As a part of compiling my list, not only did I include each full studio album from the Beatles, I also included what I hoped would be a mix of some of their best solo recordings. It wasn’t intentional, but I think I may have found the worst record Paul McCartney ever released. In early 1980, he fell into the same trap as many of his peers, and overcompensated for changing music tastes with a synthesizer-heavy album, “McCartney II” (his second album without the Beatles or Wings). It really is pretty dreadful, and that comes from a huge Paul McCartney fan.
The first song is the one recognizable hit from the album, “Coming Up” and it isn’t bad, even though it sounds like he might have the Muppets singing backing vocals. Unfortunately, it slides downhill quickly thereafter. Next comes “Temporary Secretary”… I don’t even know what to say about this hot mess. It is just awful. I know Paul can try to be a bit over-cute with some of his songwriting, but this is brutal. The rest of the album continues on, pretty much alternating between painfully bland (“On The Way”, “Waterfalls”, “One Of These Days” and “Summer’s Day Song”) and more brutal techno-flops like “Front Parlour”, “Darkroom”, and the uncomfortably named “Frozen Jap”. There is a song called “Bogey Music” that is some sort of an Elvis rock-a-billy track. At least it is a little more interesting, if not a great listen.
Sir James Paul McCartney, I love you as much as any musician I have ever heard. Your music, including your career after The Beatles, has continuously entertained, inspired and moved me. I’m grateful for the contributions you make to our world to this day. I tried several times to give this record a chance, but I’m just not getting anywhere with it, so it is time to move on. I get it, the 80’s were an awkward time for a lot of us. No hard feelings…
A Lifetime-Plus of Music 