I was born around five weeks before The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The fact that throughout my entire life to this date, there has always been new music by The Beatles - or any of its individual members - has been a continuous source of joy for me.
So I was as excited as the next fellow fan when I read the news earlier this year that more than five years after 2020's McCartney III, Sir Paul was about to release a studio album of new original material. At age 83 (he has since turned 84), one would certainly understand if the man wanted to take some well-deserved rest - but instead, here he is with The Boys of Dungeon Lane, his 20th (!) solo album.
I have now listened to the entire album 7 or 8 times (see my short song-by-song notes further down), and while I think it is his most balanced release in the last 10-15 years, I was flabbergasted by the overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception that Dungeon Lane received from music critics, both professional and not-so-much.
Rolling Stone (who famously savaged Sir Paul's early solo work like McCartney and Ram upon release) called it a "late-career masterpiece".
Variety declared it his "best album of the 21st century", and "absolutely the best album ever recorded and released by a rock star in his 80s".
The Daily Telegraph wrote, "The Boys of Dungeon Lane is certainly as good as anything [McCartney] has given us in the last 50 years".
The list goes on; these were just three of the more prominent examples.
Also, the majority of Beatles-, McCartney- and “shocked reaction to anything”-focused YouTube channels went above and beyond to outdo each other in proclaiming what an unbelievably fantastic album Dungeon Lane is.
I can't help but wonder whether many of these reviews would have been equally glowing if McCartney had released the exact same album at age 50 or even 60. They are clouded by sentimentality (as are, in fact, some songs on the album) - and by the uncertainty about whether this might be the last original album of new songs that we are going to get during Sir Paul's lifetime, considering his advanced age.
My personal opinion is that among his 21st century albums, Dungeon Lane is a contender for the "third-best" spot -- but for me, it is miles away from both Memory Almost Full (2007) and Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (2005), the latter being one of his best solo releases ever. I also have a soft spot for New, which came out in 2013. And let's not even talk about Ram (1971), Band on the Run (1973, with Wings), Tug of War (1982) or Flaming Pie (1997), all of which play in an entirely different league.
The Boys of Dungeon Lane is a well-rounded album that is easy to listen to - maybe even slightly too easy at times. Sir Paul makes the best use of his aged voice, and doesn't force it to try and perform in a way that he finally seems to have accepted has grown out of reach. Also, in the entire track list, thankfully there aren't any absolute duds (such as "Fuh You" from 2018's Egypt Station, or "Lavatory Lil" from McCartney III).
What follows is the album's track list with my comments on each song. I have linked each song title to the corresponding YouTube music video on the official Paul McCartney channel.
- 1.
"As You Lie There"
A really strong opener, uniquely shifting between spoken folk and glam-tinged rock. I noticed some people were calling it "creepy", but I think he's doing great on guitar, bass and drums - plus the vocals include an awesome 2026 edition of the "McCartney scream". - 2.
"Lost Horizon"
Nice midtempo pop-rock track with chugging guitars - a rediscovered older song that Sir Paul decided to revive for this album, and it fits the tone really well. - 3.
"Days We Left Behind"
The first single off of this album - one of the best melodies he wrote in recent years, and something like the album's emotional anchor. A bit similar in sentiment and mood to "Early Days" from 2013's New album. - 4.
"Ripples in a Pond"
A love song to his wife Nancy. It is light, upbeat and bright - but in comparison to other songs on the album, it falls a bit short in terms of melody and direction. Also it ends rather abruptly. - 5.
"Mountain Top"
Musically ambitious and varied, the song tries to bridge a late-1960s psychedelic mood and message with a contemporary arrangement. Not the album's easiest-on-the-ears song, but something new to be discovered upon each listen. - 6.
"Down South"
Reflections on youth, friendship, and a tribute to George Harrison. A quiet grower just accompanied by acoustic guitar; simple and moving. - 7.
"We Two"
Presumably about his relationship with John, the song meanders along for three minutes without really getting anywhere exciting. Lyrically, it's not absolute top shelf material either ("Last night I dreamed of you - And all that we could do - Together, side by side - We two can do"). - 8.
"Come Inside"
A fine uptempo rocker with a great bass line, and a slap in the face of those d*ckheads who like to mock Sir Paul for the fact that at 83 his voice isn't the same anymore as it was in his 20s and 30s. Melodically and rhythmically similar to some songs from 2013's New album, with some echoes of later-period Wings. - 9.
"Never Know"
Nice reflective mood, and interesting time signature switches in the chorus. The vocal performance reminds me a bit of how he sings the verses on "Appreciate" from the New album (2013). - 10.
"Home to Us" (with Ringo Starr)
The joyful event of the two surviving Beatles sharing sentimental memories against a sing-along melody accompanied by Ringo's original drum fills. What's not to like? It's simple, but catchy and cheerful. - 11.
"Life Can Be Hard"
His gift for melody really shines on this one - a reflection on aging and resilience that is arranged like a music hall or vaudeville type of performance. The song feels instantly familiar and comforting after just one or two listens. - 12.
"First Star of the Night"
Very low-key and calm song that feels a bit like a filler compared to the rest of the album's track list. - 13.
"Salesman Saint"
Sir Paul honoring his parents with lyrical storytelling about the hardships they had to go through in post-war Britain. The slightly Jazz-inspired arrangement works well to amplify the message and mood of the song. - 14.
"Momma Gets By"
An emotional close to the album with swelling strings and a simple but powerful refrain. Many reviewers hail this as the best song on Dungeon Lane, or even a high point in Sir Paul's entire canon - that's a bit too much praise in my opinion, but I'll say the song wraps up this album nicely.