|
Paul McCartney Run Devil Run (EMI) Paul McCartney, you know, 'Helter Skelter', 'Birthday', ok, 'Yesterday'. Anyway the guy who wrote these songs with John Lennon. You haven't got it yet? Well they were members of a sixties band known as The Beatles. He's released the best album we've heard from him for more than twenty years Run Devil Run. Chock full of great rock'n'roll covers essentially from the fifties. On the opener, Jean Vincent's 'Blue Jean Bop' and another track, from British skiffle group, The Vipers' 'No Other Baby', I'd swear Bruce Springsteen was singing. Paul has assembled a competent band for this work; Dave Gilmore, guitarist from Pink Floyd on guitars, Dave Mattacks on drums and Mick Green (Johnny Kidd & The Pirates) also on guitar, with Geraint Watkins and Pete Wingfield on keyboards. Paul plays bass and acoustic guitar. These all play on a string of superbly executed rock'n'roll tunes that include Carl Perkins' 'Movie Mag', Chuck Berry's 'Brown Eyed Handsome Man' which they perform with an almost Cajun feel and 'Party' which was a hit for Elvis Presley. Paul has also provided some of his own songs to this compilation. The two best of which are the rockin' 'What It Is' and the album's title 'Run Devil Run'. It's got a great "live" feel, giving the oldies new life while not being so retro that it sounds old hat. Paul's vocals are very much in the ascendance here, check out 'Shake A Hand' which reminds me a little of Paul's performance of Chuck Berry's 'Long Tall Sally' he did while with The Beatles. 'Run Devil Run' and 'Party' both feature vocals worthy of note particularly 'Party' where he tries to annihilate his vocal chords. On the Ricky Nelson hit 'Lonesome Town' Paul's voice is spine chillingly sad. It has a foreboding, haunting feel to it. One can't help but think of the recent events in Paul's life when listening to this song. 'Blue Jean Bop' show cases some cool guitar licks from Gilmour who adds some nice touches to many of the other songs too. Produced by Chris Thomas with Paul McCartney this album adds a new freshness and vibrancy missing in the rock genre for a while. It's great to hear a veteran making a concerted effort to revive the form and doing it with integrity. He's gone a long way towards restoring his reputation as a key force in rock. Anyone doubting Paul will truly be missing something if they don't at least give this one a good listen. It's certainly restored my faith in the Faith! Micheil Reid mailto:mrgalaxy@free.net.nz Click on album image to see larger album cover 
|
