Wingspan: Hits and History

This collection containing 40 of Sir Paul McCartney’s tunes (solo and with Wings) is divided into two discs, the first boasting 18 chart-topping hits and the second comprising 22 historical album tracks. Wingspan covers recordings from McCartney’s 1970 eponymous debut album to 1984’s soundtrack for Give My Regards To Broad Street. “Listen to What The Man Said” sets a melodic tone while simultaneously serving as a reminder that many of McCartney’s songs are playful tunes of whimsy. But that’s fine when you consider that these recordings have aged amazingly well, especially the infectiously catchy “Band On the Run,” which sounds like three songs rolled into one. “Jet” is another standout as it blends the punch of ‘70s power-pop with McCartney’s talent for somehow making soft rock sound cool. Unfortunately his duets with Stevie Wonder (“Ebony And Ivory”) and Michael Jackson (“Say Say Say”) are absent, and you have to wonder why the epic “Maybe I’m Amazed” was never released as a single. Overall Wingspan is the best compiled Paul McCartney overview to date.