Band On The Run

McCartney detractors can take a flying fuck. This album is better than half of John Lennon's erratic solo career. People act like John was the true genius behind The Beatles just because he was the most outspoken prick of the bunch. People can't help but love a good quick witted, silver tongued asshole who lives out their fantasies of being an unfiltered bully and getting away with it. Don't get me wrong, I do too... And Lennon reached some unbelievable heights in his solo work - some really intense and profound music to be sure. But he also had some periods of really sloppy floundering. And just because Lennon went on this deep, soul-searching musical journey half the time he went into the studio, doesn't mean McCartney should be expected to do the same thing, nor does it detract from McCartney's brilliance as a songwriter. Yes, Paul McCartney has a softer, more light-hearted approach in his solo material. It reflects him as a person and where he was in his life at the time. He was a dad, and not a largely absent one like his former songwriting partner. So yeah, I get that he wanted to put out something more fun and playful into the world, rather than introspectively crawling further up his own asshole.

This album is Paul McCartney saying “yeah, I don’t need The Beatles to write fucking HITS!” for 41 minutes

For decades I always heard the chorus as "man on the run"... mistakes have been made

pretty sure i heard a couple of these tracks on the classic rock stations. listened to this after some major mood swings and it helped calm me down. Music Notes <3 lots of cool stuff here, theres a lotta folky stuff and a few songs that have rly cool structures without it feeling too overbearing or distracting from the simple poppiness. good stuff 9/10

After being a Beatles fan for many years, "Band on the Run" was one of the first post-Beatles albums I ventured into. I gravitated towards the big, bombastic Martin-esque arrangements (the end of "Nineteen Eighty Five" is still killer), the Abbey-Road-esque suites (the title track is a classic example of "greater than the sum of its parts") and the polished, radio-friendly rock ("JET!"… enough said). It's still a great listen, but I can just about shake my bias to say it's a bit lightweight in places. "Bluebird" and "Mamunia" both have nice choruses, but "nice" is about the most enthusiastic word I can muster for them. They breeze by, meandering a bit around their verses, and then they're over without leaving much of an impression. On any Beatles album they'd have been forgettable and throwaway. It's also hard to say how much the setting of Lagos, Nigeria influenced the recording, other than the band plastering on some "exotic" percussion. Guiros and claves abound… Still, "Picasso's Last Words" is an underrated gem, with its melancholic singalong that goes through various iterations (one including some dazzling strings). While not enthralling from beginning to end, I'll always love the simplicity of the "OH- HEY HO" in "Mrs Vandebilt." And ultimately, the album still gets four stars on the strength of its best tracks: the two openers, two closers and the brilliant "Let Me Roll It" (often labelled Lennon-esque for its heavy use of echo, deployed intentionally by McCartney).

Q: How do you diminish the illustrious reputation of former Beatle Paul McCartney? A: Put an album like Band on the Run on a top 1,001 ablumns list. "Yeah, I used to smoke grass and play this while living on the nudist commune. Everything was honkey-dory in those days.” This is the album you create when you’re three years out of high-school and still can’t figure out what to do with your life so you smoke weed and drink beer hoping that a future will materialize. I found this album without purpose or inspiration, just shitty jam-band garbage with a chorus. Thankfully, Ringo Starr went on to be the lowlight of post-Beatles success and we could instead remember Paul as an incredible songwriter and performer.

Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings (1973 [U.S. release, including “Helen Wheels”]) I loved this album when it came out, even though my best friend hated it (I suspect he purloined my copy and found a way to throw it away—it’s the only way I can explain its later absence from my collection. Fink!). But in my high assessment of this record, I was adamant to the point of defiance. This is Paul McCartney doing what Paul McCartney does best—musically intelligent pop. But I haven’t listened to it in decades, so this was a bit of a journey into the past. And what a nice trip. And yes, that is James Coburn with his hand on Christopher Lee’s shoulder on the campy cover photo. The ‘band’ Wings at the time this album was recorded consisted of only (1) McCartney, (2) wife Linda, and (3) vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Denny Laine. That’s it. Lyrically playful, consisting of near-mindless mini narratives and sweet emotings, there’s nothing serious here, with words simply carrying the tune and providing a means to prompt the melody into becoming the primary ping on the listener’s sonar. But the vocal arrangements are highly entertaining, and the compositions develop wonderfully shifting moods, a McCartney speciality. This album is very instructive at helping the serious fan of The Beatles to sort out what McCartney’s specific contribution had been to the fabulous quartet. Listen to Abbey Road immediately after listening to Band on the Run, and you’ll hear both albums in a new way. The first two tracks, “Band on the Run” and “Jet” and the added track for the U.S. release “Helen Wheels” became top 40 hits because they tapped into the subconscious of the English-speaking world. In 1973 we were ready for a break from all the seriousness. Nixon cancelled the draft (a little too late for me, but it was still a relief. And in retrospect, four years in the U.S. Navy wasn’t a total waste of time). Let’s put on some Paul McCartney and take a deep breath before going back to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. “Let Me Roll It” is Paul McCartney doing a John Lennon-style composition with a Paul McCartney-style arrangement. In my view, this song is the nearest thing we’ll ever hear like a post-Beatles ‘Beatles’ sound. I’ll let other Beatles fans ponder this suggestion. I had forgotten how much I loved the elaborations on the chord progression toward the end of “Nineteen-Hundred and Eighty-Five”. Play it loud, man. The bass playing is, of course, exquisite. And fat in the mix to boot. Go Paul. The genius of this album is in the incorporation of suitable sounds from unexpected regions of the available soundscape. Paul McCartney knew how to hook the listener. Well, me at least. 4/5

Essential Wings album. Haven't listened to too much of them, so I enjoyed hearing this album in it's entirety. Noticed a line that Dave Matthews must have lifted for "Dancing Nancies" in the song "Mrs. Vandebilt": 'what's the use in worrying, what's the use in hurrying" Highlights: Band on the Run Jet Let Me Roll It

Recorded in 1973! Listening to this makes realize how far music has changed with the advances of computer generated sounds. Give me some simple harmonics, bass line, simple drum kits and let the lyrics and vocals steal the show. Great Album

Great album, had heard the singles before and liked them even more with the rest of the album. Felt very complete from front to back

Wings? They're only the band The Beatles could've been! ............. Someone else will write this.

Why is this on the list? Why did this even get recorded? If this man hadn't been a Beatle I wager that neither would have happened. It's sentimental trash with very few redeeming qualities at all. I'm worried peeople will see on me that I listened to it, I need to scrub it off.

5 stars. My first album by a member of the fab 4, and this one is a classic. Band on the run is an amazing introduction song, then jet kicks it into high speed. Love this album

One of the greatest albums ever made. After the Beatles, McCartney made a couple of solo albums, combining leftover songs that would probably have ended up on the follow up to Let It Be, with ditties, jams and experiments. He then formed a band, but the first two Wings albums found his songbook running a little dry - although he still managed to compose two of his most perfect songs (Dear Friend and My Love). But he was still, essentially, writing songs that could have gone on Beatles albums. Then his band breaks up - Paul, Denny Laine and Linda head to Lagos, to find a barely useable studio and a hostile reception from the locals. Amidst the chaos, Paul finds a new sound - combining his outrageous gift for melody with influences from staudium rock, prog, reggae and soul. Epic, theatrical songs like Band On The Run merge with catchy pop (Jet) and gorgeous ballads (No Words), all arranged perfectly. There is even a throwback to the Abbey Road medley with the singalong coda to Picasso's Lasts Words. The album ends with one of McCartney's best ever songs, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five. A masterpiece!

I was raised on this album so I came in with immense bias but looked for every reason to dock it a few points. More or less came up empty handed and ruled that Band on the Run, Jet, Let me Roll it, and Helen Wheels all have stood the test of time.

I learned that it's "Band on the Run" and not "Man on the Run." Otherwise, it's a fun listen but not something I'd come back to with any frequency.

I just don't know what to make of this. It's like paul is just trying a little tooooo hard to be creative and it falls a bit flat. Not much melody, hooks aren't really there. Kind of does nothing for me sadly. Also I can't think of wings without thinking of Alan partridge... Only the band the Beatles could have been.... JET!

If you were a fan of the Beatles, it wasn't uncommon to side yourself as either, a Paul or John guy. Both wrote great songs (yeah, even sometimes together), yet you had a preference of who's songs you liked better (I was a Paul guy). After the band broke up and solo albums followed, Paul definitely defined himself (arguably) as the superior artist, yet he produced more duds than good albums through the 70's. The high point (for either artist) was Band On The Run which gives even the best Beatles albums a run for it's money. This is McCartney's masterpiece and the "finest record yet" by a former Beatle. He doesn't come close to replicating the quality and performance of that record and he's put out a LOT of albums since. It's amazing what a three piece (McCartney, his wife and Denny Laine) can accomplish! FYI: the Band On The Run 45 was one of the first records I ever bought.

