The New Oldies: #4 Album of the Year 2021: Paul McCartney: McCartney III

Something seems to be missing these days. It seems that record companies, radio stations, and streaming services are pushing some the great established musicians to the background. As a result these veteran artists are not getting the attention they deserve. Enter the Top 10 Album Countdown: The New Oldies. The main point is simple – to make this list you must have at least 20 years of producing established music. The album by the artist must have been released between November 1st, 2020 and October 31st, 2021.

#4 Paul McCartney: McCartney III

Sir Paul McCartney’s 18th solo album, McCartney III lands at #4 on the New Oldies list. It was released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of McCartney’s first solo album, McCartney.

1970’s McCartney album would begin the post Beatles era for McCartney. Ten years later in 1980, he released McCartney II. It was 40 years since McCartney II and McCartney III was positioned as the third installment of what has become a trilogy. The album is a true solo album. McCartney wrote, produced, and plays every instrument on the track. McCartney had not planned on releasing a solo album in 2020, but the isolation of the COVID-19 “Rockdown” (as he refers to it) inspired him. It turns out that McCartney went back to some of his half-finished work, and decided to refine it further, polish it up, and release.

McCartney’s post Beatles-career has been filled with peaks and valleys. McCartney III represents some of McCartney’s best work since 1990’s Flowers in the Dirt. The songs are entertaining and at times. At times songs like Lavatory Lil will remind you of the Beatles, at times songs like Deep Down will make you think of Wings, and other tracks like Deep Deep Feeling will show an experimental side to McCartney. The album inspired a follow-up called McCartney III Imagined with contemporary artists covering the songs from the McCartney III album.

McCartney delivers the goods with this collection, and its a must have album from 2021.