Run Devil Run

A year after his wife Linda’s death, Paul McCartney hit the studio to record a loose, unpretentious collection of tunes from his youth. Where Unplugged stripped McCartney’s quiet side to its most vulnerable quirks, Run Devil Run presents his electric side without the usual studio varnish. In its place, McCartney punches hard, pulling out his Little Richard side, rasping in desperation through tunes both obscure and familiar. Elvis Presley’s “All Shook Up,” Gene Vincent’s “Blue Jean Baby,” and Fats Domino’s “Coquette” reflect their historical roots, but McCartney is far less than reverent, plowing through the material with the same wild abandon that gave the songs their initial life. “She Said Yeah” crunches. Chad & Jeremy’s “No Other Baby” simmers with an underlying sorrow. And the three originals McCartney submits, including the pounding title track, flow with renewed life and vigor. Most importantly, the production here keeps things tight and punchy. The guitars snarl, the drums snap crisply, and no unnecessary parts clog up the brilliant guitar work from McCartney and Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour.