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Electric Arguments is the third album by The Fireman, an experimental music duo consisting of Paul McCartney and producer Youth. The album was first announced 29 September 2008, on Paul McCartney's website, and was released on 24 November 2008 on the duo's website. It is the first Fireman release to be publicly acknowledged by McCartney, and the album cover features the names of both contributors.
The album, unlike the earlier Fireman albums, features prominent vocals. Each song on the album was recorded in one day, the album itself done in only thirteen days, spread over the course of a year.
It debuted at No.79 on the UK Album Charts, marking the first appearance for The Fireman in the British charts. They also made their inaugural appearance on the Billboard 200, reaching No.67.
The duo borrowed the title "Electric Arguments" from the poem "Kansas City to St. Louis" by Allen Ginsberg. In Wired magazine, McCartney stated this was because "he's been looking at the beauty of word combinations rather than their meaning."
" We had a ball making this album, and it was a great departure because it seemed more like improv theatre. In the improv spirit, there are William Burroughs-type cut-ups in the lyrics. I came to "Sing the Changes," as well as all the other songs in the album, with absolutely no concept of what the melody or lyrics would be about. So it was like writing on the spot, which I think lent an electricity to the whole sound. "
—Paul McCartney
Electric Arguments was acclaimed by critics, cited as one of the best albums of 2008. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, "There are more twists and turns, more textures, than on any other McCartney album in the last 20 years," awarding the album 4 and a half stars. Will Hermes of Rolling Stone called the album "the ex-Beatle's headiest music in years" giving it 4 stars. Pete Paphides of The Times gave the album 4 stars, saying "Electric Arguments is delivered with a disregard for production values or playlist potential that would make, say, Keane or the Kooks blush at their own conservatism".
Tags: Paul McCartney The Fireman Youth Electric Arguments Studio Session 2008 Part one HD Rare