Daily Recco, June 18: McCartney III is a perfect testament to his glorious past
Pau McCartney brings out the charm of age and the wisdom of years in his latest solo album McCartney III. On his 79th birthday, listen to the legend doing what he does best.
Some legends, they say, never age. And the person who said that most probably had Sir James Paul McCartney in mind. The man turns 79 today and believe us you, you will not find his age eroding his voice even by a bit if you listen to his latest album — McCartney III (released in 2020). Yes, he does sound his age, but his aged voice with its natural attrition comes across more as enrichment than imperfection.
The charm of his trademark melody, charismatic voice, and craftsmanship he has aced over the years come right through from the very first note. Remember the 1968-hit White Album by The Beatles? Well, consider III to be McCartney’s version of a successor for the legendary album. While McCartney (1970) and McCartney II (1980) reflected the intense changes in his life (McCartney was produced when The Beatles disbanded and McCartney II came at a stage when Wings ended), III features a far more mellow McCartney, who is much less restless and just doing what he does best. The maturity and the wisdom of years do reflect perfectly in his music.
Take for instance the opening number — Long Tailed Winter Bird. It is rustic in its feel and manages to stir the nostalgia of listening to McCartney almost our entire lives. In fact, we think McCartney perhaps felt the same way while recording this number. The melodic rush has him happily pitch on his glorious past. This one number alone has more tonal shifts than most present-day bands manage in their entire album(s).
And if you are not a fan of the mellow McCartney and want to see the inner rage he has reflected (personally and musically) in the past, he does not disappoint on that front either. The seventh track in the album — Slidin — has McCartney in an Icarus-like mode, as he croons “I know there must be other ways of feeling free / But this is what I wanna do / who I wanna be.” And here is where you see glimpses of The Beatles’ Helter Skelter.
The former Beatle’s latest solo is truly a testament to his glorious past and a promise of many more to come. On his birthday, that is what we wish for him and of him. Listen to McCartney III here.