Great album, and still waiting to be made part of the archive collection. It was very hard to pick a favourite, but I’ll choose “Get Out Of My Way” and I don’t even have a least favourite!
My favorite song is "Kicked around no more". But of course it's just a third b-side on a great single (Hope of deliverance). So I basically enjoy that single more than the album.
A solid album - and I agree that Windark Open Sea is a classic Macca track. There were some amazing outtakes that ended up as b-sides - hopefully they’ll come out on the Archive edition!
I've just started listening to this CD as it totally passed me by in the 90s, wasn't big in West Africa. Really pleasantly surprised so delighted with your review, much better than Press
I mostly agree, Larry. I have always loved this one and found it to be much better than the ballyhooed previous album "Flowers in the Dirt." Probably his best since "Tug of War," honestly. This was a fun time to be a Paul fan, too, with the "Up Close" special, the "Live in the New World" concert special, Paul dropping the f-word in a song for the first time (the B-side "Big Boys Bickering"), etc. I do agree about the album cover, though. Personally, my pick for favorite song would be "Golden Earth Girl," which I think is a gorgeous and sorely underrated classic.
I enjoy this review! I remember when this album came out. I was so excited. My 16 year old self had to save up but every time I went to the local Big Wheel store I always went straight to the records, tapes and CD section and made sure they still had it. Finally saved up enough money and bought it! I wasn't let down. It's still one of my favorite McCartney albums. I like pretty much all the albums he put out between 1992 and 2007
The album benefits from the basic tracks having been recorded live in the studio. But these albums recorded with a band tend to be a bit unadventurous - and a bit loose - in the arrangements. You certainly don't get the impression that Paul walked into the studio with all the parts already worked out in his head. Overall it's pretty good though. I don't mind the cover. The bit in the middle of The Lovers That Never Were seems to owe a debt to Killer by Adamski (although presumably this song was written first).
I also love this album. I think it is one of his best. Hope of Deliverance and Winedark Open Sea are my favourites and Biker like an Icon is also my least favourite.
Larry, I sincerely agree with you. I would just ditto every thing you said. I actually would give the album cover one out of 10. I seen the complete photo with Wings and I wished they would have included the band. It is a great photo. Why only the feet ? Terrible photo..could have been one of their best if the whole band was in the photo. I think Paul and Linda were going through some real identity crisis..the album is an A. I think upon release I did actually love this album more than Flowers in the Dirt..I call these two albums "twin" albums..there is some songs carried over from the Costello sessions..and some of the best sessions are on this album. Robbie and Hamish are brilliant. My favorite band members from any Wings members set, no doubt ! I would put this band even above the band on Back to the Egg sessions. Robbie makes up for Denny Laine in a Stellar fashion. His experience is noteworthy ! WIth Wix and Gabe..on percussion, the album "moves" ! Wine Dark Open Sea is an outstanding track and with Carl Davis the Golden Earth Girl resembles his song writing on Revolver and perhaps better than Beatles material here. Not just a little better, but much better song writing perhaps in his whole career ! I think this is why the "A" grade is reasonable, Larry. I have the 45 single Biker Like an Icon and I do like the 45 single, it is catchy..the words I had to wonder a bit. Come On People, once again..I can't remember Paul doing better song writing on the Beatles material any better than this. And for some unknown reason to me, I have seen the videos to these songs on the album, Off the Ground, and to me, the band seems to be so in touch and positive with each other. Paul complimentary of Hamish and Robbie..Linda really seems more herself with the band..missing Denny was hard for Paul and Linda, I think, but the additional members do bring some closure the the "Old Format" Wings material. Elvis Costello get the Gold Star who really got Paul out of his "beatle icon' stature that saw his weakness rather than his strengths ! This album closes the door to the past ! The Beatles Anthology and the reuniting of RIngo and George will also close the door to the Past !! Off the Ground give that sense that Paul is awakening to a New Breakthrough in his Career ! Standing Stone would perhaps Stand Alone as his most Amazing Classical Piece by Far !! His song writing skills on Off the Ground will be a launching pad for an upward climb to the Top by the end of the 1990's. The Nineties would be his best decade since the Sixties and perhaps even more than the Beatles career !! Paul would be admired by the most hard music critics than he faced as a young man playing dirges in the dark on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Every studio album after Flowers in the Dirt beginning with Off the Ground begin an upward climb to success and Legend Status like no artist will ever do !!!
