The Ephemeric

Few people in the world have ever been able to boast a musical career as distinguished as Sir Paul McCartney's. It was down to the genius of Sir Paul and John Lennon that the Beatles forged their name in the annals of history as one of the legends of music, one of the biggest bands of all time and still selling records and reaching out to fans of all ages today.

That was forty years ago, and since then the Beatles have come and gone, but Sir Paul has continued to record music throughout the decades, from Band on the Run with Wings to his album Memory Almost Full released just last year. But while his work still sells by the case-full, with the latter album having gone platinum. at 66 that's got to make him one of the oldest rock musicians to record a platinum selling album. Despite this he has had more than his fair share of detractors in recent years who feel that the man is past his sell by date, running out of fresh ideas and doesn't have anything new to offer modern music. These people certainly can't say the same about his new album.



For anyone confused about why I might bring up Paul McCartney when discussing an album from someone called the Fireman, the Fireman is just the name under which McCartney has released this album, a duo comprising of Sir Paul himself and Martin Glover. Together they formed a band to record 'experimental' music, and that's exactly what they have achieved with their new album Electric Arguments.

He has not always been the most popular figure in the music industry in recent times, owing to various career and life decisions that I won't go into in detail here, and as I mentioned, there are people out there who think he should hang up his guitar for good. However, that is all moot now; this album is the best thing Sir Paul has done in decades. In an instant Paul McCartney has re-established his reputation as one of the all time greats and a musical genius.

The album opens with Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight, a heavy wrought but evocative number with a distinct Helter Skelter vibe to it. It is here that Macca makes a statement to all listeners that just because he's in his sixties doesn't mean he can't still rock out with the best of them, and after listening to this song who among us can't simply say 'point well taken'?

Sun is Shining and Lifelong Passionare other highlights on the album, as is the 10 minute long finale Don't Stop Running, but the undisputed jewel in this album is Sing the Changes which is a truly fantastic song, one that sounds like it takes the best bits of the last 30 years of music and combines it all into something fresh and exotic sounding, a song which is certainly the most memorable Sir Paul has recorded in many years.

Fresh and unpredictable throughout, Electric Arguments is an album that will shock you, sounding so cutting edge from such an old school rock star. It's an album that reminds us that while music tastes may come and go and change with the times, true genius lasts forever.