Two albums that might've made the Rigidly Digital 2020 Selection, but didn't arrive in time, were:
- Paul McCartney 'III' - Release delayed to 18th December
- AC/DC 'Power Up' - The gentle advice I was given was "DO NOT BUY IT!"
(and yes, there it was wrapped in shiny paper)
And now I can reveal that, I will place them at Numbers 16 and 17. Of the two, I'm preferring AC/DC to Paul McCartney's Lockdown recordings.
'Power Up':
AC/DC always deliver what you expect of AC/DC, and this album is no different, although it does fell more committed than the last two outing ('Black Ice' and 'Rock Or Bust') which felt more like an exercise in keeping the name out there than creating new music.
This one has echoes of early 80s efforts 'For Those About To Rock' and 'Flick Of The Switch'. Solid drums, root bass notes, pounding relentless rhythm guitar, Brain's wailing vocals. and Angus's fills and solos. Nothing new really (except a slight Led Zep-ism on "Demon Fire"), but you don't want it or expect it. No they won't ever top 'Back In Black' and long ago gave up trying to. What you do get is everything you want of an AC/DC album, and it's always good to press play and just know what is going to happen.
'III':
Like McCartneys I & II, all here is preformed by Paul - although it sounds like he has a full band in tow at times - all hail to recording technology.
There can be little doubt that Paul McCartney knows how to write a tune, and this album proves he hasn't lost the knack. OK, some of the songs sound a little sketchy and brittle, but he sounds in good voice and playability. This album may not rank amongst his best work, but is not a true duffer.
What I find most pleasing about it is that it is an album of songs, and not a collection of outlines, musings, and experiments, and has been polished up and not just thrown out as an exercise in "look what I've been doing during lockdown". Perfectly listenable (as Macca's work always is) but one does wonder how much these songs would've grown in a bigger studio with other players to bounce off.
AC/DC - Realize
Paul McCartney - Find My Way
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