Paul McCartney - Ram, 41 years later...

I read in the Chicago Tribune that Sir Paul has recently reissued his quirky 2^nd solo record Ram.  In that review - Mark Caro, wrote:  “Paul McCartney's "Ram," reissued last week in five different packages, sure didn't receive this kind of love upon its 1971 release.  John Lennon loathed it and Rolling Stone called it "incredibly inconsequential" and "monumentally irrelevant."  But 41 years later, opinions have softened.  A sizable number of folks now consider it the best solo Beatles album.  [blogger: wow, really?] Two "Ram" tribute albums came out in 2009.  And now we have these five reissues.”  [Among the various reissues - two vinyl versions are available – one in stereo and a limited-edition mono version.]  Caro again: "Ram" is a quirky hodgepodge of songs, many of which were downright silly, from the "butter pie" and jaunty changes of "Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey" to the smelly feet and teeth of "Smile Away" to his maniacal screeching of "Monkberry Moon Delight. "Instead of offering grand visions for a new decade, McCartney celebrated the simple life of "Heart of the Country" (a charming acoustic number that Rolling Stone detested) and channeled his inner Brian Wilson on the orchestral sprawl of "The Back Seat of My Car." If nothing else, "Ram" proves that well-crafted, melodic pop, even when executed loosely and having little deep to say, holds up over the years."