“Egypt Station” announced

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After a 2-weeks-long online marketing campaign, Paul McCartney’s 17th solo studio album, “Egypt Station“, was finally announced, and made available as pre-order in vinyl, CD, digital formats. A “Super Deluxe Limited Edition hand numbered box set package featuring bonus tracks coming soon” was also teased in the announcement but would not appear before May 2019 and the release of the “Egypt Station – Traveller’s Edition“.

I liked the words ‘Egypt Station.’ It reminded me of the ‘album’ albums we used to make… ‘Egypt Station’ starts off at the station on the first song and then each song is like a different station. So it gave us some idea to base all the songs around that. I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from.

Paul McCartney

From paulmccartney.com, June 20, 2018:

PAUL McCARTNEY 
EGYPT STATION
NEW STUDIO ALBUM OUT 7th SEPTEMBER 2018 on CAPITOL RECORDS
PRE-ORDERS LIVE NOW, INCLUDING DOUBLE A-SIDE SINGLE ‘I DON’T KNOW’ / ‘COME ON TO ME’

Paul invites you on a musical journey to Egypt Station, estimated time of arrival Friday 7th September 7, 2018 by way of Capitol Records.

Sharing a title with one of Paul’s own paintings, Egypt Station is the first full album of all-new McCartney music since 2013’s international chart-topping NEW. Preceded by two of its tracks just released as double A-sides – plaintive ballad ‘I Don’t Know’ and raucous stomper ‘Come On To Me’ – Egypt Station was recorded between Los Angeles, London and Sussex, and produced (with the exception of one Ryan Tedder track) by Greg Kurstin (Adele, Beck, Foo Fighters).

Of the forthcoming album’s enigmatic title, Paul says, “I liked the words ‘Egypt Station.’ It reminded me of the ‘album’ albums we used to make… ‘Egypt Station’ starts off at the station on the first song and then each song is like a different station. So it gave us some idea to base all the songs around that. I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from.”

True to the inspiration behind its title, Egypt Station’s 14 songs combine to convey a unique travelogue vibe. Between the opening and closing instrumentals ‘Station I’ and ‘Station II’, each song finds Paul capturing a place or moment before transporting the listener seamlessly to the next destination. Stops along the way include an acoustic meditation on present day contentedness (‘Happy With You’), a timeless anthem that would fit on virtually any album of any McCartney era (‘People Want Peace’), and an epic multi-movement closer clocking in at seven minutes with a song suite structure harkening back to the days of Paul’s previous combos (‘Despite Repeated Warnings’). The result is a kaleidoscopic journey through myriad musical locales and eras, yet firmly rooted in the here and now – with Paul’s singular unmistakeable melodic and lyrical sensibility serving as a guide.

Confirmation of Egypt Station’s release puts an end to speculation about a new Paul McCartney album that began with the whiting out of his Instagram account as Paul turned up at various landmarks in Liverpool. The capper was a 9th June surprise gig at Liverpool’s tiny Philharmonic Pub, during which ‘Come On To Me’ was debuted alongside a set of classics spanning Paul’s career. Further details to come…

From Capitol Records, June 20, 2018:

NEW STUDIO ALBUM OUT SEPTEMBER 7, 2018 ON CAPITOL RECORDS

PRE-ORDERS LIVE NOW, INCLUDING DOUBLE A-SIDE SINGLE “I DON’T KNOW”/“COME ON TO ME”

Fans of Paul McCartney, legendary singer-songwriter and instrumentalist whose unparalleled career spans decades, can now count the days until the release of his new album, ‘Egypt Station.’ The 14-track LP will be delivered to McCartney enthusiasts across the globe on September 7, 2018 by way of Capitol Records. It is available for pre-order here.

Fans were excited to learn that his early-release tracks were made available in late June: “I Don’t Know” –– a woebegone ballad of the sort that bears resemblance to much of McCartney’s work – and “Come On To Me” – a bouncy, elating anthem – showcase the multiplicity of style that is to be expected from the rest of the album. These two tracks – along with an epic production of Carpool Karaoke with James Corden through the streets of London – are just the beginning of what is to be an exciting album release.

‘Egypt Station’ features masterly production by hitmaker Greg Kurstin, writer and producer of ground-breaking albums for a collection of iconic artists (Adele, