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Mccartney II

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"McCartney II" was recorded in 1980 right after Paul disbanded Wings. Like his first solo album, "McCartney II" is another stripped down, at home, McCartney-only production, "McCartney II" finds Paul in a rather experimental-possibly drug-induced-state. McCartney explores synth-pop here a year before it blew up in the pop-market. Taking a cue from artists like Kraftwerk, Devo and Brian Eno, "McCartney II" has everything from New Wave spaz-outs ("Temporary Secretary"), ambient/folk ballads ("Waterfalls") and paranoid techno ditties ("Darkroom"). Plus, there is funky and ebullient pop ("Coming Up"). Sadly, "McCartney II" marked the end of the Wings era in the same manner "McCartney" marked the end of The Beatles era. But also like "McCartney", "McCartney II" is a charmingly oddball album. And even though he was following the path of techno pioneers, McCartney managed, through his raw production and mixing of real instruments, to create an album that's far less dated than other, colder techno albums from the time-period. It often sounds like the low-fi electronica from 1990s indi-rock acts. Early Stereolab springs to mind. Like two other unsung gems, "Wild Life" and "Back to the Egg", "McCartney II" was snarled at by the critics. However, there was one cat who praised it in 1980: John Lennon. He even cited the "Coming Up" single as inspiring him out of retirement and to record what would be his final album, "Double Fantasy" (a FAR more conservative recording than "McCartney II"). Overall, "McCartney II" is a great album for those who like funky, witty, homespun, experimental pop-music with a rock & roll edge. Those interested in the album should definitely get the import CD with extra tracks. Especially for the extra track "Secret Friend": an atmospheric ambient/trance song. It's such a beautiful piece of music and really shows McCartney's stylistic range.

'McCartney II' has never been a popular album. Most people view it as a failed experiment or a mere oddity. However, fans of 80s retro music and synth-pop are re-discovering this album all over again (some for the first time ever). In 2003, "Temporary Secretary," was chosen for inclusion on a European compilation of 80s dance music called 'A Secret History,' proving that Paul was right up there all along with a wink.

As a previous reviewer pointed out, one shouldn't expect mainstream McCartney (i.e. "My Love"), when listening to 'McCartney II.' This is Paul in his experimental mode, having a blast with synthesizers and creating some funky tracks like "Darkroom," and "Frozen Jap." There's also "Waterfalls" -- one of his most underrated ballads, and "One of These Days" which is simply profound. "Summer's Day Song" recalls both "Strawberry Fields Forever," and "Spider and I," -- a track from Brian Eno's 'Before and After Science' album.

The ultimate highlight for me is one of the bonus tracks, the 10 minute "Secret Friend," which is a hypnotic and dreamy ride into the unknown. It's one of my all-time favorite McCartney tracks, just because it's so unlike anything else he's ever done.

Recommended for open-minded Beatles or McCartney fans, or anyone who likes retro synth-pop or ambient music.

Paul, always known to latch on to current trends in music now and again, takes a stab at the new wave/synthesizer craze with 1980's "McCartney II". Like 1970's "McCartney", Paul wrote, performed and recorded the album in solitude, with Linda adding harmonies - hence the album title. While his foray into keyboard cheese doesn't fare as well as his catchy flirtations with disco, this album does have moments. However, they're usually when Paul turns off the Casio and picks up a guitar. The opening track "Coming Up", is an infectous piece of optimistic pop-funk that is still a mainstay in Paul's live shows. "On The Way" is a hollowed-out blues ballad that ranks up with earlier (and overlooked) gems like "Oo You" and "Let Me Roll It". "Nobody Knows" and "Bogie Music" are essentially sloppy but funny boogie stomps. The album does meet its quota of trademark McCartney sugar ballads like "Waterfalls", "Summer's Day Song" and "One Of These Days" that are nonetheless lovely to sing along to.

Note the import version contain the extended bonus track "Secret Friend", a bubbly but simple instrumental piece that probably serves as Paul's finest attempt at synthesizer whirlwind circa 1980.

After over ten years of releasing single after glossy smash single, Paul McCartney lets fly this wonderfully eclectic collection of songs. The studio version of 'Coming Up' is helium-induced white robot funk. 'Temporary Secretary' is a brain-hurting synthesizer sequence with crowed vocals. If you can't handle early DEVO or Suicide, this one may run you out of the room. It ranks with Alice Cooper's 'Clones' and ELO's 'Yours Truly, 2095' as one of the best New Wave songs done by an outsider to the scene. Amazing! On the rest of the album McCartney goes on to lay down some blues, (silly) love songs, Casio-driven instrumentals, and whatever other styles strike his fancy. The hymnal 'Summer's Day Song' reminds me of Eno's 'Spider and I' off Before and After Science. Yes, I just said that. The joyously neverending bonus track 'Secret Friend' (originally the B-Side to 'Temporary Secretary') has an exotic/tropical feel and may remind electronic music lovers of Yellow Magic Orchestra. So you're asking, "how can one ex-winged-beatle sound like so many other musical pioneers?". Well, McCartney II quite possibly proves that it was McCartney all along who wore the shiny pants in the family.

When I first heard McCartney II, I was in junior high and had been turned on to "Coming Up" after seeing Paul perform live in concert. The studio version of "Coming Up" took me completely by surprise. The mood was much different than the live version, more like pure unguarded fun.

The entire album is pure unguarded fun. It is the sound of Paul McCartney unwinding in the studio and just doing what comes naturally. The sound of the recordings take some getting used to, but once the shock wears off, you may find yourself in a truly enjoyable sound-world, where cold-sounding synths provide neat little proto-ambient-techno textures. It may be difficult to imagine or even accept Paul McCartney playing music that hasmore in common with Joy Division and Suicide than the Beatles, but make no mistake, it all sounds natural, unforced, and infinitely more FUN than anything Joy Division or Suicide ever did. Not that I am slagging them -- both are/were great, just more 'serious' than someone like Paul McCartney, who prefers to keep matters light.

So obviously, this album will not appeal to everyone. However, if you have an open ear and enjoy a little adventure, McCartney II just might be your cup of tea. As you can tell, it's one of my favorites by Sir Paul, right up there with Ram and Band on the Run.

This is one of McCartney's most bold attempts to retain his pop audience and break into new territory. As disco was winding down and punk was rapidly doing likewise, and with New Wave still a year away, Paul streched his non-stop creative powers and developed a double album. Whittled down to a single album at Columbia's insistence (as was "Tug of War"), the album is a fine exploration of the technology of the time. It also benefits from some of Paul's best musicianship since he left that other band ten years earlier.

"Coming Up" was of course the hit (actually, double hit, as both the studio version and live version topped the charts in 1980) but the gems are in the slightly more experimental tracks. "Temporary Secretary" is one of those perfect hate-it-or-love-it tracks that only Paul seems able to compose. "On the Way" is a fine, slick and edgy blues rocker, featuring a brilliant guitar solo. "Waterfalls" is charmingly plain, in its instrumentation and lyrics. "Nobody Knows" is a nice one-man warm-up exercise, and indeed nobody knows what the song is actually about.

For all the love foisted on Lennon's 1980 offering, McCartney is the one who truly (and effortlessly) is pushing the boundaries of pop. The instrumentals and truly loopy recordings ("Front Parlour", "Frozen Jap", "Check My Machine", "Special Friend") are downright creative.

Keep in mind that, in 1980, one couldn't switch on a drum machine and record along with it. For all of these songs, Paul played drums to no accompaniment first (in the case of "Special Friend", he did so for 10 minutes), layering other instruments and creating songs like he would eventually layer and create his artwork.

By the time pop caught up to this sound, Paul was off on another musical tangent, proving himself to be neither leader nor follower.

Incidentally, on a personal level, this album and Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" were the inspiration for me to eventually learn drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, harmonica and jew's harp.

After Wings great ending album "back to the egg" which featured most of 70-ties rock stars as guests (Bonham,Gilmour,Thowsend) Paul loced himself in Home-studio with some instruments and his wife linda and recorded "McCartney II" - a follow up to his homemade low-budget debut.While "McCartney" from 1970 was very spontanic and amateurish,this follow up is full-proffesional work.it raised top ten on Uk lists and some of songs from here became a real classics - althogh whole album is....strange!

1.COMING UP - very catchy disco-funk songs which became huge hit and still joines the tracklist on many of his live performances.Funky Guitar,nice synths and Linda on backing vocals.a bit wierd but really catchy and interesting 10/10

2.TEMPORARY SECRETARY - Wierd,Annoying,strange...whole song is based on Kraftwerk styled electronic instruments.it is a parody of New-wave bands and it works well along with funny lyrics and strange vocal line on chorus... 8/10

3.ON THE WAY - blues - Garry Moore styled song...only Paul's vocals bass and drums - some nice guitar are coming between verses and chorus.not awesome but nice 7/10

4. WATERFALLS - lovely and warm ballad - just Paul with piano and guitar.one of the most moving things i have ever heard...propably the best track 10/10

5.NOBODY KNOWS - Country rock? i do not know really what it is but it is a music joke...funny and catchy.not bad.7/10

6.FRONT PARLOUR - Another joke...Music like from very first computer games,funny samples in background.....could be much shorter because it is funy but later it gets boring while the easy melody gets played on and on 6/10

7.SUMMERS DAY SONG - Slow ballad with short vocal line...it is dark but has some christmas feeling and the keyboard sounds really massive.a good song 8/10