I agree with "Winedark Open Sea", a classic McCartney song. Very underated. I like the title track. "Off the Ground" is really nice. I like lots of the other songs also, but haven't listened to the album in a long time. I always prefered "Flowers in the Dirt" and was dissapointed when this came out. Something about the sound I don't like. To sterile, it's lacking something. But the songs are Nice. I have got to give albums like this and "Press to play" a listen again.
1. RAM 2. Band On The Run 3. Tug Of War 4. Venus And Mars 5. McCartney II 6. Wings At The Speed Of Sound 7. Back To The Egg 8. London Town 9. Flowers In The Dirt 10. Off The Ground 11. McCartney 12. Red Rose Speedway 13. Wild Life 14. Pipes Of Peace 15. Press To Play 16. Give My Regards To Broad Street 17. Choba B CCCP
This was the first new McCartney album released after I first became a massive Macca fan and bought and loved it. It’s very entertaining. Larry check out some of the great and ballsy songs he left *off* the album particularly “Keep Coming Back To Love”, “Long Leather Coat” and “Big Boys Bickering”
I was in high school when this was released. I remember MuchMusic (or was it MuchMoreMusic by that time?) showing a tv special about this album which included a look at the making of the album cover. I don't listen to this one much at all, but I am doing so right now. Brings back some nice memories. A pretty solid McCartney album, for sure.
You nailed it, Larry. I also love 'Wine Dark Open Sea' for its impassioned vocal, you rarely get that from Paul. Also I think 'Bike Like an Icon' is a stupid lyric. Maybe he's referring to a James Dean type of character but I don't get it. 'Hope of Deliverance' is a favorite of mine too, very catchy. A really solid album overall.
Did you play it through to hear the hidden track at the end, Cosmically Conscious? Like FITD, I remember it coming out, I was 10 years old, and I played my cassette copy out, love each song on it, even did a cover of The Lovers That Never Were, which alongside Mistress And Maid co-written by Elvis Costello. He did two television specials for it: Movin On & Paul Is Live in the New World.
There's a really good 2 disc version of this album. The second disc has all the extra tracks from the singles, and most are really good. Eventually they'll be on his Archive edition. Saw him when he toured for this album in L.A. It was a week after the Rodney King riots. When he sang Peace in the Neighborhood it had special meaning.
I see "Off the Ground" as the better album than "Flowers in the Dirt" because of its more creative production and songwriting. Nevertheless it's not a good album but more a solid album in my opinion. "Hope of Deliverence" marks his return to an exceptional songwriter, musician and singer to me and "Winedark in the Sea" and "C'mon People" are great songs too. /PVS
I was Very excited for Off the Ground, I thought I was going to get flowers in the Dirt pt 2 and it was very different for me I didn’t LOVE THIS album when it came out then Years later I Got it the words and music made sense to me I NOW LOVE it and would like to get the album version of it one day
I love this album. Flowers In The Dirt Part 2. Great band, good mix of songs, full studio treatment. Such a joy joy such a joy joy such a joy joy such a joy joy such a joy joy such a JOY-OY-OY! (Don’t like the cover. What is this, The Rapture?) I’m intrigued at all the different reactions, loving and not, the fans are all over the place. I dig the social messages, I think that’s Linda’s big-hearted activism on Paul’s mind. I expect politics in my rock& roll, it’s natural from a sixties artist. Like CSN&Y’s Ohio. Biker Like An Icon. Yikes. Love the sound of the song, hate the title. “Like an Eastern Orthodox Christian worships an ancient painting of a saint”: obscure enough? An the sound: ike ike ike ike. Lots of internal rhyme is cool in songs, but ‘“ike” has no melody, no tone, it’s a hard percussive beat. I have two of the singles, a total of 6 B-sides. As so many have said, this is an awesome collection, a whole album side of worthy tunes.
