Customer Reviews

London Town

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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, some of which are very welcome: London Town adds 'Mull of Kintyre' to its B-side 'Girls School'.

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. Especially the 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.
This is very noticable on orchestral and acoustic songs in particular. The difference between 'Mull of Kintyre' on the London Town CD, and the track on 'All the best' is also striking!

On London Town, Wings was again back down to a trio. The album is a definite step up from Wings At The Speed Of Sound and it contains some excellent songs. "With A Little Luck" is a synth-laden song that is what Mr. McCartney does best; simple pop songs with great vocals and catchy hooks. This one is as infectious as anything he's ever recorded and became his sixth number one single in the spring of 1978. "I'm Carrying" is a pretty acoustic ballad and "Cafe On The Left Bank" is a pulsating rocker. "Backwards Traveler" is an interesting song, "Girlfriend" is done much better by Michael Jackson, "I've Had Enough" is a good rocker and "Name & Address" is an attempt at rockabilly. London Town is a solid, well-made effort. The bonus tracks are the hard rocking "Girls School" and the elegant "Mull Of Kintyre". The latter was a major hit in England in 1977, staying at number one for nine weeks and become the UK's biggest selling single of all-time at the time (it's currently number four all-time) and the first to sell over two million copies. In the US it was regulated to the b-side of "Girl's School" which peaked at number 33 in early 1978.

In February 1986, I placed an ad in the now defunct Beatles Book Monthly asking for Wings/Beatles Mad Penpals. You'll note that I was a bigger Wings fan than Beatles fan at that time (an impressionable 16 year old) and I got a great response from the ad, including some from the United States.

One of my favourite Macca/Wings albums was - and still is - London Town. I thinks it's got a light, relaxed mood, far removed from the tensions of Band on the Run or the trying-too-hard-to-be-commercial At The Speed of Sound. The first thing that struck me on first hearing it (I bought it in 1985) was that it was a very acoustic album, hence its lightness and air of happiness!

Linda had her critics, but the title track would not be the same without her and Denny Laine's wonderful harmonies. I rate these harmonies as among the best on any McCartney album. It is a beautifully produced album. I too like Cafe on the Left Bank, particularly the line where Paul's vocal is single-tracked as opposed to double-tracked as on the rest of the song.

A typical McCartney ballad follows, but any musicians among you will probably note that it is more Harrison than McCartney. I'm Carrying contains a very Harrison key change, from E major to a diminished chord. Harrison was king of diminished chords. A lovely song. As one other Amazonn reviewer noted, Backward Traveller by itself could be a great song. Why then the two minutes of snyth rubbish tagged onto it? Sometimes this is McCartney's biggest problem: Self-indulgence. No Lennon to say 'That's not going on the album.'

I've always loved With a Little Luck, containing a great rock vocal toward the end. It's a good mix of late seventies rock and synthesiser. I like this extended version. Deliver Your Children sees Denny Laine in the vocal spotlight and this is a great song to play on the acoustic guitar. I don't know if such sexist lyrics would go down so well these days, though!

Girlfriend sees McCartney using his So Bad falsetto and he would give this song to Michael Jackson. To me it's just a pleasant track with nice keyboard work toward the end. The album soes contain a couple of knocked-off songs: Name and Address and Famous Groupies. The former is memorable only for its production and lead guitar solo, possibly the last thing Jimmy McCulloch contributed to this album? The latter is, well, not really memorable for anything...,

One of my favourite tracks is the lachrymose Don't Let It Get You Down, a beautiful slow track with Paul stooping the lower depths of his vocal register. The flanged twelve-string guitars really cut through the speakers.

And - on the original release - the last track is Morse Moose and the Grey Goose, an idea that doesn't quite come off. It's interesting but quickly grates. Maybe the album should have closed with Don't Let It Bring You Down?

Still, I do enjoy this album, and although I'd recommend it to everyone, I reckon if you are wanting to get into Paul's solo catalogue, I wouldn't buy this one first. Try Band on the Run or Venus and Mars. Or better still, the fabulous Flowers in the Dirt!

A Cuff Link...guess Phil Collin's sucess of the 80s was helped alot by this cool sound (Collins is a big Fan of any thing Beatle). Besides the Hits of this album, I really Recomend "Name and Adress", its Brilliant and Respectfull of Elvis (which is why Paul lets it Fall apart, cause the Mimic so Good). Morse Moose is alot of Fun too. Maturity has brought ME even more Insight,Taste, and an appreciation; to Melody+Composition+ Talented Fun, as I am a well experienced Music Lover. Mull of Kintyre and Don't let it Bring you Down, give me a welcomed Mist to my Eyes. Girls School arouses My arousals(Jimmy Durante tone here), even though I Like mature women, and Good Clean Fun....this song Rocks tooo. Bought this with Back to the Egg(Combo Price Premo). Both Album Covers are Worth Framing... also. Oh Yeah !

