Album Review: Pure McCartney, 2016 (4 Disc Edition)

Album cover of Pure McCartney, 2016.

Paul McCartney’s most recent release is the compilation Pure McCartney. It’s available in a 2-CD version with 39 songs, or a 4-CD version with 67 songs. I’ll be reviewing the 4 disc version. Some of the reviews of Pure McCartney have asked the question, what’s the point of a compilation album in the age of Spotify, when fans can simply make their own “Best of Paul McCartney” playlists. I would argue since Pure McCartney is only the fourth Paul McCartney compilation to ever be issued, and the first one that features any material recorded after 1984, that it’s an overdue look at one of the greatest songwriters of our time. Back in 2014, I even made my own 2-CD compilation of McCartney’s best solo work since 1980, as I felt it has been unfairly overlooked. (You can find the track listing for Disc One here, and Disc Two here.)

Pure McCartney offers no previously unreleased tracks, and the closest thing to any rarities are the US CD debuts of “We All Stand Together,” the 1984 theme song to the animated film Rupert and the Frog Song, and the 2014 single “Hope for the Future,”  a song written for the video game “Destiny.” Pure McCartney covers McCartney’s entire solo career, and it’s a measure of the amazing career he’s had than even at 4 discs and 67 songs it can sometimes seem like it’s just skimming the surface. 

It’s inevitable that compilations will leave people unsatisfied, as everyone has their favorite songs that have been left off. Overall, I think the track selection of Pure McCartney is good, but I think the bigger problem is with the programming of the four discs. It seems very obvious that the plan was “slow song, fast song, slow song, fast song,” which sets up some interesting juxtapositions, but there’s nothing wrong with having a suite of songs that are similar in style. I wouldn’t mind hearing a block of “Hi, Hi, Hi,” followed by “Jet,” and “Junior’s Farm.” The non-chronological selection means that “Band on the Run” nestles up to “Appreciate,” from McCartney’s most recent solo album, 2013’s New. When you hear newer McCartney songs next to older ones, it becomes obvious to me how strong his songs are, no matter what era they’re from. 

There are some odd gaps on Pure McCartney. Why are there no songs from Flowers in the Dirt, Run Devil Run, or Driving Rain? There’s also only one song from Off the Ground. And then there are 8 songs from Flaming Pie. That’s more than half the album! That’s also the most songs that appear on Pure McCartney from any one album. I think some songs from Flowers in the Dirt like “My Brave Face,” which was co-written with Elvis Costello, and “This One” would have been nice additions to Pure McCartney. I also have a soft spot for “Off the Ground,” “Hope of Deliverance,” “Lonely Road,” and “Driving Rain,” none of which made the cut for Pure McCartney. 

Despite quibbles about the songs not included, what is most striking about listening to Pure McCartney is the sheer talent of Paul McCartney. He’s produced an amazing body of work over his career, and his skills as a composer, singer, and musician are extraordinary. It speaks to McCartney’s genius and musicianship that his post-Beatles career has not merely seemed like a coda, but has produced many great songs, like those found on Pure McCartney.

Concert Review: Paul Simon at the Orpheum Theatre

Paul Simon, 2016.

On Wednesday night Paul Simon performed at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis for the second night. I attended the show with my mom and my wife. My mother is a huge Paul Simon fan and has seen him in concert many times since the 1970’s. My wife is a fan of Paul Simon’s as well, but she had never seen him in concert before. I’ve seen Paul Simon before on his 1999 tour with Bob Dylan, in 2000 when he toured with Brian Wilson, and in 2003 when he reunited with Art Garfunkel for a tour. 

Simon has always experimented with different sounds throughout his more than 50-year career in music, and the audience heard many varied styles during Wednesday night’s concert. Even though Paul Simon’s voice has wonderful warmth to it that is unique to his songs, there’s not really a “typical” Paul Simon song. Simon blends so many different styles and influences together that his music is a thick gumbo of the best that the world has to offer. 

In concert Simon is an interesting performer, as he lacks the rock star charisma of his contemporaries like Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and Bruce Springsteen. It’s the power of his songs that keeps one riveted in concert rather than Simon’s own personal magnetism. Simon has always surrounded himself with excellent musicians, and his band on this tour is superb. Unfortunately, Simon never took the time to introduce them to us during the concert, which I thought was very strange. 

The set list was a mix of songs from Simon’s entire career, ranging from 1966’s “Homeward Bound” to several songs from Simon’s latest release, “Stranger to Stranger,” which just came out two weeks ago. Simon performed many of his biggest solo hits, but only “Homeward Bound” and “The Boxer” from the Simon and Garfunkel catalogue. I would have liked to hear more Simon and Garfunkel songs, but I also understand it’s not quite the same without Art’s harmonies. Simon did play five songs from Graceland, and that was pretty awesome to hear. Along with the big hits “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes,” “You Can Call Me Al,” and “The Boy in the Bubble,” Simon also sang, “That Was Your Mother” and “I Know What I Know.” Simon wasn’t afraid to bring out some of his biggest hits early in the evening, as he opened with “The Boy in the Bubble,” followed by “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover.”

