PAUL MCCARTNEY
MCCARTNEY I II III
UMe/Capitol (LP Set)
The McCartney I II III box set collects the legendary songsmith’s three solo records (from 1970, 1980 and 2020, respectively) and houses them in a hardcover slipcase featuring simple, austere artwork. It is available in three formats: limited-edition 180-gram color vinyl (clear, white and cream), 180-gram black vinyl and CD. Each iteration of the box includes three photo prints with brief notes from Paul McCartney about each album.
Those are the facts, but there is also an important question that looms: Is McCartney I II III a necessary addition to the collection of anything other than a hardcore McCartney/Beatles fan?
The answer: yes and no.
Consider these numbers: A quick check of the Discogs website shows that there are a whopping 228 different versions of the McCartney album that have been released in various formats since 1970, and 138 versions of McCartney II. And even though McCartney III was just released in 2020, there are still 49 versions of it floating around, mainly due to its vinyl release in pretty much every color of the rainbow.McCartney and McCartney II were both also released as part of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection in 2011, and on colored and black vinyl in 2017. McCartney also saw release in a half-speed master vinyl version in 2020, and McCartney II was reissued digitally in a “Mastered for iTunes” deluxe edition (with bonus tracks) in 2014.
Judging by the above statistics, it’s safe to say that any self-respecting McCartney devotee probably already has this music as part of their collection. So why put it out yet again when there has not been an Archive Collection release since in mid-2020? That’s probably a question for McCartney’s people, but a solid guess would be that is geared toward younger record buyers who have been exposed to Macca’s music relatively recently. If that is the case, those millennial punters who pick up the box will thrill to the homespun charms of (and two of the man’s best-ever solo tracks, “Maybe I’m Amazed” and “Every Night”) and (a live take of the jaunty “Coming Up” was the hit, but the haunting “Waterfalls” and “One of These Days” may be even better tunes).