I would rate this a lower tier McCartney album. It has three really great songs, Biker Like An Icon, Golden Earth Girl and The Lovers That Never Were. And three other songs that are ok. Bless his heart, but I find his solo "lets rally the people together" songs like "Peace In The Neighborhood" or "Freedom" after 9/11, really miss the mark for me. But we all hear things differently, don't we?
I like this one also, maybe better than all his previous albums since wings. The production was not very good i found though, he was going for a live feel and i think would have been better off polishing a bit more. I agree “winedark open sea” is very good, as is the one about “earth girl”
Off The Gound is a very good album Larry.and also a good song but it has a lousy album cover and with Paul's passion for animal rights he should have called the album Looking For Changes with a cover of himself and his band posing with healthy,happy animals on it rather then a bunch of dangling feet,the song Looking For Changes by the way is a very good song,Hope Of Deliverance has a great feel to it,Mistress And Maid is a good song and it's obvious Elvis Costello had a hand in writing it,I Owe It All To You is a good song that would have fit perfectly on Flaming Pie,Biker Like An Icon which I don't really care for sounds like it should have been in a made for TV movie,Golden Earth Girl is a beautiful song,Get Out Of My Way rocks,Winedark Open Sea is dreamy and C'mon People is Paul having a flashback back to his hippie days,still it's a good song,overall it's a very good album. Bob
I love this album! It is my favorite Paul McCartney album, every single song I absolutely love on here. Underrated masterpiece in my opinion! What do you think about the song Cosmically Conscious that ends the album?
I actually have the Complete Works version of this album which I believe is somewhat rare. Like many Paul releases, some of the tracks that didn’t make it onto the album are much better than some that did make it onto the album. For instance, Sweet Sweet Memories would be a good replacement for Biker Like an Icon. I like this album, but I have two main problems with it. The production is a bit slick for McCartney which takes some of the life out of it. Flowers is produced in a sophisticated way too but has a much more Mccartneyesque feel to it. I was so happy when Paul stripped down the production for Flaming Pie. My other problem is the tone which feels as if it is tapping into the early 90s fad of capitalizing on resurrected hippy politics. Paul criticized Lennon for “preaching practices” but it feels like Paul is doing that a bit here and for some reason it comes off as phony. My version of the album has the infamous “Big Boys Bickering” which is laced with numerous f-bombs and just comes off as a silly song. I do think one of the political songs is good, “Long Leather Coat” which did not make it onto the album. It at least tells an interesting story and would have been better than Looking For Changes. I believe Paul had a change of heart on animal testing after Linda died because it made him see that if we want to advance our medicine, sometimes we do need to test on animals before we prescribe to humans. I like this album but I would put it in the weaker half of Paul’s albums because it just doesn’t feel as sincere to me as others. Especially in 2020 when everything is political, I find myself reaching for the fun albums like Ram and Memory Almost Full for some relief. I do, however, agree with you that Winedark Open Sea is one of his best. Also Golden Earth Girl sounds like an effective rewrite of the dull Warm and Beautiful and I always liked the fun song Off the Ground.
Hmm. I feel I must address several issues with this review. #1. Pat yourself on the back Larry, you've done well. For once we agree on an album cover. Hooray!!! 🎉🎆🎇🎊 #2. Hope of Deliverence has always been one of my favorite Paul McCartney songs. #3. I feel like this album ended McCartney's dry period that started with McCartney ll (although that was a good album). Now for issue #4. Tell me if you agree with me or not. McCartney's career went in like four stages. First, there is the Beatles 🙄 (obviously). Second, the Wings period, from Ram to Back to the Egg. Third, his dry period, from McCartney ll to Off the Ground. And three, his Renaissance, from Flaming Pie to Egypt Station. Just wonder what you think. I'm still very intreagued by this countdown. 🤔
I like this album, but it's not one of my favorites from Paul. It is good though. I also really like "Winedark Open Sea". But, I think the real underrated gem here is "C'mon People". Now that is a Paul McCartney "classic"! I think "Biker Like An Icon" is about a biker's girlfriend. And how she looks up to him like an icon. Despite the fact that he's mean to her, takes advantage of her, and abuses her in many different ways. I got this and the "Hope Of Deliverance" single. I think the B-Side "Big Boys Bickering" is a great political Paul McCartney song. The good definitely outweighs the bad on "Off The Ground", but I think it could have been even better. It gets a "B-" from me. I don't think it's one of his best albums, but its an above average Paul McCartney album.
