Band Members on record : Paul McCartney - (vocals, bass, acoustic, electric guitars, double bass and keyboards), Linda McCartney - (vocals and keyboards), Denny Laine - (vocals, guitars, piano and harmonica), Jimmy McCulloch - (vocals, guitars), Joe English - (vocals, drums/percussion).
Wings : At the Speed of Sound Year Released : 1976 Produced by Paul McCartney Label: Capitol Records / EMI Price Range: $20-30AUD Speed: 33 1/3RPM Album Before : Venus and Mars (1975) Album After : London Town (1978) Further Listening : Wings Over America Live album (1976) LP : 1 x Black LP Mood for enjoying: Bit of a mish mash record that has something for everyone. I like the ballads, the fun stuff and the sad ones. Kick back late at night and spin this one to sing along with. Could be a healing record and you don't know it yet. Track Listing:
LP Side A
Let 'Em In - 5:11
The Note You Never Wrote - 4:20
She's My Baby - 3:08
Beware My Love - 6:28
Wino Junko - 5:21
Side B Silly Love Songs - 5:54
Cook Of The House - 2:39
Time To Hide - 4:32
Must Do Something About It - 3:43
San Ferry Anne - 2:07
Warm and Beautiful - 3:15
What's in the Sleeve ?
Slipcase with photographs of the band and a sketch of the 'Speed of Sound' bar with Wings playing a live show. Poly bag to keep record protected from the paper. Photographs of band pulling silly faces /different faces on back cover.
Welcome to Spin #10- Wings : At The Speed Of Sound
Welcome to R'nR With Rylo everyone and I hope that you have all been well this week. We hope that the Easter Bunny has been kind to you and your family and you haven't gorged yourself too much on chocolate.
I chose this record for our #10 spin because it has a huge range and ability to make the listener feel a lot of things. Happy, sad or even reminisce a moment that you just want to remember, this record has got you covered.
Also wanted to say a big Congratulations to my sister and her husband who celebrated Saturday by getting married! Well done guys! 16/04/2022
For the review I used the set up in our loungeroom because I have been neglecting the better setup. It's not easy listening to records in our loungeroom unless its really late at night or the children are in a good mood. Yes, I am up late spinning this one. How you ask? With my Sennheiser headphones of course. So in-case you are reading for the first time, I have the Sherwood Turntable (PM-9805) and Sherwood Receiver (RX-4508) complete with 4 x Sherwood Bookshelf speakers (not used in this instance).
Drop the Needle (of course means place the stylus nicely on your wax):
So I have to be honest with this one everyone, I like Wings but don't know a lot of their albums other than Venus and Mars and this one. I remember browsing through my parents record collection one day and finding 'Band On The Run' with my mum. She put on that album and it was love at first listen for me. On our next trip to the local record store I remember mum picking up 'Red Rose Speedway' and I later picked up a copy of 'Venus and Mars' for their collection.
I then stumbled across a copy of our #10 spin, 'Wings : At The Speed of Sound' and must have spun it 5 times in a row because I really enjoyed the tracklisting/arrangement. This original pressing from 1976 is still in very good condition from the LP to the sleeve. I've since put the record in a plastic sleeve to prolong its condition but I can't fault it in anyway.
Wings at the time were copping a lot of criticism for being pretty much Paul McCartney and others so he used this record to challenge his band mates to each take a turn at lead vocals. It turned out to be a great motivator for the band and kept their popularity sky high for this album. So come on a spin with me while I place the LP on the turntable and drop the stylus.
The first sounds you hear are the very familiar sound of the Westminster Quarters doorbell. As soon as you hear the doorbell it will either drive you crazy because you've heard it so much or you will be transported straight into the song 'Let 'Em In'. It's McCartney singing lead on this one as he invites everyone through the front door of his place or the club. It really makes the listener feel like we are waiting at the door ready to hear what the band has to offer. It's a nice opener and leads nicely into the second song, 'The Note You Never Wrote'.
This one has Denny Laine on lead vocals and instantly has a different sound. He is singing a very sombre song here and you have to get lost in the lyrics/harmony here to really appreciate the song. The harmony vocals in these headphones just add so much more to this listening experience. The pace of the song and the lyrics "From the little note, that you never wrote, to me" just flow so well. I like the guitar playing midway through the song that just breaks out like the guitar is weeping (not meant to be a reference to Harrison - Beatles song) but it definitely sounds sad.
