Memory Almost Full
by Paul McCartney
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 173 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 150 out of 173
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 173
  3. Negative: 17 out of 173

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  1. JASIV
    Jun 5, 2007
    10
    THIS is the McCartney that I've been waiting almost 20 years to hear! Sir Paul has had some critical acclaim with his last few releases, but Memory Almost Full is the best thing he has done since Flowers In The Dirt. I like it better than Flaming Pie and Chaos. It's so like the great McCartney of old....I can't stop listening to it! Thanks Paul..
  2. Blue
    Jun 6, 2007
    10
    I've been disappointed and embarrassed by McCartney's works over the past 15 years or so (so much so that I didn't bother getting "Chaos"). But this is truly a masterpiece! Poetic lyrics, wonderful harmonies, concept-album style of merging songs. I love it!
  3. SanderV
    Jun 7, 2007
    10
    It gets better with every listen. There is just so much on it. Brilliant playing and the best singing we've heard from him in years. It's a must own album.
  4. MariaM
    Jun 7, 2007
    10
    I love this album, and I am sure many more will if they listen to it a few times. My husband (who is not at all into Macca's music) loves it too, and shows it to all our friends. It rocks!
  5. JennyT
    Jun 9, 2007
    10
    Superb!
  6. ToddW
    Aug 1, 2007
    1
    Geez, Paul, just how many hundreds of millions of dollars do you need? Is your divorce from Heather really that expensive that you have to totally whore yourself and align yourself with Starbucks? I know Mr. Child Molester is now selling Beatles' songs to keep baby's backsides clean, but hitching your star to a wagon like Starbucks? Armageddon is truly nigh. John Lennon was Geez, Paul, just how many hundreds of millions of dollars do you need? Is your divorce from Heather really that expensive that you have to totally whore yourself and align yourself with Starbucks? I know Mr. Child Molester is now selling Beatles' songs to keep baby's backsides clean, but hitching your star to a wagon like Starbucks? Armageddon is truly nigh. John Lennon was right when he said the only thing you did was yesterday.… Expand
  7. MichealG
    Jun 13, 2007
    10
    Fresh from a great album "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" with its low-key and sparse style, Paul comes up with another great one but with a contrasting up-tempo and more varied style recalling the best of the Beatles and Wings. His great skills, talent and musicianship are all over the album. This should be listened in its CD form and not as a download since the song sequencing with Fresh from a great album "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" with its low-key and sparse style, Paul comes up with another great one but with a contrasting up-tempo and more varied style recalling the best of the Beatles and Wings. His great skills, talent and musicianship are all over the album. This should be listened in its CD form and not as a download since the song sequencing with its varying form and structure allows for refreshing listen even if you play it many times over especially over a car stereo as I did. "Dance Tonight" is so catchy my five-year old daughter wiggles to it. "Ever Present Past" is so contemporary pop and you take notice of the way he sings the chorus. "You Tell Me" is a a great ballad in Beatle tradition. "Only Mama Knows", "House of Wax" and "That Was Me" are rockers that matches Wing's best. "Vintage Clothes" and "End of the End" are songs that will linger in the head not only for the very good melodies but also for its messages. "Mister Bellamy" and "Nod Your Head" have interesting sounds and are so funny and humorous. The other three songs have their moments. Paul is among the great grandmasters of music and certainly this output, being thematic and diversified, entertains. Cheers for Paul for not resting on his laurels but still churning out good music till to this day.… Expand
  8. RMaison
    Jun 16, 2007
    2
    I have a hard time with it. One of the reasons is the production or perhaps the mastering (where they squashed the life out of most all of the songs). "Chaos" was much better produced, remixed and mastered to my ears.
  9. johnm
    Jun 20, 2007
    10
    Simply wonderful.
  10. Patrick
    Jun 5, 2007
    10
    The Boston Globe reviewer is clueless-
  11. ClaytonL
    Jun 5, 2007
    10
    His best since "Flaming Pie"...maybe even better than that one...which would put us back even further...I loved "Cjaos & Creation" but it was more low key...this feels very varied...like The White Album did...a truly great album !!
  12. RobertH
    Jun 6, 2007
    6
    Dance tonight is indifferent at its best,ever present past is a cheap franzferdinandism ,see your sunshine is unlistenable,only mama knows is interesting at its best, you tell me the same. Mr Bellamy is great,i loved it. Gratitude bores me,vitange clothes has some good moments,that was me is mediocre. Feet in the clouds and house of wax i found excellent (especially the latter). End of Dance tonight is indifferent at its best,ever present past is a cheap franzferdinandism ,see your sunshine is unlistenable,only mama knows is interesting at its best, you tell me the same. Mr Bellamy is great,i loved it. Gratitude bores me,vitange clothes has some good moments,that was me is mediocre. Feet in the clouds and house of wax i found excellent (especially the latter). End of the End is laughable and nod your head could be an interesting piece to see him do live. in general , chaos and creation is the best album he's done since band on the run and i would like to see paul at least once more in the studio with nigel godrich. as for memory almost full ,Mr Bellamy,Feet in The Clouds and House of Wax.thats all.… Expand
  13. CJJones
    Jun 7, 2007
    10
    Mac is back. It's upbeat and rocking. It kind of has the same home spun feel of "McCartney" and "McCartney 2" but I think this CD is better than those Cd's. Only complaint - I do not like it when Paul tries to sing in his high "falsetto" voice - luckily he only does that on a couple songs. Other than that - this is an amazing CD.
  14. HamishM
    Jun 9, 2007
    9
