Chaos and Creation in the Backyard
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is the thirteenth solo studio album by Paul McCartney, released in the UK on 12 October 2005 and in the US on 13 October. A long time in the making, the set was produced by Radiohead and Beck collaborator Nigel Godrich at George Martin's suggestion.
McCartney plays almost all of the instruments, similar to his 1970 album McCartney and the 1980 McCartney II album. In addition, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard marks the first time since 1984's Give My Regards to Broad Street that McCartney was not involved in producing one of his studio albums.
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard was McCartney's last rock album release for longtime label EMI. He signed a deal with Hear Music, owned by Starbucks, in March 2007. He later returned to his old label Capitol Records in 2016.
Music and lyrics
McCartney said that the song "Friends to Go" is influenced by, and dedicated to, George Harrison.Production
Upon being asked to produce an album with McCartney, Godrich admitted:The two tentatively began a collaboration, recording the songs "This Never Happened Before" and "Follow Me" which was enough to convince both of them that they could develop an album. Godrich's participation was active: he inspired McCartney to write the song "At the Mercy", added piano loops on "How Kind of You" and worked with McCartney to slow the tempo of "Riding to Vanity Fair" which McCartney says "changed the mood completely". Although initially taken aback, McCartney appreciated Godrich's tenacity and honesty.
According to McCartney, Godrich was at times blunt in his appraisal of McCartney's songs-in-progress during the making of Chaos and Creation in the Backyard:
Recording
Recording sessions for the album were done over a long period of time, with many pauses. First sessions were held at RAK Studios, London in September 2003 by McCartney and his band. After a few takes, Godrich said to McCartney he wanted to work with him alone, not involving the band. After some months' break, sessions resumed at Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles in April 2004, with more sessions in September. Final recordings took place at AIR Studios, London in April 2005.Artwork
The cover for Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is from a photograph of McCartney strumming a guitar in his family's back yard in Liverpool, taken by brother Mike McCartney and originally entitled Paul Under Washing, before being retitled Our Kid Through Mum's Net Curtains.Release
The first single, the upbeat "Fine Line", was released in late August 2005, ahead of the release of Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, and reached No. 20 in the UK. A second single, "Jenny Wren", reached No. 22 in the UK that November.The 'US' Tour in 2005 helped to promote the album in the US and Canada.
There was also a promotional concert for the album held at Abbey Road Studios, called Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road.
Reception
At Metacritic, the album holds an average Metascore of 78 out of 100, based on 19 reviews, which indicates a generally favourable reception. Advance reviews for Chaos and Creation in the Backyard suggested that after delivering Flaming Pie, Run Devil Run, Driving Rain and this album – all in uninterrupted succession – McCartney was in a late-career creative peak. Many critics and longtime listeners also considered that the album was unusually reflective and intimate-sounding for McCartney. The sudden shift in direction was generally considered an unexpected and welcome surprise, and resulted in four Grammy nominations for the album, including the nomination for Album of the Year.Reviewing for the BBC, Daryl Easlea described Chaos and Creation as "Very, very good", and added: "'Riding To Vanity Fair', 'Too Much Rain', 'Anyway' and 'How Kind Of You' are full of subtle nuances, killer hooks and sweet surprises. They really do rank among his very best work." In The New York Times, Jon Pareles wrote that McCartney's return to a multi-instrumentalist role "makes the songs more intimate and less conventional", while remarking of the project: "Sir Paul chose a producer who favored the experimental side: Nigel Godrich … Sir Paul also lined up his best backup band since the Beatles: himself."
In the US, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard debuted at the No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 91,545 copies. It stayed on chart for a total of 21 weeks, selling over 530,000 copies up to 2007. However, the album underperformed in the UK, peaking at the No. 10 and spending only three weeks inside the top 200, with cumulative sales of around 45,000 units. It fared better in France, selling in excess of 100,000 copies during a 21-week chart run. According to the annual report published by EMI, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard had sold 1.3 million copies worldwide by the end of March 2006.
Track listing
All songs written by Paul McCartney.- "Fine Line" – 3:05
- "How Kind of You" – 4:47
- "Jenny Wren" – 3:47
- "At the Mercy" – 2:38
- "Friends to Go" – 2:43
- "English Tea" – 2:12
- "Too Much Rain" – 3:24
- "A Certain Softness" – 2:42
- "Riding to Vanity Fair" – 5:07
- "Follow Me" – 2:31
- "Promise to You Girl" – 3:10
- "This Never Happened Before" – 3:24
- "Anyway" – 7:22
- *"Anyway" contains a hidden track, "I've Only Got Two Hands", at 4:10 after a 20-second break.