Something that I appreciate about Simon in concert is that he isn’t afraid to perform the songs in slightly different styles than the records. The songs are still recognizable, but they reflect his interests in different sounds, which makes them interesting to hear live. If you’re familiar with the records you can hear when he changes an inflection here and there. I was also struck again by just how great of a songwriter Paul Simon is. He writes intelligent lyrics that are free from clichés and matches them to fascinating musical patterns. 

Wednesday’s concert was a great opportunity to see one of the major pop/rock songwriters of the last 50 years in person, still passionate about the music that he loves after all these years.

Concert Review: Harry Connick, Jr. at the State Theatre

Harry Connick, Jr.

In May, Harry Connick, Jr. brought his excellent show to the State Theatre in Minneapolis. I’ve seen Connick in concert several times before, and he always puts on a great show. He’s the definition of an entertainer. Connick’s versatility was on full display in concert, as he sang, played the piano, joked with the crowd, and clearly had a great time. Connick is full of charisma and easy charm, and it's hard to imagine anyone not having fun at one of his concerts. His band, as usual, was superb. 

Connick even lost a contact lens in the middle of the show, so he brought up a woman on stage to use a mirror to help him put it back in. That didn’t work, but Harry went on with the show anyway.

Connick performed a variety of songs throughout the show. He opened the show with several standards, “Without a Song,” “Just the Way You Look Tonight,” and “Just in Time,” before moving on to several songs associated with his hometown of New Orleans, like “Junco Partner.” Connick’s good friend trombonist Lucien Barbarin came out for a few numbers, and he and Connick had each other in hysterics multiple times. Connick even sang "Our Love is Here to Stay," from his breakthrough album, the soundtrack to When Harry Met Sally.

The concert dragged a little bit when Connick and guitarist Jonathan DuBose, Jr. dueted on a long, slow version of “How Great Thou Art,” but other than that the set list was excellent, and the concert ended with Connick paying tribute to a fellow New Orleans pianist, the late great Allen Toussaint, by singing “Yes We Can Can.” It was a fun evening filled with a lot of great music.

Concert Review: Paul McCartney at the Target Center

Paul McCartney at Target Center, Minneapolis, performing "Let's Go Crazy" in tribute to Prince, May 4, 2016.

I’ve seen Paul McCartney in concert five times. I reviewed his shows in 2013 and 2014 on this blog. So, what more is there to say about him in 2016? He’s still the same amazing, energetic, engaging performer he’s always been. He seems ageless, as he looks and sounds pretty much the same as he did back in his Beatles days. He’s still able to hit all of those high notes on “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Can’t Buy Me Love.” 

McCartney’s current tour is called “One On One,” which doesn’t seem to have any deep meaning, since it’s not a solo tour, but he’s Paul McCartney, and he can call his tours whatever he wants to. McCartney has toured with the same band since 2002, and they are all well-versed in bringing his timeless songs to life on stage. Keyboardist Paul “Wix” Wickens has been with Macca since 1989, and he is an expert at capturing the diverse sounds of the Beatles songs that Paul plays. Guitarists Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray and drummer Abe Laboriel, Jr., have all been with McCartney since his 2002 tour.

While the set list features many familiar McCartney classics like “Live and Let Die,” “Hey Jude,” and “Maybe I’m Amazed,” Paul has been performing some songs he’s never sung before in concert, like “You Won’t See Me,” from Rubber Soul, and the Beatles’ first single, “Love Me Do.” It’s a treat to hear these songs live for the first time. Incredibly enough, Macca even started playing one of his oddest songs, “Temporary Secretary,” from 1980’s McCartney II, in 2015, and it’s made the set list for the “One On One” tour.

Some of the highlights of the concert included a beautiful version of “Here, There and Everywhere,” played by Paul on the piano, “Here Today,” and “Something,” the always touching tributes to John Lennon and George Harrison, and the rocking “Back in the USSR.” As a nice touch for the hometown crowd, Paul played a little bit of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” at the end of “Hi, Hi, Hi.” Paul also shared a story about staying at the same resort as Prince on New Year’s Eve 2015, and watching Prince perform to bring in the new year. 

To sum up, Paul McCartney always puts on a great show, and I’m very happy that he included the Twin Cities on his tour itinerary for 2016.

Setlist:

• A Hard Day’s Night
• Save Us
• Can't Buy Me Love
• Letting Go
• Temporary Secretary
• Let Me Roll It
• I've Got A Feeling
• My Valentine
• Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
• Here, There And Everywhere
• Maybe I’m Amazed
• We Can Work It Out
• In Spite Of All The Danger
• You Won't See Me
• Love Me Do
• And I Love Her
• Blackbird
• Here Today
• Queenie Eye
• New
• Fool On The Hill
• Lady Madonna
• Four Five Seconds
• Eleanor Rigby
• Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!
• Something
• Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
• Band On The Run
• Back In The U.S.S.R.
• Let It Be
• Live And Let Die
• Hey Jude

Encore:

• Yesterday
• Hi, Hi, Hi
• Let's Go Crazy (Prince tribute)
• Birthday
• Golden Slumbers