Bruce Beatlefan (June 3, 2006)

The Driving Rain CD is heavily reviewed on this website, and in part I agree with all of them, even though they wander all over the map. The CD strikes me more like a massive download than as a cohesive collection of songs (16 new songs, over an hour of music), and it took many, many playings to separate the wheat from the chaff--and this album has a lot of both. The majority of songs deals with Paul's observations and trepidations in apprehending a new love, Miss Heather Mills. For the first time in McCartney's career, he seems quite comfortable in sharing his personal inner feelings. This makes even the lesser of these songs (like "About You" and "I Do") interesting. Better songs include the stock issue Paulstuff "From a Lover to a Friend" and "Your Loving Flame", the exotic "Riding to Jaipur", and two minor miracles which are among Paul's best tracks ever, "Heather" and "Your Way". The remaining songs give us the minor subplot of two collaberations with son James McCartney ("Back in the Sunshine" is okay, "Spinning on an Axis" isn't good enough to rise above its weirdness). The rest is some of Paul's strangest recordings "She's Given up Talking" and "Tiny Bubble", and two excellent rockers "Lonely Road" and "Rinse the Raindrops". Driving Rain is a confusing mishmash which (I believe) suffers from the fact that a CD has no discernable A- and B- side to give these songs some sense of order...but worth having for those four or five truly outstanding tracks.

John (September 15, 2005)

Driving Rain is quite below McCartney standards as a whole. Every once in awhile a song or more often a part of a song jumped out at me, but overall it left me disappointed. I really hated the whole "Freedom" and it's subsequent connection to the whole 9/11 terrorist thing and McCartney waving flags at concerts really turned me off too. Paul could never pull off the political activism John Lennon used to do.....but then Lennon was never the business man Paul was.

Jay (September 4, 2005)

Great album overall. A few songs are forgettable including Freedom. I remixed the album and left some of the songs I dont like off. Its a good way to really aprpeciate the finer work on the album. Guitar and drums are excelllent on the album as is Paul's piano work on "From a Lover to a Friend." I don't see how a Pmac fan wouldn't like this album on the whole. It sounds great with a finely polished sound. Two thumbs up in my opinion though I recommend taking some tracks off and burning your own copy of the CD with the songs you like (unless of course you like them all). :)

John (July 14, 2005)

At first listen Driving Rain left me very concerned for Macca's musical future. I actually remember thinking Paul has finally lost it. It was a struggle to get through the entire album. A very tough listen.
Only one or two tracks have any merit. I liked Lonely Road and Paul's scat singing at the end of the song. I like Your Way, which almost sounds like a Ram outtake. The title track Driving Rain is very catchy but as is the case in many of Paul's songs the lyrics are inane.

OB (July 7, 2005)

The thing with this album is (and with so many other of Paul's albums) that every time you listen to it it grows on you. Like a nice fungus.

Ramon (March 24, 2005)

This is a masterpiece. No doubt about it. The musicians that play along with paul are the best since those other 3 guys from the sixties!! It's a very fresh record, and very pure and organic, you can hear and feel the finguers and the strings, it seems that it was recorded in the 60's. I do believe it's his best work since McCartney, but I hope to hear something new and even better this year.
Cheers

Klaus Bergmaier / THE DOORS EXPERIENCE - www.thedoors.at (October 27, 2004)

One of his best albums ever. Many outstanding tracks. Heather is actually one of the greatest tracks ever written by Macca. No one else would dare release such a song. It's oh so great.

But I still can't stand the bonus track "Freedom". Couldn't he have left that off?

Rick Spencer (October 23, 2004)

I have every McCartney album, from McCartney to Back in the U.S.
In regards to "Driving Rain", I have listened to the CD once and even that was too much. My opinion is, this is his weakest album ever. I even enjoy listening to "Wildlife" more than this album.
(Which is saying a lot, considering that was his poorest album, just my opinion.)

As far as "Driving Rain" is concerned, I think every song is very weak and I can't find one song that I truly enjoy. That is a first for me on a McCartney album. Even when I attended one of his concerts from the last tour, he performed a few songs from the album.
I was not suprised to see many people leaving their seats to go to the concession stands or just sitting in their seats being very quiet. I thought that perhaps in concert these songs would come to life. Sorry, they were D.O.A.
I must admit his new band is dynamite and it's not their fault the songs are weak.
I am hoping that if McCartney releases another album, maybe he can take some time and try and write some great songs this time round.
Maybe I am being too critical, but I can't help it, I always expect greatness from this man.

No matter, he is and will always be, a great artist.

Harry (June 16, 2004)

Just realised that I accidently gave five stars - above. I meant less than one actually.

