All songs written or co-written by Paul McCartney.

Digitally remastered English version includes the bonus tracks "Spies Like Us" and "Once Upon A Long Ago" (Long Version)).

Personnel: Paul McCartney; Linda McCartney, Pete Townshend, Phil Collins, Carlos Alomar.

Opening with the gentle rhythm guitars, slap-back reverb vocals and clean-sounding horns of "Stranglehold," Paul McCartney's PRESS TO PLAY is an exercise in straightforward, feel-good pop music, as only McCartney can do it--sincere in a way you wouldn't buy from too many songwriters. Filled with sonic strokes that might stain the record of a lesser artist, PRESS TO PLAY rises above its now-quaint sounding atmosphere to even further show off McCartney's pure, transcendent gift.

The production of PRESS TO PLAY is a sign of the times-- tight, compressed sounds dominate, gated reverb and heavy chorus guitar (courtesy of the nimble-fingered Carlos Alomar, among others) are but a few of the eighties trademarks which define its sound. What's timeless, though, is McCartney's still-staggering gift for melodic invention. The essence of simplicity, his every note is perfectly placed, from the off-kilter "Talk More Talk" (which even includes Simmons drums!) to the meditative throb of "Pretty Little Head." "Only Love Remains," the album's stand-out, is McCartney at his best--heartbreaking chord changes and sweet melody give way to sweeping orchestration and a huge, infectious refain.