Wow, finally, a well informed review on one of P & Wings most eclectic and underrated release. Ross Goodall doesn't waste breath with hyperbolical rants like other reviewers. Ross breaks it all down to the fine points that matter. Thank you for this insightful and informative review. I hope a box set of Back to the Egg eventually comes out.
Hi, thanks for the kind comment, I do try to keep things succinct, last thing anyone would want is an hour long video from me. Yeah I hope an archive of the album comes out as there is so much that could be on it.
Great to have your insights Ross. 'Back To The Egg' does indeed stand as one of Wings stronger albums in their catalog track for track. A very well produced album showcasing a newly polished dimension to Wings with McCartney exercising his voice to it's fullest potential throughout. Stylistic variety that stretches the Mac in unique new directions such as his gravely melancholic 'Winter Rose', the urgency of 'Getting Closer' or the airy chill of 'Arrow Through Me'. McCartney was delivering in top form at a time when music was transitioning in very different directions. ie; Disco/punk/new wave From a retrospective perspective, Back To The Egg stands as rewarding an album as 'Ram', 'Band On The Run' and 'Venus & Mars'. McCartney finds yet another peak in his career after a couple of previously uneven albums with 'Wings At The Speed of Sound' and 'London Town'. 'Back To The Egg' feels and sounds like a powerful closure to the end of the Wings era. A bit of a pity that this album has yet to find full appreciation in the Wings canon. Add in the bonus tracks of 'Daytime Nightime Suffering', 'Wonderful Christmastime' & 'Goodnight Tonight' and this album is packed with a great music that likely had the misfortune of being conceived prematurely. Had this album been released in '82 or '83, it is likely that 'Back To The Egg' would have been received in a very different light. It's a great album that anticipated the decade ahead.
Why rate The Broadcast though? It's very short and harmless enough and rating it (and Reception) drags your overall rating down. I personally think both fit on well here thematically. I did a video of 'The Broadcast' if you're interested which I presume you're not :- )
Someone else pointed this out and what I should have done was made them count less than the proper songs, I done something similar with Paul Simon's new album but I just forgot here. And Yes I've seen your cover (if you can call it that) of The Broadcast, very good.
Overall, I like this album. I was shocked that "Getting Closer" was not a huge hit here in America, but after "Girl's School" flopped (that was the "hit" side here, not "Mull of Kintyre") nothing was for certain anymore as far as McCartney being a hit maker. (Btw, I rate "Girl's School" as one of Paul's best all-time rockers - great guitar sound on that song!). I agree with a lot of what you said in your review, especially the absurdity of tacking "Baby's Request" on at the end - everytime I hear that track I think, "is this a joke or what"? That track really diminishes the mood of all the really good music that goes before it. I also think the two stiched tracks should have been made into a big 4 song opus - I know they run one right after the other, but if they were linked, it would really be a powerful foursome. I am not too bothered by the transition songs of "Receptiom" and "The Broadcast" - were these two songs given the same weight score-wise as the other tracks? I think that's why this album got such a low overall percentage - would probably be more fair to not include them in the overall percentage, as they are not meant to be full fledged "songs" but rather just musical transitory pieces. I recently played this album on repeat for a couple of weeks, after not hearing it for years, and I must say that compared to a lot of his more recent recordings, this stuff sounds like genius! Thanks for the review Ross, hope your video inspires others to take a deeper dive into this somewhat forgotten album.
Thanks for the nice comment,. Yeah Baby's Requst is a strange song to end with. VinylCollectorJames suggested here that Goodnight Tonight would have been much better choice. You do make an intresting point about the transitional songs and I might have been unfair with these (when I reviewd Paul Simons latest album which has two similar instrumental interludes I took two totals including them and another excluding and took the average giving these less weighting, In future I'll do this with other smaller tracks which really arent 'songs' I just forgot here.
With a Little Luck was #1 the year after Girls School, Goodnight Tonight #5 in 1979, Coming Up #1 in 1980, Ebony and Ivory #1 and Take it Away #10 in 1982, Say Say Say #1 in 1983, No More Lonely Nights #6 in 1984, Spies Like Us #7 in 1985, then it was no more Top 20 singles for the Mac Man.
