Amongst the mass of press releases that come in, I thought this one for The Fireman (a collaboration between Paul McCartney and Martin “Youth” Glover) sounded pretty interesting.
The Fireman returns after a 10-year break with Electric Arguments, scheduled for U.S. release on November 18th via MPL/ATO Records. The follow-up to 1998’s Rushes, Electric Arguments is the duo’s third studio album – and its first to feature vocals.
With the release of its 1993 debut, Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest, the identities of the musicians behind The Fireman were initially unknown. But soon the press revealed them as none other than Paul McCartney and Youth. “Paul McCartney has discovered dance music – the results are staggeringly brilliant,” said Melody Maker. “They take a melody and, with dexterous genre-hopping through ambient, trance and house, evolve a number of breathtaking variations.”
Last year, McCartney and Youth went into the studio with no master plan, no record company restraints and no set release date to work to. Thus Electric Arguments emerged organically: 13 eclectic tracks, each written and recorded in the space of one day. “¨The record opens with a stylistically diverse trifecta: the classic rock attention-grabber “Nothing Too Much Just Out Of Sight,” the acoustic driven “Two Magpies” and, in another hairpin turn, the euphoric, melodic “Sing The Changes.” Electric Arguments continues in this fashion, each track exhibiting an entirely different personality yet all meshing perfectly. “Lifelong Passion” – a track The Fireman donated earlier this year to the charity Adopt-A-Minefield – showcases a traditional, song-based sound with vocals, completely unlike anything on the duo’s previous two albums. Other standouts include “Light From Your Lighthouse,” “Sun Is Shining” and “Dance “˜Til We’re High,” all demonstrating McCartney’s unending interest in pure musical possibilities.
Track listing after the jump.
Fireman – Electric Arguments
1. Nothing Too Much Just Out Of Sight
2. Two Magpies
3. Sing The Changes
4. Traveling Light
5. Highway
6. Light From Your Lighthouse
7. Sun Is Shining
8. Dance “˜Til We’re High
9. Lifelong Passion
10. Is This Love?
11. Lovers In A Dream
12. Universal Here, Everlasting Now
13. Don’t Stop Running