this song. Boredom.
Flaming Pie.....An old R&B styled rocker. This song kicks ass. Favorite Moment - The barrelhouse piano that comes in after each chorus.
Heaven on a Sunday.....Very relaxing, in the best way possible. Laid back without ever being boring. I love the Fender Rhodes keyboard on here. favorite Moment - The duelling electric vs acoustic guitars.
Used to Be Bad (Duet with Steve Miller) .......Basic, but good. I'm not sure how I feel about Steve Miller's voice, though. Favorite Moment - "i got a sweet disposition/i like to enjoy myself".
Souvenir ...... This great song reminds me of Moment In Paradise, just because of the slightly old fashioned sound. It almost sounds like an old vinyl record. Favorite Moment - 2:50, on. Awesome!
Little Willow......Light, but very emotional and heartfelt. This is really beautiful. Favorite Moment - 1:40, when that chord change hits and Jeff comes in with his backing vocals. Chills galore.
Really Love You......Yet another basic 4/4 rock song. It;s fun, but not groundbreaking. Favorite Moment - The guitar solos.
Beautiful Night.......This is the centerpiece of the album. It's the best of Paul with the best of Jeff's production, mixed together to make one amazing song. Favorite Moment - the horns!!!!
Great Day....sparse and effective. Very cool
On the Buy It-Try It- Trash It scale, I give this a strong Buy It!
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Post by joeyjoejoejr on Feb 1, 2016 3:05:30 GMT
That was the first post 80's Paul album I listened to all the way through. It's a real solid album, the only clunkers for me are "Little Willow" and "Really Love You". Sorry Ringo.
How about a Jeff Lynne produced U2 album?
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Post by sparky123 on Feb 1, 2016 17:10:01 GMT
There's an album I haven't listened to for a long time. Forgot how much I enjoyed it.
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Post by queenofthehours on Feb 1, 2016 17:51:11 GMT
Yay! I've always wanted to get around to hearing this.
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Post by Chippa on Feb 2, 2016 5:12:35 GMT
That was the first post 80's Paul album I listened to all the way through. It's a real solid album, the only clunkers for me are "Little Willow" and "Really Love You". Sorry Ringo. How about a Jeff Lynne produced U2 album? I used to think Jeff and U2 would be interesting, but Bono and Jeff would probably not gel well in a studio setting.
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Post by jrmugz on Feb 2, 2016 20:21:01 GMT
Cool choice, Chippa, would play this one a lot in the year 2000 on cassette. Worked a computer job in a real dumpy area in Detroit, would look out the window at old wrecked buildings, and had a cheap radio cassette player that I would play this album on. And I can taste the Mountain Dew and brownie I would religiously get from the vending machine each day when I hear this CD. Looking forward to give this one a spin again, reliving some of the memories, and sending my thoughts.
Jim
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Post by jrmugz on Feb 4, 2016 21:00:22 GMT
01. "The Songs We Were Singing" - A really unique theme for a song, and beautifully done. The theme of how there is a glue in relationships that bind people together, despite anything else. Like how on here for instance, it always comes back to the music we enjoy. For a friendship, might be baseball or movies, etc. 02. "The World Tonight" - Textbook rock and roll song, good riff, bridge build up, strong chorus. Good one. I might have arranged it so no piano, and the guitar might have took off a little more, to give it a more personal expression. But it's great as is. 03. "If You Wanna" - This one has the hooks, maybe could be sung with a little more expression, but Steve Millier saves it with the bridge and guitar. 04. "Somedays" - Inspired song of looking back and reflection. Really like it. 05. "Young Boy" - Nice one, great Steve Miller guitar solo. 06. "Calico Skies" - Very nice love song. 07. "Flaming Pie" - Never liked it, and never thought it was a good one worth doing in concert. Maybe if better lyrics, but this one just doesn't work for me. 08. "Heaven on a Sunday" - Tranquil, almost want to complain, until I see how it at least fits the mood of the lyric and is supposed to be that way. Unique and nice. 09. "Used to Be Bad" - I'm kind of a sucker for these kind of songs, straightforward blues rocker with a positive message. Like it. Kind of like his song "Run Devil Run" on his CD of that name. 10. "Souvenir" - It's a powerful melody, but forgettable, because I never really remember it until I hear it again. 11. "Little Willow" - Powerful song of empathy and encouragement for Ringo's kids after the death of their mother (Ringo's first wife). 12. "Really Love You" - OK rocker to keep the CD going. 13. "Beautiful Night" - Nice arrangement, always despised how he sang "lovers of love" instead of "lovers in love". Very sloppy IMHO, to the degree that this song annoys me because it seems like a missed opportunity. Lovers don't love "love", they love each other. Sheesh. Take a philosophy class, Paul; and take a little more time to be more of a perfectionist on your lyrics. 14. "Great Day" - Nice positive folk number to close out the CD. Like how "it won't be long" points to the eternal, so that all of the dynamics of the lyrics on the CD point to something bigger. Fitting.
Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Prime Cuts: "Calico Skies", "Great Day", "Little Willow", "Young Boy" Bottom Line: A fairly strong non-flashy CD, with a few missed opportunities, that gives the consumer a bang for their buck with 14 songs that all rank at least as decent or better.
Biggest strength is the quality of the song structures, and some introspective lyrics.
One area that could have been a little better, it seems there was a bit of laziness on some of the lyrics, for instance "Beautiful Night", and the nonsense lyrics of the title track, and some throwaway lyrics on "Really Love You".
Thanks Chippa, great pick; will mark you down for the next open slot.
Jim
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Post by Chippa on Feb 4, 2016 21:33:17 GMT
Good review, Jim. Even if you did nitpick a bit, with Beautiful Night....
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Post by jrmugz on Feb 5, 2016 3:18:03 GMT
Good review, Jim. Even if you did nitpick a bit, with Beautiful Night.... Ha ha. It is a masterful arrangement. Darn, though if just a tad more cleanup on the loose ends of the lyric. Well I know he's stated in interviews that he's not Paul Simon, in that he doesn't always strive to be a perfectionist on the lyrics. He's pulled it off pretty good a lot of times, for sure, but there are a few songs of his I can think of where a little more meticulousness might have really helped make it go from good to great. I mean people just don't talk like that. "Oh, I'm a lover of love, how about you?" It was just sloppy. I mean he believes in love like everyone, but we don't go around saying "I love love, he loves love, she loves love". A beautiful night "for lovers in love" would have been much better, and he probably could have even made it better than that. "For dreamers in love", "for victims of love", blah blah, eventually a perfect phrase would come to mind with just a little more thought. But "lovers of love"? Please. I'm no poet, but sure seems weak to me. Jim
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