Harry (May 27, 2004)

Macca scrapes the barrel with this album making one wonder whether he ought to bother with another studio effort. There isn't a single outstanding track on Driving Rain.

excellent and a half (November 8, 2009)

The utmost repect is due to Sir Paul MaCartney. Through a decade of artistic inirtia, and more dire, the death of his beloved and then a bitter divorce, the world's best bass player has picked himself up, dusted himself off, and made some of the most vital art of his career.
Flamming Pie may have gotten the ball rolling, but as to Driving Rain, well, frankly, he has not been this inspired since Band On The Run.

This is defiantely a collection of Paul tracks, with all the tight writting and perfect production. But listen to the organ on "Tiny Bubble," his bass on the title track, or the long jam near the end of the album. The planning is careful, but the execution is loose and fuled by the love for playing that got lost on 80s albums such as Press To Play or even as late as 1993s Off The Ground. Like rain driving down from the sky, the songs here fall by chance, but always land dead on target.

Speaking of Driving Rain, listen to the title track's lyrics: "Why Don't We Drive In Rain/Straight Through The Eye Of The Hurricane. 12345 Let's Go For A Drive."

No, this is no silly love song or a quiant drive in the country. Paul has suffered loss, and is trying to get OK again. This is no mop top driving in his car--this is a man and an artist trying to find an accpetable shape of life again after the unbareable.

Paul has, classically, been accused of being trival and quint, and to a large degree, the critics were right. Listen to Speed Of Sound--great playing and little to say. It is hard to beleive this is the same guy who listened to Biero and Stockhausen and hung out with Billy DeKoning.

Then turn to Tiny Bubble on this album, where Paul says "You can't imagine what I've been going through/I would not wish this on a soul much less you." These are adult concerns spoken by an adult to other adults. Paul's ability to express emotions so sincerely and with complete simplicity is astounding.

So many years have passed, that little B word need not enter the conversation. If we collectively have not already, it is time to see all of Paul's work after 1970 as its own entinty. It may be spotty, it may have many pot holes.

But the fact that McCarteney has surrivived it all and is making some of his most vital music at nearly 70--music that puts everything into a context that helps him still thrive-- is a testimony to his greatness as an artist. Driving Rain is this artist at his peak, some of his most subtanative work since.................what was the name of that band again?

near the top tier (September 13, 2009)

For me, Driving Rain is one of the better albums of Paul McCartney's solo career. Not up to the the likes of Tug of War, Pipes of Peace, Band on The Run and the experimental McCartney II, but an enjoyable CD nevertheless. The opening track, Lonely Road, is a classic McCartney 'screamer" in the tradition of I'm Down and I've Got a Feeling. From a Lover to a Friend and Your Loving Flame are two well crafted ballads and have stood up well over time, Tiny Bubble is a great little album track that is enhanced by some nice work on the Hammond Organ (sounds like Steve Winwood!). The mostly instrumental song Heather demonstrates that McCartney's ability to compose strong melodies remains intact. I Do, Driving Rain, and the bluesy Back In The Sunshine Again are standouts also, and even the quirky, off beat numbers like Spinning on an Axis and She's Given Up Talking really grow on you. Even if you're not a completist, this is one of the McCartney albums that deserves to be in your collection.

Driving Rain (March 12, 2009)

Driving Rain being McCartney's 2001 release and was a major disapointment in the charts. In the UK it topped at #46 and whilst it did better in the US (#26) it was also a surprise considering the positive reviews. I find it to be an alright release but it is not outstanding. The booklet is atrocious. The cover photo looks it was shot by some close friend with a cheap digital camera and the rest of the photographs have the same lack of quality. The lyrics are easy to read and for each track we get a list of whom plays what. 3/5.

A STRONG OUTING (March 13, 2008)

A very good cd from Paul, Seems he was very happy at the time, Very up beat and warm. I play it a lot and it still sounds fresh and fun.

Paul McCartney - Lot's Of Mixed Reactions To This One (October 4, 2007)

This is an album that seems to get very mixed reviews from McCartney fans. Many view it as one of his all time best others don't seem to like it much at all. For me, I lean toward the latter category. Driving Rain was the first album of new material that Paul had released following his wife Linda's untimely death from cancer. The specter of this event weighs heavily on the album. It is also an album that was recorded after Paul had met his soon to be second wife Heather. This too shows in several of the albums tracks with a more upbeat hopeful theme. I have to give McCartney credit, there are a few tracks here where he really tries something different and dare I say gets a bit progressive. The mostly instrumental track Heather and the 10 minute album closer Rinse The Raindrops are both good examples of McCartney stepping out of his pop persona and really going for something different. These two tracks are the highlights of the album for me. There are several other tracks here that are quite good as well. , but overall I find a lot of this stuff wanting.....something, but I am not sure what exactly it is. I can understand why this album got such mixed reaction from fans. The album also contains a bonus live track Freedom which became a minor hit for Paul in the wake of September 11th. I can see where some would probably really love this album, but for me it is only a 3 star Macca release.