Never knew much about this album before this review. Seems a shame it wasn't received well considering the time spent recording it. The album cover is my favourite by Paul McCartney. To me I think most of the songs could have used more work but the production is really great and a saviour to them. Off topic but I'd love to see you discuss the album All the Young Dudes by Mott the Hoople. Nobody else seems to have reviewed it. If you have never heard it before I think it's something you would like. Have a nice day! ;)
Very interesting view Ross on Back To The Egg! Funny enough I find Again And Again And Again my least favourite on the album and would have preferred Daytime Nightime Suffering in it's place. I really have a soft spot for the album as I got to see the tour back in December 1979, it was also my first ever live gig ever so that makes it so memorable. My favourite track is Spin It On which I would give a 9/10 as it's a side of Paul we rarely see these days him just rockin' with abandon. I agree though that Arrow Through Me is a lost gem and should've been a top ten hit. Back To The Egg may not be Paul's strongest set of songs but as a whole, it just works for me and is probably the last album of original material that had some grit to the performances. I spoke to Laurence Juber a few years back and told me he really enjoyed his brief time with Wings.
Thanks for commenting James, I love Daytime Nighttime Suffering and would definitly be a 10 in my book. Your so lucky you got to see the tour and all these songs done live, must have been fantastic expereicne espcailly in a small theatre where i beleive most of those shows we're played. Its a shame this lineup of wings didnt last longer, He reheresed some of the Tug/Pipes songs in 1980 with Juber and Holly but another wings album of course never materalised. Take Care.
another side note I hope that I'm still alive if Wings back to the egg ever comes out as an archive reissue and I've kind of rediscovered arrow through me thanks to Pure McCartney thanks again
Thanks Simon, I dont mind the song but its hardly a highlight on the album for me, It does work best as the closer I think, anywhere I might like it even less.
I've always had very mixed feelings about "Back To The Egg". The main problem for me, is that it always sounds a bit recycled - rehashed "Venus & Mars" in particular. At the same time the songs are catchy, and Paul's singing at that point was very good. I'd give the album a rating of 6/10.. Nice review Ross.
Hi, yes this album does have a similar feel to Venus and Mars in mood and the sense of variety on the album, but in all honesty I proably perfer this album. Take Care.
@@RossGoodallMusicAlways been a mystery to me that Arrow wasn't a huge hit. Really unusual groove. Some of these songs sound a bit generic, routine attempts at rocking out. Not Arrow. And Rockestra I've always dug. It's simple, but some of the best rock tunes are simple. Why Don't We Do It In The Road is simple. Love em both.
All of the wings albums sound so old compared to this. Great production, experimental approach to rock, and really good lineup. Song quality just doesn't quite match up.
by the time this album had a good single come out, the album had lost momentum and fallen off the charts pretty much and they had no chance of success really. Not sure who decided on the opening single in both the US or UK but that was a mistake IMO. Arrow through Me is one of my favorite Wings songs. Kind of a messy album with a weird track list that could be rearranged in a better way I think. With all that said however I still like this album very much apart from a couple total duds, but that is par for the course with just about all Wings albums. Pointless songs that should never have been on the albums didn't help them in the end that's for sure. Probably Wings had just ran it's course at this point and I'm glad he came back strong with McCartney II. Still don't understand how Goodnight Tonight wasn't included in the album, bad move really. Although it doesn't really fit the album, even as a closing track or something it would have helped sales. Boy you sure did hit the mark when you said underutilized talent on Rockestra Theme.. I have watched that RUclips video and I can see why it never made it to the tele. What a waste of a room full of brilliance. I wonder how much Paul regrets that to this day. I don't think he's terribly fond of this record as he doesn't much talk about it and so far it hasn't gotten any acknowledgement on compilations really or reissue campaigns for the most part. Anyway I like this review I think it's very fair and balanced. Take Care Ross
Thanks for the comment James, or should I say essay lol, yeah I agree all wings albums (with excelption of Band on the Run) have at least 1 or 2 duds which kinda spoil the flow and prevent it being consider a 'great' album. Yes Goodnight Tonight would have been a much better closing songs that Baby;s Request, and Rockestra is just a waste of everyone involved time. He's mentioned it in a couple of interviews as an albums fans are fond of but critics and the public werent but i cant remeber the exact one. Thanks
Thanks for the request, I beleive I',m still to do a John Lennon ranking you requested which I'll get to in the coming weeks, but mind games is on the list. Thanks
![IQ : Album Ranking [with bicyclelegs and Todd Evans]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U3DmkWPKagc/mqdefault.jpg)
Wow, finally, a well informed review on one of P & Wings most eclectic and underrated release. Ross Goodall doesn't waste breath with hyperbolical rants like other reviewers. Ross breaks it all down to the fine points that matter. Thank you for this insightful and informative review. I hope a box set of Back to the Egg eventually comes out.
