Egypt Station
| Egypt Station | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 7 September 2018 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 57:30 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Greg Kurstin Ryan Tedder (on "Fuh You") | |||
| Paul McCartney chronology | ||||
| ||||
Egypt Station is the 18th solo studio album by Paul McCartney. It was released by Capitol Records on 7 September 2018.[1]
Egypt Station was produced by Greg Kurstin, with the exception of one track produced by Ryan Tedder.[1] The album is McCartney's first studio release on Capitol since 2005's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, [3] and it is the first release since his 2013 album New.
The album's first (double A-side) single, consisting of the two songs "I Don't Know" and "Come On to Me", was released on 20 June 2018.[4][5]
The name "Egypt Station" is shared by one of McCartney's paintings from 1988, from which the cover art is derived.[1][6]
Recording
Egypt Station was recorded in studios in Los Angeles, London, and Sussex.[1] McCartney began working with producer Greg Kurstin some time after the release of his 2013 album New, and mentioned their working together several times leading up to 20 June 2018 announcement of Egypt Station's release.[7]
McCartney also recorded three songs with Ryan Tedder.[8] One of the songs, "Fuh You", is included on the album.
The song "Back In Brazil" recorded in KLB Studios in city of São Paulo. [9]
Composition
Egypt Station contains 16 tracks, including opening and penultimate instrumentals entitled "Opening Station" and "Station II" respectively. Tracks include the singles "I Don't Know" and "Come On to Me", "Happy with You", described as "acoustic meditation on present day contentedness", "People Want Peace", called a "timeless anthem that would fit on virtually any album of any McCartney era", and "an epic multi-movement closer" called "Despite Repeated Warnings".[1]
Additional tracks that were revealed by producer Greg Kurstin in a Rolling Stone interview[10] are "Confidante", "Back in Brazil", "Fuh You", and "Hunt" or "Hunt You Down".
On the inspiration for the album's title and theme, McCartney said:
"I liked the words 'Egypt Station.' It reminded me of the 'album' albums we used to make... 'Egypt Station' starts off at the station on the first song and then each song is like a different station. So it gave us some idea to base all the songs around that. I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from."[1]
In the promotional event "Casual Conversation" (see below), McCartney further clarified his creative process behind recording Egypt Station and described it as a "concept album".
Promotion
On 10 June 2018, all content was removed from McCartney's Instagram page. That day, all of McCartney's social media pages began posting cryptic photos of symbols and McCartney playing various instruments, fueling speculation of an impending announcement.[11] The title Egypt Station was first announced on 18 June 2018, McCartney's 76th birthday. One day later, McCartney officially announced the release of the album's first (double A-side) single, consisting of the two songs "I Don't Know" and "Come On to Me". The two songs were released on 20 June 2018. The same day, McCartney's website officially announced the title and release date of Egypt Station, also providing information on the album's recording and creative process.[1]
After years of rumoured persuasion,[12] McCartney agreed to film a "Carpool Karaoke" segment for The Late Late Show with James Corden in Liverpool on 9 June 2018. As part of the segment, McCartney performed a small gig at Liverpool's Philharmonic Dining Rooms, where he played "Come On to Me" live for the first time. The segment was broadcast the week of 17 June in conjunction with the release of Egypt Station's first single.[13] An extended version of the segment, titled When Corden Met McCartney (Live from Liverpool), was broadcast by CBS on 20 August, 2018.[14]
On 3 July, the Freshen Up tour was announced through the official McCartney website. The tour will be starting on 17 September in Quebec City, Canada.
On 19 July, McCartney posted an image on his Instagram asking fans "Why do you think you should attend a secret event in London with Paul next week?" Fans were asked to "post a short video using the hashtag #UnderTheStaircase". The winners of the contest were treated to a secret concert at Abbey Road Studios with a number of other celebrity guests in attendance. The set list included four songs off of the upcoming album including "Come On to Me", and the live debuts of "Confidante", "Fuh You" and a song that had been previously unmentioned, called "Who Cares". Later the same week McCartney played a surprise concert at The Cavern Club in Liverpool.
On 25 July, McCartney held a talk titled "Casual Conversation" at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). Moderated by Jarvis Cocker, the event was livestreamed on Facebook and he answered questions from LIPA students as well as viewers online.[15]
On 15 August, McCartney released "Fuh You" as the second single from the album.
On 3 September, McCartney's YouTube channel released a series of videos titled "Egypt Station - Words Between the Tracks." The videos feature McCartney briefly describing the composition and inspiration of each track from the standard-edition album.
On 7 September, to celebrate the launch of the album, McCartney performed a “secret” concert at Grand Central Station that was live-streamed on YouTube. Music-only videos of each performance were later uploaded to his YouTube channel.
Reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 74/100[16] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [17] |
| The Guardian | [18] |
| NME | [19] |
| The Observer | [20] |
| Pitchfork | 5.8/10[21] |
| Rolling Stone | [22] |
| Slant Magazine | [23] |
Egypt Station has been well-received by music critics. On Metacritic, the album has an overall score of 73 out of 100 compiled from the scores of 23 music critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]
In the review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine opined that "All the slower songs are peppered with haunting images of darkness creeping at the edges, while McCartney revives the carnality that marked "Press" - not just on the straight-forward "Fuh You" but "Come On To Me," a considerably better song than the Tedder exercise. Such twists are welcome but what's satisfying about Egypt Station is what's always satisfying about a McCartney record: the hooks and imagination that are so rampant, they seem effortless."[17] Dan Stubbs from NME gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying: "McCartney’s always been about inclusivity and openness, but this latest glimpse into his life feels like a particularly enlightening one."[19] Reviewing the album for The Observer, Kitty Empire also gave the album 4 out of 5 stars. In the review she states that "The finest songs here land immediately and hum with urgency."[20]
Writing a four star review in Rolling Stone, Will Hermes claimed that "Make a list of all the songwriters who were composing great tunes in 1958. Now make an overlapping list of the ones who are still writing brilliant songs in 2018. Your list reads: Paul McCartney."[22] Chris Willman at Variety stated, "If it doesn’t make for McCartney’s most coherent collection, it’s endearing how enthusiastically he strives, at 76, to avoid doing just one thing when he can do a dozen. Bitch, he’s Macca."[24]
Track listing
Tracklist taken from the official McCartney page.[25] All tracks written by Paul McCartney, except "Fuh You" and "Nothing For Free" by Paul McCartney and Ryan Tedder. All tracks produced by Greg Kurstin, except "Fuh You" and "Nothing for Free" by Tedder and Zach Skelton.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Opening Station" | 0:42 |
| 2. | "I Don't Know" | 4:27 |
| 3. | "Come On to Me" | 4:11 |
| 4. | "Happy with You" | 3:34 |
| 5. | "Who Cares" | 3:13 |
| 6. | "Fuh You" | 3:23 |
| 7. | "Confidante" | 3:04 |
| 8. | "People Want Peace" | 2:59 |
| 9. | "Hand in Hand" | 2:35 |
| 10. | "Dominoes" | 5:02 |
| 11. | "Back in Brazil" | 3:17 |
| 12. | "Do It Now" | 3:29 |
| 13. | "Caesar Rock" | 3:29 |
| 14. | "Despite Repeated Warnings" | 6:57 |
| 15. | "Station II" | 0:46 |
| 16. | "Hunt You Down/Naked/C-Link" | 6:22 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Get Started" | 3:41 |
| 18. | "Nothing for Free" | 3:15 |
| Total length: | 64:22 | |
Charts
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[27] [28] |
1 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[29] | 12 |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "New Album 'Egypt Station' Arriving 7th September". PaulMcCartney.com.
- ^ Thompson, Rita. "'Paul McCartney Debuts Raunchy Love Song "Fuh You"'". Billboard. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ "Paul McCartney Signs Worldwide Deal With Capitol Records". Billboard.
- ^ "Paul To Release All-New Double A Side Single". PaulMcCartney.com. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ "Paul McCartney Releases New Singles". Stereogum.
- ^ "Egypt Station". McCartney Art.
- ^ "McCartney New Album 2018 Tease". bestclassicbands.com.
- ^ "Paul McCartney on New Album 'Egypt Station' and Collaborating with the Next Generation: "I Feel Lucky That These People Are Interested in Working with Me"". Diymag.com.
- ^ ""Back In Brazil" recording (2017 ?)". The-apulmccartney-project.com. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ Greene, Andy. "Paul McCartney's Producer Greg Kurstin Breaks Down 'Egypt Station'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ "McCartney Teases Beatles White Album". Bestclassicbands.com.
- ^ "James Corden Persuades McCartney To Film Carpool Karaoke". The Sun.
- ^ "McCartney Carpool Karaoke". Liverpool Echo.
- ^ "Monday's TV highlights: 'Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney'". LA Times.
- ^ "Watch Paul in Casual Conversation with Jarvis Cocker". PaulMcCartney.com.
- ^ a b "Critic Reviews for Egypt Station". Metacritic. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (13 October 2013). "Egypt Station - Paul McCartney". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 September 2018.}}
- ^ Empire, Kitty (9 September 2018). "Paul McCartney – 'Egypt Station'". Guardian. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ a b Nicolson, Barry (7 September 2018). "Paul McCartney – 'Egypt Station'". NME. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ a b Empire, Kitty (9 September 2018). "Paul McCartney – Egypt Station". The Observer. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (11 September 2018). "Paul McCartney: Egypt Station Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
- ^ a b Hermes, Will (5 September 2018). "Paul McCartney, Egypt Station". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ "Slant review". Slantmagazine.com.
- ^ Willman, Chris (6 September 2018). "Paul McCartney's Gets Saucy, and Slightly Serious, on 'Egypt Station'". Variety. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ "The Next Service To Egypt Station Will Be Calling At..." PaulMcCartney.com.
- ^ "Egypt Station With Exclusive Tracks". Target.com.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Paul McCartney – Egypt Station" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/offizielle.deutsche.charts/posts/2049256778466634
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