Perhaps critics and the general public just needed a bit of time to make sure the world wouldn’t end, but three years after announcing, and subsequently being blamed for, the Beatles’ breakup, Paul delivered a record that finally won everyone over. It would have been pretty hard to deny this one; it still sounds like a massive success 50 years later, thanks in no small part to the fact that it contains three verifiable classics. The title track is one of Paul’s all-time crowning achievements, with three distinct sections expertly crafted, connected, and performed. Tony Visconti provides some exquisite orchestration to fill out an already-flawless soundscape, and, setting a tone for most every song on the record, the three-part harmonies between Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine are supremely good. “Jet” is the first true rocker of Paul’s solo career, kicking off with an effective three-note guitar/saxophone riff before exploding into a rush of pure energy featuring one of Mr. McCartney’s finest drumming performances. And “Let Me Roll It” is one of Paul’s most beloved ballads for good reason. Seen by some as a tribute to John with its snarling riff, use of tape echo, and repetitive lyrics, it contains an unbelievable lead vocal from Paul, enhanced with glorious harmonies in the choruses, and great Hammond organ from Linda. These three songs, like the album as a whole, stand the test of time; the masterclass of songwriting that is the title track may be my personal favorite, but all three rank among the best of Paul’s solo career, and their popularity is well-deserved. That’s not to say the other tracks on Band On The Run aren’t also gems. In particular, I have never been able to get enough of the bizarrely fun “Mrs Vandebilt.” The infectious “ho-hey-ho” background vocals and hilarious banter at the end of the song are overwhelmingly appealing, so much so that they threaten to, but thankfully don’t, overshadow the abundance of brilliant performances on the song. Linda’s electric piano playing is excellent, as are Howard Casey’s saxophone solos, and Paul delivers both his best bass playing on the album and marvelous dual-lead guitar work with Denny. Following “Let Me Roll It” is another first-class ballad in “Mamunia.” Featuring superb acoustic guitar work from Paul and Moog synthesizer from Linda, it is a beautiful and calming call to consider the positive in every seemingly negative situation (“The rain comes falling from the sky to fill the stream that fills the sea/And that’s where life began for you and me/So the next time you see rain, it ain’t bad/Don’t complain it rains for you”). “Picasso’s Last Words (Drink To Me)” has an intriguingly drowsy ambiance that sounds effectively akin to a dream of someone on their deathbed. Just like a dream, it glides by lazily at points before unexpectedly shifting; motifs and choruses weave in and out of each other effortlessly; two previous songs, “Jet” and “Mrs Vandebilt,” are quoted and integrated brilliantly. It is remarkably intricate, yet it floats by so smoothly. It’s another perfect example on this record of Paul flexing his muscles with true confidence for the first time in his solo career. The results are spectacular, and although I can’t deem it my favorite McCartney record like many others, Band On The Run is a complete, undoubted success. 5/5

This is another one I have on vinyl. The title track is an opus, and like Paul's Beatles songs, really plays with genre and rhythm. This album sounds like it was tons of fun to make. Like so much of it is celebration and silliness, but in the best way. I love it. I love how Paul sounds, I love the instruments, the drums, the comradery, and the tone. It's also quite brilliant with songs like Let Me Roll it. Great record.

Fantastic production and catchy melodies, definitely Wings' best album. Not as varied as RAM or as bold in its creative process as McCartney, but definitely the ultimate blockbuster in Macca's long and winding career post-Beatles.

