The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL NEW MUSIC: FOUNDING BUTCHER BABIES VOCALIST CARLA HARVEY DEBUTS MUSIC VIDEO FOR NEW EP TRACK “HELL OR HOLLYWOOD” FEATURING ZAKK WYLDE
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – ALIVE IN THE CATACOMBS
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: XOL MEISSNER – EXCESS OF LOSS
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD – PHANTOM ISLAND
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: YAWN – WISH I COULD’VE
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NORMAN GREENBAUM – SPIRIT IN THE SKY
SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: FERNANDO’S EYES – CENTER OF YOUR WORLD
SPILL NEWS: SOCCER MOMMY RELEASES ‘EVERGREEN (STRIPPED)’ EP | GLOBAL TOUR CONTINUES IN AUSTRALIA, ASIA & NORTH AMERICA
SPILL NEWS: BUSH ENTER “THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY” WITH NEW SINGLE AND MUSIC VIDEO RELEASE | TOUR DATES
SPILL NEWS: YUKON BLONDE ANNOUNCE FRIENDSHIP & ROCK ‘N’ ROLL FALL TOUR | TICKETS ON SALE THIS WEEK
SPILL NEW MUSIC: PORTUGAL. THE MAN SURPRISE EP ‘ULU SELECTS VOL #2’ OUT NOW ON KNIK
SPILL NEWS: GEORGIA HARMER ANNOUNCES NEW LP ‘EYE OF THE STORM’ ON ARTS & CRAFTS | SHARES TITLE TRACK & CANADA-USA TOUR DATES
SPILL NEW MUSIC: INDUSTRIAL ROCK ACT 16VOLT’S 1993 DEBUT ‘WISDOM’ LP REISSUED VIA METROPOLIS RECORDS | BRAND NEW ALBUM OUT IN SUMMER 2025
SPILL NEWS: THE DANDY WARHOLS AND KULA SHAKER HIT THE ROAD TOGETHER THIS FALL
SPILL NEW MUSIC: MANTRA OF THE COSMOS TEAM UP WITH NOEL GALLAGHER FOR NEW SINGLE “DOMINO BONES (GETS DANGEROUS)”
SPILL NEWS: RANDY BACHMAN AND BURTON CUMMINGS REUNITING TO PERFORM AS THE GUESS WHO FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 23 YEARS ON ROCK LEGENDS CRUISE XIII
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Month
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
853
Editor Pick
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SHAKESPEARS SISTER - SINGLES PARTY
next article
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: PUP @ RBC ECHO BEACH, TORONTO

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MIKE McGEAR – McGEAR (REMASTERED & EXPANDED BOXSET EDITION)

Mike McGear

Mike McGear
McGear (Remastered & Expanded Boxset Edition)
Esoteric/Cherry Red

Mike McGear’s real name is Peter Michael McCartney, but goes by Mike McCartney. He is the younger brother of Paul McCartney. But he has had his own fame and successes, with Scaffold and later with the supergroup GRIMMS. By the 1980s, he became a very respected photographer.  In 1974, McGear had left both groups and did not really have any plans, so big brother suggested that he work on a solo single. That single (“Leave It”) evolved into the album McGear. As luck would have it McCartney and Wings and a number of famous friends (including Paddy Molony) went to work with McGear and the result was one stunning album.

For McCartney fans, it is sort of the missing link between Band On The Run and Venus And Mars. McCartney had a hand in writing or co-writing the majority of songs and produced the album. However, let us be clear, this is McGear’s album and for his fans, this was the album they had been expecting and waiting for. The album is full of Mcgear’s brilliant use of words and his ear for a strong melody. McGear came two years after his solo album, Woman (well worth searching out), and is his last full album to date.

The album opens with a stunning cover of Roxy Music’s “Sea Breezes” and quite frankly gives Roxy a run for their money. McGear’s vocals sound fragile and vulnerable as the song begins, but gain a great deal of strength as the song plays on. A brilliant arrangement accompanies his vocals, and it is the perfect way to introduce the album. From there, we are introduced to characters (“Norton”), stories (“The Casket”, co-written by poet and former Scaffold member, Roger McGough) and incredible meditations (“The Man Who Found God On The Moon”, the album’s strongest song). There is some straight ahead rock ‘n’ roll (the album’s hit single, “Leave It”, which charted in the U.K and Europe) and some almost psychedelic rock (“Rainbow Lady”).

