Paul McCartney
(Capitol)
III is compelling and worthwhile, even if that’s more because of what the album represents as an artifact of its time and Paul McCartney’s artistic resilience than it is for the songs themselves. The album was built upon the back of its most fully-realized song, a lovely chestnut from the vault called “When Winter Comes” (recorded by George Martin alongside
Flaming Pie’s “Calico Skies,” and dusted off to accompany an animated film project). The remainder of the record finds McCartney returning to the roots of 1970’s
McCartney and 1980’s
McCartney II, writing quickly and performing all instruments himself. Rather than the pure experimentation of those predecessor albums,