Egypt Station
by Paul McCartney
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: Sep 7, 2018
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 88 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 88
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 88
  3. Negative: 12 out of 88
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  1. Cbjones5150
    Sep 11, 2018
    10
    So much better when listened to as a whole album!

    Well worth the 5 year wait from Paul! I was a bit nervous as I only liked the single "I Don't Know" and while "Come On To Me" and "Fuh You" are catchy and over time have grown on me, they are the weakest songs on the Album (IMHO). I won't go thru each song but the strongest tracks for me are: "Happy With You", "Dominoes", "Despite    So much better when listened to as a whole album!

    Well worth the 5 year wait from Paul! I was a bit nervous as I only liked the single "I Don't Know" and while "Come On To Me" and "Fuh You" are catchy and over time have grown on me, they are the weakest songs on the Album (IMHO).

    I won't go thru each song but the strongest tracks for me are: "Happy With You", "Dominoes", "Despite Repeated Warnings" and the three song closer "Hunt You Down/Naked/C-Link". You run the gamut from ballads, to mid tempo to rockers.
    The remaining songs are all very good too and with each listen I appreciate the album as a whole more and more.

    The only clunkers I would point out are: "Fuh You" and "People Want Peace" - these songs could have easily been left off the final version as at 14 tracks that would be plenty!

    At 76, Mac is still relevant and creating amazing music. I'm thankful for that.

    If you like the Beatles, Classic Rock or anything from Paul's solo career you will not be disappointed.    … Expand
  2. Oldtimerock
    Sep 8, 2018
    9
    Paul let’s his quirky, melodic gift shine through on Egypt Station. He particularly excels with tracks ‘Who Cares’ and ‘Happy With You’. McCartney manages to craft an album that utilizes his gifts without seeming disingenuous.

    Sure, some tracks come off a little corny, but McCartney shines when he’s entirely himself. From start to finish Egypt Station is a pleasure. The charges of Paul    Paul let’s his quirky, melodic gift shine through on Egypt Station. He particularly excels with tracks ‘Who Cares’ and ‘Happy With You’. McCartney manages to craft an album that utilizes his gifts without seeming disingenuous.

    Sure, some tracks come off a little corny, but McCartney shines when he’s entirely himself. From start to finish Egypt Station is a pleasure. The charges of Paul needing to bring in a super producer or to tailor his sound to the modern pop is refuted with his complex and interesting steps to push himself musically.    … Expand
  3. linclink
    Sep 14, 2018
    10
    Wow!!! Thrilled to be loving this album!!! So, let me count the way...

    1) "Get Started"- This is the best faster rocker from these sessions & it would have been great to have it on the album proper. It is to "Egypt Station" what "Turned Out" was to "New" (or "Love To You" to "Ram", or "Waterspout" to "London Town"). I really appreciate both of the left field, lesser (to me) tracks    Wow!!! Thrilled to be loving this album!!! So, let me count the way...

    1) "Get Started"- This is the best faster rocker from these sessions & it would have been great to have it on the album proper.
    It is to "Egypt Station" what "Turned Out" was to "New" (or "Love To You" to "Ram", or "Waterspout" to "London Town").

    I really appreciate both of the left field, lesser (to me) tracks ("Caesar Rock" & "Back In Brazil"), I have to say that "Get Started" is just soooooo great, that I'd really like to have had it somewhere on the standard album. At least it came out, but, it doesn't feel like a bonus track- it feels like a great single (and/or killer lead off track)!!!! "Caesar Rock" feels more like a bonus track song, in the vein of "Nothing For Free"- both are interesting, to be sure, but more tangential... where "Get Started" is just a total knock-out!

    2) "Confidante" is the most underrated highest level, great song on the album. "Happy With You" appears to be the break out non-single song (most plays on Spotify) & while I agree it that is also a top shelf track, "Confidante" is in that general vein (acoustic guitar driven song) & the voting here reflects it getting the short shrift.

    3) I have totally ended up adoring this album, but it's tricky for me to exactly "rank" it in his overall (or even recent) canon of work just yet, but... suffice to say, I am nothing short of blown away & am in total heaven with this album right now!!!
    My absolute fave tracks are still "Happy With You", "Confidante", "Hand In Hand", "Dominoes", "Do It Now" & "Get Started", but...