McGear has been in and out of print since it was first released in 1974, but here, it gets the deluxe treatment, and this is one album that is more than deserving of such care and treatment. The bonus material is a welcome addition. Included are singles and B-sides released at the same time (“Dance The Do” is wonderful) as well as some previously unreleased songs (the brilliant “Girls On The Avenue”). For Bonzo Dog Band fans, there is a great clip of Viv Stanshell singing, which is heartwarming to hear all these years later.

The DVD included also offers many treasures, certainly enough to keep fans glued to their TV set for quite some time. Overall, a beautifully assembled set to remind people of this fantastic album. McGear is an album that is a bit like a lost treasure. It’s re-release here reminds us of the brilliance of Mike McGear and how creative rock can be. It is an album with many twists and turns and each turn works and leads the listener  into many different lands of audible bliss.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

Editor Pick
Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MIKE McGEAR – McGEAR (REMASTERED & EXPANDED BOXSET EDITION)

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
7.6
9.0
Total Spill Rating
7.6
Total Fan Rating
4 ratings
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewscherry redesotericleave itmcgearmcgear (remastered & expanded boxset edition)mike mcgear
album review, album reviews, cherry red, esoteric, leave it, mcgear, mcgear (remastered & expanded boxset edition), mike mcgear
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewscherry red
 
10
Queens Of The Stone Age

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – ALIVE IN THE CATACOMBS

by Gerrod Harris on June 13, 2025
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE ALIVE IN THE CATACOMBS MATADOR RECORDS Following an early series of screenings at select, independent cinemas across the world – including Toronto’s Royal Theatre – and the digital release of their concert film, Alive In [...]
 
8.0
Xol Meissner

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: XOL MEISSNER – EXCESS OF LOSS

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on June 13, 2025
XOL MEISSNER EXCESS OF LOSS INDEPENDENT If you stick only to the face value of some information, it just might take you to a wrong track, and there is quite a bit of that here. First of all, Xol Meissner is an alias for a Swiss-born, NYC-based [...]
 
10
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD – PHANTOM ISLAND

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on June 13, 2025
KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD PHANTOM ISLAND P(DOOM) RECORDS So, where have the Australian mavericks gone so far in their explorations? From all things heavy to the outskirts of microtonal and spiritual jazz, while cramming as many albums [...]
 
9.0
Yawn

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: YAWN – WISH I COULD’VE

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on June 13, 2025
YAWN WISH I COULD’VE KILLBEAT MUSIC If you think that crafting close to perfect pop music is easy, then you’ve got things all wrong. Pop has a set of formulas you have to respect, and being inventive and doing it right within those [...]
 
8.0
Norman Greenbaum

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NORMAN GREENBAUM – SPIRIT IN THE SKY

by Aaron Badgley on June 13, 2025
NORMAN GREENBAUM SPIRIT IN THE SKY CRAFT RECORDINGS In 1967, a band with the unusual yet era appropriate name of Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band had a minor hit with the novelty song “The Eggplant That Ate Chicago” (it lives up to [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – ALIVE IN THE CA...
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: XOL MEISSNER – EXCESS OF LOSS
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD – P...
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: YAWN – WISH I COULD’VE
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NORMAN GREENBAUM – SPIRIT IN THE SKY
8.0

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • Premieres
  • SPILL RETRO REVIEWS
  • Track Of The Month
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2024 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE ACTORS AT LEE’S PALACE ON MAY 3!
520
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BRYAN FERRY & AMELIA BARRATT – LOOSE TALK
508
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MUMFORD & SONS – RUSHMERE
496
 
SPILL CONTEST: ENTER TO WIN A GWAR PRIZE PACK INCLUDING TICKETS TO SEE THEM LIVE AT HISTORY ON JUNE 9!
486
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DUSTY SPRINGFIELD – LONGING
446
 
SPILL FEATURE: A NEW ERA OF CAR SEAT – A CONVERSATION WITH SETH DALBY, ETHAN IVES & ANDREW KATZ OF CAR SEAT HEADREST
440
 
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A MEET-AND-GREET PACKAGE TO SEE ALESSIA CARA AT ROY THOMSON HALL ON MAY 15!
408
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PETER MURPHY – SILVER SHADE
404
 
SPILL FEATURE: IT JUST FEELS LIKE WE’RE A LITTLE MORE IN CHARGE – A CONVERSATION WITH CRISPIAN MILLS OF KULA SHAKER
383
 
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE EBO TAYLOR AT THE CONCERT HALL ON APRIL 13!
349
 
SPILL FEATURE: IN THE MEANTIME – A CONVERSATION WITH JONNY CRAGG OF SPACEHOG
332
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN FOXX – WHEREVER YOU ARE
283
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: VAGUE NOTION – “BASE SICK”
261
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES