Driving Rain
I found a lot of exciting bass playing on the Wings Over America album. He was doing a lot of up-the-neck punctuations and attacks. While his playing has been top-notch since then, I haven't heard a lot of this playing. Some people call it over-playing, but those types wouldn't be reading this web-site anyway, would they?
A lot of the Driving Rain album is completely different than anything McCartney has done since his first solo album. You can hear buzz, the ring of the cymbals. In many cases, it sounds as if you are listening to the musicians first hand and not after a lot of zany mixing. Along with this relaxing of standards (which I really like), I saw him do something on the opening night of his Driving Rain tour that he never would have done in a million years. After a song or two, he was talking to the audience when he suddenly took off his coat and threw it on the floor, saying it was a bit warm. The man is loosening up!
Another note: In notes on the earlier Beatles recordings I made somewhat disparaging remarks about Paul's use of his Hofner bass. All the bass playing on this album is one on his Hofner as well as his live shows. It sounds far better than ever, doesn't it?
] LONELY ROAD
The man is sixty years old and rocking his bass guitar as much or more than he ever did in his twenties. In fact a simple but effective bass-line opens up the album (Lonely Road) and once the rock guitars make their way in, the bass is not lost in the mix. It's nice to hear him back at it. And there is a subtle and yet very important thing that happens at the end of the song. It would never happened with the previous Paul McCartney, but there it is. If you put the CD on and listen to the end of Lonely Road, you hear amplifier buzz. One complaint about McCartney that I've heard over the years, and have many times felt myself, is that his productions are very slick. Those of us who loved John Lennon's contributions to the Beatles were hoping for more of this from McCartney. Well, take that! Amp buzz!
FROM A LOVER TO A FRIEND
On this very pretty and (in a timing sense) complicated ballad, the bass is right where I like it. It is very effectively played to counterpart the other instruments, but is right up front as well. Sometimes the best ballads are like this. They seem simple, but once you dig beneath the service, you find that there is a lot going on. If you've skipped by this one, listen again, to the timing, the way the guitar and piano interplay. And listen to Abe Laboriel's drums. These are real drums played by a real drummer, not a drum machine. The effect is as if you were listening to a live mix.
DRIVING RAIN
Space is what this song is about; musicians giving each other
space. Laboriel's drumming is pretty hectic, while the other
instruments are nicely orchestrated. This style of recording
is reminiscent of many Beatles recordings where most of the instruments
would be very tastefully orchestrated but one instrument (i.e. the acoustic
guitar on She Came In Through the Bathroom Window) is allowed to go wild
and free.
Space is something that isn't often thought about when making
music. A lot of musicians tend to think of their parts alone,
but the best ones give each other space.
TINY BUBBLE
A close listen to the bass playing here reveals some interesting aspects. The touch is rather light on the eighth-note hammering, but occasionally he let's a good lick fly that has a completely different pick attack. The keyboards on this song are what are really interesting to me. There are two or three organs being played simultaneously. One is holding chords (the one you hear at the end). Another is playing little punches that liven up the song.
MAGIC
This is a song that I would advise up-and-coming bass players to listen to. His pick attack is soft but commanding. His style almost floats from chord to chord, backing up the four guitars and keyboards. Very, very nice.
Paul's back, not that he was ever gone.
Go to "What Do Others Say?" section