The new McCartney: a masterpiece, really?

Le Regard Libre N° 43 - Jonas Follonier

Paul McCartney, former bassist with the legendary Beatles, has long since established himself as a British pop icon on his own. His new album, Egypt station, topped the sales charts in the United States. Joining this popular recognition, the media also hailed the genius of the English rocker. Is this unanimity among journalists justified? When dealing with such a star, it's all too tempting to assume that every album can only be a masterpiece.

It had been thirty-six years since Sir Paul McCartney had topped the US sales charts. A commercial success, and a popular one too, without a doubt. But people don't necessarily have good taste. Neither do the media. Nor do I. So, can't we try to offer the fairest possible review of this album? I certainly hope so. Because otherwise, what's the point of reading any more Rock&Folk? Music criticism is relevant and has its raison d'être. It sheds light on the objective properties of a musical work, admittedly with one's own ears.

A varied and catchy album

So I listened Egypt station, the new McCartney. With a certain amount of pleasure, I agree. The songs are easy to enjoy, as long as you listen to them through headphones. Produced by Greg Kurstin, responsible for such Adele hits as Hello or Million Years Ago, the seventeenth solo album from the septuagenarian is a varied one. Featuring no fewer than sixteen tracks, this opus ranges musically from rock ballads to upbeat pop, which have long been part of the singer's DNA.

In terms of texts too, Egypt station is varied. The seventy-six-year-old evokes love, of course, but also doubt, for example, revealing a more intimate McCartney than usual on certain songs, such as the album's second track, I Don't Know. Two other ballads deserve a mention for their beauty: Hand in Hand and Do It Now.

Easy pop and insecure vocals

But a varied, catchy album isn't necessarily a masterpiece. It needs something extra. This extra touch of genius is not necessarily to be found in these songs, which are certainly respectable, but not cosmic either. The emotional balance is average; the general tone, conventional. What we have here, and this is not necessarily a flaw, is easy pop. The arrangements and tunes are no great feat, except for the superimposition of four melodies in the same song, something the artist has already experimented with.

As for the voice, it has admittedly dropped off a lot since his last album, NEW, The singer-songwriter could still hit the high notes. In pop, the voice is an important element, especially when it's not a text song, as here. At least, there's something touching about this unassured voice.

In the end, all this talk only makes sense if you realize that we're talking about a great man. The kind of man who made himself a legend, like Sting, who also played bass in one of the greatest rock bands in history. So when we talk about an album that isn't a masterpiece, we mean that it's not as good as what we've seen in the past. Egypt station remains in the extraterrestrial realm of excellence. But it's important not to assume that there's nothing wrong with this new baby. That's the danger with geniuses: they serve us something so beautiful that we attribute a magic to them forever. Let's not forget that this magic sometimes has flaws and is not eternal. But it can also be reborn.

Paul McCartney, Egypt Station (2018), Capitol, 16 tracks

Write to the author : jonas.follonier@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: © Capitol