Additional songs
There are six songs which were recorded during the sessions for Chaos, not included on the album but released as B-sides and on imports:
| Title | Length | Notes |
| "Comfort of Love" | 3:12 | Available on "Fine Line" CD single |
| "Growing Up Falling Down" | 3:27 | Available on "Fine Line" CD single |
| "Summer of '59" | 2:11 | Available on vinyl edition of a single "Jenny Wren" |
| "This Loving Game" | 3:15 | Available on "Jenny Wren" CD single |
| "I Want You to Fly" | 5:03 | Available on "Jenny Wren" CD single |
| "She Is So Beautiful" | 3:01 | Available on Japanese pressing of the album |
| "Jenny Wren" | Exclusive download from Paulmccartney.com |
Special Edition DVD
Personnel
Personnel per booklet.;Musicians
- Paul McCartney – piano, electric piano, Baldwin spinet, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, classical guitar, drums, drum machine, violin, maracas, tambourine, vocals, flugelhorn, güiro, acoustic guitar loops, cello, vibrachimes, B3 organ, tambourine on snare, melodica, recorders, tubular bells, 12 string guitar, autoharp, harmonium, gong, triangle, toy glockenspiel, percussion, woodblock, moog synthesizer
- Millennia Ensemble – strings, brass instrument
- Joby Talbot – string arrangement, conducting, brass arrangement
- Nigel Godrich – piano and Epiphone acoustic guitar loops
- Pedro Eustache – duduk
- Jason Falkner – electric guitar, classical guitar
- James Gadson – drums
- Joey Waronker – bass drum, bongos, shaker
- The Los Angeles Music Players – strings
- David Campbell – string arrangement
- Rusty Anderson – acoustic guitar
- Brian Ray – acoustic guitar
- Abe Laboriel Jr. – percussion, block, tambourine
- Nigel Godrich – producer
- Dan Grech-Marguerat – production assistant
- Darrell Thorp – engineer
- Alan Yoshida – mastering
- Mike McCartney – cover
- Brian Clarke – inlay
- Bill Bernstein – back cover
- Paul McCartney, Stylorouge London – art direction
Session information
;Fine Line
- Recorded – Air Studios, London, Late 2004 – April 2005
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Baldwin Spinet, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Shakers, Tambourine
- Millennia Ensemble – Strings
- Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement
- Recorded – Air Studios, London, Late 2004 – April 2005
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Flugelhorn, Shaker, Guerrero, Ludwig Drums, Piano and Epiphone Acoustic Guitar Loops
- Nigel Godrich – Piano and Epiphone Acoustic Guitar Loops
- Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., October 2004
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Epiphone Texan Acoustic Guitar, Ludwig Floor Tom
- Pedro Eustache – Duduk
- Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., Spring, 2004, Air Studios, London, Late 2004 – April 2005
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Steinway Grand Piano, Fender Telecaster Electric Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Cello, Mass Vibrachimes, Tambourine, B3 Organ
- Jason Falkner – Electric Guitar
- James Gadson – Drums
- Millennia Ensemble – Strings, Brass
- Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement
- Recorded – Air Studios, London, Late 2004 – April 2005
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Tambourine on Snare, Flugelhorn, Höfner Melodica, Shakers
- Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., Air Studios, London, Late 2004 – April 2005
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Höfner Bass Guitar, Ludwig Bass Drum, Recorders, Tubular Bells
- Millennia Ensemble – Strings, Brass
- Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement
- Recorded – Air Studios, London, Late 2004 – April 2005
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Bösendorfer Grand Piano, Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Martin 12-String Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Schmidt Autoharp, Ludwig Drums, Maracas
- Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., Spring, 2004
- Paul McCartney – Vocal, Petersen Classical Guitar, Höfner Bass Guitar, Crown Upright Piano, Harmonium, Paiste Gong, Cymbal, Triangle
- Jason Falkner – Classical Guitar
- Joey Waronker – Bass Drum, Bongo Drums, Shaker
- Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., Spring, 2004, and Air Studios, London, Late 2004 – April 2005
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Toy Glockenspiel, Wurlitzer Electric Piano
- Los Angeles Music Players – Strings
- David Campbell – Arrangement
- James Gadson – Drums
- Recorded – RAK Studios, London, November 2003
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Epiphone Texan Acoustic Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Percussion, Block, Tambourine
- Rusty Anderson – Acoustic Guitar
- Brian Ray – Acoustic Guitar
- Abe Laboriel Jnr – Percussion, Block, Tambourine
- Millennia Ensemble – Strings
- Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement
- Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., Late 2004 – April 2005
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Crown Upright Piano, Steinway Grand Piano, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Moog Synthesizer, Tambourine, Triangle, Shaker
- Recorded – RAK Studios, London, November 2003
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Yamaha Grand Piano, Höfner Bass Guitar, Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Drum Machine
- Millennia Ensemble – Strings, Brass
- Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement
- Recorded – Ocean Way Recording, L.A., Air Studios, London, Late 2004 – April 2005
- Paul McCartney – Vocals, Steinway Grand Piano, Höfner Bass Guitar, Gibson L5 Electric Guitar, Martin D28 Acoustic Guitar, Ludwig Drums, Moog Synthesizer, Harmonium
- Millennia Ensemble – Strings, Brass
- Joby Talbot – Conducting, Arrangement
Accolades