Run Devil Run

[The Big Guy]

Released in 1999.

[Kylenz]

This album has some rockin' tracks on it, including the best-ever version of All Shook Up - better than Elvis! My favourite song is Try Not To Cry - why oh why was it not released as a single? No Other Baby is another fave. She Said Yeah and Run Devil Run are other major highlights. Macca should make more albums like this - pure rock and roll but without giving it the sappy nostalgic treatment that some people tend to do. This one has the energy of a hard rock album - no doubt due to having the Deep Purple drummer and Dave Gilmour on board - guys that mean business.

[chris]

this was indeed a rockin album with the tightest band paulie was ever in. i agree. i'd like to see him do a bit more of this. there are no stinkers on this album. and i dare anyone to try and sing along to take a hand without spitting out at least part of their larynx.

[mervap]

the tightest band paulie was ever in.

You think? Tighter than the Beatles? True, every man in the "Run" band was a road warrior in the best sense....I'd like to have seen them do more than just a one-off. I was somewhat disappointed when I saw a track listing of the songs on this CD....I had heard that Macca was working with David Gilmour and Ian Paice and I immediately thought, "These are the types of guys that will force Paulie to dig deep into his songwriting bag for some REALLY great tunes....". I saw only 3 originals and a bunch of covers. I'd not heard before then that this was a retro-style project...

Fast-forward to release day...I did purchase this disc on day of issue, despite my misgivings..."Flaming Pie" had been so instantly likeable and I thought this might be a step backwards. I unwrapped the CD and slid the disc into my dash....and a tatooed arm reached out of my car stereo and slapped me silly for about an hour!

The easiest thing in the world for seasoned pros to do in a situation like "Run" would be note-perfect renditions of some old favorites, with the enthusiasm ratcheted up a bit, like the "Russian Album", which I liked a bunch. Not these guys...most of these covers take the original intent and take it somewhere else..."All Shook Up" beats the fool out of the Elvis rendition. "Honey Hush", "She Said Yeah"....now that's some dang fine Rock!

That said, my two faves on this album are two of the more subdued tunes on here, "Blue Jean Bop" and "Movie Magg". The former has some killer slapback echo on the vocal without being distracting, while the latter is a completely disarming tune from the late, and serverely underappreciated Carl Perkins.

My only complaint about this collection was this: I am a music dynamics freak, and quite a few songs on this CD sound REALLY compressed, with a very narrow dynamics range, almost like an AM station...perhaps that was the intention, but why does it only happen on some of the tunes? "She Said Yeah" likely was most affected. If it isn't a production choice, then how'd it happen? The performance was brilliant, though.

[2 of 3]

Not interested in hearing Macca cover ok rock tunes. I wish he'd cover new rock tunes though.

[Kylenz]

My only complaint about this collection was this: I am a music dynamics freak, and quite a few songs on this CD sound REALLY compressed, with a very narrow dynamics range, almost like an AM station...perhaps that was the intention, but why does it only happen on some of the tunes? "She Said Yeah" likely was most affected. If it isn't a production choice, then how'd it happen? The performance was brilliant, though.

It's probably an aesthetic thing - to be 'authentic' to the era and have it sound like the way records used to be heard! I agree with you. Maybe they needed Rick Rubin as producer - he can turn his ears to any genre and make it sound full and good - whether it's Johhny Cash or System of a Down.

[EddieV]

An OK album. But remember this is an album of covers, with the exception of RDR, Try Not To Cry and What it is. I tend to forget the album. Yes it was a great band he had gathered and they are really tight playing. Best song is Try Not To Cry which is better than the covers!!

This album and the Russian album is not the real McCartney for me!!!!!!!!!!!!