Venus & Mars (half speed remastered) vinyl

By 1975, Paul McCartney's Wings had cemented themselves as a global phenomenon with Band on the Run. Rather than replicate that album's formula, Venus and Mars embraces a looser, more exploratory approach, reflecting the band's evolving lineup and musical ambitions. Recorded primarily in New Orleans, the album incorporates rock, ballads and playful genre-hopping, embodying a free-spirited energy that defined mid-70s McCartney. The title track's gentle acoustic opening transitions seamlessly into the bombastic, arena-ready 'Rock Show', setting the stage for Wings' ambitious world tour. 'Listen to What the Man Said' delivers pure melodic bliss, its breezy saxophone flourishes making it one of McCartney's most effortless pop triumphs. Meanwhile, 'Letting Go' stands out with its bluesy, soulful atmosphere, contrasting the vaudevillian charm of 'You Gave Me the Answer'. New guitarist Jimmy McCulloch steps into the spotlight with 'Medicine Jar', a riff-driven rocker that, alongside 'Spirits of Ancient Egypt', adds grit to score. The album's whimsy shines through 'Magneto and Titanium Man', inspired by comic book lore, while 'Call Me Back Again' sees McCartney delivering one of his rawest, most impassioned vocal performances. The cinematic instrumental 'Crossroads' closes the album on an unexpected yet fitting note. An album that saw Wings at their most eclectic, harnessing both their playful charm and growing ambition while making it an essential piece of McCartney's post-Beatles journey. 50 years since it first was released, this reissue sounds better than ever.