Paul McCartney – New Review

At what stage does New become old? Is there an anniversary piece being penned about this Paul McCartney album yet? Hopefully not. There isn’t much to expand on with New, other than that it’s a glimpse into how McCartney, the pop sensation, tried his hand at chart-topping tones in a new century. We thought he’d left that behind in the 1980s when Michael Jackson bought out his discography, but no. The Beatles and Wings veteran would be swanning around on stage with Kanye West and Rihanna with a song destined for playback in hair salons, home shopping centres, and out-of-style restaurants for years to come. It’s still there, like tinnitus or a disc that’s fallen between a slat of decking in your back garden. No chaos and creation here, though. Just New. An apt title for a contemporary release, though now it makes not one ounce of sense. Nor does the album itself. Some sluggish stuff from McCartney, who’s usually much better than this.  

His track record speaks for itself, but the neutered sound of New is a bit of a shame even now. Five years on from the criminally underrated Memory Almost Full and one year on from Kisses on the Bottom, which at least featured Valentine, and McCartney has lost what made his music so special. A few thrills to be had, but most of it is underwhelming material that McCartney could’ve left in the archive. Having said that, there are a few moments of joy to be had with New. Opening song Save Us is, as the title would suggest, a cry for help. But it’s the sincerity of this call to arms that lingers, the guitar work found within a shot of adrenaline worth clinging to as McCartney begins to build towards a series of songs that feel light and liberating. Follow-up song Alligator feels like a pop-rock classic in the making, a song where McCartney wishes to find a place to rest after decades of plugging away, presenting and proving himself as an all-time great.  

The guitar work from McCartney that stands out most of all. Much like the McCartney trilogy, the veteran musician is on his own here. Similar to Egypt Station, the start and end points are quite strong. On My Way to Work makes good on the humdrum commute and the idealism we break through the mundanity with. But it has that ditty feel to it, that twee little route through life, the “ah well” expectation of McCartney’s generation. It begins to infect the rest of the songs featured, but thankfully, some sporadic instrumental victories steer McCartney well. His voice is magnificent, the instrumentals are often striking, but the lyrical choices from time to time are a bit of a letdown. Either that, or vague rehashes of a feeling McCartney has already worked around before. The Beatles-like instrumental sway of the title track isn’t as charming as McCartney believes it is.  

New begins and ends well. It’s the midsection that struggles. McCartney had a lot on his plate at this time, between the touring and pairing up with Nirvana, and that FourFive Seconds nonsense. It all seems to be weighing a little too heavy and starts pulling him into a place of nostalgia on New. McCartney has, surprisingly, never sounded all that comfortable there. He falls for the trinkets of the times with Appreciate, a vocal modulation that doesn’t fit but is at least an interesting experiment. This never feels like a place of experimentation though, and New struggles to make sense of its deeper purpose as a result. It feels a bit scattershot. So too did Ram, but at least the context of the times was adding that much-needed extra layer to bring all those songs together. New feels flashy. Once the lights dim, there’s little there beyond a legend with songs to offer.