Episode 259: Most Divided Album?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ม.ค. 2025
- Hi All!
Quick one this week! What do you think is the singular Paul/Wings album that divides his fan base? Andy and Tom pick one each and shoot on why they feel theirs are.
What one album do you think divides the fan base? Let us know in the comments below!
One Hand Clapping in Cinema's Thursday!
All The Best!
Andy and Tom
I am one of those people who loves Driving Rain. I was born in 1982, and I first came into The Beatles from the Anthology series (I had a sixth Grade teacher who was a huge Beatles fan; in fact, she has a small appearance in the beginning of the Back in the US DVD as a person in the crowd--I think she went to most of the shows for that tour). Anyway, the first album I bought of Paul's was Flaming Pie (I was in 8th grade), and I loved that album (one of my favorites as well). I then got more deep into The Beatles and a bit of the solo material. By the time Driving Rain came out, I was very looking forward to it (I was a freshman in College). I loved the album, but not as much as Flaming Pie, yet I listened to it a lot. I agree that Chaos and Creation and Memory Almost Full are better (the next couple of albums), but I feel like because those albums are so good that people dismiss Driving Rain to easily and swiftly. Like you, Andy, Your Loving Flame is one of my favorites, and I think Riding into Jaipur is beautiful and awesome! I'm not too fond of Freedom, and I can understand why people don't love Rinse the Raindrops, but like some others--Ken Michaels--I enjoy when Paul Jams in the studio and shares those. I think Lonely Road is a good opener too. In short, besides a couple of lower points (Spinning on an Axis and She's Given Up Talking), I think the album is strong. :)
Great topic guys. To be honest I love both albums. London Town was the first Macca album I bought as it came out (ie not retrospectively) so Ive always had bit of a soft spot from it although I see its weaknesses. Driving Rain took me about 10 years to eventually love. I just gave up on it too quickly when it first came out, but went back and played it and played it until those songs sunk in and the rewards were there once I did that. There's gold in them hills as they say ! There are plenty of candidates for this topic though. As we know there a many stellar Macca albums but outside of those - the middling to poor albums Egypt Station, McCartney II, Wild Life could all be contenders for this topic
I really enjoy driving rain. It’s not gonna make my top 10 but it doesn’t make my bottom 5 McCartney albums. I find it strange that people comment on the “bad production”, I think it’s produced just fine, could have a little more low end, but I think it’s a product of the time and it’s refreshing to have a more band style production in amongst the more polished albums. I also think it’s probably his most genuinely emotional sounding album with regards to the vocals. Lonely road and rinse the rain drops to me both sound like someone dealing with trauma, and although the songs on Chaos are way sadder instrumentally and lyrically, (and it’s my second fave McCartney album) the vocals sound more rehearsed (for better or worse). I think the songs on dr are pretty strong as well and think more people would consider this a good album if the production was more like his other albums, and it sounded a little more rehearsed. After saying all that, this album also produces the worst thing he’s ever put to tape, “heeeeeathhher”
I’ve had the whole Driving Rain album on repeat lately, can’t get enough of it! The producing and instrumentation are so intricate and detailed, I truly think it’s one of his best. The reality is that McCartney’s 25th best album will still be amazing, remember who we’re dealing with!!
We know Kyle H loves his Driving Rain! lol
@@2LegsAPaulMcCartneyPodcast let’s go for a drive baby!
What a great story for Andy and the MVP. Sadly I will miss the ELO farewell tour as they play the United Center in Chicago on Saturday night….we leave for Vegas on Sunday morning so I had to take a pass on the show 😔
For me, I've probably listened to Driving Rain from beginning to end about half a dozen times. I only have four tracks from the album on my phone's playlist. In contrast, I've listened to London Town hundreds of times. Since Denny Laine's passing, I've come to really appreciate his influence on Paul and Wings, which has only deepened my love for London Town. Cheers, as a sidenote I love "Cuff Link". I think a show of the top 10 deep cuts of McCartneys albums would be great show.
Thanks for the shout out!
C Link is the second most streamed song of London Town on spotify..
Hey Andy...I saw ELO Tuesday at MSG. I've never be a MAJOR fan but I've loved a ton of songs over the years. We also go the upgrade from the Chase Bridge down to section 1, row 6!!!! Just behind all the floor seating to the left of the soundboard. What an amazing show!!! The sound was perfect, the light show was spectacular. It brought me back to being 12 years old hearing Turn To Stone. Tom is going to love the show when he sees it!
I think Red Rose Speedway is a good choice for this. Plenty of fans like it, but I’ve also seen plenty who don’t. Personally I like it as it is, although I prefer the double album by a bit.
I can definitely see London Town, Back to the Egg, McCartney II, and Egypt Station also fitting this description.
With albums like Wild Life, Pipes of Peace, Press to Play, Off the Ground, and Driving Rain, I feel like the majority of fans dislike them. So to me they’re not really divisive because most fans feel a certain way.
I love London Town. It was the first Wings album I bought with my own money on the date of release. However, it's a bit too overlong and a bit too synths heavy for my taste. If he had skipped 2-3 tracks and had included Girl's School and Mull of Kintyre it would have been a much better album. McCartney doesn't seem to think highly of it himself as he has never performed any of the songs live and as he has skipped it in the archive box set series (along with BTTE). 26:40
Yes he did do one of the songs live in 1979 called ( I've Had Enough). I actually have the CD right next to me.
I have to go with London Town. Driving Rain is brutal. Also I'll throw this in for those who don't care for press the play listen to The bootleg CD called the alternate press to play so much better.
