It has been a banner year so far for fans of The Beatles. With news of the Rubber Soul deluxe edition box set coming in early October, let’s take a look at some of the excellent Beatles-related albums already released. So far, the biggest releases this year have been the two most recent solo albums from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
First up is Boys of Dungeon Lane from McCartney. Fans and critics have been unanimous in their high rating of McCartney’s last two solo albums, Egypt Station in 2018 and McCartney III in 2020. As good as those albums were, this new album is one of his most solid efforts and may be his best album since Flaming Pie in 1997.
What’s so refreshing about this album is how constructed it is and how it reflects the myriad talents and unique sound that have made McCartney one of the most beloved and successful musical artists in pop history. While McCartney III featured many contemporary guest musicians, this new album is focused more on McCartney doing what he does best.
There are brief moments of familiarity, like on the opening track with its echo of “Monkberry Moon Delight” and its searing guitar rock and rousing vocal, the melancholy of “Junk” on “First Star of the Night,” the psychedelic dreaminess of Magical Mystery Tour on “The Fool On The Hill”-like “Mountain Top,” and the almost Lennon-inspired “Never Know,” the best produced track on the album.
The somewhat unfettered songs reveal McCartney’s singular genius for conveying so much without the overwrought bombast of some songwriters today. The songs rely on McCartney’s uncanny knack for melody, clever turns of phrase, and pure pop and rock sensibility.
It’s instructive that many of the songs feature mostly McCartney singing and playing acoustic guitar, with little other instrumentation, even though the number of instruments he plays on this album is staggering. There are a few solo albums he has made that are this sparse and click on first listen so well. And any suggestion that McCartney’s voice is wearing thin is immediately disputed on every track.
Kudos to producer Andrew Watt for adding just the right amount of rock muscle on various tracks and eschewing modern electronic production trickery. The emphasis on the songs, along with McCartney’s unmistakable vocals and piano melodies, is what makes this album work so well.
Lyrically, this is a heartfelt trip down memory lane, where McCartney pays affectionate tribute to the mates he grew up with in Liverpool, particularly and obviously, his fellow Beatles. He has always emphasized how important his personal and professional relationships with the other three Beatles have been to him, and he clearly misses John and George tremendously.
Having Ringo on two tracks adds to the Liverpool vibe of the album, and anytime the two play together is magical. Rounding out the family, Giles Martin co-arranges three tracks. Other guests are kept to a minimum, keeping the emphasis on McCartney, though Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders and Sharleen Spiteri from Texas contribute vocals.
The Indie Exclusive Pink Vinyl edition includes cover art, handwritten lyrics, and liner notes with an embossed lettered album cover design. The album sleeve is a collage of Liverpool mates of McCartney, primarily The Beatles.
This is such a wonderful album, and while it’s the kind of record that hits one right away, it will age beautifully and surely become one of McCartney’s most beloved and cherished solo albums of all time.
While Starr’s new album may not have the emotional depth or sturdy thematic framework of McCartney’s, it’s also an excellent album. With five EPs and two full albums released since 2021, Starr is clearly in a very creative period.
This new album is a follow-up to last year’s Look Up. Both albums are country efforts and were produced by T-Bone Burnett. These albums aren’t so much country homages as authentic contemporary Americana releases. Burnett’s deft production and wrangling just the right musicians and singers to support Starr make this album work on so many levels. It helps that Starr has a real affinity for the music and plays it straight.
The songs Burnett has chosen are perfect, and Starr takes a respectful, focused approach. Starr even co-wrote three of the tracks, including name-checking songs from The Beatles and from his own “It Don’t Come Easy” on “Choose Love,” the title track of his 2005 album.
Daniel Tashian is a major contributor here, credited in various capacities, including co-production, vocal arrangement, and more. Some of the key players are veterans Paul Franklin and David Mansfield, contemporary artists Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent, and Billy Strings, as well as vocalists Molly Tuttle and Sarah Jorasz. These artists are not here to add modern cred to the proceedings but instead blend organically with Starr’s natural feel for this material.
The Ultraviolet Dream Color vinyl edition comes in a gatefold package with an insert featuring liner notes and photos, and the album is housed in an archival sleeve.
Both this and Starr’s last album are quite impressive and are current follow-ups to his excellent, if underrated, second solo release from 1970, the country album Beaucoups of Blues. Many artists from outside the country arena are dipping their toes into country these days because it is at a very popular place in music. Still, many don’t have a real love and understanding of the music the way Starr does on these two albums.
It’s hard to say if he will continue in this vein, but whichever musical road Starr goes down, his adoring fans are sure to follow.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
Paul McCartney, The Boys of Dungeon Lane
A
Ringo Starr, Long Long Road
B+
