Customer Reviews

Electric Arguments

5 star:		(90)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Electric Arguments is indisputably the most surprising and inspiring CD of the year. Paul McCartney surfaces with a masterpiece of experimental music and great vocals that fuse ambient, hard rock, blues, trance, ballads and electronic music. Producer Youth was integral to this CD. It contains arguably the greatest medley of Paul's songs ever commencing with "Sing The Changes," "Travelling Light," "Highway", " Light From Your Lighthouse," "Sun Is Shining," and "Dance 'Till We're High,". MACCA and Beatles fans will love this trippy and psychedelic CD becuase it has vintage tracks similar to great songs off the White Album, Ram and Paul's other masterful Fireman CD the cosmic"Rushes" wherein he expertly played several guitars, cymbals and resplendent keyboards. MACCA'S roaring, soaring and refined vocals and ambient virtuosity at age 67 are priceless. This is the most vindicating CD of MACCA'S career because it showcases his virtousity as a vocalist, musician, composer and lyricist ! It's safe to say that Lennon would have been impressed by this amazingly creative CD.

McCartney gets slagged down by people who are musical hacks. Hell, we are all musical hacks compared to him and only a select handful of others. Yet, despite that fact (oh, I'm sure some people will argue with this statement but it's pretty much an absolute fact), people feel compelled to rip this guy a new one on virtually every album he does. While most reviews for this brilliant album were very, very positive, I did read a few mediocre reviews and in those, you can tell the reviewer didn't even listen to the album. Like anything associated with McCartney automatically gets an "F" grade. Let's face it, while he has made some mistakes here and there, the guy takes risks and has made better, more impactful songs, whether pop, political, heavy, classical, jazzy, avant garde, new wave, dance, country and blues than almost anyone else on the planet, whether living or dead. It amazes me how some people can just give this album one star. Yeah, like you or almost anybody else could do any better. One star??!! Come on... what a joke! At WORST, it is a 4 star album... at worst.

The varied songs on this album have so many different treats and varied melodies... The songs range the full gamut and create a wonderful sonic landscape. 'Sing the Changes' probably should be the first single. From the first track "Nothing Too Much" to "Two Magpies" to "Highway" to "Dance 'Til We're High" to "Lifelong Passion", so many genres are covered yet they still maintain the classic McCartney melodic form yet with new twists. From the Beatles until now, McCartney was never afraid to experiment, he was a musical revolutionary that was barely recognized compared to John... but he certainly should be: Sgt. Pepper, a declaration of freedom by becoming a new band within the real band, the culmination of climactic sound at the end of A Day in the Life which really supercharges the song into possibly being the Beatles all-time greatest song, the tape loops on Tomorrow Never Knows, writing Helter Skelter which was a bridge to the Heavy Metal movement, the Carnival of Light track, the sound links of Abbey Road Side 2, and even Yesterday which bridged pop and classical music (Beach Boys and the Stones with "As Tears Go By" helped here as well) were all his contributions. I'm not knocking John - he was an amazing songwriter and a genius in his own right... but just because we are lucky to still have McCartney alive doesn't mean critics can just kick the guy around and pretty much consistently give him mediocre reviews all the time. This album is truly special. And it should be acknowledged that McCartney has had quite a run of late, with Memory Almost Full, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard and now this, we are fortunate to be living during this genius' time on earth.

The more I listen to it, the more I like it. It's such a fresh sound from a man who's help define what "sound" is, so I don't know what more we could want. "Highway" rocks harder than any of his recent rockers, "Sun is Shining" just melts beautifully. Melodies just burrow themselves inside your brain and you can't help but hum them throughout the day, even if your initial opinion is unfavorable. I wrote it off thinking, "If it doesn't say Paul McCartney on the cover, it must be his lesser stuff." So wrong. Electric Arguments is one of his best.

McCartney's previous five albums (Flaming Pie, Run Devil Run, Driving Rain, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, and Memory Almost Full) were all exceptional in very different ways. Though I tend to prefer Flaming Pie, Memory Almost Full, and possibly Run Devil Run, Electric Arguments rates close to those albums in overall quality, but is far more visceral while sacrificing little in terms of melody. While the first track, "Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight", is a nasty screamer, the rest of the album presents some awesome melodic rockers, mixed with some beautiful ballads, and some dreamy musical textures. The best tracks are the gorgeous "Dance 'Til We're High", the U2-like rocker "Sing the Changes", the driving rocker "Highway", and the gospel-like, folksy "Light From Your Lighthouse", although others may surface as favorites depending on mood. Another great one - one of McCartney's best.

The new Paul McCartney is the biggest musical surprise I've had all year. I was expecting yet another disappointment in a long line of disappointments or mediocre releases and was hoping there would be one or two good songs.

