Search - Paul McCartney :: Off the Ground

C'mon, People!

Tom Emanuel | Deadwood, SD USA | 05/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll be the first to admit it: I'm a Maccamaniac. I have McCartney, Ram, all the Wings albums, Tug of War, Flowers in the Dirt, Flaming Pie, Driving Rain, two live double-albums, and assorted classical and instrumental projects. I've got more Paul than I do John, George, and Ringo combined and doubled. So when I made my latest purchase, 1993's Off the Ground, I figured I had reached the lower echelon of the man's catalogue and was simply rounding out my collection. Suffice to say I was pleasantly surprised.



Flowers in the Dirt from 1989 and the monstrously successful world tour that accompanied it were viewed as a comeback for Paul after his mid-80s slump. Off the Ground might be considered "Flowers in the Dirt, Part II". Again collaborating with Elvis Costello on a handful of tracks and playing with his touring band, the albums have a similar feel to them; and yet not so similar. For one thing this disc is less produced than its predecessor, while still maintaining a crisp, clean sound comparable to Steely Dan - a few cuts even sound a bit like the Dan (Peace in the Neighbourhood, for instance). It has fewer highs (and lows) as well, but it compensates in overall consistency.



Off the Ground may be Paul's most socially conscious outing to date. Several songs are pleas for peace and animal rights, including the epic closer C'mon People/Cosmically Conscious (orchestrated by the one and only George Martin, no less). Two more McCartney-Costello collaborations grace the record, - Mistress & Maid and The Lovers that Never Were - both of which would have felt quite at home on Flowers in the Dirt. Toss in a few love ballads and one of Paul's punchiest rockers (Get Out of My Way) and you get more than the usual McCartney fare - you get one of Paul's most impressive, balanced offerings. The only downer is Biker like an Icon, a bland bit of the character-sketching Paul is usually so good at, and Winedark Open Sea may be just a minute too long. But apart from that, it's great.



For being such a fine album Off the Ground sold pretty miserably - it is, to the best of my knowledge, Paul's least successful outing commercially at any rate. It deserves better. After being woefully overlooked for years I'd say it earns the dubious distinction of "Most Underrated McCartney Record", and if that means anything to you Off the Ground is well worth a listen."

Most Underrated Macca Album

Blah blah blah | New York, USA | 10/21/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's true that this 1993 album came at what could be considered McCartney's commercial nadir: I remember reading somewhere that '97's Flaming Pie sold more than his previous three or four albums combined (take this stat with a grain of salt). Plus, much has been made out of Paul's "rejuvination" after the Beatles Anthology project. All of this may be true, but OTG is miles above many of Paul's other albums in terms of melody, inspiration and pure listenability. The centerpiece is "Hope of Deliverance," one my all-time favorite Macca tunes. Most of the songs qualify, at worst, as pleasantly catchy. As with any album, there are other assorted peaks ("Mistress & Maid" and "Peace in the Neighborhood"), valleys (mainly lyrical: the words to "Biker Like an Icon" and "Golden Earth Girl"), and all points in between. In retrospect, this album represents Paul at his most relaxed and domesticated, focusing mainly on ecological issues and the benefits of love and family. It's worthy to note that two of the best songs on "Flaming Pie" (the acoustic "Great Day" and "Calico Skies") were actually recorded during the OTG period but deemed to "solo"-ish for a band-based album. They both exude peace and optimism and would have fit in perfectly!"

Give it a chance

Blah blah blah | 01/08/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The biggest problem occuring with reviews of McCartney's solo material is that it inevitably gets compared to the Beatles. Off the Ground is an underrated album because of this. People say, Why doesn't he write "Hey Jude" again? (For an example of formulaic rock, one need only look at the Rolling Stones.) Off The Ground is a feel good album, it is music existing for the sake of music. Nothing subliminal here, and the content is varied; from rockers like "Biker" and "Looking For Changes" to ballads like "Winedark Open Sea" , and downright mystical songs like "Owe it all to you" and "Golden Earth girl". If you want the Beatles, go buy Sgt. Pepper. If you want a fine Paul McCartney album, give Off The Ground a shot. You may be pleasantly surprised."