Paul McCartney's new album Memory Almost Full may be a nod to the musician's past, but everything about the project is pretty forward looking — especially for a true legend. For instance:
- The album is being released through a joint venture between Concord and Starbucks.
- It was produced by David Kahne, a contemporary hit-maker who has worked with everyone from Sugar Ray, The Strokes, Sublime and Regina Spektor all the way to The Bangles, Bruce Springsteen and Fishbone.
- The album will be the first McCartney music — Beatles or solo — to be available digitally.
- The video for "Dance Tonight" was directed by Michel Gondry and debuted today via YouTube. [ps: Anybody know the over/under on Macca showing up at the American Idol finale tonight?]
Both the single and video steer clear of the maudlin and sometimes cheesy tone that's affected McCartney's lesser work. Save for an overlong intro with comedic actor Mackenzie Crook, the video perfectly summons up the sprightly tone of this simple mandolin jam. So, thumb's up from me, with the only wish being that the mandolin was a ukulele (as George Harrison would have also surely preferred). Video Static contributor Doug Stern made a good point, noting the video "is so British that it has crooked teeth, a morning coat and a box at Ascot." The opinion to trust most, however, is fellow Video Static contributing writer Kevin Holy, who maintains the best Michel Gondry resource on the web (or anywhere else).
Kevin Holy, director-file.com: "Director extraordinaire Michel Gondry has delivered a fantastic new video for Sir Paul McCartney for 'Dance Tonight,' the first single off of McCartney's new album Memory Almost Full. Starring Natalie Portman, Mackenzie Crook (from the British version of The Office) and Macca impersonator Neil Tudor, the video features Paul at his estate in the English countryside with a magical mandolin. One strum and the cute little instrument summons forth a gaggle of ghosts, including Miss Portman who wreaks invisible havoc around the house. While the effect looks similar to the one Michel used in his White Stripes video Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" — which was accomplished by projecting film onto the scene — these apparitions were created by an old mirror trick called Pepper's Ghost. It's a really great, fun video, and may be Gondry's best since his Gary Jules vid 'Mad World'."
--> watch "Dance Tonight"
Paul McCartney "Dance Tonight" (Starbucks/Concord)
Michel Gondry, director | Grace Bodie, producer | Partizan, production co | Jean-Louis Bompoint, DP | Russel Ike @ Whitehouse UK, editor
