Paul McCartney: Press to Play. That Unmistakable 80s Sound (Milestones)

Paul McCartney: Press to Play. That Unmistakable 80s Sound (Milestones)

As divisive an album it might be within McCartney's artistic journey, Press to Play touches the hearts of many fans — including a new, younger generation that was then shaping — and offers many points of interest for music historians and musicians. Released in the summer of 1986, the album was an interesting – although commercially unsuccessful – attempt to update McCartney’s vocabulary, with which he firmly planted both feet in the realm of the Eighties. With its wide range of sonic influences, from synth-pop and video game music to simple rock 'n' roll; its imagery and surrealism; its themes of romance and sexual fervour; and its mix of mellow and harder tracks, Press to Play is an album split in two. There is a certain penchant for glossy perfection, but also a sound research and experimentation that never becomes obvious. Enriched by coloured images , the volume Press to Play. That Unmistakable 80s Sound tells the story of one of McCartney's most obscure records and misunderstood periods (1985–86). In its detailed analysis of the album's sonic wonders, based on contemporary sources and in-depth interviews by the author with key figures such as Hugh Padgham, Jerry Marotta and Carlos Alomar , the book guides readers through the many fascinating aspects of the record (the new Hog Hill Mill Studio, the recording equipment and tricks, the instrumentation, the effects used, the coexistence between analogue and digital). The abundance of instrumentation – which combines modern sounds from the era (DX7 synthesisers, sequencers, emulator, LinnDrum) and vintage pieces such as Hammond organ, Moog, Fender Rhodes – makes it one of the most multilayered albums of Paul McCartney’s career. The volume covers the supposed “production misunderstanding” with Eric Stewart, the songwriting partnership with the ex-10CC leader, the timeline of the sessions, the stories behind the songs (including B-sides, unreleased material and the single “Spies Like Us”), their harmonic and rhythmic inventions, and lyrical analysis. The many factors that undermined McCartney’s confidence at the time are also explored, including the unfortunate Live Aid performance and Michael Jackson’s acquisition of The Beatles’ song catalogue, leading to discovering what went wrong and why and there's also a chapter devoted to the insecurity showed during the promotion of the album, offering a new psychological and human insight into Paul. Has Press to Play stood the test of time? An unprecedented and incredibly rich historical look at one of Paul McCartney's most forgotten albums.