Music review: ‘The Art of McCartney ‘

“The Art of McCartney” is an engaging celebration of the music of Sir Paul McCartney.
In the works since 2003, this star-studded tribute features a wide range of artists contributing their own signature style to these magnificent pieces of musical bliss.
The musical depth of McCartney’s arrangements comes shining through with performances by artists such as Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Barry Gibb, Chrissie Hynde, Bob Dylan, Dion, Dr. John, Corinne Bailey Rae and B.B. King.
Brian Wilson, who was the first to sign on to do the project, adds his own spark of genius to a beautifully elegant cover of “Wanderlust” from McCartney’s 1982 “Tug of War.”
Other highlights include Alice Cooper on the haunting “Eleanor Rigby,” Kiss belting out “Venus and Mars/Rock Show,” Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen offering up a spirited version of “Jet,” Roger Daltrey capturing the raw energy of “Helter Skelter,” Def Leppard’s melodic exuberance on “Helen Wheels” and Paul Rodgers’ bluesy vocals on “Let Me Roll It.” McCartney’s band is the common thread that gives consistency to each artist’s performance.
Unfortunately, the band’s presence also provides some creative restrictions for the artists as they interpret the tracks individually.
While the majority of the album is an absorbing listen, not every performance is golden. Slightly disappointing covers include Steve Miller’s uninspiring interpretation of “Hey Jude,” Owl City’s lackluster version of “Listen to What the Man Said,” Heart’s generic effort on “Band on the Run” and Sammy Hagar’s humdrum performance for “Birthday.”
While some performances may be a little underachieving for the material provided, the overall experience is a treasured tribute to one of music’s greatest musicians and one of the largest-selling composers of all time.
Clint Rhodes is the Herald-Standard music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.