Mike McGear - "McGear" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1974 (Warner Brothers)

Mike McGear is a McCartney, meaning he's the younger brother of Paul.  He was in a band called The Scaffold, which was a Liverpool super group that consisted of Poet Roger McGough and comic talent John Gorman.  "McGear" is Mike's second solo album, and it's produced and co-mixed (with McGear) by Paul.  The album is pretty much co-written with Paul as well. "McGear" is also the best Paul McCartney related project outside the Beatle or solo Paul world.  Perhaps, the best Paul record of all time!

"McGear" is backed by Wings circa 1974, which includes Linda (of course) as well as Denny Laine and Jimmy McCullogh (Thunderclap Newman).   Perhaps due to Mike's input, these songs are superior to anything recorded by solo Paul.  "What Do We Really Know?," "Have You Got Problems," "Norton," and the beautiful "The Man Who Found God On The Moon" are songs that fell through the cracks of Beatleolgy.  McGear is just as good as a vocalist as his big brother, and they even do a fantastic (Beatlesque) version of Bryan Ferry's (Roxy Music) "Sea Breezes."   Why this record is not more known is beyond my comprehension.  

There's a whole category of an album that seems to be throw-away or second-thought recordings.  The essence of the b-side of a 45 rpm single.  I find these records either unusual or exceptional.  "McGear" I suspected was recorded in a downtime for Paul and Wings.  Still, "McGear" is an intriguing piece of music making.  I strongly suggest for all Paul or Beatles' fans to check out "McGear."   And why this hasn't been re-released is beyond the ability to think.  

10cc - "Sheet Music" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1974 (UK Records)

In the early 1970s, I was intrigued with the band 10cc, due that two of the musicians were very much part of the music business or scene of the 1960s.  Graham Gouldman wrote hits for The Yardbirds, The Hollies, and Herman's Hermits, while Eric Stewart was a member and writer for Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders.   The new guys in the band (at the time) Kevin Godley and Lol Creme came out of nowhere but soon became prominent music video directors as well as working with the group Art of Noise.  What made 10cc interesting is the creative tension between Godley/Creme and Gouldman/Stewart.   Generally speaking, the veterans had a classic songwriting approach to their material, but Godley/Creme always had a visual flair to their songwriting which was cinematic and ambitious.  

10cc at their weakest are sometimes a parody act, or a very pretentious reach to expand their pop sensibilities. "Sheet Music," their second album plays on both sides of the coin and succeeds greatly.  "The Wall Street Shuffle" and "Silly Love" are classic songwriting with a broad sense of satire and the Beatleastic (mostly on the Paul side of the world) touches of melody and production makes them a witty counterpoint to McCartney's blandness at the time. "The Worst Band in the World" and "Clockwork Creep" are fantastic pieces of pop fun, with "Creep" showing its sinister side of being a song about a bomb and that object's point of view.  

At the time, I purchased all the early 10cc albums, but "Sheet Music" stayed with me because it was fresh and it still sounds vital.  I think due to the intensity of four very creative guys working together to make a pop album that had serious issues but done ironically or humorously.  It's worth noting that Paul McCartney used the same recording studio as 10cc when they recorded "Sheet Music."   Paul was co-writing and producing his brother's solo album "McGear," which is a great Paul album.  There is a sound that goes back and forth between "Sheet Music" and "McGear."  For sure, a sense of adventure and playfulness. 

Paul McCartney - "Chaos and Creation in The Backyard" CD, Album, 2005 (Capital Records)

It was a moment of curiosity that I discovered Paul McCartney's 2005 solo album "Chaos and Creation in The Backyard."   The Paul albums that I loved were "McCartney," "Ram," and Wings' "Wild Life."  Also the hugely underrated Mike McGear album "McGear" is very much the lost great Paul work as well, since he co-wrote and produced his brother's album. The rest, at least for me, was pure wallpaper music.  "Silly Love Songs" became the first thing I thought of when the two words 'Paul" and "McCartney" came together.  Not a good connection.   So the moment of curiosity came I think due to the photograph of Paul taken by his brother Mike, that's the front cover of "Chaos and Creation in The Backyard.  Also the fact that Nigel Godrich, of Radiohead fame, produced the album.  

The album is a Paul masterpiece.   All instruments by the ex-Wing man and there is a focus on the whole LP that is direct and consistent.  At the time I believe there was trouble in Paul's personal life, and the sadness on the record conveys him in a blue mood.  I have read that "Chaos and Creation" is not his favorite album.  I think due to the relationship between him and Godrich.   In theory, Paul is very much a collaborative artist, and if there isn't someone out there challenging him to do better, he will come up with "Silly Love Songs."  I think Godrich aggressively kept McCartney on track, and made him come up with better lyrics and sonically do things that one is reminded of the early Paul solo albums. 

The songs on this album show why Paul is a great songwriter and performer.  One notices the age effect on his vocals, but it's all good for the material on hand here.  Even the Twee song "English Tea" is superb, because, in truth, Paul loves twee - but he was having a hard time distinguishing from good twee from (very) bad twee.   There are touches of McCartney going through his emotions that in hindsight probably made him feel uncomfortable.  Still, with the assistance of Godrich, and McCartney doing all the instruments and voices, this is an excellent album from an aging (in a good way) artist.  If haven't already, Paul and Beatle fans should re-check this album out.