Great album, first album oldest daughter liked

heyy paull!

first album for this ✨quest✨ i’ve started for some reason. i like this one! i already enjoy 70s music and paul mccartney’s work very much, so this album clicked with me easily. for some reason it reminds me of the silk sonic collaboration between bruno mars and the other guy whose name escapes me (my apolo-cheese🧀). 4/5

The Beatles split, released an album called "Let It Be" with pretty much two good songs that became instant hits and started own careers with solo projects that gave us albums like "All Things Must Pass", "Imagine" or "McCartney". Ringo also did some stuff but that wasn't as groundbreaking. But after some years Paul got bored and wanted some guys arround him that weren't called "Lennon" so he made the band "Wings" and had some decent success but in '73 that changed as "Red Rose Speedway" and this album were both released and had major mainstream success. And "Band on the Run" became a classic with many widely kown songs such as the title track. To the album itself, it's a pretty cute Pop Rock album with great songwriting and sometimes great performances. It's diverse in its sound and enjoyable throughout but it's not really one of the greatest albums ever. The title track 'Band on the Run' opens the album with soft and playful guitars that have a significant country influence and are kept pretty much the whole way through. There is also keyboard and of course Paul himself on the vocals and a lot of other stuff. The song is really nice but I think that some parts just weren't needed and feel pretty redundant but to be fair, the chorus is amazing and carries the song. The title track is the best known song but I think 'Jet' would be much more deserving of that title. It's got some slightly noisy synths and great orchestration and the powerful expression in the chorus that just yells at you is amazing. I also think that it's much more consistent than its predecessor. But it is a bit to long and streches towards the end, something that BOTR did better. So overall... they're pretty equally great. The more laid-back and Folk inspired 'Bluebird' follows with some influences from Smooth Jazz and Bossanova behind the obvious Pop song. It's a really cute song with a great melody and songwriting. I found myself really enjoying the arrangements outside of the typical instruments with the cowbell, the saxophone and other weird things that add a slight tropcial feel to the song. It's very beautiful and gorgeous the whole way through even when there isn't anything that makes the song "stick out" in a particular way. The very silly chorus of 'Mrs. Vandebilt' really sets the song apart from most of what the album featured so far and I think that the whole song is really incredible. It flows with great structure and I love the bass on this one. I think, this is the first song with the potential of being perfect but again after a while it looses me and turns a little dull and even annoying with the chorus that repeats so much. 'Let Me Roll It' goes a much more bluesy way and in return it's one of the better songs so far... at least for many people. I personally just don't see the greatness that many portrait into this. I like it but it isn't anything of so much greatness that I'd call it one of the albums best songs. The chorus is pretty good but the verses and the bridge are not interesting to me at all. The second side starts with 'Mamunia' that features soft and folky guitar playing and a chorus that is pretty annoying after a while, something many songs share on this album. The song is pretty boring and dull with the only thing that saves it for me at least a little bit being the percussion that sometimes features something bongo-like but as it isn't there most of the time, the song falls into something very average and, well, boring. The short but sweet 'No Words' follows with cute orchestration and nice songwriting but basic performance and delivery that results in it being cute but very forgettable. That's it. Nothing more to say. 'Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)' starts off by sounding awfully lot like a Dylan song but it turns into something very progressive and beautiful and is without a doubt a rise from the slumber that the last couple tracks were. It isn't as great some stuff at the starts but a lot of the weird and experimental combined with the very comerical pop sound makes a cohesive and enjoyable song that even goes back to 'Jet' for a couple of repeated tape choruses that glide into the "Drink to Me" chorus. It has many great moments but some dull ones too that overall make it a little less enjoyable as I would've wished but still... really good. The albums closing track 'Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five' close the album with a dancey and piano driven track that makes a very enjoyable finale and really lifts up the whole experience. It's symphonic and orchestral but leaves room for ideas and instrument to shine. I think that it's one of the albums best tracks and on a level with BOTR maybe even better. favourites: Band on the Run, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five, Jet, Bluebird least favourites: Mamunia, No Words, Let Me Roll It Rating: decent to strong 7 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Comical and professional!

Band on the Run is another haunting from childhood, almost entirely from the first two tracks and the cover, which was double-stitched into the old image library by its surreal chiaroscuro comedy, though I did not know the participants, assuming Christopher Lee, Michael Parkinson et al were band members, Coburn the drummer, and holy hippy cabbage, he's stoned right down to the last hair of that massive moustache, five stars for that image alone. Returning, I loved the title song and Jet, which are filed away with that cover as fond pre-teen paraphernalia, and expected the rest out would fall way below the mark, as evidently either my parents never deigned to play beyond Jet, or the album was otherwise forgettable; so most of the rest getting reflex nods and foot wiggles is like getting a free meal with a glass of something decent. The synth parts are rad, and most of the songs have structures that keep me on the toes, without progging into tedium, and it has heft at times - any whiff of music hall is blitzed with guitars, the aforementioned whacked out synth, and the odd visiting horn. If I ever meet it, I will insist on buying a drink for the guitar riff on Let Me Roll It, which is up there with the opening double-salvo. I reckon this is the 200th record Simon and I have heard on this run, enough to be confident of a trend: I'm consistently loving 70's this sort of yacht rocky, smooth AOR. Heck, apparently even Lennon rated this.

I don't think I've ever sat through a full solo Macca/Wings album. This is pretty good as it goes, although it gets a bit ropey towards the end. I wish the 2nd segment of the title track was longer, it's quite intriguing and seems to exit before it gets really good. Jet is my favorite post-Beatles song from any of 'em, such a great pop tune and so weird ("Jettttt..."). Macca's lyrics across this period are quite Gilbert and Sullivan-y, perhaps because they make for neat rhymes? Even if it's nonsense it's still very enjoyable. Diving into the history of Wings it makes sense why this album is so highly-rated in context. Can't deny it a 4, RIP Denny Laine

Genre: Pop Rock 4/5 It took 79 albums(!), but lo and behold, I finally got my first Beatles/Beatles-member release. Band on the Run, an album I've listened to all the way through without skips at least 25 times, is a decent place as any to start in terms of Paul McCartney's solo discography for a casual listener. I'm a true Macca-head, and I've listened through his discography more times than I'm willing to say on a public forum. All I'll say is that it's not his best solo album (his best solo album, Ram, isn't even in the book which is OUTRAGEOUS), but it's a damn good rock album that had some big-time hits for him and his group, Wings. Him and John Lennon always had a musical competition amonst themselves, one would drop a hot single, another would drop a hot album with a diss track, then the other would do the same. It was an exciting time in pop music, for sure. That competition is apparent here as well. The Lennon/Phil Spector effect is felt big time, as the saxophone plays a big role here in a lot of tracks, an instrumental layer that Paul had really yet to fully dive into until this album. The product made here, regardless of sax use, is really clean and exquisite, the hallmark of a Paul McCartney production. The title track, Jet, Let Me Roll It, and Nineteen-Hundred and Eighty-Five are four of Paul's best, and they're perfectly placed throughout the album. The filler in between aren't pop masterpieces (Mamunia, No Words), but they aren't duds either. A very enjoyable, rather unpretentious effort from Paul here. The hard work and manicuring is there, but Paul and co. are having quite a bit of fun.

McCartney’s intention to show he could do it himself without The Beatles or Lennon, BOTR is full of invention and despite what had gone before, plenty of ambition. Classic rock, pop, whatever; there are moments of genius all over this album.

Actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Band on the Run is such a great track, and Iwas nervous about the first half overpowering the second, but I actually enjoyed the whole thing.

The opener and title track, Band on the Run is a stone cold classic. Always appearing in the life guarding playlist during the summer. Jet and Bluebird were also great. Seeing this on the list, I totally get why, but it made me start to think about artistry and artists. Especially with all the conversation around Ms. Swift and some criticism of "why did she release another album so soon after her last and on top of her re releases and touring". Paul McCartney reminds me of that. Setting aside the fact that art is art, and artists are who they are, and some are workaholics and must put out music otherwise maybe they don't know who they are. And who are we to judge when we ask why, because if I loved my job, I'd make as much music as I can. But I also know if I put out say ten or fifteen albums (swift or Beatles or whatever) and I was super mega rich, totally famous, beset on all sides by judgement. I'd probably pause between my albums, heck I'd even take giant breaks. And there are some out there that do that. Like Kendrick or others where it's one big album every few years. Again, it isn't our place to judge how other humans choose to use their gifts. But McCartney always struck me as a guy who was scared of becoming obsolete. It wasn't enough to be in the biggest band ever, but to then try and create stuff with other bands, or by himself, or all the stadium stuff he did in the later years. This album cover is the perfect encapsulation of that, the spotlight is on him and this group as the sentry says "HEY STOP! One of you makes too much music!" and of course Paul probably had them all dress the same so they wouldn't be able to identify him. All that to say, I enjoyed this album, but I'm tired of seeing the same blokes over and over on this list. Also I think this means he probably would have flourished in the Streaming era. I will also note that I read the wiki after listening and writing the prior treatise. I didn't realize this is widely regarded as his best work after his bug work. Look, I'm glad we got his best here. I really liked his best. I just hope we don't get "the rest" if you know what I mean. "Please, Sir, may I be excused" if you catch my drift, eh McCartney? But also he wanted to go to Lagos to feel exotic. Paul Exotic they called him, I'm sure. If he had called himself that in his solo pursuits I would have an entirely different opinion of him and I'm sure a lot of the world would, too. Can you imagine?

I’d always thought that McCartney’s solo stuff was mostly pretty naff and middle of the road. Listening to this album hasn’t changed my mind.

In my mind I try and dissociate Wings and the Beatles I can't reconcile the two. This was , I think their biggest album and brings up a feeling akin to car sickness. Which I suppose is apt as I remeber my dad playing these songs on car journeys. Paul tries all the old beatles tricks and fails fails fails. Songs like Jet and Band on the Run are the most famous and probably the most tolerable. I can't understand how someone can write Yesterday and Hey Jude could write this arse. Most bands have a difficult second album whilst Paul had a difficult second band. It's a 1.5

Nothing better than Macca and the Wings.

Speed of Sound is my favourite Wings album, but Band on the Run isn’t far behind. Let Me Roll It isn’t quite Silly Love Songs to me, but I think this might be the coolest Paul ever was- I used to think being John and Yoko was the coolest, but really why wouldn’t you want to be Paul and Linda running away to Scotland together to form a band, smoke weed and be in love. Lots of the guitar on the album sounds kind of lazy and lethargic in a way I love, and I really like Linda’s backing vocals against Paul’s too early old man voice, particularly in love songs- she’s lovely on Bluebird, another song about running away, like the title track. I love Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five ending with “band on the run” and Picasso’s Last Words ending with Jet- I don’t know if it means much but it feels arty and deliberate and it’s fun. Paul wasn’t the best Beatles lyricist, but I like how many Paul McCartney songs say the words “I love you”, and No Words does it beautifully. “The next time you see rain it ain’t bad/ it rains for you” is gorgeous. I could listen to almost nothing but Wings and be happy with that. This is basically my easy listening. Paul and Linda forever.

WELL what an absolutely fun and entertaining album - loved it. I've never actually listened to the Wings so this was a welcome surprise. I think I realised from watching the hours long documentary Get Back that although Lenon is a huge part of the genius of The Beatles, McCartney was the musical genius and was worlds apart from the rest of them in his capabilities. I think that is why this not so serious album is so great, it is so unpretentious but still manages to be an album you take seriously as a really really impressive collective of work. I wonder if that was part of it from Paul's point of view, to be the opposite of John at this time and just make a fun but amazing album where he is just not taking himself too seriously. Love so much that it is with Linda and love even more that on the cover there is both Parky and Christopher Lee. Lyrically there seems to be a lot of escapism as a theme - wonder if that is to do with The Beatles? Even the tracks that when they first came on I was unsure of, by the end I was bopping a long and then loved (this mostly happened with Bluebird, the love came with the cowbells, and Mrs. Vandebilt, where again the love came from the music rather than lyrics with the beat hitting on both the half and full beat.) This is an album I would happily buy on vinyl and have it on in the background and find myself dancing in my seat to whilst trying to listen to whomever is there but being distracted instead by this fun fun album.

Can't fault this album. Wings/Solo McCartney at his best. Very strong start to the album with 2 huge numbers. Most other artists would struggle to follow up on this, but not in this case. To give this anything less than 5 stars would be hard to justify.

Fantastic.

One of his best

“Band on the Run” is like “Layla” for me … a song of songs. Each one is incredible. Also love “Let Me Roll It” which was used perfectly in “Licorice Pizza.”

4.5 rounded up. I hope you’re having fun.

Love it! 5/5

Great music, once again by Sir Paul McCartney.

One of my favorite albums

Cmon now

Classic album, brilliant writing, amazing sounds

Better than any Beatles album don't @ me Fave Tracks: Band on the Run, Jet, Bluebird, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five 4.6/5

Great band, great music, lead by the GOAT Paul McCartney. One of my favorite albums.

"They're only the band the Beatles could have been" - Alan Gordon Partridge

Chefs kiss

Wow, this album is really damn good. So many interesting change ups, and the layers of instrumentation and vocals make for such a rich sound. It has great energy and diversity in sound too. Love the saxophone! I've never dug into Paul's solo work so wasn't entirely sure what to expect outside of the hits, but this whole thing was pretty spectacular to me. New-to-me songs I especially loved are Mrs Vandebilt and Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five.