To me, this sounds like Sgt. Pepper mixed with the White Album. Add liberal doses of dance, trance, elecronic and pop and you have a mind pleasing and teasing mix. For my money this is his best musical release since 1975's Venus and Mars or 1973's Band on the Run. It's the sound of creativity not channeled with commercial expectations. It's melodic and fun, odd and enchanting, foot tapping and mind expanding.

I found myself looking at the CD to get the name of almost every song as I listened because the music interested me enough that I wanted to know the name of the individual song. Surprise yourself and pick up this CD. Put it on at a quiet moment and sit back and enjoy the ride.

There is no question this album is one of McCartney's most unique. However, it finds him up to some of his usual tricks: Backwards masking and messages, unusual instruments, clever harmonies, brilliant melodies, wicked bass & guitar work, and all the elements that made his contribution to the Beatles so powerful. Listen to this album with headsets on and marvel at the creativity in the production and all of the unique elements going on in the mix. There are sound effects and wildly bizzare elements going on all over the place. What makes McCartney such a brilliant composer is that he paints his portrait with his music... Melodies flow from him like a waterfall and those who know what it takes to make a good record are left wondering how one man could have accomplished such a large body of work in one lifetime. This is a must have album for all Macca fans...or those looking to hear something different that changes from song to song and sounds like nothing you've ever heard before. Prepare to be shocked...in a very good way.

I cannot believe my ears!! This is not the music of a musical icon 'hanging on'. This is creative and challenging. Paul reinvents himself here and blows away anyone that might be competing with him. One of the best things I've heard in years.

I love this cd! OK, I confess I am a huge Macca fan. I own everything he has ever done and love his music. Just being honest here in my bias!

I gave it 4 stars because, well, it isnt my *favorite* McCartney album (Back to the Egg) or even Ram... but it is interesting and very well done. Paul needs his own separate rating system, because nothing he does is less than everyone else's 4 stars. He has so many classics it is impossible to compare them all. So I won't, and that is tedious anyway. Everyone compares everything he does to Band on the Run... whatever. That was 30 years ago. He has moved on.

So back to Electric Arguments. The catchiest, most obvious "hit" is "Sing the Changes". This song is chock full o' melody. Despite its electronic influence, you would pick it out as Paul's anywhere. "Highway" is a bouncy little rocker. I also love "Dance Til We're High", a jangly, soaring ballad. The "Sun is Shining" will burrow itself into your brain and stay there. "Lovers in a Dream" is very cool--a dance/trance beat that let my mind unwind into it. "Travelling Light" is delicate and surprising.

I have the first two "Firemen" cds. and this one is much more of a complete musical experience. Those were more typical trance/dance experiments. This album will keep revealing interesting musical textures every time you listen. BTW, I also like other things Youth has done (especially The Verve's "Urban Hymns").

Much to like on this cd. Go Paul!

Who or what could possibly top Paul McCartney? Why only Paul McCartney! This time, it is not as a Wing or a Beatle or as Percy Thrills Thrillington, but as The Fireman, with Electric Arguments as the third release under this alias and, for the same reason, the third collaboration with the producer, Youth.

Electric Arguments is a sonic parallel with George Harrison's Cloud Nine pairing with Jeff Lynne but more techno. Starting out is the loud and proud Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight, which is reminiscent of You Never Give Me Your Money or So Glad to See You Here. Following up is Two Magpies, which interestingly enough, sounds like a hybrid of Blackbird and Honey Pie.

The third track is the awe-inspiring Sing the Changes, which, to me, is rightfully the highlighted tune of this release. It is a very in-depth, emotional song very much on par with No More Lonely Nights. The rest of the tracks are also great. Among my favorites are the Beatle-esque Highway, the feel-good Sun Is Shining, Lifelong Passion, and the Enigma-like Lovers in a Dream.

Truly, McCartney is unequalled. As The Fireman he, combined with the production talent of Youth, has created a 21st century equivalent of the tape loop, experimental sounds sampled in Revolver and The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album) some 40+ years prior.

Vocally, McCartney sounds the best he has in quite some time. The singing is very much in sync with the spontaneous, creative energy that emanates throughout. If McCartney can segue this style into his releases as Paul McCartney, I definitely anticipate more great work from this artist, who is well past sixty. Wow!

I am 55 years old and came of age listening to The Beatles. They not only changed my young view of music and life but in retrospect changed the world view. Truly amazing shift politically, socially, fashion, and well just changed everything.

I've always favored John Lennon for his take no prisoners approach. A true artist by any definition. Paul was the guy who made him palatable to the masses but I digress.

This recording is what I imagine The Beatles would be doing if they survived intact today. This is a remarkable record!!!

Its void of commercial concerns and just a great artist doing what he does best... creating art from the soul.

Why have I not heard this before??

To the detractors I offer that Strawberry Fields was not well received when it came out but has proven to be a visionary piece of work. I do not suggest that this is on the same level but it comes close. We need more of this from Paul.

This is good stuff.