MEMORY ALMOST FULL

Personnel: Abe Laboriel, Jr. (drums); David Kahne (programming); Rusty Anderson (guitar); Paul "Wix" Wickens (keyboards); Brian Ray (bass guitar). Audio Mixers: David Kahne; Andy Wallace. The first release from the Starbucks-backed Hear Music label, 2007's MEMORY ALMOST FULL, is a significant point in Paul McCartney's long and legendary career. Not only does it mark the end of his decades-long relationship with Capitol Records, MEMORY is easily one of McCartney's most Beatlesque solo outings, a notion particularly reinforced by the album's ABBEY ROAD-styled closing suite. Even before that dynamic medley, however, McCartney offers up some of his most vibrant songs in years--most notably the jangly opener, "Dance Tonight," and "Ever Present Past," a wonderfully catchy ode to memory--and these tracks contrast well with the largely subdued numbers on CHAOS AND CREATION IN THE BACKYARD. As with that preceding pop-oriented outing, Macca plays almost all instruments himself, although instead of working with producer Nigel Godrich again, he goes back to working with David Kahne for a more muscular, straight-ahead sound. By the time the upbeat "That Was Me" signals the record's closing sequence, it is abundantly clear that this is top-shelf McCartney, and listeners can almost hear a hearty round of applause as "Nod Your Head" brings MEMORY to its majestic end.