Wings - London Town (1978)

"London Town" is the sixth studio album by Wings and was released in 1978.

Reduced to the core trio of Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney, and Danny Laine after the successful "Speed of Sound" tour, "London Town" finds Wings dropping the band façade slightly, turning in their most song-oriented effort since "Band on the Run", which, not coincidentally, was recorded with this very trio. And although its high points don't shine as brightly as those on its two immediate predecessors, it's certainly stronger than Speed and, in its own way, as satisfying as "Venus and Mars". What "London Town" has in its favor is Wings' (or, more likely, McCartney's) decision to settle into slick soft rock, relying on glossy, synth-heavy productions as he ratchets up the melodic quotient. This gives the album a distinctly European flavor, a feeling that intensifies when the lyrics are taken into the equation, and this gives "London Town" a different flavor than almost any other record in his catalog. And if its best moments aren't as strong as McCartney at his best they, along with the album tracks, find him skillfully crafting engagingly light, tuneful songs that charm with their offhanded craft, domesticity, and unapologetic sweetness. McCartney's humor is in evidence here, too, with the terrific "Famous Groupies," which means there's a little of everything he does here, outside of flat-out rocking. It's a laid-back, almost effortless collection of professional pop and, as such, it's one of his strongest albums.

On the 1993 re-issue the songs "Girls School and "Mull Of Kintyre" were added to the album as bonus tracks.

Tracklist

01.  London Town  (Paul McCartney, Denny Laine)  - 4:10

02.  Cafe on the Left Bank  (Paul McCartney)  - 3:25

03.  I'm Carrying  (Paul McCartney)  - 2:44

04.  Backwards Traveller  (Paul McCartney)  - 1:09

05.  Cuff Link  (Paul McCartney)  - 1:59

06.  Children Children  (Paul McCartney, Denny Laine)  - 2:22

07.  Girlfriend   (Paul McCartney)  - 4:39

08.  I've Had Enough  (Paul McCartney)   - 3:02

09.  With a Little Luck  (Paul McCartney)  -  5:45

10.  Famous Groupies  (Paul McCartney) -  3:36

11.  Deliver Your Children  (Paul McCartney, Denny Laine)  - 4:17

12.  Name and Address  (Paul McCartney)  - 3:07

13.  Don't Let It Bring You Down  (Paul McCartney, Denny Laine)  - 4:34

14.  Morse Moose and the Grey Goose  (Paul McCartney, Denny Laine)  - 6:25

Bonus Tracks on 1993 re-issue

15. Girls School  (Paul McCartney)  - 4:38

16. Mull of Kintyre  (Paul McCartney, Denny Laine)  - 4:42

Personnel

Paul McCartney - bass, vocals, drums, percussion, guitar, violin, keyboards, flageolet

Linda McCartney - keyboards, percussion, vocals

Denny Laine - guitar, bass, flageolet, recorder, percussion, vocals

Jimmy McCulloch - guitar, backing vocals

Joe English - drums, percussion

Notes
Released:  31 March 1978

Recorded at: 

Abbey Road

Studios and Air-London-Studios, London; Virgin Islands

Genre:  Rock

Length: 100:57

Label:  Parlophone

Producer:  Paul McCartney