With Days We Left Behind as the pre-release, we caught a glimpse into what kind of album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane is going to be. Going to his eighties now, Paul’s work has become inevitably nostalgic, but none of which comes close to the level of introspect that is The Boys Of Dungeon Lane. Co-produced by 35 year-old producer Andrew Watt, the album traces from McCartney’s working-class roots in post-war Liverpool, to honouring his parents and reliving his pre-fame adventure with the boys. And as the 18th solo studio album from him, The Boys Of Dungeon Lane may not be a revolutionary masterpiece, but certainly a blessing for us to still be receiving new music from this man.
The album opener, As You Lie There is a reminiscent teenage love song. It goes back and forth, the yearn captured in the wailing of guitars and McCartney’s wistful singing. It is undoubtedly a powerful opening to the 14 track album. ‘As you lie across your bed, am I there inside your head?’ Some deem the song stalkish or even creepy, yet I think this track is an epic revisit to Macca’s rock roots, especially the way he delivers, ‘As you lie there!’.
Lost Horizon, on the other hand, starts with a mild chord progression. With the guitar lurking in the background, it strikes a kind of mundane beauty with the steady bass and drums. Being a forgotten track that was revived for the album, I like how it fulfills its purpose in being a vessel, bringing a precious piece from the past in a subtle way.
Now put against the other 14 tracks, I understand why McCartney made Days We Left Behind the pre-release. Though it is not particularly remarkable as Macca’s other acoustics, there is still something endearing about McCartney’s raw vocals accompanied by the guitar.
Ripples in a Pond picks the drums back up. A love song dedicated to his wife, it is bright and upbeat. However I’ll have to agree that the track is rather uninspiring, it does not feel that it adds anything to the album, while it ends abruptly before I could figure out what was missing. Mountain Top though, is a musically ambitious track. There is a hint of mischief led by the twisted chords and distorted synths, the chaos layered with McCartney’s voice on top produced this psychedelic experiment that catches you off guard and gives the album a fun twist.
The fun continues with Down South, returning to the sole guitar and McCartney’s vocals. The way this track is mixed is purposely so bare, and we are following along as he sings without a care, chatting this hitchhiking trip with John and George. The bass comes back in We Two, another tribute to John Lennon, his late bandmate as a conclusion to the first half.
We head straight into Come Inside, which is a totally different vibe to the previous, with bassline solid and guitars soaring, we march into McCartney’s rockist mind. It is wildly beautiful, even more badass now that his voice is tinted with age. His range is shown again with Never Know, featuring a sultry bassline and McCartney’s bouncy, light singing, the track sounds like it’s floating. You can tell McCartney is having his time experimenting with different sound structures in the album, the recorder bits layered with the harmonies is everything. I can imagine this being used in a bittersweet outro of a rom-com movie.
Home to Us is easily the most anticipated on the album as the only track with a feature, and the feature being none other than his dear bandmate, Ringo Starr. The context itself is pretty much self-explanatory, McCartney reminiscing about early days with Ringo, but it is the upbeat melody that adds that one bit of affectionate touch, and makes every Beatles fan emotional. The fact that Home to Us is his first-ever duet with Ringo Starr will carve a special place in his discography.
Then we come to Life Can Be Hard, a comfort song written during lock-down. It is McCartney blessing us with this bright dainty little jazz-infused track. The orchestral elements gives the track fairy tale-like colours, just as how First Star of The Night carries over the comforting melodies and McCartney’s soothing voice. This one is even more raw-hearted, the tambourine-driven beat is light, like breezes of winds glazing over your cheeks on a summer night, on the fields watching the clouds shift.
Salesman Saint is perhaps one of McCartney’s most personal tracks ever. The minor-drenched melody and the poignant trumpet tracing his parents’ lives in WWII. He chose a story-telling like delivery because the song is ‘pretty much just fact’, says McCartney. To honour his parents raised him and his brother to become so free; and the use of brass instruments because himself started with trumpet before the guitar, tells you how much this song means to him.
With Momma Gets By, we reach the end of The Boys of Dungeon Lane. And in my opinion, it is a perfect conclusion track to the album. It is melancholic, hefty but not too burdening. There is yearning in McCartney’s singing, like he is retracing the past with some regret, but wrapping it in warm embrace. The slow-raising synths and woodwind instruments presented such a grandiose expression of love, and a hauntingly beautiful close to the album.
‘Any story or song you do, is going to involve memories’ McCartney says. Despite the many releases in his late years, the 83-year-old legend still manages to somehow push himself in his artistry. Critics have regarded McCartney’s newer works as “run dry” and “passionless”. As impressive as the fact that he is still releasing music, I think we all owe respect for the artist. In The Boys Of Dungeon Lane you may not find revelation or necessarily a lasting impression, but you are deemed to find appreciation in an artist’s dedication for telling stories of vulnerability and an undying devotion to his craft.
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