As it pertains to Paul McCartney’s Wings era recordings, Band On The Run is one of two masterpieces, the other being Wings At The Speed Of Sound. Yes, each album from Paul McCartney & Wings features a series of notable tunes, but these two releases are true album experiences from the first note to the last.
Released in 1973, Band On The Run was the third studio release under the Paul McCartney & Wings banner and is, arguably, a significant improvement over Wild Life and Red Rose Speedway; in no small part due to the inclusion of recording engineer, Geoff Emerick. Coincidentally. Emerick won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, for his work on Band On The Run. While Wings had always been somewhat of a band affair, Band On The Run was even more a McCartney-focused production for he took on additional roles as drummer and guitarist, following the absence of Denny Seiwell and Henry McCullough, with both leaving the band prior to the recording of the album.
Of course, music is only one part of the equation. Anyone who appreciates physical releases will attest that the album artwork is one of the most important aspects of an album’s release, for it aims to connect us, more deeply, with the music contained within a particular record. In this case, McCartney & Wings didn’t disappoint as it’s one of the most compelling visual accompaniments from the era, featuring a sense of wonder that will see you staring at the album’s artwork throughout the entire runtime, wondering just who the band is running from.
Due to this compelling aspect, it’s fair to say that this is one release that could best be appreciated via a larger vinyl canvas. Alas, a vinyl edition has, thus far, eluded my grasp, but that need not matter too much as I was fortunate to have owned the Paul McCartney Archive Collection CD reissue and the streamed album artwork, via the Apple TV, is a somewhat adequate counterpart. At least, the streamed edition didn’t replace the original album artwork with that of the 50th Anniversary reissue.
Physical releases aside, the Hi-Res Lossless Apple Music stream, an Apple Digital Master, is exquisite. While it lacks a touch of clarity and extension within the treble range, which was present on the CD reissue, the stream is most certainly smoother and a little more analogue sounding, with a slight roll-off in the top end of the treble range. It isn’t a drastic difference, but if you’re looking for a lovely facsimile that you can pump the volume on, the stream will most certainly please.
Despite generally focusing on two-channel audio, when you’ve got a classic album like this, redone in Dolby Atmos, you've got to check it out, and I’m certainly glad I did. While the stereo mix is perfect, the latest surround mix (from 2024) is a toe-tapping head-bopper that expands the album’s presentation, thereby making it an even more immersive experience. It’s done so well, and is so pleasurable, that I could see myself preferring this mix to that of the stereo release.
Interestingly, while the Atmos mix was released for the 50th Anniversary of the album, it was not issued physically; a shame considering Giles Martin and Steve Orchard did such an incredible job with the Atmos mix. Nevertheless, the stream is divine and only the purist of audio enthusiasts will lament the absence of a physical disc. If, however, you’re after a more detailed review of the Atmos mix, and how it compares to the previous surround releases for Band On The Run, may I recommend you check out Jonathan Cornell’s excellent review at Immersive Album Audio.
While some may wonder what my thoughts are regarding the Underdubbed Mixes, I’ve not given it much attention as I tend to favour original mixes, despite my interest in the Atmos mix. I also won’t be referencing the non-album single Helen Wheels as I don’t feel it’s a particularly strong song or well suited to the album. I do, however, acknowledge that for those of you in the United States, the inclusion of this song is how the album was originally experienced, but I’d prefer to stick to the original linear structure from the UK release.
Band On The Run is an incredible opening tune with a dreamy mid-tempo approach that leads into an upbeat number bursting with Beatles-esque styling that’s both intricate and melodically rich. It is, without a doubt, one of the greatest songs McCartney has ever penned, and the layered structure and soaring harmonies further confirm the incredible nature of this toe-tapping, head-bopping, masterpiece.
Jet is a brash and infectious rocker that will capture your attention from the very first note. Built around a catchy riff, consisting of fuzzy guitar elements, punchy vocals, and arena-sized ambitions, Jet will light up any sound system, but is particularly appealing should you have an Atmos-compatible setup.
Bluebird shifts the tone of the album to that of an acoustic ballad that, depending on your perspective, will infuse a breath of fresh air into the album following the intensity of the previous tracks. That said, it flows seamlessly and the laid-back rhythm, accompanied by perfectly layered musical elements, ensures that this pure and simple song is a pleasure to listen to and is one of the many highlights from the album.
Mrs. Vandebilt, with its irresistible groove, slightly offbeat lyrical style, and joyful energy, is simply unforgettable and will likely result in a pleasurable earworm well after the album has ended. Overall, it’s a fun tune and is 100% McCartney, in that regard. What more could we ask for?
Let Me Roll It is simply magnificent! Whether intentional or not, Let Me Roll It feels like a homage to John Lennon with McCartney delivering the lyrics in a similar manner to his former bandmate. It isn’t only the vocals, however, that have the Lennon feel for this is one song that could have easily suited inclusion on Lennon’s Imagine. Regardless of the similarities, the crunchy bluesy guitar riff and chosen percussion are stunning, ensuring that Let Me Roll It is not only a standout within McCartney’s back catalogue, but it’s worthy of being included as one of the greatest songs from the 70s.
Mamunia is another of McCartney’s lighthearted tunes with a laid-back groove, whimsical lyrics, and perfectly layered harmonies. While not as immediately arresting as some of the other songs from the record, Mamunia is deeply charming and, with a touch of reggae inspiration, is perfectly suited to the era as well as the flow of the album.
No Words is a solid pop-rock tune that holds the structure of the album together, but it isn’t the strongest song on the record and is unlikely to be one that you will return to, outside of the album’s linear structure.
Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me), with its fragmented structure and theatrical styling, shouldn’t work, yet it does. It showcases McCartney’s musical innovation and experimentation and the callback to earlier tracks is simply extraordinary. When someone says they don’t make music like they used to, this song and its unique approach to creating a piece of musical art is a wonderful example of just how true that statement (sometimes) is.
Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five closes the album with an explosive, piano-driven number that encapsulates the excitement heard throughout the entire record.
Ultimately, Band On The Run is more than just an incredible album, it’s amongst the very best works McCartney has ever had a hand in producing and is one of the greatest records in all of recorded music history. With its ambitious songwriting, stylistic diversity, and flawless tracking, Band On The Run is one of those classic records that is, absolutely, worthy of the respect it receives.