Yes that's a good boot! Tom just got it actually.
@@2LegsAPaulMcCartneyPodcast Nice!
Interesting topic. I do like the choice of London Town as being divisive as I know many people rank it highly but I honestly put it at the bottom of the wings albums even though I like many songs and With a Little Luck is a musical miracle. Definitely would have selected Driving Rain as the album has not aged well. Definitely goes on for too long although there are song good songs like Loving Flame, Heather, Magic and Tiny Bubble. I would also include Press to Play as I know there is a lot of love for this album but I personally don’t love any song on that record despite liking several of them. Thanks guys!
'With A Little Luck' as a "musical miracle". I love that Bill, nice words!
Seeing ELO next month for the first time.
Press to Play seems to be a record fans either love or hate. I think it's a good album that went astray.
I love London Town and driving rain. Both are in my top half McCartney
Nice!
C Link is the second most streamed song of London Town on spotify..
Wow!
Thanks guys, great discussion.
I was 15 years old when London Town came out. I don't recall us fans/friends being divided about that release at that time. My friends and I ate it up and loved every minute of it.... including Morse!
I was 16 years old when Back to the Egg came out. sitting in a bedroom or basement listening to Back to the Egg brought more criticism than any Paul album before or since among my buddies. I do recall some friends questioning the "worthiness" of Back to the Egg. I loved it and thought it was a kick ass mostly rocking album. it was eggaxperating and eggspecially difficult to eggxplain, "He did not sell out. listen to the bass and guitars rocking out" i.e. goodnight tonight/disco connection... "who cares if he is singing about salamanders, the song absolutely rocks" i.e. getting closer ... "I think the song is one of his best on the album. no bass, no guitar, no drums, so what? it sticks in your head" i.e. Arrow through me ...
Thanks again guys.
Love London Town!!...Start to finish!!!
Pauls version of Girlfriend was better because Michael left out the "will the river" section and the great instrumental section. anyway, as a divisive album id go with Press To Play
True, Michael left the bridge out - good choice on PTP. Almost picked that! (Andy)
Little Caesars Arena is unfortunately NOT the former Joe Louis Arena. The atrium of the new arena is fine but it can't hold a candle to the intimacy of JLA.
I love DR
I remember winning London Town on 8 track @Seaseide Heights boardwalk when it came out and listening to it on the ride home with my parents. I remember thinking how boring it was compared to Speed of Sound. It just seemed like a step down. I like it much better now but it doesn’t get a ton of spins from me.
From what I've seen watching this show and Talk More Talk for the past several years I would say the most divisive album is 1. Driving Rain I will admit as a fan of Driving Rain it can be a chore to listen to some bad songs mixed in with stellar songs. However I make that sacrifice for albums that have fantastic songs such as Riding to Jaipur, Heather, Rinse the Raindrops. About you, The title track I tolerate but don't love. It's just a shame this album wasn't made to be only 42-50 and leaving the rest to be non album singles similar to what happened with Flowers in the dirt where many songs ended up on singles only.
When I think of “divided” albums, I think of albums that most fans either love or hate. The Beach Boys Love You is a great example, IMO. For Paul, I think McCartney II might be the best example. McCartney I and III probably qualify as well. Or how about Wings at the Speed of Sound? I don't know, I tend to think most fans like London Town and that most fans pretty strongly dislike Driving Rain. In other words, there’s more of a consensus with those albums. Interesting topic!
London Town is a good album, the first three tracks are excellent, the rest are good searching stuff. Almost slightly folk stuff. Driving rain is very expressive to me, a very band type of album, alot of crunch, not his best tunes but not bad. Heathers is a beautiful melody. Press to play is a grower, but he didn't get a handle on the whole project, there are some good stuff on it, stranglehold etc.
My Paul album that I don't like at all is Wild Life. I know a lot of people love that one. Great topic for discussion!
Driving Rain is less-loved than London Town by the fanbase, but I love both. I like or love every song on both whereas there are 2 or 3 songs on Chaos I don't like, which is rare for me with McCartney albums. On both DR and LT, Paul is trying to take a new path while still sounding like himself. I think this tendency keeps his music fresh. He was doing stadium rock in the mid 70s and then all of a sudden changes to something like ProgFolk! Imagine how great the album would have been if he had made it a double set, including Waterspout, Mull and Girls' School, plus some other unreleased gems. After his return to form with Flaming Pie and his covers album, DR is experimental with the songs being excellent or at least interesting. Loving Flame has lazy lyrics, but let's face it, we don't listen to Paul for his lyrics.
When I listen to Loving Flame I do cringe at the lyrics. If it was 42-50 minutes long as single albums should be and the not so good songs were used as B sides it would be so much better
The Invention of the CD was a negative because then artists and bands didn't have to take songs off albums to be used for later albums or B sides. They could make many 60 minute long albums. Tom Petty's Wildflowers is my #2 album of all time. It's 63 minutes long but I don't see any filler at all. He had enough material to make it 90 minutes long and I'm glad he saved those songs for the next album rather than giving fans too much on one album.
Driving Rain almost universally panned, not much division.
McCartney 3 is my least favorite Paul album. I'm sure that will divide the fan base. :) :)
Driving rain is by far the weaker album.Paul’s vocals are weak and everything seems hurried to get out quickly. London Town could use a remix and trim the fat get rid of cuff link, name and address,children children ,and add waterspout that’s a well paced record
I always dug backwards traveler/cuff link (weird Paul is best Paul for me, I love McCartney II) .agree with the other suggestions though.