Very interesting posting string. The only thang I question, though, is an earlier comment that Paul is first a composer before he is an instrumentalist. That might actually be on even keel, as Paul's instrument contributions to the Beatles and his solo works are generally way far overlooked. To the point that George often got credit in the public's eye for some of Paul's great Beatle guitar part contributions...ie. the Sgt. Pepper lick, the Taxman solo. Even in Paul's last two albums, the intricate musical arrangements-generally consisting at most times of his instrumentation-are possibly the highest points of the albums. The instrumentation moods he consistently struck in Chaos & Creation were absolutely awesome and other than going over the top a bit on a couple of Memory Full songs, the instrumentation and their arrangement are absolutely top notch. Perhaps, better than the song compositions themselves-which are pretty darn good.

Listen to Chaos and Creation, again for the way the songs and lyrics are often sung upbeat totally contrasted by his heavy laden instrumentation pulling the listener in two separate directions at once...basically simulating the upward/downward pull of Lennon-McCartney's musical chemistry. This is Paul doing it all himself. Quite an instrumental feat. In Memory Full, the same thing is often occurring although its more of a George Martin-Paul McCartney musical chemistry going on...with Paul's instrumentation expanding his own horizon.

Paul might really be an instrumentalist first and a composer second.

I'll admit the mandolin playing is pretty basic on the first song, but one can't help but notice that it is that basic mandolin playing that is driving Paul's vocals to a very cool level that somehow incorporates and pays tribute to country roots, skiffle roots, bluegrass roots, and George Harrison's ukelele. For a simple mandolin strum to do all that in one sweep (or strum) is quite phenomonal instrumentation in itself. I think that's what Paul meant when he said his new discovery of mandolin was responsible for driving the energy of the song or whatever it was he said.

John Lennon on the other hand was a great lyrical and rhythm composer. Paul is a great melodic and instrumentalist composer. To second rate his instrumentalist capabilities isn't accurate based on his collected works (new and old.)

QM