    The bigger story is how much I've ended up totally digging the rest of the album & how uniformly great the whole thing is... not far behind those top shelf faves are both the ambitious album closer epics "Despite Repeated Warnings" & "Hunt You Down/"Naked"/"C-Link".... two fine ballads "I Don't Know" & "People Want Peace"... two terrific rockers- "Come On To Me" & "Who Cares"... and, I now have to weigh in totally in favor of "Fuh You", which is a great pop single!!! I may have preferred "Get Started", but, "Fuh You" is infectious, hooky, catchy & cheeky clever.

    I even like the tracks I connect to less, "Caesar Rock" & "Back In Brazil", are interesting & unique detours... as is "Nothing For Free" (the other bonus track) for that matter.

    VIVA "EGYPT STATION"!!!!    … Expand
  4. NonLPtrack
    Sep 11, 2018
    7
    It's interesting that critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine gets to review 'Egypt Station' twice, and both appear here at Metacritic ( Allmusic: 70/100, Pitchfork: 58/100). So, which score are we to believe?
  5. junior1970
    Sep 10, 2018
    8
    This is a mixed bag and confronts listeners with the usual mix of joy and frustration that nearly every Mccartney solo album contains. Incredible, memorable, melodies mixed with some terrible facile writing and unfinished ideas. It is hard not to want to get in there and fix things that would seem easy to correct. But equally maddening is that the very things I would remove (theThis is a mixed bag and confronts listeners with the usual mix of joy and frustration that nearly every Mccartney solo album contains. Incredible, memorable, melodies mixed with some terrible facile writing and unfinished ideas. It is hard not to want to get in there and fix things that would seem easy to correct. But equally maddening is that the very things I would remove (the terrible verse on People want Peace, the awful chorus to Fuh You, etc.) are the very things others will enjoy. But that's Paul Mccartney, in trying to please everyone, he both charms and frustrates everyone. Enjoy the album for its ramshackle charm. For me, the highs outweigh the lows. Every day I have a new favorite track (Today, it is Happy With You) and even the ones I don't like have wedged themselves into my brain permanently. Not quite as good as Ram but similar in feel with perhaps a little less endurance but a little more weight and vulnerability. Not bad for an old man. Not bad at all.… Expand
  6. mxbenjamin
    Sep 8, 2018
    9
    A fresh and inspired album with quality that runs deep over repeated listens, Egypt Station extends a recent run of quality efforts by McCartney that should certainly delight fans. He went the extra mile, achieving refined musical excellence and thoughtful, evocative lyrics to match, across a range of styles that nevertheless work well as a unit, thanks in parts to Greg Kurstin’s deft,A fresh and inspired album with quality that runs deep over repeated listens, Egypt Station extends a recent run of quality efforts by McCartney that should certainly delight fans. He went the extra mile, achieving refined musical excellence and thoughtful, evocative lyrics to match, across a range of styles that nevertheless work well as a unit, thanks in parts to Greg Kurstin’s deft, soft-touch production that keeps the sound beautifully in balance, organic yet refined. An unusually strong set of folksy acoustic tracks and ballads, including “I Don’t Know”, “Happy with You”, “Confidante”, “Hand in Hand”, “Dominoes” (a real foot-tapper) and “Do it Now” (its powerful sentiment, set to a stately music-box melody, almost makes me cry) anchor the album. Complementing these and keeping the set interesting and entertaining are an assortment of fun, eccentric, energetic and adventurous tracks that each has something special to offer. “Who Cares” and “Hunt You Down”/“Naked”/“C-Link”, the closing medley, are standouts among these - “Hunt You Down” is a convincing gritty groove that easily holds up against “Wings Over America” era rockers like “Soily” and the more recent solo thumper “Only Mama Knows”, while “Naked”’s piano driven triplets evoke “Oh Darling” with a melody that would have fit in nicely - and easily have eclipsed its few original tracks - on “Run Devil Run”. I got the Target Special Edition of Egypt Station with two added bonus tracks, also worth a listen. “Nothing for Free”, a second Ryan Tedder collaboration, was particularly slick, hooky and contemporary - it would have had my vote as a main album track instead of, or in addition to, the Tedder produced single “Fuh You”.… Expand
  7. Ardentangelica
    Sep 8, 2018
    9
    Good late career album from Paul. The experimentation and musicality on this album are out of sight. Paul’s bass playing on this album is strong as well and helps elevate the songs. The songs themselves hang together and are strong as there is not one song that I find to be phoned in — Paul puts a lot of feeling and passion in every track. Certain tracks hit you more immediately, whileGood late career album from Paul. The experimentation and musicality on this album are out of sight. Paul’s bass playing on this album is strong as well and helps elevate the songs. The songs themselves hang together and are strong as there is not one song that I find to be phoned in — Paul puts a lot of feeling and passion in every track. Certain tracks hit you more immediately, while others require repeated listening to really understand what is going on. Similar to some of his best albums, the songs are whimsical and open, and the more you hear the more they grow on you exceptionally. Also there are songs on this album which are all time efforts from Paul. Standouts: Who Cares, I Don’t Know, Dominoes, People Want Peace, Do It Now, Back In Brazil, Despite Reated Warnings, and Hunt You Down/Naked/C-link.… Expand
  8. MES
    Sep 13, 2018
    9