Love this fucking album. LINDAAAAAA

Just a rockin’ good album! Every song is great.

There is a turn up.... he's better without the Beatles if you ask me. Clearly enjoying himself and chuffing a lot. I would like a time machine to deposit me on a yacht in 1974 to fully appreciate this.

Haven't heard this iconic album in years and what a treat. Some little gems on here and some of the tracks carry remnants of The Beatles influence. Loved it 👍

The story of this album sounds wild. Never heard it as a whole, so I'm excited. I think this cements Paul's capabilities outside the Beatles. Easy 5* Highlights: band on the run (a banger, a masterpiece of many songs in one), jet, mrs vanderbilt, let me roll it

This has always been a big favorite and still is

I really enjoyed this album, I had heard the singles before and liked them even more as an album all together. Its very good and complete I had never heard ninteen hundred and eighty five before, what a great song. That will be played again!! Favourite song: Band on the run Least favourite: Bluebird, I was not a fan of this at all. Album artwork: Iconic album cover

Slightly embarrassed to emotional j had not listened to this album in its entirety, start to finish. Until now. And I consider myself a Beatles fan/need. This is a good album. It feels like McCartney really left the Beatles behind and was himself. Great tunes including "Jet", "Band on the Run", and "Let Me Roll It". A good mix of material in the other songs on the album. I will return visit this one!

GREAT ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How could anyone not like this album? It's so easy to listen to, transitions through so many vibes whilst retaining its theme, has a few classic tunes and just all round ticks all the boxes. I high-key love that Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five repeated the main melody from the song Band on the Run which nicely ties the whole album together, without the album looping itself. Favourite song was probably Let Me Roll It, another song I wanna slow dance in the kitchen to.

A fantastic album one I've listened to many times. Favourite song include jet, let me roll it and nineteen hundred and eight five

el mejor album de paul

PonLacarney sabía lo que hacía

Muy bien 10, jugamo fuimo adelante y a otra cosa. El collage de Picasso's Last Words es magia

Uno de los mejores álbumes de toda la historia en mi opinión. 5 estrellas le queda corto, y puedo explicar por qué. Posterior al quiebre de The Beatles, McCartney no solo demostró su tremendo talento escribiendo dos discos que hasta el día de hoy son considerados como los precursores del "indie pop"; si no que también se dió el lujo de formar una de las bandas más exitosas de los '70s, estableciéndose como uno de los compositores más prolijos del siglo XX. Pronto se estrenará el documental "One Hand Clapping" y no puedo esperar a ver cómo Paul se juntó con el resto de los miembros de Wings para desarrollar uno de los sonidos más icónicos de la historia del Pop Rock. Si no ha escuchado Band On The Run, usted no ha vivido. Así de siemple.

Great album. Loved the reprise of "Band on the Run" during "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five". Feels like a Beatles album that we all wanted.

Yeah

Easily the best Beatles solo record, the best Wings album, and the best album that Paul was involved in during his post-beatles stint

goated

This is such a good album - it's just so energetic and playful.

The best Paul McC post-Beatles album. Maybe not every song is equally strong, but the perfect sequencing makes up for it.

One of the songs was a bit long but these were highly enjoyable

4.5

Paul wanted to be in a touring rock and roll band after The Beatles and this is what he did. The result is pretty solid 70s rock, accessible but with some interesting arrangements.

10/10. This album is a classic with many stunning masterpieces. Do I dare say that I like this album more than any of the Beatles' albums? Yes, I do. :) Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five is one of my absolute favourite songs ever. It makes me really happy. :)

Chicken or egg situation with any Beatles album or solo project from one of them, I can't tell if they just resonate with me or if they resonate with me because I have been listening to Beatles albums since birth. But even the songs I have never heard from some of their solo projects hit as if I have heard them forever, except Bluebird from this album, it sucked.

Great album

Mecca forever.

Fab Macca Thumbs Aloft

All-time classic. And considering the circumstances that it was made in, all the more amazing how fantastic it turned out!

Band on the run is one of greatest albums of all time, the tite track is best paul mccartney song ever written.

This is leaps and bounds better than the post-Beatles Lennon stuff. Like, a hundred times better. It sounds much further on than its 1975 release date would suggest.