Of all of Sir Paul's 70's albums this is probably his mellowest, it's also one of his better efforts. Once again his group Wings was reduced to himself, his wife & the faithful Denny Laine. There are a few actual Wings recordings here but mostly it's just the three of them. Some of this album was recorded on a yacht which might partly account for its mellower nature. London Town peaked at #2 on the album charts. There were also three singles that charted: "I've Had Enough" went to #25 & is one of Sir Paul's 'edgier' songs, "London Town" went to #39 & "Witha a Little Luck" went to #1 (also #5 Adult Contemporary).

The album opens with "London Town", a slow tempo song with plenty of synthesizers. The song is little more than average though pleasant. "Cafe on the Left Bank" quickens the tempo but is still only an average McCartney effort. "I'm Carrying" is a thoughtful ballad & is the first good song of the album. Then comes the mysterious "Backwards Traveler" that has vague lyrics he's so famous for. This segues into "Cuff Link", an instrumental that reminds us of Sir Paul's desire to emulate Pink Floyd. Though he doesn't pull this off, it IS interesting ear candy. "Children Children" has Denny Laine doing a turn at lead vocal but it's still an average song. "Girlfriend" is one of the two weakest songs on the album. McCartney does a falsetto lead vocal throughout most of it. Michael Jackson would cover the song later & have a hit. "I've Had Enough" is a solid rocker & underrated, one of the best songs on the album. The version of "With a Little Luck" that's on the album is the complete version of the song. It has an expanded middle section that features synthesizers. "Famous Groupies" is exactly what the title says. Lyrically it meanders a lot & is only average. "Deliver Your Children" is one of the best songs on the album. It features Laine on lead vocals; this is the third co-writing effort on the album by McCartney/Laine. "Name and Address" is a throwback to the fifties style rocker & that's about all that needs to be said. Then comes the slow, moody "Don't Let It Bring You Down". Once again, the lyrics are obscure but, in this case, it enhances the song, one of the album's outstanding songs. The original album closes with "Morse Moose and the Grey Goose". Once you get past the title it's a good song. It's reminiscent of the Beatles in some ways. it's co-written by McCartney & Laine & was two song fragments that were put together, ala the Beatles. McCartney vocalizes his written part as does Laine on his section. This is one of those songs that proves just how much of a master McCartney is in the studio. There's plenty of sound effects & studio wizardry that makes this song work.

Two bonus tracks have been added. They are both sides of a single that was released at about the same time as this album. The first is "Girls' School" which went to #33. It was the A-side in the States but the B-side in Britain. The other song, "Mull of Kintyre" was co-written by McCartney & Laine. This is one of the best things that McCartney ever recorded. In the States it barely made the Top 100 but in Britain it became the biggest hit ever at that time surpassing "Hey Jude". It's in the style of a Scots traditional folk song. It features bagpipes to great effect, you can even feel like in your in a Scots pub, drinking ale, & having a great time & singing along in the chorus' a masterpiece by the master.

Much of this album was recorded on a large yacht while out to sea, one of the main reasons as to why it's such a mellow effort. This was the last album McCartney recorded for EMI/Capitol before switching to Columbia. It's a very good effort & should be owned by McCartney fans.

Though this album is generally considered rather weak, it is actually an exceptional record with many catchy Paul songs included. "Cafe on the Left Bank" is an engaging rocker and "I'm Carrying" is one of Paul's better ballads. Beautiful acoustic guitar work here.

This is a much superior album to "Ram," "Venus and Mars" and some other McCartney albums which inexplicably are regarded as better products than this. As an extra treat, one of the bonus tracks here is one of Paul's greatest and catchiest rock songs from his Wings years, "Girls School." A great song and a fine album.

The songs on this album have a nice, dreamy quality, e.g. London Town, With a Little Luck, Deliver Your Children. A good mix of acoustic and synthesizer stuff. Even the filler songs are pretty good, with the exception of Morse Moose and the Grey Goose. In my opinion this is McCartney's best, with the exception of Band on the Run (the only "five star" McCartney album). The bonus track -- Girl's School -- is great.

