Neither the dippy, rustic Wild Life nor the slick AOR flourishes of Red
Rose Speedway earned Paul McCartney much respect, so he made the
self-consciously ambitious Band on the Run to rebuke his critics. On the
surface, Band on the Run appears to be constructed as a song cycle in
the vein of Abbey Road, but subsequent listens reveal that the only
similarities the two albums share are simply superficial. McCartney's
talent for songcraft and nuanced arrangements is in ample display
throughout the record, which makes many of the songs -- including the
nonsensical title track -- sound more substantial than they actually
are. While a handful of the songs are excellent -- the surging, inspired
surrealism of "Jet" is by far one of his best solo recordings,
"Bluebird" is sunny acoustic pop, and "Helen Wheels" captures McCartney
rocking with abandon -- most of the songs are more style than substance.
Yet McCartney's melodies are more consistent than any of his previous
solo records, and there are no throwaways; the songs just happen to be
not very good. Still, the record is enjoyable, whether it's the
minor-key "Mrs. Vandebilt" or "Let Me Roll It," a silly response to John
Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?," which does make Band on the Run one of
McCartney's finest solo efforts. However, there's little of real
substance on the record. No matter how elaborate the production is, or
how cleverly his mini-suites are constructed, Band on the Run is nothing
more than a triumph of showmanship. AMG.
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