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11.23am
26 March 2012
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One of my all-time favourite albums. I love it when Paul gets wacky and experimental. Nice to see that it has garnered something of a fan base among the modern indie crowd who seem to acknowledge it as a precursor to a lot of electronic and dance music.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
4.04am
22 May 2012
Offline Sometimes music can just be fun. You can tell Macca was having fun when he made this album. On The Way is one hell of an underrated song. What a reverb drenched bluesy groove! I think this is one of his finest and still better than any of John’s albums. I prefer my music to be an escape from reality. That’s why I listen to music most of the time, to just drift away and let life slide behind me. John’s lyrics were too real at times. I don’t feel like being called a fucking peasant for entertainment. Alot of Macca’s lyrics are nonsense and that’s ok. I don’t wanna have to think a whole lot when I’m jammin’. Macca makes you focus on the music and the groove. He has his genius lyrical moments and the fact that they are few and far between makes them that much more explosive!
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-All Good Children go to Heaven
4.36pm
9 May 2012
Offline I didn’t know this album was getting all the hate. It’s a cool experimental album and contains catchy songs like Coming Up , Waterfalls, or weird (catchy as well) song like Temporary Secretary.
Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
5.11pm
1 December 2009
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Yeah, it’s a cool little album! I bought the 2-disc reissue just a coupla weeks ago but haven’t given it a proper listen yet…
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
5.32pm
Reviewers
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1 May 2011
Offline No idea why McCartney II got a bad name, i presume the critics went/go into it with a preconceived idea of it being lame. It doesnt sound to me outdated, maybe its not standard ‘Macca’ for some.
If anyone is looking to get the album i would recommed the 3 disc deluxe download from Pauls site, the extra disc of songs are really worth it.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
8.18pm
26 March 2012
Offline meanmistermustard said
No idea why McCartney II got a bad name, i presume the critics went/go into it with a preconceived idea of it being lame.
Which I would argue is the case for the critical reception of every Macca album except Band On The Run and post-Flaming Pie material.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
10.07pm
Reviewers
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1 May 2011
Offline Ben Ramon said
meanmistermustard said
No idea why McCartney II got a bad name, i presume the critics went/go into it with a preconceived idea of it being lame.Which I would argue is the case for the critical reception of every Macca album except Band On The Run and post-Flaming Pie material.
Excluding Driving Rain which is generally seen to be appalling, one reason being that the press cannot stand anything that has any connection to Heather Mills, another being that the songs are dreadful as is the album cover.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
11.29pm
26 March 2012
Offline meanmistermustard said
Ben Ramon said
meanmistermustard said
No idea why McCartney II got a bad name, i presume the critics went/go into it with a preconceived idea of it being lame.Which I would argue is the case for the critical reception of every Macca album except Band On The Run and post-Flaming Pie material.
Excluding Driving Rain which is generally seen to be appalling, one reason being that the press cannot stand anything that has any connection to Heather Mills, another being that the songs are dreadful as is the album cover.
I’ve actually never listened properly to Driving Rain and tend to forget about its presence in the McCartney canon, have seen very mixed reviews.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
11.43pm
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1 May 2011
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I played it threw once and hated it (Driving Rain ), a few years later i revisted ‘From A Lover To A Friend’ and still hated that song. Havent went anywhere near it since and have no plans whatsoever to ever do so again.
McCartney II is one of those albums that has so many different types of song that something always pleases you and feels new.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
6.26pm
1 December 2009
Offline OK, I am LOVING those bonus tracks on the 2-disc edition! Paul goes nuts with an array of synths, sequencers, drum machines, his bass and all kind of weird effects, making for an album of amazing, undeniable grooves. Lyrics are nonsensical or inaudible but who really cares? This sounds like the most avant-garde (yet hypnotically catchy) music of his career, at least of the era I’m familiar with. (Never heard those Fireman things.) “Secret Friend” and “All You Horse Riders/Blue Sway” go on for more than 10 minutes and never get boring. This stuff woulda sounded GREAT at any dance club if Paul chose to release them and go that route at the time! Even the “Wonderful Christmastime ” sounds great among them, with it’s rubber springs of synth and sleigh bells bouncing it along. I know a lot of people hate this song, but when it comes to Christmas music, gimme vintage ’70s synths over children’s choirs every damn time. This is one weird album. I wish Paul had released it at the time.
