Customer Reviews

Band On The Run

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Paul McCartney put out some mediocre albums after the Beatles but finally got it together with this one. There is really no terrible cut on the album.

Deny Lane and the others work so well with him I don't know why they did not keep this lineup.
The classic "Band on the Run", "Jet" stand on their own, but this album also has some other lesser known gems such as "Helen Wheels", and "Blueburd".

It is truely a great album that stands the test of time.

The 180 gm vinyl remastered album gives it a very full and rich sound on a decent turntable.

"Band on the Run" is clearly Paul McCartney's best solo album and I find it quite reminiscent of the "White Album"/"Abbey Road" period right before the Beatles imploded. The worst thing you can say about this album is that it represents McCartney at his best as songwriter and arranger of pop hits. Every song cannot be a "Yesterday," and this time around McCartney is not even trying. The title track represents the album as a whole, delightfully mixing distinct musical forms into a pleasant whole, although the song's meaning seems to be nothing more than having fun. The album is anchored by a couple of heavy weight tracks with "Jet" and "Helen Wheels," while the acoustic piece "Bluebird" offers musical diversity. "Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)" was written in response to a challenge by Dustin Hoffman to write a song on the spot from a magazine article on Picasso, but by the time McCartney puts it on this album the little sing along has been invested with instrumental breaks that incorporate bits and pieces of the album's other songs. The other song with a story behind it would be "Let Me Roll," which is a response to John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep" (advantage John). After his most recent albums "Wild Life" and "Red Rose Speedway" were racked over the coals by the critics, McCartney clearly wanted to show that he was still a power player. Ironically, after having retreated to his country home to start his solo career with the do-it-yourself self-titled "McCartney," the only way to make the critics and fans stand up and take notice was to essentially pick up where the Beatles left off. Like all McCartney solo projects (I know this is technically a "Wings" album, but everything post-Beatles always seems like a solo effort to me), this album is a mixed bag, but it is still the best mixed bag he has produced to date.

Best album by a former Beatle. Lennon's stunning "POB" is better artistically but rather than simply raising questions and provoking thoughts its harsh vindictiveness leaves you emotionally reeling: an album that repels rather than engages. For whatever reason, on "BOTR" Paul picks up where he left off on "Abbey Road". The sad part is, 30 years later, he hasn't returned to it since. In terms of his post-Beatles career, "BOTR" used to represent to fans McCartney rising to the to the level of his abilities. After 30 years, however, it now appears more like an example of him rising above them. On it, for the one and only time in his post-Beatles career, Paul engages through the full course of an album without the gloppy sentimentality and banality he has otherwise burdened himself with. All songs here satisfy. Great melodic lines. Superb guitar work. And - with one exception - cogent, inspired lyrics. "1985" unfortunately just does not make any sense. It's too bad he didn't somehow tie it lyrically to the title track and write some lines about Sailor Sam, the county judge, freedom, escape, etc. The inspired and surprising reprise of the title track at the end then would have had and even greater punch than it has. All the same, "1985" is such a great, monolithic piece of music that, on this occasion at least, you can forgive Paul once for careless lyric writing. Dragged down by the remainder of his disappointing catalogue, "BOTR" has become undeservedly underrated by 2002. Don't let any of the negative comments here - or elsewhere - dissuade you if you're thinking of buying it. It truly is one of the great albums of the 70's.

Best album by a former Beatle. Lennon's stunning "Plastic Ono Band" is better artistically but rather than simply raising questions and provoking thoughts its harsh vindictiveness leaves you emotionally reeling: an album that repels rather than engages. With BOTR Paul manages somehow to pick up where he left off on "Abbey Road". The sad part is he hasn't returned to it since. He has written other great songs before and since but in terms of an overall album, none of his other post-Beatles work is even half as good. When BOTR was initially released it seemed McCartney finally had risen back to the level of his ability. Based on the quality of his work since then however, BOTR now appears more like an example of him rising above it. But give credit where it's due: BOTR is a great piece of work. On it, for the one and only time in his post-Beatles career, Paul engages through the full course of an album without the gloppy sentimentality he has otherwise burdened himself with. Great guitar work. Fabulous singing (by Paul). Great melodic lines. And - with one exception - cogent, inspired lyrics. That exception is, of course, "1985". It's an incredible piece of music but: just what the hell is this song about? The first line (and title) conjure up nothing less than . . . Armageddon(!). (That's actually out of place thematically with the album anyhow but nevertheless after the incredible intro to the song you kind of think maybe he's onto something here.) But then, no sooner do we get to the next line and, inexplicably, it turns into . . . a love song(?!). It's too bad he didn't sleep on this one for a couple of weeks and reassess the lyrics before doing the vocals and rewrite them to tie in thematically to the title track with some lines about freedom, escape, etc. The inspired and surprising reprise of the title track at the end then would have had and even greater punch than it has. All the same, "1985" is such a great, monumental piece of music that, if you give as much thought to listening to the lyrics as Paul did to writing them (i.e. none), you can enjoy the track. Dragged down by the remainder of his disappointing catalogue, BOTR has become undeservedly underrated by 2002. Don't let any of the negative comments here - or elsewhere - dissuade you if you're thinking of adding it to your CD collection. It truly is one of the great albums of the 70's.

