LP Review: Paul McCartney, ‘The Boys Of Dungeon Lane’ – A Late Career, Absolute Gem

Don’t pay the ransom! While I stepped away from B&V for a minute on summer vacation – my last post was, gads, May 26th (Playlist: Desperados, Outlaws & Criminals) – rock n roll legend Paul McCartney released his new album, The Boys Of Dungeon Lane. It was preceded by the single “Days We Left Behind” a few weeks back.

I know I’m late to the game assessing this album now, but it’s so good I have to share. This year bringing a new McCartney album, a new Ringo album and a Stones LP on the way, pinch me am I dreaming? It feels like it’s 1972. I need to go out and get myself a leather fringe jacket like David Crosby used to wear.

Since McCartney’s career comeback after working on the Beatles Anthology project, and his stellar 1997 comeback album Flaming Pie, the man has been on a roll. The Boys Of Dungeon Lane is no exception. This album is dripping in nostalgia and it’s the sound of a man, nearer to the end than the beginning, looking back and reflecting on his past. And in McCartney’s case, most of it is his pre-Beatles, childhood past.

Like his 2005 album Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, this album is almost better when you listen to it as a whole, like a Pink Floyd album. It’s not a concept album, but it works as a whole. The songs on this album may not ever gain the patina of some of his early hits, but listening to this thing from start to finish is one of the most rewarding listening experiences I’ve had in quite a while.

While chock full of nostalgic tunes that look back this album isn’t maudlin at all. “Days We Left Behind” was a bit of a tearjerker, with McCartney using his aging voice as part of the tapestry of the song which only brought more resonance to it. There are plenty of love songs and a lot of hope in many of these songs.

Dungeon Lane was produced by Andrew Watt, and man is that guy on a roll. He seems to bring out the best in whomever he’s working with: Iggy Pop who sounded like he was still in the Stooges on Every Loser; Elton John, The Stones on Hackney Diamonds and their upcoming Foreign Tongues, or those two great LPs Watt did with Ozzy. Watt seems to know how to get classic artists to just do what they do naturally.

Watt has coaxed everything that McCartney does well onto this album. It’s like the perfect encapsulation of his career, with a heavy emphasis on those 70s albums we all loved. It’s a mature work by a mature artist and yet it’s still a lot of fun. And yes, there are parts of this record that are very “Beatlesque.”

Unlike most Watt productions, McCartney plays almost all the instruments. There’s no Chad Smith (RHCP) on drums or GnR’s Duff McKagan (bass) or Slash (guitar) or Josh Klinghoffer (RHCP/Pearl Jam) guesting. We get Ringo Starr, Paul’s erstwhile band mate playing drums and Chrissie Hynde singing back up on a track but other than Watt playing some guitar/keyboards, it’s all McCartney. Paul even plays trumpet.

The first song on the album is “As You Lie There.” When it started, McCartney comes in with a spoken word part, and I thought, “Oh no, it’s gonna be cheesy.” Man, was I wrong. It turns into a great rock song. Believe it or not, it’s McCartney – one of the most famous humans on the planet – wondering if the object of his school boy crush ever thinks about him? Could he be more human in that moment? Who amongst us haven’t done that? Imagine being that woman?

There are plenty of other rocking, upbeat moments on the album. “Lost Horizon” may be my favorite song on Dungeon Lane. It’s a classic rocker track. It sounds like a song about his days in the Beatles. “Live for now,” is a great lyric and great advice.

“Ripples In A Pond” is just a great, patented McCartney pop rock song. “Come Inside” is an infectious rocker where McCartney invites someone to “come inside my mind.”

As I mentioned, there are some slower tracks that are soaked in nostalgia. “Days We Left Behind” is just a wonderful, wistful tune. “First Star Of The Night” is a complete knock out of a ballad. It’s also one of my absolute favorites. Such depth on that track, it’s gorgeous.

“Down South” is an acoustic strummer that I read somewhere recounts a hitchhiking trip with George Harrison when they were kids. “We Two” lyrically takes me back to “The Two Of Us” from Let It Be. It’s a great love song that I think might be about Linda, his late wife.

The only slow song that didn’t grab me immediately was “Life Can Be Hard,” with McCartney employing a falsetto. I dig the message and it’s not a bad track, it just didn’t grab me. It’s a lilting little ditty.

Watt even got McCartney to lean into a dash of psychedelia with “Mountain Top,” where Paul mentions “magic mushrooms.” There’s even an aural soundscape freakout at the end. “Never Know” is another trippy track that I just dug. “I want some love and peace, we need it right now,” is indeed true. It’s the mellower of the two trippy tracks, but it just works!

“Home To Us” is a great duet and his first one ever with Ringo. Two ex Beatles reminiscing about their home town. It borders on a drinking song, but then, that may just be me, as Ringo is sober now. It’s great to hear these old friend singing together. It’s the one place I felt Watt’s tendency to compress the music comes into play… he should have given the vocals a little more room.

The album ends on a pair of tracks about McCartney’s parents and their relationship. “Salesman Saint” could have been my life story. “My father was a salesman, my mother was a saint.” McCartney returns to his first schoolboy instrument, the trumpet. Can you imagine Paul as a kid playing trumpet in band class thinking, “Got To Get You Into My Life,” man.

The second track from the parental themed enders was “Momma Gets By,” a slow piano ballad…and if this track and the former don’t bring a tear to your eye, you were likely raised by wolves. The two companion tracks are so intertwined it evokes the side 2 medley on Abbey Road. Those tracks really bring home the nostalgic vibe of the album.

Again, this is a mature album by a mature artist. This is a stunning late period masterpiece and it’s one of the type of albums I started B&V for. It’s too early – especially with a Stones’ LP on the way – to call this the album of the year, but damn if it’s not in contention. Everyone should hear this one… you may need a tumbler of the dark and murky stuff to get through some of the more nostalgic tunes, but that’ll just make it better.

This is a special album from a man who’s 83. I don’t know how many more of these albums we’ll get from Paul, but this is an absolute treat in what is a real bummer of a time we’re living through.

Cheers!