Its a good album, I thought it was a little let down from Flowers In The Dirt. I saw the tour for this album I really like a lot of the songs maybe 60% of the songs I really like.
I found the veggie thing preachy at first and put me off buying the album although it came out when i was out of love with Macca. Then l had Spotify and gave it a go and to quote a certain Larry Graves(?) I was "pleasantly surprised" . Bye. Love the show ;-)
I agree with you. Wine Dark Open Sea is great and one of my favourites of any of his songs. The imagery just in the title, let alone the song itself, is amazing. I’m not keen on Biker Like an Icon but Mistress and Maid is my least favourite: the poor bloke in the song just came home from work, probably a coal miner, and is tired..... not everyone is a millionaire Paul... give the man a break ☺️✌️
It's better than Press to Play, but I could never put it above Venus and Mars or Tug of War. IMO, it's a good album, nothing great. I can't stand Biker Like An Icon either. I think he played that song on SNL in 1993.
Great band, but the album feels half-baked. Too much water, I'd say. I was definitely disappointed at the time, because McCartney had been showing better standards previously. Of all the songs on the LP I can choose 3 or 4 good ones, and that’s very little.
Honestly, might be Paul's best in a decade. The lyrics are arguably worse than the typical Paul fluff at some points with the whole serious message tone of the thing. The lyrics to Looking For Changes and Peace In The Neighbourhood are particularly toe curling but the music is so strong that they actually redeem the songs for me. The one where this doesn't happen though is Biker Like An Icon which is poor all around. Maybe in the hands of Bob Dylan or Lou Reed (I laugh at the thought) but Paul is clearly out of his element and it's just really corny and not interesting. The rest of songs are consistently pretty damn solid. As I mentioned in the last video, I really like The Lovers That Never Were and quite this one maybe slightly lesser than the demo but it's still a great song and probably my favourite. Musically, this one of the most inventive Paul albums in a while, the production and some of the lyrics may get in the way but the songs speak from themselves. 7/10 1. Band On The Run (9/10) 2. Wild Life (8.5/10) 3. Ram (8/10) 4. Venus And Mars (8/10) 5. McCartney II (8/10) 6. Red Rose Speedway (7.5/10) 7. Wings At The Speed Of Sound (7.5/10) 8. McCartney (7/10) 9. Off The Ground (7/10) 10. Flowers in the Dirt (6.5/10) 11. Tug Of War (6.5/10) 12. Back To the Egg (6/10) 13. Pipes of Peace (6/10) 14. London Town (5.5/10) 15. Press To Play (5/10)
Maybe three or four decent songs. Very weak lyrics. Terrible album cover. Just like Pipes of Peace was a poor follow up to Tug of War, this was a poor follow up to Flowers in the Dirt.
Definetly the most underrated Paul McCartney album in his career in my opinion.
It's a strong album. I like every song on it.
@@frommetoyou1981 You have good taste sir!
Great album, and still waiting to be made part of the archive collection.
It was very hard to pick a favourite, but I’ll choose “Get Out Of My Way” and I don’t even have a least favourite!
For me this and "flowers in dirt" are both exellent albums, both definetly in my top 5 McCartney albums (flowers on dirt being top 1).
I liked this album when it came out. Paul had a pretty good band at that time. A strong set of songs.
My favorite song is "Kicked around no more". But of course it's just a third b-side on a great single (Hope of deliverance). So I basically enjoy that single more than the album.
I agree. Off the ground is one of his best albums. I love it. Biker like an Icon is a great song. Get out of my way is brilliant. Pleased you like it
Live version of 'Biker' really rocks with Robbie McIntosh ripping it up on slide guitar
A solid album - and I agree that Windark Open Sea is a classic Macca track. There were some amazing outtakes that ended up as b-sides - hopefully they’ll come out on the Archive edition!
