Paul McCartney

The one Macca album that equally shares the spotlight with other members of Wings, this is also where smug rockers really started thinking about Paul McCartney as the Phil Collins or Sting of his day. They may've had a point, but the massive No. 1 hit "Silly Love Songs" is a nice little number that is just overpowered by a Charlie's Angel's-style disco synth-rock production. "Let 'Em In" also went to No. 1 and it's as brilliant and catchy as it is completely lightweight. Denny Laine actually bests Macca on "The Note You Never Wrote" and his "Wino Junko" holds up nicely as well (though Linda's "Cook of the House" may actually have you wishing for a Yoko Ono guest appearance). Odd Facts Dept. -- the bonus cut "Sally G" was a surprise country radio hit.

In his post-Beatles albums, Paul McCartney has proven himself a clever miniaturist whose
records resemble collages built around simple musical fragments, each of which is
painstakingly produced. While some have dismissed McCartney's music as insufferably
cute, uninspired trivia, all of his albums contain at least some worthwhile music. The solo
John Lennon explored (often brilliantly) the sociopolitical potential of late Sixtie... More >