NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� After all these years, it鈥檚 hard to conceive of something unprecedented happening But here it is, on new disc 鈥淭he Boys of Dungeon Lane,鈥� the first-ever duet between surviving band members McCartney and
It鈥檚 lovely. The two men reminisce about a hardscrabble childhood in Liverpool that they never considered rough because, as the title says, it was 鈥淗ome to Us.鈥�
On one level, it鈥檚 remarkable that these men, now in their mid-80s, are still turning out new music. Occasionally, they鈥檒l remind you of heights they once reached: McCartney鈥檚 2011 love song to his wife Nancy, 鈥淢y Valentine,鈥� or gems like 鈥淟ong Tailed Winter Bird.鈥� with T Bone Burnett is a match made for him.
One shouldn鈥檛 expect profound ruminations on mortality from McCartney as he approaches his 84th birthday. That wouldn鈥檛 be his style anyway. At its best, the album named for a Liverpool street offers quaint memories of his youth. On 鈥淒own South,鈥� he recalls bus rides with George Harrison that were 鈥渁 good way to get to know you, before we learned to twist and shout.鈥� 鈥淒ays We Left Behind鈥� looks back on the impermanence of life with fondness, not regret.
McCartney works with a producer nearly 50 years his junior in Andrew Watt, who into Watt is smart not to try to dress McCartney up in trendy new musical clothing. McCartney plays more than 90% of the instruments here, but the disc doesn鈥檛 have a DIY feel. It鈥檚 a straightforward pop-rock disc 鈥� pleasant in spots, inoffensive in others.
Age has taken its toll on McCartney鈥檚 once supple voice, most apparent when he reaches for high notes or, on the album-opening 鈥淎s You Lie There,鈥� tries to rock out. He sounds like an elderly man on 鈥淒ays We Left Behind,鈥� although that enhances the song given its subject matter. His once-unmatched ability to create memorable melodies has faded, too, and 鈥淭he Boys of Dungeon Lane鈥� plods in places as a result.
Is it fair to compare an 83-year-old McCartney to his youthful peak? Of course not. That wouldn鈥檛 be fair to anybody. Yet it鈥檚 also wise to temper expectations when listening to 鈥淭he Boys of Dungeon Lane.鈥�
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鈥淭he Boys of Dungeon Lane鈥� by Paul McCartney
Three stars out of five.
On repeat: 鈥淗ome to Us,鈥� 鈥淒own South鈥�
Skip it: 鈥淔irst Star of the Night鈥�
For fans of: The Beatles
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