Paul McCartney’s Kisses On The Bottom

     Paul McCartney has been prone to producing the occasional cover album since his solo career began in 1970, but his latest release, Kisses On The Bottom, is unlike any of his previous cover projects. In contrast to Choba B CCCP or Run Devil Run, Kisses On The Bottom takes McCartney even further back than Carl Perkins or Elvis Presley. The songs on Kisses On The Bottom, rather, come from iconic songwriters of the ilk of Irving Berlin, Fats Waller, and Broadway’s Frank Loesser.  

     The 14-track Kisses On The Bottom is a very apt choice for the week preceding Valentine’s Day, as the record tends to have a soft, jazzy feel to it that would fit in for dinner table conversation. Unlike Rod Stewart’s gradual butchering of the American Songbook, McCartney’s concept and execution of the album were both well done. McCartney’s stroke of genius for Kisses On The Bottom was his enlistment of Diana Krall and her backing band to perform alongside him, as Krall and Co. helped promote the record’s relaxed atmosphere.

    The record’s most notable studio musicians, other than McCartney, were Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder. Both Clapton and Wonder played on the record’s two original compositions, “My Valentine” and “Only Our Hearts.” Of the two songs, “My Valentine” is most likely to be etched into McCartney’s catalogs as a surefire staple. As is often the case with cover projects, the best efforts on Kisses On The Bottom did seem to come from McCartney’s covers. 

    Kisses On The Bottom’s best covers include the album’s opening track, “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter,” “Get Yourself Another Fool,” and “My Very Good Friend The Milkman” (which was also covered in Clapton’s 2010 cover project, Clapton).

Other Cool Stuff That Hits This Week: Van Halen: A Different Kind of Truth, Chuck Prophet: Temple Beautiful, Dr. Dog: Be The Void, Tony Bennett: Isn’t It Romantic, The Fray: Scars and Stories