Paul McCartney – Acoustic Review

Dig deep enough into the archives, and you can find some real, rare gems. Paul McCartney has offered listeners plenty of all-time great official releases. But what of the lesser-known releases? The bootlegs or bits that just didn’t come together for The Beatles and Wings legend? These moments are compiled well by dedicated bootleggers, and Acoustic is nothing short of masterful. A real deep dive into a simple, stripped-back style of performing that McCartney cannot afford to share on the grand stage. He can trickle in moments of such a style, with a ukulele-led performance of Something, for instance, but an album of guitar ditties and adaptations of his very best works is an out-there choice. Thankfully, listeners do not need to rely on McCartney to get their fix of emotionally charged efforts, as the bootleg album Acoustic serves a simple but crucial purpose. Can you get any deeper, any closer, to the thoughts and feelings behind some of the very best songs in history if you strip away the instrumental thrill? Not really, no.  

But you can hear how differing interpretations of those exceptional songs bring new life and meaning to it. McCartney’s Unplugged set is a wonderful listen because of this. What is paired throughout the set are some lesser-known McCartney pieces with covers of songs that mean a lot to him and honed his musical vision. What you have here is a selection of efforts across the decades, much of it somewhat out of step with what McCartney’s listeners may expect. A cover of The Beatles’ One After 909 with Elvis Costello helping is a magnificent listen. It’s the first of many great moments that highlight, for all McCartney is protective of his and the Fab Four’s material, he’s willing to toy with the fundamentals of each song. Acoustic is a treasure trove of material which McCartney has, for one reason or another, simply not released. A shame he seems keen to keep these in the vault, it’s an excellent listen the whole way through.  

Countrified takes on some of his biggest hits is a thrill. Let Me Roll It and Band on the Run, the latter noted as the Tape and Strangeness version, are eye-opening experiences. Brief as those clips may be and somewhat shoddy in quality too, they’re still worth listening to. Not only are The Beatles and Wings hits a treat, but there are moments of impressive solo material, too. Feet in the Clouds is an underrated gem of a song and the twang of McCartney’s acoustic work here, the echo on his voice from a shoddy recording, it all adds to the experience. That’s the fine line walked by this Acoustic compilation. There are moments where the tape recording quality is used as an advantage. We’re in the room with a music legend and his guitar. That’s all he’s ever needed to make an impression, and hearing that in action is a rare treat.  

Plenty to sink your teeth into on Acoustic, then. An Albums That Should Exist experience worth having. There are moments throughout this compilation that highlight just how easily, and how readily, these hits and deep cuts can be adapted into that acoustic spectacle. Your Loving Flame, Eleanor Rigby with Costello, and Here Today are nothing short of beautiful. There’s an inevitability to acoustic music that finds the artist tackling the emotive output of their song head-on, rather than a multitude of instrumental structures and bolder, sharper meanings. No, this is McCartney conversing with the raw core of his songs. It’s an impressive collection of alternative versions which are worth revisiting from time to time as a chance to re-engage with songs that are taken for granted given how perfect and era-defining many of these pieces are.