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
6.08am
23 January 2011
Offline vonbontee said
(Never heard those Fireman things.)
If you like weird, you really should check out the second Fireman album, Rushes, particularly the “song” Fluid. It is excellent! I wouldn’t bother with Strawberries, Oceans, Ships, Forest unless you really want to get into some techy stuff. It’s just a bunch of remixes of the same song, basically, with some pretty good rhythm parts, but I don’t really like it. And if you haven’t heard Electric Arguments…rectify that immediately! Lol…I think it is one of the best albums of Paul’s career!
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ewe2"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
10.02am
1 December 2009
Offline I may try some of the Firemen stuff someday, but I’ve gotta say that based on what I’ve heard & read, I’m prepared to dislike it. Mostly because I usually hate the sound of digital synthesizers, also most anything that’s ever been described as “ambient” (and 85% of “techno”). Too much of that stuff just sounds to me like mood music.
Edit [Checks out youtube link, followed by “Solstice Ambient Acapella”]
Nope, didn’t like those at all, sorry. Too boring. Not my thing at all; I want uptempo post-disco grooves with ENERGY! (Maybe you can recommend something else?) But thanks for trying, all the same!
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
9.39pm
23 January 2011
Offline vonbontee said
I may try some of the Firemen stuff someday, but I’ve gotta say that based on what I’ve heard & read, I’m prepared to dislike it. Mostly because I usually hate the sound of digital synthesizers, also most anything that’s ever been described as “ambient” (and 85% of “techno”). Too much of that stuff just sounds to me like mood music.Edit [Checks out youtube link, followed by “Solstice Ambient Acapella”]
Nope, didn’t like those at all, sorry. Too boring. Not my thing at all; I want uptempo post-disco grooves with ENERGY! (Maybe you can recommend something else?) But thanks for trying, all the same!
Ahhh…that’s okay. It’s not for everyone. I mostly listen to it as mood music when I’m studying or going to sleep. I understand it’s not that uptempo, which is what I like about it, I guess. The next “song” on the album, after Fluid, is a little more uptempo, but it’s basically the same sounding stuff. I like that it has actual instruments and not just synths. You can clearly hear the guitar, bass, and drums on most of the tracks.
Kudos for actually giving it a listen, though!
Electric Arguments, by the way, is totally different. It’s actually lyric based, with a few instrumentals/tech stuff thrown in. If you want the weird shit, give Strawberries, Oceans, Ships, Forest a listen. It’s not my cup of tea, but we seem to have slightly different taste buds.
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
9.41pm
12 April 2012
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As a hater of modern electronic music I also don’t like this album very much, some songs are great though my favourites being coming up and one of these days
Once there was a way to get back homewards. Once there was a way to get back home; sleep pretty darling do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby
11.37pm
5 November 2011
Offline Took me awhile, but I really love this album. I like it a little more every time I listen to it. Right now my favorites are Darkroom and On the Way, but Check My Machine is pretty awesome.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
4.33am
1 December 2009
Offline I understand that “Check My Machine”‘s title was literal – that it was an experimental thing Paul recorded while fooling around with a new toy! I believe there’s a longer version than the 5:50 one – maybe only on bootlegs though.
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
4.56am
5 November 2011
Offline Yeah, the longer version is 8:59 and it’s on the second bonus disc in the deluxe edition.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
5.48am
23 January 2011
Offline unknown said
Took me awhile, but I really love this album. I like it a little more every time I listen to it. Right now my favorites are Darkroom and On the Way, but Check My Machine is pretty awesome.
I love Check My Machine. Sometimes it will come up on shuffle, and I’ll have listened to the whole thing before I realize it’s been 8 minutes. I like the little break where he says something like, “long time ago…” His voice is weird, and I enjoy it.
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
6.14am
1 December 2009
Offline unknown said
Yeah, the longer version is 8:59 and it’s on the second bonus disc in the deluxe edition.
Holy shit, LOOK at all those extended versions! “Frozen Jap”, “Darkroom”, “Front Parlour”…I have DEFINITELY got to acquire those!
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
1.03pm
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1 May 2011
Offline Heard all of the deluxe recently and the decision to cut down the album from a double to a single LP saved it otherwise it would be far too long, dull, sprawling and tiresome.
All You Horse Riders just reminded me of Blacklace’s Superman, Paul being ahead of the game here by not releasing his at the time whilst Blacklace irritated the world and ruined many disco’s.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