Hi, thanks for the kind comment, I do try to keep things succinct, last thing anyone would want is an hour long video from me. Yeah I hope an archive of the album comes out as there is so much that could be on it.
Great to have your insights Ross. 'Back To The Egg' does indeed stand as one of Wings stronger albums in their catalog track for track. A very well produced album showcasing a newly polished dimension to Wings with McCartney exercising his voice to it's fullest potential throughout.
Stylistic variety that stretches the Mac in unique new directions such as his gravely melancholic 'Winter Rose', the urgency of 'Getting Closer' or the airy chill of 'Arrow Through Me'. McCartney was delivering in top form at a time when music was transitioning in very different directions. ie; Disco/punk/new wave
From a retrospective perspective, Back To The Egg stands as rewarding an album as 'Ram', 'Band On The Run' and 'Venus & Mars'.
McCartney finds yet another peak in his career after a couple of previously uneven albums with 'Wings At The Speed of Sound' and 'London Town'. 'Back To The Egg' feels and sounds like a powerful closure to the end of the Wings era.
A bit of a pity that this album has yet to find full appreciation in the Wings canon. Add in the bonus tracks of 'Daytime Nightime Suffering', 'Wonderful Christmastime' & 'Goodnight Tonight' and this album is packed with a great music that likely had the misfortune of being conceived prematurely.
Had this album been released in '82 or '83, it is likely that 'Back To The Egg' would have been received in a very different light. It's a great album that anticipated the decade ahead.
Thanks Ross. You know how much I rate and enjoy this one. Seems to grow stronger with each year which I can't say for many others!
Why rate The Broadcast though? It's very short and harmless enough and rating it (and Reception) drags your overall rating down. I personally think both fit on well here thematically. I did a video of 'The Broadcast' if you're interested which I presume you're not :- )
Someone else pointed this out and what I should have done was made them
count less than the proper songs, I done something similar with Paul
Simon's new album but I just forgot here. And Yes I've seen your cover
(if you can call it that) of The Broadcast, very good.
Overall, I like this album. I was shocked that "Getting Closer" was not a huge hit here in America, but after "Girl's School" flopped (that was the "hit" side here, not "Mull of Kintyre") nothing was for certain anymore as far as McCartney being a hit maker. (Btw, I rate "Girl's School" as one of Paul's best all-time rockers - great guitar sound on that song!). I agree with a lot of what you said in your review, especially the absurdity of tacking "Baby's Request" on at the end - everytime I hear that track I think, "is this a joke or what"? That track really diminishes the mood of all the really good music that goes before it. I also think the two stiched tracks should have been made into a big 4 song opus - I know they run one right after the other, but if they were linked, it would really be a powerful foursome. I am not too bothered by the transition songs of "Receptiom" and "The Broadcast" - were these two songs given the same weight score-wise as the other tracks? I think that's why this album got such a low overall percentage - would probably be more fair to not include them in the overall percentage, as they are not meant to be full fledged "songs" but rather just musical transitory pieces. I recently played this album on repeat for a couple of weeks, after not hearing it for years, and I must say that compared to a lot of his more recent recordings, this stuff sounds like genius! Thanks for the review Ross, hope your video inspires others to take a deeper dive into this somewhat forgotten album.
Thanks for the nice comment,. Yeah Baby's Requst is a strange song to end with. VinylCollectorJames suggested here that Goodnight Tonight would have been much better choice. You do make an intresting point about the transitional songs and I might have been unfair with these (when I reviewd Paul Simons latest album which has two similar instrumental interludes I took two totals including them and another excluding and took the average giving these less weighting, In future I'll do this with other smaller tracks which really arent 'songs' I just forgot here.
With a Little Luck was #1 the year after Girls School, Goodnight Tonight #5 in 1979, Coming Up #1 in 1980, Ebony and Ivory #1 and Take it Away #10 in 1982, Say Say Say #1 in 1983, No More Lonely Nights #6 in 1984, Spies Like Us #7 in 1985, then it was no more Top 20 singles for the Mac Man.