Originally titled "Water Wings", and recorded on a yacht in the Virgin Islands (to dodge the British taxman), this is a more polished and consistent album than "At The Speed Of Sound". Like during the recording of "Band On The Run", a few inconveniences took place. Denny Laine had to be hospitalized for sunstroke, Jimmy McCulloch lost his hearing in one ear, and drummer Joe English (and his drum kit) took a tumble when the seas got rough. McCulloch and English then left before the album was complete. Nonetheless, Paul, Linda, and Denny perservered and gave us a pleasant pop album with several decent tunes. Many of the tracks have a British theme, like the tuneful title track and "Cafe on the Left Bank", which boasts a typically good Jimmy McCulloch guitar solo. "I'm Carrying" is a sweet Paul ballad, and I love "Backwards Traveler", although that seems more like a fragment than a complete song. Denny Laine really delivers with "Deliver Your Children" and Paul sings a wonderful falsetto on "Girlfriend", a track that former pal Michael Jackson later covered. Hit single "With a Little Luck" opens the second side, which includes the rocking "Name and Address" as well as the boring "Don't Let It Bring You Down". CD includes bonus track "Girls' School". Like "Band On The Run" and "Venus and Mars" this is pretty even and consistent.

London Town's strengths are the lush and melodic moments that decorate the album like icing on a cake. While the icing may be filling, a lot of the icing here is no more than empty calories. The title track is promising laid back cousin to Penny Lane and one of the best tracks on the album. Unfortunately, it doesn't set the quality or tone for the entire album.

There is considerable filler on this, the next to last Wings album, but the strongest tracks more than make up for the slip in quality. Cafe on the Left Bank is a breezy rocker with slice of life lyrics. I've Had Enough, Name and Address and (the bonus track) Girl's School are the closet thing to rockers on this album. All three are strong numbers, but Name and Address has a unfinished quality to it. It's apt that McCartney included this Presley like rocker the year after the King died. It acts as a tribute of sorts with McCartney doing his best Elvis impression.

Children, Children is charming enough (Denny Laine handles the lead vocals), while Deliver Your Children is ponderous at best. I'm Carrying is an overlooked melodic gem that fits in well with Macca's substanial portfolio of classic love songs.

Backwards Traveler and Cuff Link are fragments that seem to have wandered in from Red Rose Speedway. In fact, this whole album reminds me of an improved version of that album.

The closing track Morse Moose is a bit of nonsense about a ship in peril. It's hard to make heads or tails of this track. Clearly Macca was trying for a powerful ending similiar to 1984 from Band On The Run. Unfortunately, Morse Moose fails to fit the bill.

The import edition also has the bonus cut Mull of Kyntire (not sure on the spelling here folks). MOK was (until recently) the biggest selling single in the UK. Unfortunately, in this case that is a fairly dubious honor as it's is a pretty poor excuse for a song. Yes, it has a lilting melody, but it has little else to recommend it.

London Town was clearly a holding operation. It's highlights are fairly strong tracks, but it has more than its fair share of filler as well. Still, London Town is a very pleasant album and reminds me of both Ram and Red Rose Speedway's best moments.

In the wake of the Wingspan hoopla, here's another look at the Wings catalog. London Town is a notch above its predecessor Wings at the Speed of Sound, but it still doesn't rank among his best solo works.

"London Town": Co-written with Denny Laine, this is a catchy album opener. It was the third single from the album, but only reached No. 39.

"Cafe on the Left Bank": A perky number, but nothing memorable.

"I'm Carrying": A pleasant if pedestrian ballad.

"Backwards Traveller": A strong vocal on one of the album's best tracks. If only the entire album were this funky.

"Cuff Link": A nearly two-minute instrumental of mostly synthesizer noodling.

"Children Children": This countryish ditty with its fairy tale lyrics is very enjoyable. Co-written with Laine.

"Girlfriend": Michael Jackson covered this song on his Off the Wall album.

"I've Had Enough": The second single from the album only went to No. 25. It may not be one of McCartney's best rockers, but at least it rocks--which is more than what most of this album does.

"With a Little Luck": A catchy song and the album's first single--it went to No. 1 for two weeks.

"Famous Groupies": A somewhat goofy ode to groupies.

"Deliver Your Children": Another song co-written with Laine and one of the strongest tracks on the album.

"Name and Address": An Elvis-inspired rocker. Nice guitar break.

"Don't Let It Bring You Down": Another McCartney-Laine composition and the most forgettable.

"Morse Moose and the Grey Goose": The fifth song co-written by McCartney-Laine. This was a weak ending to the original album.

"Girl's School": This was released in the UK as the b-side to "Mull of Kintyre" several months before the release of Londown Town and included on the CD reissue as a bonus track. In the U.S. this terrific rocker was released as the single and went to No. 33.

As with many of McCartney's albums, there are plenty of great songs here, but you have to sift through some rather mediocre stuff to find it. With a running time of nearly sixty minutes, it would have been a much stronger album if it had been trimmed down to about forty.