Customer Reviews

At The Speed Of Sound

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For some reason, most of the 1970-1990 McCartney/Wings catalogue is now available in two versions: the Capitol CDs and the British remastered "McCartney Collection".

The British CD's offer, in many cases, more bonus tracks than the Capitol CD's, on this release they are the same though. Why not include Junior's Farm???

The remastering of the British series is, to my ears, NOT a bonus. The signal has been compressed in such a way, that the average level is louder than on the Capitol CD's, although the peaks are not. The balance has changed: low frequencies have been boosted, resulting in a somewhat muddy sound and a less focused midrange. This has also affected the stereo image. To me, the Capitol CDs are sonically superior and closer to the original LPs.

I found the remastered sound a disappointment, not doing justice to the obvious care that went into the original production!

1976's "Wings at the Speed of Sound" displays a McCartney who is experimenting with new sounds as he always had; in this case, one of the new sounds is disco. The fact that there is virtually no hard rock pretense on this album rubbed a lot of narrow minded rock critics the wrong way. These are the sort of people who don't find any value in a Burt Bacharach composition. Even the rocking "Beware My Love" is more a rock/disco hybrid; sort of Paul's punchy answer to Donna Summer's "Could It Be Magic". The pop side of McCartney was just as honest a part of him as the rock side. And "Speed of Sound" is far more honest in its disco influence than any of the songs rock acts put out post-Saturday Night Fever, in which they threw on generic disco bass just to score a quick hit. Every bass line on this album is pure McCartney, which brings us to "Silly Love Songs". The one thing that everyone compliments "Silly Love Songs" on is Paul's superb and funky bass-line. Yet, so many critics want to still dismiss the song. It goes to show you, how underappreciated bass is as an instrument. The bass is the driving instrument here; it's the main hook. Saying you like the bass on "Silly Love Songs" but not the song is like saying you like the guitar on "Foxy Lady" but not the song. And I think it's more disingenuous of an artist to embellish a mid-tempo rock song with a timely bass-line (like The Stones did with "Miss You", when they clearly didn't dig disco), than a musically eclectic artist like Paul McCartney, who whole-heartedly embraces the many aspects of the music while gifting it with individualistic touches. Paul experimented with disco bass and took it to a new place; he had already created the standard disco bass-line back on "1985" (the last track on "Band on the Run"). That song was released in 1973, before anyone even heard of disco, yet Paul is already groovin' to that beat. Paul plays up the funky side of his bass playing throughout "Speed of Sound". Even a bit in his song writing; "She's My Baby" sounds like the kind of easy-funk Stevie Wonder knocked out. And what's wrong with Linda's vocals on "Cook of the House"? It's just a fun novelty song and her singing suits it. If she was the keyboardist in some punk or indi-rock band, no one would complain about her limited range. And yes, this is the Wings' album that has a lot of songs from the other Wings guys. But don't believe the hype; they're not the best songs, but neither are they crap. All the songs are pretty tuneful. "The Note You Never Wrote" (sung by Denny Laine, but written by McCartney) is especially nice with a stark and moving production. "Wings at the Speed of Sound" isn't going to rock your world; it's just an enjoyable, top-notch, musically impressive pop record. And what's wrong with that?

There are some things I'll just never understand about Paul McCartney & Wings At the Speed of Sound. Like why Silly Love Songs is so often cited as an example of Macca's post-Beatles "mediocrity". What is it? Is Paul's golden vocal on the instantly memorable tune, or the ingenious harmonies and countermelodies over it? Perhaps it's the polished production, with the strings and the brass and that phenomenal bass-line simply bursting out of the speakers. I've got it! It's because the lyrics are simultaneously heartfelt and so deliciously ironic that the critics missed the point by a mile! Or not. I don't know, and maybe I don't want to.

At any rate, 1976's At the Speed of Sound may be the only Wings album that was really a "Wings" album. Of course Mr. McCartney remains in the spotlight, but each and every Wingster handles lead vocal on at least one song (even Linda, whose Cook of the House is a riot!). More than that, both longtime sidekick Denny Laine and guitarist Jimmy McCulloch get a shot at a song of their own - and both make good. This newfound democracy was probably just Paul's way of uniting his band for a gargantuan world tour; but the funky pop of Denny's Time to Hide and Joe English's vocal on Macca's own Must Do Something About It remain highlights of the record.

But for all that it's still Paul's band, and he steals the show. He supplied Silly Love Songs, obviously, and the #3 smash Let `Em In (the kind of song you really oughtn't to like but do anyway). But he also wrote two bona-fide McCartney gems - Let `Em In's rip-roaring B-side (!) Beware My Love and Warm & Beautiful, a ballad that's exactly as its name implies - and a plethora of fine material for himself and his bandmates both. The upcoming stadium tour obviously directed the album's sound; although super-polished and confident in the studio, expertly embellished by touches of strings and brass, nearly every song is an arena-ready showcase. If the songs weren't improved in concert (and many were), they certainly didn't suffer.

