Driving Rain

Bruce Beatlefan (June 3, 2006)

The Driving Rain CD is heavily reviewed on this website, and in part I agree with all of them, even though they wander all over the map. The CD strikes me more like a massive download than as a cohesive collection of songs (16 new songs, over an hour of music), and it took many, many playings to separate the wheat from the chaff--and this album has a lot of both. The majority of songs deals with Paul\'s observations and trepidations in apprehending a new love, Miss Heather Mills. For the first time in McCartney\'s career, he seems quite comfortable in sharing his personal inner feelings. This makes even the lesser of these songs (like \"About You\" and \"I Do\") interesting. Better songs include the stock issue Paulstuff \"From a Lover to a Friend\" and \"Your Loving Flame\", the exotic \"Riding to Jaipur\", and two minor miracles which are among Paul\'s best tracks ever, \"Heather\" and \"Your Way\". The remaining songs give us the minor subplot of two collaberations with son James McCartney (\"Back in the Sunshine\" is okay, \"Spinning on an Axis\" isn\'t good enough to rise above its weirdness). The rest is some of Paul\'s strangest recordings \"She\'s Given up Talking\" and \"Tiny Bubble\", and two excellent rockers \"Lonely Road\" and \"Rinse the Raindrops\". Driving Rain is a confusing mishmash which (I believe) suffers from the fact that a CD has no discernable A- and B- side to give these songs some sense of order...but worth having for those four or five truly outstanding tracks.

John (September 14, 2005)

Driving Rain is quite below McCartney standards as a whole. Every once in awhile a song or more often a part of a song jumped out at me, but overall it left me disappointed. I really hated the whole "Freedom" and it's subsequent connection to the whole 9/11 terrorist thing and McCartney waving flags at concerts really turned me off too. Paul could never pull off the political activism John Lennon used to do.....but then Lennon was never the business man Paul was.

Jay (September 3, 2005)

Great album overall. A few songs are forgettable including Freedom. I remixed the album and left some of the songs I dont like off. Its a good way to really aprpeciate the finer work on the album. Guitar and drums are excelllent on the album as is Paul's piano work on "From a Lover to a Friend." I don't see how a Pmac fan wouldn't like this album on the whole. It sounds great with a finely polished sound. Two thumbs up in my opinion though I recommend taking some tracks off and burning your own copy of the CD with the songs you like (unless of course you like them all). :)

John (July 14, 2005)

At first listen Driving Rain left me very concerned for Macca's musical future. I actually remember thinking Paul has finally lost it. It was a struggle to get through the entire album. A very tough listen.
Only one or two tracks have any merit. I liked Lonely Road and Paul's scat singing at the end of the song. I like Your Way, which almost sounds like a Ram outtake. The title track Driving Rain is very catchy but as is the case in many of Paul's songs the lyrics are inane.

OB (July 6, 2005)

The thing with this album is (and with so many other of Paul's albums) that every time you listen to it it grows on you. Like a nice fungus.

Ramon (March 23, 2005)

This is a masterpiece. No doubt about it. The musicians that play along with paul are the best since those other 3 guys from the sixties!! It's a very fresh record, and very pure and organic, you can hear and feel the finguers and the strings, it seems that it was recorded in the 60's. I do believe it's his best work since McCartney, but I hope to hear something new and even better this year.
Cheers

Klaus Bergmaier / THE DOORS EXPERIENCE - www.thedoors.at (October 27, 2004)

One of his best albums ever. Many outstanding tracks. Heather is actually one of the greatest tracks ever written by Macca. No one else would dare release such a song. It's oh so great.

But I still can't stand the bonus track "Freedom". Couldn't he have left that off?

Rick Spencer (October 22, 2004)

I have every McCartney album, from McCartney to Back in the U.S.
In regards to "Driving Rain", I have listened to the CD once and even that was too much. My opinion is, this is his weakest album ever. I even enjoy listening to "Wildlife" more than this album.
(Which is saying a lot, considering that was his poorest album, just my opinion.)

As far as "Driving Rain" is concerned, I think every song is very weak and I can't find one song that I truly enjoy. That is a first for me on a McCartney album. Even when I attended one of his concerts from the last tour, he performed a few songs from the album.
I was not suprised to see many people leaving their seats to go to the concession stands or just sitting in their seats being very quiet. I thought that perhaps in concert these songs would come to life. Sorry, they were D.O.A.
I must admit his new band is dynamite and it's not their fault the songs are weak.
I am hoping that if McCartney releases another album, maybe he can take some time and try and write some great songs this time round.
Maybe I am being too critical, but I can't help it, I always expect greatness from this man.

No matter, he is and will always be, a great artist.

Harry (June 15, 2004)

Just realised that I accidently gave five stars - above. I meant less than one actually.

Harry (May 27, 2004)

Macca scrapes the barrel with this album making one wonder whether he ought to bother with another studio effort. There isn't a single outstanding track on Driving Rain.