Never knew much about this album before this review. Seems a shame it wasn't received well considering the time spent recording it. The album cover is my favourite by Paul McCartney. To me I think most of the songs could have used more work but the production is really great and a saviour to them. Off topic but I'd love to see you discuss the album All the Young Dudes by Mott the Hoople. Nobody else seems to have reviewed it. If you have never heard it before I think it's something you would like. Have a nice day! ;)
PAUL SHOULD DO SOME OF THESE SONGS ON HIS NEXT TOUR
Very interesting view Ross on Back To The Egg! Funny enough I find Again And Again And Again my least favourite on the album and would have preferred Daytime Nightime Suffering in it's place. I really have a soft spot for the album as I got to see the tour back in December 1979, it was also my first ever live gig ever so that makes it so memorable. My favourite track is Spin It On which I would give a 9/10 as it's a side of Paul we rarely see these days him just rockin' with abandon. I agree though that Arrow Through Me is a lost gem and should've been a top ten hit. Back To The Egg may not be Paul's strongest set of songs but as a whole, it just works for me and is probably the last album of original material that had some grit to the performances. I spoke to Laurence Juber a few years back and told me he really enjoyed his brief time with Wings.
Thanks for commenting James, I love Daytime Nighttime Suffering and would definitly be a 10 in my book. Your so lucky you got to see the tour and all these songs done live, must have been fantastic expereicne espcailly in a small theatre where i beleive most of those shows we're played. Its a shame this lineup of wings didnt last longer, He reheresed some of the Tug/Pipes songs in 1980 with Juber and Holly but another wings album of course never materalised. Take Care.
another side note I hope that I'm still alive if Wings back to the egg ever comes out as an archive reissue and I've kind of rediscovered arrow through me thanks to Pure McCartney thanks again
Arrow thru Me is a underrated McCartney classic!
Love Back To The Egg. I didn't used to like Baby's Request but have grown fond of it and I like it as a closer.
Thanks Simon, I dont mind the song but its hardly a highlight on the album for me, It does work best as the closer I think, anywhere I might like it even less.
I've always had very mixed feelings about "Back To The Egg". The main problem for me, is that it always sounds a bit recycled - rehashed "Venus & Mars" in particular. At the same time the songs are catchy, and Paul's singing at that point was very good. I'd give the album a rating of 6/10.. Nice review Ross.
Hi, yes this album does have a similar feel to Venus and Mars in mood and the sense of variety on the album, but in all honesty I proably perfer this album. Take Care.
@@RossGoodallMusicAlways been a mystery to me that Arrow wasn't a huge hit. Really unusual groove. Some of these songs sound a bit generic, routine attempts at rocking out. Not Arrow. And Rockestra I've always dug. It's simple, but some of the best rock tunes are simple. Why Don't We Do It In The Road is simple. Love em both.
All of the wings albums sound so old compared to this. Great production, experimental approach to rock, and really good lineup. Song quality just doesn't quite match up.
by the time this album had a good single come out, the album had lost momentum and fallen off the charts pretty much and they had no chance of success really. Not sure who decided on the opening single in both the US or UK but that was a mistake IMO. Arrow through Me is one of my favorite Wings songs. Kind of a messy album with a weird track list that could be rearranged in a better way I think. With all that said however I still like this album very much apart from a couple total duds, but that is par for the course with just about all Wings albums. Pointless songs that should never have been on the albums didn't help them in the end that's for sure. Probably Wings had just ran it's course at this point and I'm glad he came back strong with McCartney II. Still don't understand how Goodnight Tonight wasn't included in the album, bad move really. Although it doesn't really fit the album, even as a closing track or something it would have helped sales. Boy you sure did hit the mark when you said underutilized talent on Rockestra Theme.. I have watched that RUclips video and I can see why it never made it to the tele. What a waste of a room full of brilliance. I wonder how much Paul regrets that to this day. I don't think he's terribly fond of this record as he doesn't much talk about it and so far it hasn't gotten any acknowledgement on compilations really or reissue campaigns for the most part. Anyway I like this review I think it's very fair and balanced. Take Care Ross
Thanks for the comment James, or should I say essay lol, yeah I agree all wings albums (with excelption of Band on the Run) have at least 1 or 2 duds which kinda spoil the flow and prevent it being consider a 'great' album. Yes Goodnight Tonight would have been a much better closing songs that Baby;s Request, and Rockestra is just a waste of everyone involved time. He's mentioned it in a couple of interviews as an albums fans are fond of but critics and the public werent but i cant remeber the exact one. Thanks
I like making you read :))
hello Ross can you review John Lennon mind games album
Thanks for the request, I beleive I',m still to do a John Lennon ranking you requested which I'll get to in the coming weeks, but mind games is on the list. Thanks
Ross Goodall ok thanks Ross keep up the great work