Hey, the public knew what they were talking about at any rate - At the Speed of Sound went all the way to #1, stayed in the charts for almost a year, and augmented a record-breaking tour. Not bad for a little number the critics reviled as more McCartney "mediocrity", eh?

NOTES FOR REMASTERED PAUL MCCARTNEY COLLECTION:

The extras are once again excellent, albeit a little out of place. Walking in the Park with Eloise and Bridge Over the River Suite are early examples of Paul walking outside popular music entirely (jazz this time), and Sally G the country-fried B-side (and later flipped A-side) to Junior's Farm.

(3 1/2 stars of 5)

For years I have heard/been told to avoid AT THE SPEED OF SOUND, because, afterall, McCartney actually 'allowed' the other members of Wings proper to have space on the album. I'm kicking myself for being so easily duped by those supposedly 'in the know.'

First and foremost, this is not a McCartney masterpiece, like RAM is, or BAND ON THE RUN, or FLOWERS IN THE DIRT, or McCARTNEY, or CHAOS AND CREATION IN THE BACKYARD or VENUS AND MARS. No, the lyrics are not as relevant as those aforementioned albums, and yes, other members of Wings get the spotlight, but in the end, AT THE SPEED OF SOUND is thoroughly enjoyable taken on its own merits.

There are several hidden and long lost McCartney gems found here. It's a sin that the absolutely rocking, throaty and gutsy "Beware My Love" has been forgotten by Paul when it comes time for things like the WINGSPAN album, which looks back at old career highlights. "Warm and Beautiful" is a melancholy McCartney ballad that ranks up there with his best '70s work, and I defy anyway to not listen to "She's My Baby" and not have it in your head for the next week or so.

Elsewhere, I really enjoyed the contributions of the other Wings members. Linda McCartney is quite enjoyable on the appealing "Cook of the House," where you can tell that Paul is playing upright bass. Take it for what it's meant to be, and it's great. Longtime Wings member Denny Laine shines here too, on the rocker "Time to Hide" and McCartney's own "The Note You Never Wrote", both of which I play just as much as the McCartney-sung tracks found on this album. Drummer Joe English surprisingly shows he's the second best singer in Wings with the very cool "Must Do Something About It" (also written by Paul), and Jimmy McCulloch contributes the airy and still fresh sounding "Wino Junko."

After all the years of being told to avoid this album, I should have looked at the facts. It was a #1 album for a very long time in 1976, sold loads of copies, and had two huge #1 singles in "Silly Love Songs" and "Let 'Em In." Only recently have I really appreciated the value of these two singles in the McCartney cannon. The latter song is just really cool---sublime and addictive in its presentation. And Paul's right...what exactly is wrong with a silly love song or two? "Silly Love Songs" is great based on the fact alone that it's Paul shouting out a big "F... you" to the critics (not literally, but you know what I mean.) I'll say this---these two singles hold up way better than anything John Lennon did after the IMAGINE album, and I go back to this Wings album more than, say, John's WALLS AND BRIDGES. So yeah, it's nice to see (from reading articles on the internet and overall chatter amongst those rediscovering the solo work of the individual Beatles) that the so-called hipsters are finally coming around to this album and some other forgotten McCartney works (like RED ROSE SPEEDWAY, which I just rediscovered myself).

Taken on its own merits, AT THE SPEED OF SOUND is highly enjoyable and well worth the money. Another highlight is the fact that Paul's awesome bass work is mixed pretty well up to the front on these tracks, and it really adds to the overall punch of the album. Bonus track "Sally G" (the b-side to the hit Wings single "Junior's Farm") is yet another long lost McCartney classic, increasing the value of this purchase.

