People love to off handily dismiss the solo work of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison and say that they were no good after The Beatles. And while it is true that they never quite reached the same level as The Beatles (but who has?) they really did release a number of great albums after "the greatest band of all time."
Five such great solo albums are highlighted in this article. While none of them are as good as The Beatles best work, I don't think that should ignore them.
Paul McCartney - McCartney (1970) - I love this album. I love it's "homemade DIY" charm. It sounds like a great singer/songwriter/musician just recording for the fun of it rather than to really please anyone in particular. Some people see that as unfocused. I see it as charming. I think if a mostly unknown artist had recorded this same album it'd be considered a real "gem" by hipsters but since it's Paul McCartney it's too often overlooked.
John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band (1970) - John, Paul, & George all started off really strongly with their debut solo albums in my opinion. But it was probably this album by John that has had the most lasting impact. it's really revelatory in it's stripped down stark style. It's a very influential album.
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass (1970) - George had a huge amount of songs saved up from his days of standing in John & Paul's shadow with The Beatles. With this album he was able to unload everything that had been built up over that time and it's really quite an impressive deluge of material. Easily George's best solo album.
Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full (2007) - A lot of people were disappointed by this one in comparison with Chaos & Creation... and I can understand that, but it's really a completely different side of Paul. Chaos... was the disciplined Paul. This is the "do anything he damn well pleases" Paul. I find both Paul's charming and I think this is a pretty great album.
The Fireman - Rushes (1998) - This is Paul working with Youth under the name "The Fireman." It's an experimental electronic ambient album that you are either going to think is really interesting (like I do) or a complete snooze fest (this sort of cerebral music is definitely not for everyone.) But what it does show beyond a shadow of a doubt is that Paul McCartney is not the simple pop balladeer that so many uninformed people try to make him out to be.
These are just five post Beatles albums that I chose out of the many that I appreciate, please do not think that this list is any way a "complete" list of all of the best post Beatles albums. It is definitely not!
Five such great solo albums are highlighted in this article. While none of them are as good as The Beatles best work, I don't think that should ignore them.
Paul McCartney - McCartney (1970) - I love this album. I love it's "homemade DIY" charm. It sounds like a great singer/songwriter/musician just recording for the fun of it rather than to really please anyone in particular. Some people see that as unfocused. I see it as charming. I think if a mostly unknown artist had recorded this same album it'd be considered a real "gem" by hipsters but since it's Paul McCartney it's too often overlooked.
John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band (1970) - John, Paul, & George all started off really strongly with their debut solo albums in my opinion. But it was probably this album by John that has had the most lasting impact. it's really revelatory in it's stripped down stark style. It's a very influential album.
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass (1970) - George had a huge amount of songs saved up from his days of standing in John & Paul's shadow with The Beatles. With this album he was able to unload everything that had been built up over that time and it's really quite an impressive deluge of material. Easily George's best solo album.
Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full (2007) - A lot of people were disappointed by this one in comparison with Chaos & Creation... and I can understand that, but it's really a completely different side of Paul. Chaos... was the disciplined Paul. This is the "do anything he damn well pleases" Paul. I find both Paul's charming and I think this is a pretty great album.
The Fireman - Rushes (1998) - This is Paul working with Youth under the name "The Fireman." It's an experimental electronic ambient album that you are either going to think is really interesting (like I do) or a complete snooze fest (this sort of cerebral music is definitely not for everyone.) But what it does show beyond a shadow of a doubt is that Paul McCartney is not the simple pop balladeer that so many uninformed people try to make him out to be.
These are just five post Beatles albums that I chose out of the many that I appreciate, please do not think that this list is any way a "complete" list of all of the best post Beatles albums. It is definitely not!
About the Author:
It's because of the greatness of The Beatles music (heard in The Beatles in Stereo & The Beatles in Mono box sets) that the solo work of John, Paul, & George is so often overlooked.
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