I love it! The Complete Works is the way to go with great B-sides. These tracks can be collected by getting the CD-singles from the album
I've just started listening to this CD as it totally passed me by in the 90s, wasn't big in West Africa. Really pleasantly surprised so delighted with your review, much better than Press
I mostly agree, Larry. I have always loved this one and found it to be much better than the ballyhooed previous album "Flowers in the Dirt." Probably his best since "Tug of War," honestly. This was a fun time to be a Paul fan, too, with the "Up Close" special, the "Live in the New World" concert special, Paul dropping the f-word in a song for the first time (the B-side "Big Boys Bickering"), etc. I do agree about the album cover, though. Personally, my pick for favorite song would be "Golden Earth Girl," which I think is a gorgeous and sorely underrated classic.
I’d have to say that this might be my favorite of all of Paul McCartney’s solo albums.💿
I would probably say so too. But it was the first Paul album I ever listened to, so I am a bit biased towards it.
Same! I love this album
I enjoy this review! I remember when this album came out. I was so excited. My 16 year old self had to save up but every time I went to the local Big Wheel store I always went straight to the records, tapes and CD section and made sure they still had it. Finally saved up enough money and bought it! I wasn't let down. It's still one of my favorite McCartney albums. I like pretty much all the albums he put out between 1992 and 2007
The album benefits from the basic tracks having been recorded live in the studio. But these albums recorded with a band tend to be a bit unadventurous - and a bit loose - in the arrangements. You certainly don't get the impression that Paul walked into the studio with all the parts already worked out in his head. Overall it's pretty good though. I don't mind the cover. The bit in the middle of The Lovers That Never Were seems to owe a debt to Killer by Adamski (although presumably this song was written first).
What are you talkin' bout...the album cover is gorgeous‼So is the back‼❣👣👣👣👣
I can have my own opinion, thanks.
The cover makes me laugh because it looks exactly like what it is... a bunch of people sitting on a wall :b
@@brettshivers hee hee... you're funny!
I also love this album. I think it is one of his best.
Hope of Deliverance and Winedark Open Sea are my favourites and Biker like an Icon is also my least favourite.
Larry, I sincerely agree with you. I would just ditto every thing you said. I actually would give the album cover one out of 10. I seen the complete photo with Wings and I wished they would have included the band. It is a great photo. Why only the feet ? Terrible photo..could have been one of their best if the whole band was in the photo. I think Paul and Linda were going through some real identity crisis..the album is an A. I think upon release I did actually love this album more than Flowers in the Dirt..I call these two albums "twin" albums..there is some songs carried over from the Costello sessions..and some of the best sessions are on this album. Robbie and Hamish are brilliant. My favorite band members from any Wings members set, no doubt ! I would put this band even above the band on Back to the Egg sessions. Robbie makes up for Denny Laine in a Stellar fashion. His experience is noteworthy ! WIth Wix and Gabe..on percussion, the album "moves" ! Wine Dark Open Sea is an outstanding track and with Carl Davis the Golden Earth Girl resembles his song writing on Revolver and perhaps better than Beatles material here. Not just a little better, but much better song writing perhaps in his whole career ! I think this is why the "A" grade is reasonable, Larry. I have the 45 single Biker Like an Icon and I do like the 45 single, it is catchy..the words I had to wonder a bit. Come On People, once again..I can't remember Paul doing better song writing on the Beatles material any better than this. And for some unknown reason to me, I have seen the videos to these songs on the album, Off the Ground, and to me, the band seems to be so in touch and positive with each other. Paul complimentary of Hamish and Robbie..Linda really seems more herself with the band..missing Denny was hard for Paul and Linda, I think, but the additional members do bring some closure the the "Old Format" Wings material. Elvis Costello get the Gold Star who really got Paul out of his "beatle icon' stature that saw his weakness rather than his strengths ! This album closes the door to the past ! The Beatles Anthology and the reuniting of RIngo and George will also close the door to the Past !! Off the Ground give that sense that Paul is awakening to a New Breakthrough in his Career ! Standing Stone would perhaps Stand Alone as his most Amazing Classical Piece by Far !! His song writing skills on Off the Ground will be a launching pad for an upward climb to the Top by the end of the 1990's. The Nineties would be his best decade since the Sixties and perhaps even more than the Beatles career !! Paul would be admired by the most hard music critics than he faced as a young man playing dirges in the dark on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Every studio album after Flowers in the Dirt beginning with Off the Ground begin an upward climb to success and Legend Status like no artist will ever do !!!
