Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney sounds surprisingly spry on Memory Almost Full, a well-crafted reminder of who really invented pop music as we know it. Before there was Sufjan there was Sir Paul expertly playing every instrument under the sun while incorporating string sections into his catchy, romantic songs. Though he deserves some knocks for the corny, crowd-pleasing aspects of his work, McCartney is an unabashed popsmith and he remains a genius at it. "Ever Present Past” and "Vintage Clothes” are nostalgic yet timeless, two of several instances where McCartney reflects upon life in his 60s while performing pop songs reflecting his work in the ’60s. There are inventive, rollicking moments such as "Only Mama Knows,” which is oddly reminiscent of Tortoise, and skittering experimental tracks like "Mr. Bellamy.” Such theatrics are contrasted by heavy ballads "You Tell Me” and "The End of the End,” which delve into mortality with genuine grace. Sounding ageless and eager to challenge himself, McCartney makes a couple of missteps and yes, his new label is run by Starbucks but, seriously, Memory Almost Full is no joke; this man means business.