    Filled with touches that deserve to be thought about deeply. The absent vocals on See Your Sunshine. The real meaning of "Nod your Head". The complex chords that reveal the fear underlying what's hiding under the persona. An album that will become more significant as years go by.
  15. DavidO
    Jul 20, 2007
    8
    A good, highly listenable album from an outstandingly versatile musician and songwriter. Not nearly as good as the classic Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, but interesting, nonetheless. Paul still has an amazing voice at age 65, and I really hope he is not planning on retiring anytime soon. After giving the album many listens, my favorite songs are Mr. Bellamy and Gratitude.
  16. JoanieB.
    Jul 8, 2007
    9
    Loved the album!!!
  17. RohitV
    Aug 3, 2007
    7
    This is a decent McCartney album, Chaos was far superior to this one, it may be more commercially pleasing but Paul's creativity on Chaos was much more apparent. Still a great album with some memorable tracks.
  18. PamM
    Sep 21, 2007
    8
    First listen I had a few favorites... and kept mentally humming them long afterwards. Second listen, I added a few more faves... now on my umpteenthing listen, I like them all to some degree!
  19. BillyT
    May 25, 2007
    9
    Cohesive, modern, living up to the high standards of earlier works. Hardest driving album in years.
  20. NovakG
    Jun 11, 2007
    1
    Dear Dave,YouAreNotOnlyONE who feels,and HEARS,that Macca is just the shadow of his -previous- Genius.The words for his new songs are so banal,that it hurts!!!!He SHOULD NOT play new music anymore,even though he is still excelent live.Remember LIVE 8?
  21. BasT
    Jun 11, 2007
    10
    His best album in decades. Great songs , good lyrics, uplifting and inspiring music. The kind of record I was waiting for, but never expected to get. The craftmanship of writing good songs is so rare to find nowdays that 'Memory Almost Full' is yet another example of his genius.
  22. Rev.Rikard
    Jun 11, 2007
    9
    In
  23. RogerW
    Jun 12, 2007
    10
    Great Album. It gets better with every listen. One of his best. The poor critic reviews are ignorant.
  24. AlexO
    Jun 12, 2007
    9
    An excellent album. Macca's best lyrically and thematically in a long time. The music is inventive, varied, and rocks. My favourites are Ever Present Past, That Was Me, Vintage Clothes, Only Mama Knows, and Feet in the Clouds. The work is up there with Band on the Run, Venus and Mars, Tug of War, Flowers in the Dirt, Flaming Pie, Driving Rain, and Chaos and Creation. Yes, Paul is on An excellent album. Macca's best lyrically and thematically in a long time. The music is inventive, varied, and rocks. My favourites are Ever Present Past, That Was Me, Vintage Clothes, Only Mama Knows, and Feet in the Clouds. The work is up there with Band on the Run, Venus and Mars, Tug of War, Flowers in the Dirt, Flaming Pie, Driving Rain, and Chaos and Creation. Yes, Paul is on a roll lately.… Expand
  25. PhilW
    Jun 14, 2007
    2
    I miss John Lennon SOOOO much. So does this album. The lyrics are so simple-minded they're painful to listen to, the music rehashes the worst of his previous post-Beatles stylings and his inconsistent, often reedy vocals wouldn't get him out of the local ballrooms on American Idol. This performance would be disappointing from a lesser talent but is mortifying, even insulting I miss John Lennon SOOOO much. So does this album. The lyrics are so simple-minded they're painful to listen to, the music rehashes the worst of his previous post-Beatles stylings and his inconsistent, often reedy vocals wouldn't get him out of the local ballrooms on American Idol. This performance would be disappointing from a lesser talent but is mortifying, even insulting coming from McCartney.… Expand
  26. maccafan
    Jun 16, 2007
    10
    The end of the album is wierd in the beginning but after the third time, IT ROCKS!!!!!!!
  27. RonnyboyH
    Jun 18, 2007
    10
    I was absolutely flabbergasted... McCartney rules! I love "You tell me" what a great song that is. This CD has not left my cdplayer from the moment I bought it. Can hear a wink of farewell in some of the song Iám affraid..he's not thinking of retirering I hope??
  28. GlennD
    Jun 21, 2007
    9
    11 perfect popsongs and 2 that I do not like that much makes this an album to listen over and over again.
  29. FrankL
    Jun 20, 2007
    10
    This is a "10" for a Paul album. Really, if you like Mccartney, why criticize this album. What more can one expect from MACCA. The album definitely harks back to the albums that we all love. The guys vocal and writing ability is still apparent after all these years. It is hard to compare it to his older Beatles/Wings stuff as times have changed and what the public at large considers This is a "10" for a Paul album. Really, if you like Mccartney, why criticize this album. What more can one expect from MACCA. The album definitely harks back to the albums that we all love. The guys vocal and writing ability is still apparent after all these years. It is hard to compare it to his older Beatles/Wings stuff as times have changed and what the public at large considers "cool" has changed. However, If you love Paul's Beatle stuff and the WIngs, I think this album will appeal to you. Even the instrumentals on the bonus disc are well worth a listen. Ultimately, we should all feel very lucky that the guy is still so able in his sixties. Keep the albums coming!… Expand
  30. JTay
    Jun 2, 2007
    10
    Paul's crescendo of his last 4 albums. wow!!!!!!! He is on a roll!! Mr Bellamy is stunningly fresh & jaw-droppingly good! A very ecletic recording - thanks, Paul!!
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Awards & Rankings

25
#25 Most Discussed Album of 2007
59
#59 Most Shared Album of 2007

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 23
  3. Negative: 1 out of 23
  1. Hot Press
    80
    Missing, thankfully, are the twee Paulie-isms that often insult our intelligence, making Memory Almost Full that rare thing, a modern-day Paul McCartney you can listen to without wincing.
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  2. Observer Music Monthly
    100
    It's a way more focused album than usual.
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  3. Rolling Stone
    60
    By McCartney's recent standards, the album justifies the pop eccentricity he pursues so imperturbably.
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