    Critics will be critics, but music lovers will find a lot to enjoy here. I've not been a huge McCartney fan and I found much of his 70s and 80s output vapid or undisciplined. In the 2000s+, he began applying his formidable melodic skills and has benefited from competent producers to impose some of the much-needed discipline. The result has been impressive. New showed that even inCritics will be critics, but music lovers will find a lot to enjoy here. I've not been a huge McCartney fan and I found much of his 70s and 80s output vapid or undisciplined. In the 2000s+, he began applying his formidable melodic skills and has benefited from competent producers to impose some of the much-needed discipline. The result has been impressive. New showed that even in his 70s he still had something interesting to offer musically. This album follows suit nicely. He offers some excellent melodies and beautifully produced and diverse songs. Sure, his lyrics are often underwhelming. But, boy, this man can really turn a tune! I'm partial to his upbeat songs on this album, but others may really enjoy the downbeat ones. There's a lot to enjoy, here. We'll let history determine whether this is a masterpiece, but there's little doubt that this album was crafted by a master songcraftsman.… Expand
  9. kadoka
    Sep 16, 2018
    8
    Never been a huge fan of the beatles (actually prefer some of their lesser known hits and B-sides which Paul was the main writer of). Never listened to one of his albums all the way through, but Live and Let Die is in my opinion one of the best James Bond theme songs; I love the way it transitions through so many musical styles. Anyway, as the first full album of Pauls I have given theNever been a huge fan of the beatles (actually prefer some of their lesser known hits and B-sides which Paul was the main writer of). Never listened to one of his albums all the way through, but Live and Let Die is in my opinion one of the best James Bond theme songs; I love the way it transitions through so many musical styles. Anyway, as the first full album of Pauls I have given the time to listen to, I have to say I was hooked on the first listen, and the album has done nothing but get better with every listen (currently on my 30th listen). My favourite tracks would be "dominoes", "I don't know"; and "hunt you down" and "despite repeated warnings" which both have a very similar rocky composition to LALD. And not forgetting the rather oddball, but really catchy Brazil, which sounded to me a bit like tracks from the POLICE. As others have remarked, there are a few tracks on there which don't quite fire and some are really awkward lyrically, but it has inspired me to go and check out his older albums. This is by no means perfect but a very enjoyable album with enough hooks to deserve more than one listen.… Expand
  10. JaimeVilBar
    Sep 7, 2018
    10
    Packed with beautiful and touching melodies (Hand In Hand, I Don't Know), great classic rockers (Who Cares, Come On To Me) and innovative songs (Back In Brazil, Caesar Rock), McCartney has not lost his touch, making it all sound extremely fresh and catchy. This might be one of the best albums he has released this century, together with Chaos and Creation and NEW.
    The 7-minute-track    Packed with beautiful and touching melodies (Hand In Hand, I Don't Know), great classic rockers (Who Cares, Come On To Me) and innovative songs (Back In Brazil, Caesar Rock), McCartney has not lost his touch, making it all sound extremely fresh and catchy. This might be one of the best albums he has released this century, together with Chaos and Creation and NEW.
    The 7-minute-track "Despite Repeated Warnings" sums it all up with an excellent pseudo suite only Sir Paul McCartney can write.    … Expand
  11. KMAC63
    Sep 18, 2018
    8
    Flows well from to song to song and stands up to repeated listens with a great mix of rockers and ballads. Nicely produced; great mix of instruments. Some songs even have an almost garage rock feel.
  12. jefsco
    Sep 20, 2018
    8
    McCartney continues a comeback of sorts with another fine album. Interestingly it’s his first US #1 soloLP in 36 years. Paul is at his best when he writes creative pop songs with great hooks. To be honest it’s rarely his lyrics that blow people away. Based on that I have to say “Fuh You” is getting a bum rap. Yeah the lyrics are dumb but were Uncle Albert, Jet or Get Back great poetry?McCartney continues a comeback of sorts with another fine album. Interestingly it’s his first US #1 soloLP in 36 years. Paul is at his best when he writes creative pop songs with great hooks. To be honest it’s rarely his lyrics that blow people away. Based on that I have to say “Fuh You” is getting a bum rap. Yeah the lyrics are dumb but were Uncle Albert, Jet or Get Back great poetry? No. They were great pop songs. Fuh You is his catchiest tunes in decades. Comparable to Wings at their best. Same goes for Baby Come On To Me. Not sure why Paul is so horny at 76 but those are the two pop standouts on an overall solid record. Don’t except cutting edge or even sonic experimentation worthy of Sgt. Pepper from someone in his sixth decade of recording. If he can produce a few great sing a long songs be happy and enjoy them. He’s done that with Egypt Station.… Expand
  13. KinnArchimedes8
    Jan 14, 2021
    9
    Unbelievable that in 2018 McCartney could out out a record as good as this. Perhaps lyrically not as good as Chaos(2005), but musically at least as good. As far as McCartney albums go. Egypt ranks very highly with me. Easily in the top 5 of McCartney from 1980-2020. And miles better than the recently-released McCartney iii(2020). 2018 was a happy time to be a McCartney fan for sure.
  14. aether2606
    Aug 6, 2020
    9
    Even tho it has a few weak (but not bad) songs at the start the second half is really strong, with songs like "Despite Repeated Warnings" and the "Hunt You Down / Naked / C-Link" medley which are in my opinion of the best of the album.