8.FROZEN JAP - Awesome Drumming - the melody is sweet but there is something more in it...propably a reminescence of Paul's visit in Jappaneese jail when he was caught with Marihuana on airport.a very good instrumental track - one of my favourite from here. 10/10

9.BOGEY MUSIC - Elvis presley meets the Residents.Wierd Rock nd Roll song with creepy echoed vocals and awesome bass line...some horns are here too.another joke but works the best compared to other Joke songs.amusing 10/10

10.DARKROOM - dark hypnotic Drum and bass track with mantra-like vocal line.interesting experiment 9/10

11.ONE OF THESE DAYS - lovely ballad,just paul sitting along with his guitar.brilliant example that real power lies in simplicity.melodic but nostalgic - result is fantastic 10/10

12.CHECK MY MACHINE - a lots of samples and funky background.another experiment,not as good as others but nice too. 6/10

13. SECRET FRIEND - a 10 minutes long trance ambient track.now i know where Stereolab or Orbital got their ideas from. 8/10

14.GOODNIGHT TONIGHT - awesome disco track recorded shortly before The wings split up - hats off to Paul for his another marvelous bass line and a lot of nice acoustic guitar...
catchy,very catchy.it was a huge hit. 10/10

In the end - the whole album is uneven but surely it is very interesting for all that know Paul only from Beatles or from his solo hits...very good job paul - and many songs sound fresh even now!

MCCARTNEY II proves just how unpredictable James Paul McCartney can be. Maybe that's because he seems to love all kinds of music, and those who follow McCartney's post-Beatles career will note that he has tried close to everything. Released in 1980, MCCARTNEY II dabbles in new wave sound. OK, it does not satisfy as much as most of his many albums but still offers four worthwhile tracks: "Coming Up," "Bogey Music," "Darkroom" and "One of These Days." Now the newer CD version offers bonus tracks including the disco single "Goodnight Tonight," adding value. For would-be Paul McCartney listeners, I would first recommend safer bets such as BAND ON THE RUN, RAM, OFF THE GROUND, PRESS TO PLAY, WINGS AT THE SPEED OF SOUND and FLAMING PIE. But MCCARTNEY II delivers just enough, and I also like it because McCartney once again dared try to something different.

What strikes me most about this album is how futurstic it all sounds. Again, like in the 60's, Paul is way ahead by embracing synths and loops which were at least 10 years ahead of his time. Let me explain.

Take "Darkroom". A silly-ish minor song, nonetheless a nice melody and with a fun atmosphere. But take a listen to the drum breaks in the verse before the chorus. He obviously recorded these with the tapes slowed down, to produce a fast breakbeat (you gettin' me?) when the tape was played back normally. Now listen to some drum and bass, or Timbaland produced R&B, and what do you hear? I hear the same technique, the same break beats.

Take "Secret Friend", the bonus track. This is 10 minutes of what is basically a trance song. He moves the backing track loop up and down a few tones, very similar to the likes of Orbital et al. And this is in 1980! I think Paul should get the recognition he deserves for this pioneering work!

For the most part, the rest of this album is very good. I even like the silly instrumentals ("Frozen Jap" and "Front Porch"), and the weaker songs ("Bogey Music") are just as throwaway as the instrumentals on the revered "McCartney" ("Hot As Sun", anyone??!). So all in all you get the complete package.

The real stand out is "One Of These Days", just Paul and an acoustic guitar (with a little too much echo). This song could've been developed into a huge production, and would've been a hit; but Paul leaves it as it is and its beautiful.

By the way, am I the only person to notice that TLC ripped off the lyrics from "Waterfalls" for their song, "Waterfalls"?? Paul's lyric: "Don't go chasing waterfalls, please keep to the lake". TLC's lyric: "Don't go chasing waterfalls, please keep to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to".

Hello??? Co-credit, anyone???

Anyway, enjoy McCartney 2 - certainly better than "Tug Of War" and all those to follow. In fact the best album after this wasn't until "Flowers In The Dirt". In my opinion, that is!!

McCartney II finds Paul McCartney losing Wings and heading back to style of recording he did on his first solo album. Instead of the down home, easy stylings of the first record, McCartney II finds him experimenting with the new wave, electronic sounds of the time. The album is heavily drenched with keyboards and while it doesn't always work, the spirit of the attempt is true. "Coming Up" is an excellent, funky song that in a live version would be his first number one song of the 80's. There are two instrumentals, "Frozen Jap" and Front Parlour" aren't too impressive. "Waterfalls" is a good ballad as is "One Of These Days". Two of the bonus tracks, "Goodnight Tonight" and "Secret Friend" are interesting. The former is his take on disco music and it has one of his catchiest hooks while the latter is a 10 minute spaced out number that ranks as one of the most experimental things he's ever done.