Song three on Side A, 'She's My Baby' picks up the mood once again with a good rhythm song. McCartney on vocals once again and its a very appreciative song of a significant other. Very easy to sit there and think of your loved one when McCartney is singing "She's a baby in the morning time. When the sleep is in her eyes. And the world is waking up. She has arisen. Oh believe me, I ain't lyin'. She's a woman. She's a lady in the evening tide. When the stars are in the skies". I felt myself tapping along to this one. The song ends and you feel like you are listening to a interlude between the songs with the very relaxing acoustic guitar playing before you realise it's the fourth song, 'Beware My Love'.
It doesn't have many lyrics but this song has a soft start, then a very raw section where McCartney is pushing his vocals to their limit. He is warning his "Love" and the song just hits nicely, especially when the drums come in with the electric guitar. The song sounds so good loud and through these headphones. If you have a decent pair, please do yourself a favour and listen to this record. The levels and clarity are so easy to dance to. Like I said at the beginning of the spin, this record will make you feel lots of things, good, bad, happy and sad. 'Beware My Love' builds to the climax and the piano comes in at the end (really nice touch). The song winds up nicely with the vocals /harmony of "Beware My Love, Beware My Love, Beware My Love".
That brings us to the last song on Side A, 'Wino Junko' sung by Jimmy McCulloch. It starts off with a dreamy style of music and then quickly gets into a drum/bass groove. I found myself singing along to this one before reminding myself to be quiet (its late and the family is asleep). "Play with fire, getting higher. Higher than a nine foot flame. My soul is spent and so's the rent. But I'll go down again. Wino Junko can't say no. Wino Junko, eyes aglow. Pill freak, spring a leak, you can't say no. Till you go down again". So far on this listen it's bringing back some memories that I didn't want to think of but that's the power of music. Side A stops and I stand up to lift the tonearm.
I flip the LP over to Side B and lower the stylus onto the outer grooves before possibly the strongest song on the record starts, 'Silly Love Songs'. I really like this song and I know it's McCartney and he has done this before a bazillion times but why change it if it still works? The start sounds like a worksite mixed with beat before the BASS hits. Play this one up loud if you have a good bass system or headphones. McCartney knows his strengths and singing about love during a ballad style song just works. The horn arrangements over the chorus are just enjoyable to listen to and if I didn't already own this record, this would be the moment I rush out to purchase it. Such a simple yet effective song. I mean the chorus is basically "I love you" but it's the way he paces it that really makes it work.
"Love isn't silly at allllllllllll". Like I said a few weeks ago that you won't like everything I spin but that's ok. It's a journey through our record collection and I can promise I have at least one record in every genre to please the masses.
The second song flows into 'Cook of the House' sung by Linda McCartney. It's a fun song and you can tell that they had a lot of it whilst making this record. Especially on songs like this one. The tap is running at the start of this track before the blues comes in and Linda on vocals. Possibly because the whole album has so many strong moments, this song would have to be the weakest so far. It's not bad but there is just a lot to compete with. For some reason I am picturing Freddie Mercury parading around with the vacuum in the 'I Want To Break Free' film clip (I guess because it's late).
The next song just starts before you realise with 'Time To Hide' sung by Laine. He has a good voice and reminds me of an Eagles style song and vocal arrangement. "To spend a little time happy to be by your side. Baby, won't you let me have a little time to hide. If I have to run, I'm not running out on you". I like the use of harmonica on this one and Linda's vocals in support really shine through here. If someone said to me to describe this album I would have a hard time because all of the songs are quite different. All I can say is it's Wings.
The stylus finishes up before hitting the next song "Must Do Something About It" which is sung by the drummer, Joe English. "I've just seen a sunset on my own". It's got that country twang with the guitars throughout and once again is so different to the other songs on this record. Shame that English didn't get another chance to sing on this record, great song and top vocals.
'San Ferry Anne' has McCartney again on lead vocals and it starts off with a fast pace beat. It's a short and sweet kind of song with lots going on that has a very carnival kind of feel towards the end, "San Ferry Anne. And the world keeps turning happy ever after". It rolls into the last song on the album, "Warm and Beautiful". If there is a song written on this record to make invoke feelings then this would be it. Well played Wings, well played. "Sunlight's morning glory. Tells the story of our love. Moonlight on the water. Brings me inspiration ever after". You just can't go wrong with McCartney and a piano.
It ends and that means it's time to lift the tonearm and return it back to the cradle. I lift the LP off the platter and put it back in the poly sleeve.
I hope you enjoyed listening along or just reading through our latest Spin with us. Don't forget to give this record a listen if you didn't get a chance yet and definitely recommend you add it to your collection. Give us a like on our social pages and check out the cups on our merch tab if you love a cuppa while taking some much deserved R'nR time.
Until our next Spin, Be Kind and Be Kind to your Wax!