Paul McCartney to reissue classic solo albums ‘McCartney’ and ‘McCartney II’

LOS ANGELES — There is justice in this world for those of us who have long contended that Paul McCartney’s weird and wonderful 1980 solo album “McCartney II” is way better and
more interesting than most critics contended when it was released. The
album, along with its predecessor from a decade earlier, “McCartney,”
will see reissue June 14 as part of the former Beatles bassist’s extensive, ongoing catalog update through the Concord Music Group, it was announced Wednesday morning.

McCartney oversaw all aspects of these reissues, and
it shows in the many extras that will be featured. Each album will be
released in both pared-down two-disc versions and multidisc/DVD
packages, the latter of which will include extensive liner notes, bonus
tracks, film footage and a hardbound book featuring photos by both
McCartney and his late wife Linda McCartney, whose stunning images documented the couple’s seemingly idyllic life.

It’s interesting to note how the reputation of
“McCartney II” has grown in the 30 years since its release. Initially
dismissed as a dalliance by many, the album contained one hit, “Coming
Up,” which is one of the least interesting songs on it. Rolling Stone
gave “McCartney II” three stars, and Robert Christgau gave it a C, writing that “(t)he instrumentals are doodles, the songs
demos by a man who scores the occasional hit only to prove he’s genius.
Which he isn’t.”

These “doodles,” however, proved prescient, created
as they were at the moment when the experimental computer pop of
Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra was making its mark. Parts of
“McCartney II” wouldn’t sound out of place on an early Human League or
Depeche Mode album. Ariel Pink should be singing over
“Front Parlour,” a bouncy, melodic instrumental that kicks off the
second side of the album. (It’s pretty obvious that David Bowie’s Brian Eno-produced “Low” was an inspiration.)

And then there’s “Temporary Secretary,” which of
late has become a staple in DJ sets — in the last year No Age, Frosty
from Dublab and DJ Chris Holmes have all been heard dropping the track
into their mixes. The song sounds as if Admiral Halsey had traveled
into the future looking for his first mate, the “temporary secretary”
of the title.

The “McCartney II” deluxe reissue will contain three
CDs and a DVD featuring previously unseen footage, and eight bonus
audio tracks. The accompanying book will feature previously unpublished
photos by Linda McCartney, and, as described in the
press release, “original album and single artwork, downloadable hi-res
audio versions of the remastered album, an illustrated history of the
making of the album, and expanded track by track information for all
three audio discs plus detailed historical information on the film
content.”

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