Memory Almost Full (CD)

If you'd have asked Sir Paul McCartney if he'd be a peer in the 21st century, "all those years ago" he most certainly have laughed. Nevertheless, today he's a musical and cultural icon, and it's a position that has never seemed to suit him. While criticized widely for a lack of veritas on several fronts, Paul at his best has always been self-depreciating, unassuming and remarkably free of pretence. Call it lite if you must, but easy going seems more apt. 2005's Chaos And Creation In The Backyard captured this unaffected charm in a way the public hadn't heard since first he went out on his own. Memory Almost Full reprises the sentiment, and adds a touch of ennui to the usually jovial McCartney musical persona. It's not the great record of his career, but it doesn't try too hard. In an era full of "duets" records, and shallow tributes, it's refreshing to see an artist of his stature, and with his wealth, making music that he clearly wants to make.

The CD opens with a freewheeling, mandolin picking, retro jam. "Dance Tonight" has just enough "oldies" spin to remind us that the ever tongue-in-cheek, cheeky walrus could be pulling our leg just a little. Like the dynamic duo's "It's Only A Northern Song" in tribute to Northern Publishing; could this be a Starbuck's smile? You decide. The part of this that longs for the old days is kinda lame. The part that puts a mischievous musical spin on the same is pure Beatle wit. "Ever Present Past" seems to long for simpler times, but for a Beatle, were they ever? The fuzzy guitar and Elvis Costello groove hints at a more adventurous mood to come.

The second half of the CD seems to comment on the first, in a classic Beatles B-side album concept. "Mr. Bellamy" is classic McCartney. It's a British music hall character study with one foot in Gilbert and Sullivan and on the space shuttle. Sir Paul still looks at "all the lonely people" and gets right inside their heads. Paul was never afraid to be corny in the service of cleverness, and sometimes drifts too far into the world of parody. This is a leaner and more meaningful side of the same coin, and it's worth listening to twice. Paul's had some hard time, "No wonder he's been feeling strange of late."

"The End Of The End" is a strangely optimistic reflection on mortality. Paul's unshakable optimism is almost too much on this cut. He whistles, for God's sake. Producer Nigel Godrich protects McCartney from his tendency to be too optimistic for most of the record. On this cut, there's just a touch too much "it's all Ok" for a reasonable listener to bear. If you're looking for retrospective Paul, check out "That Was Me." It's a nice pop groove with an incredibly clever arrangement. The bass line is completely original, on a predictable chord progression. McCartney sings his butt off, in just that way you want him to. He scats, bellows, screams (almost) and generally throws down. Then the tune transitions, Abbey Road style into the next cut. It's all pure Paul.