Paul McCartney - Back In The World Live (2003) "Reload"

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Paul McCartney - Back In The World Live (2003) "Reload"

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Certainly the greatest album I've heard in a long time, Paul McCartney's 'Back in the World' is a rock and roll party all the way through, featuring some of the best (mainly) McCartney penned Beatles songs mixed with some of his solo career highlights. His voice is still amazingly strong for his age, so much so that I prefer many of the songs on this album to their studio versions, and I really couldn't pay a higher compliment to this album than that. I was even more surprised when I saw Paul live at Earls Court, London the other week, in that I thought his voice may perhaps be a let down because this album features his best live recordings, but I was proved wrong as it sounded almost identical to how it does on this album.

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Paul McCartney - Back In The World Live (2003) "Reload"

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'Hello Goodbye' is a great opener, turned, like many on this album, from being a lightweight pop song into a rousing, foot stomping live anthem. 'Jet' sounds better than ever before, as does 'Let Me Roll It'. Three songs from his latest album are then played, 'Your Loving Flame' being my personal favourite. What follows is a nice acoustic session, my only complaint is 'Carry That Weight' being a part of it. It isn't really suited to an acoustic sound, and would have been better near the end in its original rock sound. 'Blackbird' and 'Mother Nature's Son' are two of the best in this section, and it finishes with two fine tributes; 'Here Today', a touching ode to John Lennon, of what McCartney would have said to him had he been alive today, and 'Something', probably the album's most interesting song, a ukulele version of George Harrison's classic hit, done so in this fashion because of Harrison's love of the instrument. I found it quite odd that there was no tribute to his late wife Linda, why not?
Onto the second half. It begins with 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'Here There and Everywhere', both more lively versions than their originals. Then comes the magnificent 'Calico Skies' from the equally magnificent 'Flaming Pie' album, the only song featured from it on this disc. Then follows one of McCartney's greatest ever songs, 'Band on the Run'. 'My Love' and 'She's Leaving Home' provide a soft touch to this part of the album. 'Live and Let Die' is tailor-made for stadium singalongs, and doesn't disappoint here, I will never forget the explosions at the beginning and end when he played it onstage. Towards the end it features four of not only McCartney greatest songs, but four of the twentieth century's greatest; 'Let It Be', 'Hey Jude', 'The Long and Winding Road' and of course 'Yesterday', all done with the necessary onstage enthusiasm. 'Hey Jude' is the exceptional standout. This wonderful album finishes suitably with 'Sgt Peppers' and 'The End', complete with an extended jam.

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Paul McCartney - Back In The World Live (2003) "Reload"

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