Very good album
I agree with "Winedark Open Sea", a classic McCartney song. Very underated. I like the title track. "Off the Ground" is really nice. I like lots of the other songs also, but haven't listened to the album in a long time. I always prefered "Flowers in the Dirt" and was dissapointed when this came out. Something about the sound I don't like. To sterile, it's lacking something. But the songs are Nice. I have got to give albums like this and "Press to play" a listen again.
1. RAM
2. Band On The Run
3. Tug Of War
4. Venus And Mars
5. McCartney II
6. Wings At The Speed Of Sound
7. Back To The Egg
8. London Town
9. Flowers In The Dirt
10. Off The Ground
11. McCartney
12. Red Rose Speedway
13. Wild Life
14. Pipes Of Peace
15. Press To Play
16. Give My Regards To Broad Street
17. Choba B CCCP
Where's hope and deliverence
@@NathanJayHeilbronRuff thats a song from Off The Ground
This was the first new McCartney album released after I first became a massive Macca fan and bought and loved it. It’s very entertaining. Larry check out some of the great and ballsy songs he left *off* the album particularly “Keep Coming Back To Love”, “Long Leather Coat” and “Big Boys Bickering”
I was in high school when this was released. I remember MuchMusic (or was it MuchMoreMusic by that time?) showing a tv special about this album which included a look at the making of the album cover. I don't listen to this one much at all, but I am doing so right now. Brings back some nice memories. A pretty solid McCartney album, for sure.
You nailed it, Larry. I also love 'Wine Dark Open Sea' for its impassioned vocal, you rarely get that from Paul. Also I think 'Bike Like an Icon' is a stupid lyric. Maybe he's referring to a James Dean type of character but I don't get it. 'Hope of Deliverance' is a favorite of mine too, very catchy. A really solid album overall.
Did you play it through to hear the hidden track at the end, Cosmically Conscious? Like FITD, I remember it coming out, I was 10 years old, and I played my cassette copy out, love each song on it, even did a cover of The Lovers That Never Were, which alongside Mistress And Maid co-written by Elvis Costello. He did two television specials for it: Movin On & Paul Is Live in the New World.
I forgot about the hidden track last time I played it before the review, but I think it's a great track!
Isn't there a longer version of 'Cosmically conscious' released as s B-side????....thought I'd download it from somewhere 😳🤫🤫
Kevin Siddle yes, it’s the B Side for Off The Ground
@ksfhhnfan Thanks👍👍
@@PaulinaAngel Thanks 👍👍
There's a really good 2 disc version of this album. The second disc has all the extra tracks from the singles, and most are really good. Eventually they'll be on his Archive edition. Saw him when he toured for this album in L.A. It was a week after the Rodney King riots. When he sang Peace in the Neighborhood it had special meaning.
I see "Off the Ground" as the better album than "Flowers in the Dirt" because of its more creative production and songwriting. Nevertheless it's not a good album but more a solid album in my opinion. "Hope of Deliverence" marks his return to an exceptional songwriter, musician and singer to me and "Winedark in the Sea" and "C'mon People" are great songs too.
/PVS
What about the hidden track at the end of the album cosmically concious? The song he wrote while in india with the Beatles?
Forgot to mention that but it's great!
I was Very excited for Off the Ground, I thought I was going to get flowers in the Dirt pt 2 and it was very different for me I didn’t LOVE THIS album when it came out then Years later I Got it the words and music made sense to me I NOW LOVE it and would like to get the album version of it one day
Yeah I really like this album of Maccas there is so many of different songs I love listening too still, i think come on people was very Beatly
I love this album. Flowers In The Dirt Part 2. Great band, good mix of songs, full studio treatment. Such a joy joy such a joy joy such a joy joy such a joy joy such a joy joy such a JOY-OY-OY! (Don’t like the cover. What is this, The Rapture?)
I’m intrigued at all the different reactions, loving and not, the fans are all over the place.
I dig the social messages, I think that’s Linda’s big-hearted activism on Paul’s mind. I expect politics in my rock& roll, it’s natural from a sixties artist. Like CSN&Y’s Ohio.