By critics amateur and professional alike, Wings at the Speed of Sound has been greatly underrated and underappreciated. But to those of us who LISTEN to the sounds that we call music, rather than succumbing to the rock press's strange requirements for "coolness," this album is both interesting and passionate.
For example, two of the songs most often criticized are the albums two hit singles, "Let `Em In" and "Silly Love Songs." They have both been called lightweight and lacking substance. With "Let `Em In," the reason for this is probably that the song is basically built around one chord that is subtly altered as the song progresses. Critics have said that this keeps it from being a true song, but in actuality this is part of its brilliance. Remember that the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" is built around one chord, too. That song sounds like it was dropped here from another world, but so does "Let `Em In." The difference is that one seems to come down to you from above, while the other builds itself up organically from below using baroque techniques of augmentation. (Not that I am trying to compare the two songs, or claim that this one rivals the experimentation of the other.) This song ends up as one of McCartney's most unique and oddly wonderful (or wonderfully odd?) pieces. Similarly, "Silly Love Songs" has been wrongly dismissed. Critics manage to applaud its excellent bass line, but they entirely look past the simply beautiful melodies and excellent arrangement. Have they listened to the glorious three-voice polyphony of the second half of the song? Brilliant.
Another example of misplaced criticism: "Cook of the House." It is often said that this song is oddly song by Linda, or that she is off-key. I ask you, do you really think McCartney doesn't know whether or not she is off-key? The point is that the McCartneys meant for the song to sound this way. After all, it is supposed to be a wife at home singing in her kitchen.
The album has merits well beyond these two great songs. First of all, it plays well from beginning to end. It stands up well to repeated listens. It also contains many other well-written and well-performed songs. Denny Laine's magnificent high voice is exhibited on the McCartneys' "The Note You Never Wrote" and his own "Time to Hide." "Must Do Something About It" and "Beware My Love" have been praised elsewhere, and "Wino Junko" is a solid contribution from Jimmy McCulloch. Finally, the brilliant "Warm and Beautiful" is one of McCartney's most beautiful songs. It has been criticized as sappy by those aforementioned critics, but it is simply one of McCartney's gems, on a par with similar parts of "Golden Slumbers," "Let It Be," and "Hey Jude." This is not just a forgotten beauty, but one that was never noticed in the first place. (We are also lucky to have the excellent CD bonus tracks.)
Beyond the music itself, this album is lambasted for its lyrics and subject matter. Stephen Thomas Erlewine has said elsewhere that Paul McCartney has been wrongly criticized for his strengths: his melodicism and his domesticity. I echo that sentiment here. Those are his strengths, and he either consciously or unconsciously constructs this album in defiance of his critics. He knows his place and he knows it is the critic, not he, who has something to prove. Why else would he allow Linda to sing off-key, or write a song actually entitled "Silly Love Songs"?
While his fellow magicians John Lennon and George Harrison were trying to make people cosmically conscious with grand, lofty visions like Lennon's "Imagine" or "Instant Karma" and Harrison's "My Sweet Lord," McCartney and Ringo Starr attempted to show us the other side of awareness. McCartney knows that enlightenment is not just the Buddha sitting on a mountain-top feeling compassion for everyone; it is also a mother cooking dinner, a father opening the door to friends and family, and a lover writing a song to his beloved. So, you see, it appears that even after they parted, the Beatles were still working together to bring us the message in all its forms. Don't criticize any one part. We need them all to have the complete package. Don't let the critics fool you: Wings at the Speed of Sound is a worthy bearer of that message.

This is an unusual work because it involves the whole band; not just a few as in most Wings offerings. There are some excellent cuts by Denny Laine and Jimmy McCullough, and of course, the one by the misses. Joe English also displayed his talents on what seems to be a showcase for the band (just before a tour, too, I might add) and Paul entered his "Silly Love Songs" and a heavy, rocking "Beware My Love", which starts out innocent enough and then springs into a full fledged cut worthy of its creator. The extra tracks are a tribute to Paul's dad (except "Sally G" and you figure that one) who used to play these with his own band years before. Don't expect anything earth shaking, but a true reflection of this time in McCartney history.

I'll admit to being a total McCartney whore but the one song on this album that no one seems to mention is "Beware My Love." Could have been a hit in the real world but sadly, we live in this one where talentless scribes dribble on-line when they should be bowing down.

After the high standards established by "Band on the Run" and "Venus and Mars," Paul McCartney and Wings display their group unity by producing a remarkably mediocre album. Released to coincide with the band's American tour, "Wings at the Speed of Sound" (1976) has two hit singles - "Silly Love Songs" and "Let 'Em In" - the snappy rocker "Beware My Love" and plenty of obvious filler. The low point is Linda's embarrassing "Cook of the House." Despite the tour's phenomenal success, the decline of Wings as a studio entity begins here.

As with many Macca albums, this is patchy. There are fantastic songs, such as 'warm and beautiful', a gorgeous piano ballad. 'Let em in' is just genius. Catchy and original. 'Silly love songs' has received much flack, but is a clever soft rock song, with a great driving bass line. 'Beware my love' is the only rock song on here. It is very good, except Linda is doing out of tune harmony vocals, that really take away from the main melody. Linda also sings lead on 'cook of the house', and this has to be the most dire recording in the Macca catalogue. She is out of tune, the melody is non existent and the lyrics are awful. I also find Denny's 'Time to hide' tuneless and boring. It is a hit and miss album.

I bought this album when it first came out in 1976. While not the best McCartney album out there, it still has its own charm. Everyone likes the 2 big hits on this: "Let Em In" and "Silly Love Songs" ruled the radio airwaves in the spring and summer of 1976. They were the perfect songs for that time.

To this very day I fail to understand why Capitol Records put "Beware My Love" on as a B-side to "Let Em In." That song could have stood on its own as an A-side and a rock n roll hit. As a B-side I don't remember it getting any airplay, not even on album rock stations, which is a shame since this classic rock song will fit in any AOR format.

While many criticize the songs written and sung by other members of Wings, I grew to like them... even "Cook of the House" by Linda McCartney which I think is a total riot. She did have a minor hit of her own a few years after this album with "Seaside Woman" which was released by under the monicker of Susie & the Red Stripes (which was more than likely this band with Linda on lead vocals).

For me the bonus track "Sally G" is a great add-on as that was the B-side to "Junior's Farm" and became a hit in its own right on both the Hot 100 and country charts. This is a great country song if I ever heard one.

"Wings At The Speed of Sound" is not a bad album and has enough variety to keep a listener's attention.