There were few '70s rock albums as widely anticipated as this, McCartney's first solo recording. In the wake of the Beatle's well-publicized acrimony, Paul must have felt like tweaking people's expectations, because McCARTNEY turned out to be the most unconventional, resolutely non-commercial recording of his career. Don't be misled by the presence of the megahit "Maybe I'm Amazed." While that piano-based song of self-discovery and romantic devotion is a fine composition, it's an anomaly here.

Most of McCARTNEY is taken up by sonic experimentation and studio hijinks. McCartney does it all himself here (except for some harmonies from wife Linda), and his newfound privacy must have inspired him to explore the artistic boundaries of his muse in all directions, both inspired and downright silly. There are strange song fragments, percussion-centered instrumentals, and some spontaneous-sounding toss-offs, interspersed with the occasional Beatlesque pop tune ("Junk," the aforementioned "Maybe I'm Amazed." McCARTNEY is the sound of a man trying to cast off the chains of his reputation by indulging in some lighthearted experimentation and not a little unmitigated tomfoolery.