Landau's review reminds me a lot of the mean-spirited reviews in the early 90s. The ones that read more like someone hurt that their favorite band split--or worse, "sold out"-- than they do a critical review of the record.
I similarly sat through the many hours of the 'Get Back' documentary over the Christmas break, and found the insights into both their songwriting processes, and the clearly strained interpersonal relationships, strangely compelling.
To me McCartney came over as the one determinedly, and frustratedly, still trying to push things forward, which occasionally strayed over onto control-freak territory, but at least felt more productive than Lennon's seeming passive acceptance that things were probably 'over'.
Anyway, listened to some of Ram off the back of this. There's some good (but not great) stuff, but luckily there was better to come.
I go back and forth on Ram. Part of me wishes to return to my 6-year-old self who just heard it as another Beatles album...it was all so simple then. But I do hear on a song like Back Seat how the Fabs ruthless editing process would likely have weeded out some of the extremities of Paul's vocal performance. While I can't agree with Landau, Ram would seem to be that rare work of art that exposes its creator's weaknesses as clearly as his strengths.
Landau's review reminds me a lot of the mean-spirited reviews in the early 90s. The ones that read more like someone hurt that their favorite band split--or worse, "sold out"-- than they do a critical review of the record.
I similarly sat through the many hours of the 'Get Back' documentary over the Christmas break, and found the insights into both their songwriting processes, and the clearly strained interpersonal relationships, strangely compelling.
To me McCartney came over as the one determinedly, and frustratedly, still trying to push things forward, which occasionally strayed over onto control-freak territory, but at least felt more productive than Lennon's seeming passive acceptance that things were probably 'over'.
Anyway, listened to some of Ram off the back of this. There's some good (but not great) stuff, but luckily there was better to come.
I go back and forth on Ram. Part of me wishes to return to my 6-year-old self who just heard it as another Beatles album...it was all so simple then. But I do hear on a song like Back Seat how the Fabs ruthless editing process would likely have weeded out some of the extremities of Paul's vocal performance. While I can't agree with Landau, Ram would seem to be that rare work of art that exposes its creator's weaknesses as clearly as his strengths.