Paul & Linda McCartney - "Ram" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1971 (Apple Records)

Some days I find Paul & Linda McCartney's "Ram" a masterpiece, and if my mood is a bit down a disappointment or the first signs of aesthetic weakness in the world of Paul.   I remember at the time that "Ram" was going to be the ultimate Paul album, after the low-key first solo album, which I think is still an incredible record.  The up aspect of this album is "Too Many People," some say it's about Lennon, which at this time was the height of their series of poison letters to each other in the press, and in their music.   Still, it's a beautiful production that is off-kilter and a great mixture of noise and pop.  I like the entire side one, but there is a danger sign of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" that has elements of Paul's spiritual poison against himself.  The word 'cute' comes to mind, and cuteness is not flattery in the hands of this musical genius. 

"Smile Away" is an underrated Paul masterpiece, and I like the mixture of Linda's 'girl-group' back up vocals as well as it being a very driven 'rock' song.  Side two is the so-so side, with "Heart of the Country" being a serviceable throw-a-way song. But then comes the eccentric "Monkberry Moon Delight" and then, work that is almost there on a high level, such as the last song "Back Seat of My Car," but is just product at the end of the day.  

Paul wrote six of these songs by himself, and the others are co-credited with Linda.  I'm not sure what she contributed to the songwriting or the making of the album besides her backup vocals.   When Yoko Ono added material or vocals, you know it's 100% Ono, but Linda's contribution to the Paul McCartney post-Beatle years is a mystery to me.   Not saying that Linda is not essential to the songs or recordings, but I'm curious how the relationship works in the making of music.  

As a Beatle fan, I supported financially to the John and Paul solo years up to the mid-1970s, but then I woke up from my daze and realized that this is work that is not as good or interesting as their early solo work.  The early singles and The Plastic Ono Band are masterpieces, and I feel that Paul's first album and "Another Day/"Oh Woman" are masterpieces as well.  But when it came to "Imagine" and "Ram," it was a formula that dried up.  What stayed consistent with the duo is their craftsmanship in writing proper songs.  But the genius spark went missing.   Their voices (singing) was fantastic, and everything was top-notch in backup musicians, and once in awhile they had a tremendous single or a song on an album; but very uninspiring in its scope and focus. 

"Ram" is an album, on a good day, that I look back as a wonderful album. But once I dig into it, I find troubling aspects that became larger in his later work.  Ironically enough, I love Wings "Wild Life," the album after "Ram," and also another back-to-basics work by him, as his first solo album.  There is a conflict in McCartney's work that is between inspiration/experimentation and then pop poop.  The dangerous thing is that he's very talented in making listenable pop poop, but needs to be pushed to make brilliant sonic art.  Perhaps that's the beauty of The Beatles.  That combination was magical, and once you leave the family you make music with, you are trying to replace that magic with real family members or listening or respecting too much the craft of putting together a song or record.  Still, "Ram" has crucial moments of true greatness. 

Wings - "Wild Life" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1971 (Apple)

In my heart (or what's left of it) my favorite Paul McCartney album is Wings' "Wild Life."  An album he made pretty much after "Ram," which is very good, but in a way, I felt he was trying to make a 'proper' McCartney album, in light of being in the shadow of The Beatles.  There are three albums by Paul I adore.  "McCartney," his first solo release, his brother Mike McGear's album "McGear" and of course, the first Wings album.   After that, I pretty much lost interest in his work until the criminally underrated "Chaos and Creation in The Backyard" album.  But to focus on "Wild Life," this is an amazing album from Paul and Linda (and Denny & Denny).  For one, I'm not sure what Denny Laine's role was at the time.  I think he played bass and I'm not sure if there were overdubs during the recording of this record.  It has a rough sound where one imagines that each musician was looking directly into each other eyes.  And Linda, did she actually co-wrote these songs?

This is the real "Get Back" album.  Unlike The Fab Four, the new Fab Four wanted to tour, and tour hard.  The baroque pop of The Beatles were history, and Paul wanted to rock out, in a manner that reminds me of Neil Young and Crazyhorse.  The title song "Wild Life" is very much the spirit of Neil's "Down By The River."  Melody is different but both songs are simple and very guitar orientated.  It's a beautiful sound and I suspect Paul is playing guitar on this track.  The beauty of pretty much side one is that it is one throwaway track after another until "Wild Life."  "Mumbo," "Bip Bop" and a reggae version of "Love is Strange" probably considered the low points of a McCartney recording, but due to that, they're my favorite Paul songs.   The one song that is total brilliance is "Tomorrow."  The ultimate solo Paul song.  It's odd to me that this wasn't neither a single nor a popular McCartney song.  It's up there with "Lady Madonna" or "Oh Darling" The other songs on side two are very much the throwaway Paul songs as well, but they're very pretty.  His brilliance around a melody is for sure unhuman in his manner to reach that point.  The thing is, he doesn't have the genius of a David Bowie or mid-60s period Ray Davies.  There is a very little bite or intensity, except for his mastering of making a great noise.  I suspect many feel "Wild Life" is not a good McCartney album, but I say tsk tsk to that opinion.  "Wild Life" is wildly amazing. 

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.