Lovers of the 1970s-era music of Paul McCartney and Wings are living the dream. When it comes to new content, we’ve been treated to one revelation after another in recent years. Hot on the heels of last year’s “One Hand Clapping” is a newly minted half-speed vinyl edition of “Venus and Mars,” Wings’ exquisite follow-up release to the chart-busting “Band on the Run” album. And it doesn’t disappoint.
Originally released in May 1975, “Venus and Mars” proved that “Band on the Run” hadn’t been a fluke. When it came to the “One Hand Clapping” sessions, McCartney wanted to test Wings’ roadworthiness, an exam that the post-Beatles outfit passed with flying colors. “Venus and Mars” acted as the blueprint, then, for the blockbuster “Wings Over the World” tour. Indeed, the epic “Rock Show” prefigured McCartney’s plans for conquering the rock ‘n’ roll box office. With unchecked bravado, he promises to stage Wings blowout events at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and fabled North American venues like Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl. “We’ll be there!” he sings.
Propelled by the chart-topping single “Listen to What the Man Said,” “Venus and Mars” typified Wings’ warm, cozy and colorful 1970s vibe. Recorded in large part during the band’s sojourn to New Orleans, the record positively brims with energy and musical timbre. “Call Me Back Again” and “You Gave Me the Answer,” for instance, find McCartney mining the city’s jazz tradition for a pair of throwback songs that would earn their places on the “Wings Over the World” setlist.
But for many fans, the real star of the re-release will be the Dolby Atmos version of the album. Supervised by Giles Martin and Steve Orchard, the “Venus and Mars” Atmos experience absolutely soars. Songs like “Love in Song,” “Letting Go” and “Spirits of Ancient Egypt” thrive in that immersive environment. With the addition of so much sound and space, listeners will feel like they’re hearing these mid-1970s McCartney gems for the very first time.
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In its heyday, “Venus and Mars” proved to be a harbinger of things to come, eventually selling more than four million copies. But Wings was only just getting started. Released in 1976, chart-topping follow-ups in “Wings at the Speed of Sound” and “Wings Over America” underscored the band’s status as an honest-to-goodness juggernaut. And the group’s sales record speaks for itself. During the band’s nine-year run from 1971 through 1980, the group charted 14 Top 10 US singles, culminating in the number-one hit “Coming Up (Live at Glasgow).”
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