    This is a more modern McCartney album but still has some of his classic stuff, with songs like "Hand in Hand". Doesn't matter which era you like of    Even tho it has a few weak (but not bad) songs at the start the second half is really strong, with songs like "Despite Repeated Warnings" and the "Hunt You Down / Naked / C-Link" medley which are in my opinion of the best of the album.

    This is a more modern McCartney album but still has some of his classic stuff, with songs like "Hand in Hand".

    Doesn't matter which era you like of Paul, this is a really solid album.    … Expand
  15. DanteLennon
    Mar 28, 2021
    10
    This album is so fun and full of surprises and great moments! I love it! This shows one more time the great musician Sir Paul is even at 78 years old! Amazing!
  16. Shibboleth2
    May 5, 2021
    10
    Took me a long time to get into this but boy was it worth the effort.
    Upbeat album i like most of the singles except 'Fuh You" which isn't bad but just not my cup of tea.
    The explorer version is well worth it as the extra songs are really good especially 'Frank Sinatra's Party' and 'Nothing for Free' but the best song for me and i believe one of Paul's best is 'Despite Repeated    Took me a long time to get into this but boy was it worth the effort.
    Upbeat album i like most of the singles except 'Fuh You" which isn't bad but just not my cup of tea.
    The explorer version is well worth it as the extra songs are really good especially 'Frank Sinatra's Party'
    and 'Nothing for Free' but the best song for me and i believe one of Paul's best is 'Despite Repeated Warnings' nearly 7 minutes of McCartney brilliance. Amazing that at 76 he can put out a genuinely fantastic album.    … Expand
  17. Xbluannax
    Nov 20, 2021
    9
    Classic retro McCartney sound as always loved every minute of it and don’t often enjoy full albums.

Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Most Discussed Album of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. musicOMH.com
    Sep 17, 2018
    80
    Thankfully, McCartney appears to be grasping the nettle and squeezing the most out of life and his apparently never-ending songbook. A definite thumbs up.
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  2. Under The Radar
    Sep 13, 2018
    70
    Sure, the lyrical content on Egypt Station isn't necessarily a work of pure genius, but it's pure Paul and that means a great deal.
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  3. Slant Magazine
    Sep 11, 2018
    50
    While the loping acoustic guitar figure that drives “Happy With You” isn't nearly as compositionally compelling, it's one of the only other songs here in which it sounds like McCartney is actually singing about something real. ... There are a few other tonally comparable songs on the 16-track Egypt Station, but the rest are largely bogged down in some eye-rolling cliché of one kind or another.
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