Biker Like An Icon. Yikes. Love the sound of the song, hate the title. “Like an Eastern Orthodox Christian worships an ancient painting of a saint”: obscure enough? An the sound: ike ike ike ike. Lots of internal rhyme is cool in songs, but ‘“ike” has no melody, no tone, it’s a hard percussive beat.
I have two of the singles, a total of 6 B-sides. As so many have said, this is an awesome collection, a whole album side of worthy tunes.
I think Off the Ground is better than Flowers in the dirt. It is for me the real Paul McCartney’s comeback album.
Not a single word about "Cosmically Conscious" the ghost track?
I would rate this a lower tier McCartney album. It has three really great songs, Biker Like An Icon, Golden Earth Girl and The Lovers That Never Were. And three other songs that are ok. Bless his heart, but I find his solo "lets rally the people together" songs like "Peace In The Neighborhood" or "Freedom" after 9/11, really miss the mark for me. But we all hear things differently, don't we?
I like this one also, maybe better than all his previous albums since wings. The production was not very good i found though, he was going for a live feel and i think would have been better off polishing a bit more. I agree “winedark open sea” is very good, as is the one about “earth girl”
Off The Gound is a very good album Larry.and also a good song but it has a lousy album cover and with Paul's passion for animal rights he should have called the album Looking For Changes with a cover of himself and his band posing with healthy,happy animals on it rather then a bunch of dangling feet,the song Looking For Changes by the way is a very good song,Hope Of Deliverance has a great feel to it,Mistress And Maid is a good song and it's obvious Elvis Costello had a hand in writing it,I Owe It All To You is a good song that would have fit perfectly on Flaming Pie,Biker Like An Icon which I don't really care for sounds like it should have been in a made for TV movie,Golden Earth Girl is a beautiful song,Get Out Of My Way rocks,Winedark Open Sea is dreamy and C'mon People is Paul having a flashback back to his hippie days,still it's a good song,overall it's a very good album. Bob
I love this album! It is my favorite Paul McCartney album, every single song I absolutely love on here. Underrated masterpiece in my opinion! What do you think about the song Cosmically Conscious that ends the album?
Love it but forgot about it when doing the review.
Nice! I love it too, it’s a cool way to end the album
I actually have the Complete Works version of this album which I believe is somewhat rare. Like many Paul releases, some of the tracks that didn’t make it onto the album are much better than some that did make it onto the album. For instance, Sweet Sweet Memories would be a good replacement for Biker Like an Icon. I like this album, but I have two main problems with it. The production is a bit slick for McCartney which takes some of the life out of it. Flowers is produced in a sophisticated way too but has a much more Mccartneyesque feel to it. I was so happy when Paul stripped down the production for Flaming Pie. My other problem is the tone which feels as if it is tapping into the early 90s fad of capitalizing on resurrected hippy politics. Paul criticized Lennon for “preaching practices” but it feels like Paul is doing that a bit here and for some reason it comes off as phony. My version of the album has the infamous “Big Boys Bickering” which is laced with numerous f-bombs and just comes off as a silly song. I do think one of the political songs is good, “Long Leather Coat” which did not make it onto the album. It at least tells an interesting story and would have been better than Looking For Changes. I believe Paul had a change of heart on animal testing after Linda died because it made him see that if we want to advance our medicine, sometimes we do need to test on animals before we prescribe to humans. I like this album but I would put it in the weaker half of Paul’s albums because it just doesn’t feel as sincere to me as others. Especially in 2020 when everything is political, I find myself reaching for the fun albums like Ram and Memory Almost Full for some relief. I do, however, agree with you that Winedark Open Sea is one of his best. Also Golden Earth Girl sounds like an effective rewrite of the dull Warm and Beautiful and I always liked the fun song Off the Ground.
I have Off The Ground. I'm sure I listened to it 3 times.
never listened to this album but I think I ought to
I always heard it's good but never listened to the whole thing. I remember hope of deliverance being big at the time.
I have this album in cassette. It has great songs!
Hmm. I feel I must address several issues with this review.
#1. Pat yourself on the back Larry, you've done well. For once we agree on an album cover. Hooray!!! 🎉🎆🎇🎊
#2. Hope of Deliverence has always been one of my favorite Paul McCartney songs.
