Back to the Egg

Digitally remastered reissue of their top 10 1979 EMI album featuring the hits 'Getting Closer' and 'Arrow Through Me', plus 'Old Siam, Sir' and 'Rockestra Theme', as well as threebonus tracks: 'Daytime Nighttime Suffering', 'Wonderful Christmastime' and 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reggae'. 17 trackstotal. 1993 EMI release.

The promising career of this final edition of Wings was cut short in 1980 when Paul McCartney, perhaps just a bit too elated to be returning to Japan for his first performances since the Beatles' legendary visit 14 years earlier, was arrested by Japanese customs officials with a substantial stash of marijuana in his luggage. But though it's anchored by the muscular drumming of Steve Holly and the solid guitar work of the classically trained Laurence Juber (who's since carved out a comfortable niche as studio ace and innovative acoustic stylist), it's too often McCartney's songwriting that's the band's weakest link. Ostensibly upbeat numbers such as "Spin it On," "Getting Closer," and the big rock of "Old Siam, Sir" just can't overcome the MOR leanings of much of the rest, including "Arrow Through Me." The star-laden "Rockestra Theme" (featuring Pete Townshend, Ronnie Wood, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Dave Gilmour, and Ronnie Lane) is rollicking fun, but still not enough to surmount the artistic Battle of the Two Pauls; the Little Richard-inspired rocker and the Manilow-esque balladeer who too often gets the upper hand here. This CD also features the strong B-side "Daytime Nighttime Suffering," a track which may unintentionally comment on the other two "bonus" cuts here, the misfired McCartney holiday singles "Wonderful Christmastime" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reggae." --Jerry McCulley