While the earlier McCartney albums issued before Band on the Run are very weak records, this is a classic. Good recording also. Every song is fine- theres no weak spots, and the highlights are the title track, Let Me Roll It, and 1985.

While the earlier McCartney albums issued before Band on the Run are very weak records, this is a classic. Good recording also. Every song is just fine- theres no weak spots, and the highlights are the title track, Let Me Roll It, and 1985.

Band on the Run is arguably Paul McCartney's greatest post-Beatles production, and the sound quality on the CD version is most adequate. However, on this DTS disc, the sound effects just branch out and are not exactly cohesive.

I agree with the review from June 27, 2001. The mastering for this release seemed to be more of a quad record project than that which utilizes the latest, up-to-date recording technology. For those of you who remember the old Pioneer stereo receivers from the 1970's, listening to the sound quality of this DTS disc is almost like playing the regular CD version through one of these aforementioned receivers after the dial at the far end has been adjusted from Stereo to L+R.

And what do you get? First, you get orchestrations that fail to come to the forefront in Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five and the title track, and second, you get vocals that echo, especially when the lyrics "I can't tell you how I feel, my heart is like a wheel" are uttered in the finely crafted but inadequately mastered DTS version of Let Me Roll It.

In addition, any reference to those missing first few notes at the very beginning is very much true, and that annoyance could just as well as be regarded as an omen for the listening experience, or lack thereof, ahead.

This CD is a classic. If I had to have someone listen to the evolution of popular music in the past 40 years I would start with SGT. Pepper, then maybe Pet Sounds, and then this CD. No matter how you look at it, Paul Mccartney was one of the most successful pop musicians in the 70's (we know how popular he was in the 60's). The popular music being made by other artist in this time period was pretty sad. This work stands out within it's time frame as some of the Beatles work did.

Band on the Run represents a successful effort by Paul to come up with a more solid set of rock and pop numbers after a mixed reception to his earlier more-laid-back solo work. He not only comes through, but does so with little unevenness--the album is filled with good tracks. The title cut is a lively pop rocker, and it became this travelin' band's signature tune. The next song, "Jet," is a very catchy, energized melodic rocker that was perfect for commercial success. "Bluebird" is very pretty, but even tho it is also on the softer side, it sounds different enough from "Blackbird" that the main comparison should just be the names of the songs. The slow and bouncy "Let Me Roll It" is Paul's answer to John's taunts on "How Do You Sleep" and elsewhere--yes, it is Paul's heart that he is rolling to John. Paul again shows his ability to come up with both nice acoustic numbers ("Mamunia") and hard rockers ("Helen Wheels"). Lyrically, the strongest messages is from "Mrs. Vandebilt"--we all need to stop hurrying--actually, that's the catchiest thing on the album, "What's the use of hurrying/worrying"--really cool. What a closer, "Picasso's Last Words"--Paul is ever so folksy (actually, it reminds me a bit of the Stones' "Salt of the Earth"). With this album, Wings established the basic sound that allowed it to achieve big commercial success and sellout concerts in the 1970s.

Without a doubt this is the greatest work of Pauls career!! If only he would create more wonderful music such as this.I own all of Pauls post Beatle music and it does not come close to his time in the Beatles..Except for some rare exceptions of which Band on the Run is definatly one..Other good McCartney CD'S are ;WINGS OVER AMERICA,WINGS GREATEST HITS,THE OFFICAL BOOTLEG,TRIPPING THE LIVE FANTASTIC,AND HIS RUSSIAN RECORDINGS OF OLD POP AND ROCK SONGS...