#3. I feel like this album ended McCartney's dry period that started with McCartney ll (although that was a good album).
Now for issue #4. Tell me if you agree with me or not. McCartney's career went in like four stages. First, there is the Beatles 🙄 (obviously). Second, the Wings period, from Ram to Back to the Egg. Third, his dry period, from McCartney ll to Off the Ground. And three, his Renaissance, from Flaming Pie to Egypt Station. Just wonder what you think. I'm still very intreagued by this countdown. 🤔
Just wrote on Fb!
I like this album, but it's not one of my favorites from Paul. It is good though. I also really like "Winedark Open Sea". But, I think the real underrated gem here is "C'mon People". Now that is a Paul McCartney "classic"! I think "Biker Like An Icon" is about a biker's girlfriend. And how she looks up to him like an icon. Despite the fact that he's mean to her, takes advantage of her, and abuses her in many different ways. I got this and the "Hope Of Deliverance" single. I think the B-Side "Big Boys Bickering" is a great political Paul McCartney song. The good definitely outweighs the bad on "Off The Ground", but I think it could have been even better. It gets a "B-" from me. I don't think it's one of his best albums, but its an above average Paul McCartney album.
Its a good album, I thought it was a little let down from Flowers In The Dirt. I saw the tour for this album I really like a lot of the songs maybe 60% of the songs I really like.
I found the veggie thing preachy at first and put me off buying the album although it came out when i was out of love with Macca. Then l had Spotify and gave it a go and to quote a certain Larry Graves(?) I was "pleasantly surprised" . Bye. Love the show ;-)
I agree with you. Wine Dark Open Sea is great and one of my favourites of any of his songs. The imagery just in the title, let alone the song itself, is amazing. I’m not keen on Biker Like an Icon but Mistress and Maid is my least favourite: the poor bloke in the song just came home from work, probably a coal miner, and is tired..... not everyone is a millionaire Paul... give the man a break ☺️✌️
Oh man, what an awful album. I thought this was rock bottom for Paul.
It's better than Press to Play, but I could never put it above Venus and Mars or Tug of War. IMO, it's a good album, nothing great. I can't stand Biker Like An Icon either. I think he played that song on SNL in 1993.
Great band, but the album feels half-baked. Too much water, I'd say. I was definitely disappointed at the time, because McCartney had been showing better standards previously. Of all the songs on the LP I can choose 3 or 4 good ones, and that’s very little.
Honestly, might be Paul's best in a decade. The lyrics are arguably worse than the typical Paul fluff at some points with the whole serious message tone of the thing. The lyrics to Looking For Changes and Peace In The Neighbourhood are particularly toe curling but the music is so strong that they actually redeem the songs for me. The one where this doesn't happen though is Biker Like An Icon which is poor all around. Maybe in the hands of Bob Dylan or Lou Reed (I laugh at the thought) but Paul is clearly out of his element and it's just really corny and not interesting. The rest of songs are consistently pretty damn solid. As I mentioned in the last video, I really like The Lovers That Never Were and quite this one maybe slightly lesser than the demo but it's still a great song and probably my favourite. Musically, this one of the most inventive Paul albums in a while, the production and some of the lyrics may get in the way but the songs speak from themselves. 7/10
1. Band On The Run (9/10)
2. Wild Life (8.5/10)
3. Ram (8/10)
4. Venus And Mars (8/10)
5. McCartney II (8/10)
6. Red Rose Speedway (7.5/10)
7. Wings At The Speed Of Sound (7.5/10)
8. McCartney (7/10)
9. Off The Ground (7/10)
10. Flowers in the Dirt (6.5/10)
11. Tug Of War (6.5/10)
12. Back To the Egg (6/10)
13. Pipes of Peace (6/10)
14. London Town (5.5/10)
15. Press To Play (5/10)
Nice to see Wild Life higher on your list! It is definitely a better album than most people give it credit for
Yes I love that album. Shame it's so overlooked
Maybe three or four decent songs. Very weak lyrics. Terrible album cover. Just like Pipes of Peace was a poor follow up to Tug of War, this was a poor follow up to Flowers in the Dirt.