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Given Paul McCartney's recent turbulent private life, the fact this album exists at all is enough cause for celebration. 

Better still, it's more tuneful and exuberant than 2005's underwhelming Nigel Godrich produced "Chaos And Creation In The Backyard". That's not to say it's "Revolver", but at least McCartney is playing to his strengths.

The breezy, mandolin-driven single "Dance Tonight" and the electronic-tingled nostalgia trip "Ever Present Past" should bring joy to the growing legion of Wings enthusiasts, whilst the sarcastic grumble of the recommended track "Gratitude" [Ha, who could this be about then hey?!] shows that for a 64 year old legend, Macca still hasn't quite grown old gracefully. However, is bass playing  is still on this album is still, as ever, peerless.

The production quality does most of the work here, because when you listen, everything seems relatively simple. And that's not a bad thing by any means. Paul's never been known to write the most complex music of all time, just simple, good songs. The difference between Memory Almost Full and McCartney's other solo work is that this is much more consistent and possesses songs that stand up to his best work.

So, if you're a fan you'll like it, if not its not the place to start a Paul McCartney collection. 

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