Such familiar sound. Feels like I've known him forever without eer knowing who it was. Great album

First time listen. There are some real quality tracks on this album. Its a real stand out and speaks about the quality of Sir Paul. Band on the run, Jet, Mrs Vandebilt, let me roll it, Picassos last words, nineteen hundred and eighty five are all real quality tunes. These are songs i will cherish forever.

My folks loved this album growing up. It really showed that Paul McCartney had solo musical chops

Una joya de álbum. Maravilloso de punta a punta. Todas las canciones son increíbles.

I wanna put aside that this is an album from Paul McCartney. Throw away any comparisons you'd be unconsciously making to the legacy of The Beatles—how do you consider this album on its own? If it was just a release from a band called Wings? Simply: it's one of the absolute greatest 70's rock albums of all time. Up there with A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, HONKY CHÂTEAU, HUNKY DORY, OUT OF THE BLUE, LED ZEPPELIN IV, THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON... I could go on. It's just masterful: hit after hit after **hit**. The only one I can think of that I like better than BAND ON THE RUN is BAT OUT OF HELL, which, I mean, that's a high bar to clear, but just that it's even in the same conversation...! And I just wanna take a second to say: "Jet" might be the best song on the whole album? I'm not sure what consensus says about it, but for me, gawd, the opening of "Jet" can excite me like nothing else could ever hope to. And the synth lines on it, too? **Damn**. Jus', I'unno. I'd talk more, but specific words fail me. It's really an album where I'd rather just play it for someone and let them experience what makes it so great than try to describe it myself. So... Y'know, go on, if you haven't already.

Just an absolutely stellar piece of 70s rock. Very easy 5 to give.

That’s an easy 5, and thank goodness it is. I always use this album as a sort of benchmark, but it’s been so long since I actually heard it that I wondered if my memory was sort of faltering on me – obviously, Band on the Run and Jet are the two biggest hits off of this album, and some of Paul’s best known post-Beatles stuff, but I couldn’t fully remember the rest of the album. The rest of the album is just as damn good; the only real point of “ehh” for me was the sort of “first minute is the whole song” track that is “Let Me Roll It,” but even that’s a pretty good song when it comes to it – I think this is just a great fucking listen, regardless of paying attention to the lyrics, and if you do pay attention to the lyrics, I think it just adds even more to the album. The structures on all of these tracks are super fun, both vocally and instrumentally in a way that’s both reminiscent of The Beatles and much closer to some of his contemporaries at the time, like say, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, or even a lot of the U.S. bands that had kinda tried to fill the post-Beatles void (especially on No Words & Helen Wheels). I could keep going, but I’m just glad this album was as strong as I remembered it being – I truly forgot the album had ended on a small reprise of Band on the Run, so that was a fun looping point. It’s just a great fucking album, and when music can make someone feel this good, there’s not a damn thing wrong with it. Just a really strong listen from top to bottom, and a real pinnacle of 70s rock to me. One of the easiest 5’s I’ll give.

Okay wow. Thought it would be an album with a couple strong singles but meh the rest, after how bad Bluebird was, but this record is fucking incredible, in spite of that song. Sounds to me like it was very influential, something I'm finding out Paul was quite good at

Awesome. Title track set the tone, rest of the album followed through.

well it’s paul mccartney and this is a great album i like the use of horns a long with classic rock feel

Best thing in the apple pie,,,,, soooo gooooooooood. EVERY song is so good. At first I saw the album and I was like “‘ell nah.” But listening to it now, it’s so good! Paul Mccartney ate this album UP! The Beatles should learn from this cuz Wow. This album makes me want to take on the world and howl at the moon.

The first time I listened to entire album. I am not a Beatles fan. Meh. BUT this was wonderfully different. I felt the whole heart. This sang love to me. Thanks, Paul.

I never realized before, but a lot of McCartney's output is like, puns. Jet with suffragette, 'Helen' Wheels, this creeps up on other albums as well. Weird. I spin this record a lot, it's a:

Band on the run and Jet, of course. Even nineteen hundred and eighty five and Helen wheels play but for my money I'm taking Let me roll it and Mrs. Vanderbilt, cuz you know "what's the use in worrying?" No use!

Honestly a great album, had heard some tracks before but this was really much better than I’d expected

Was this guy in The Beatles? What is this? Paul commanded a big set on this one. And of course, it paid off!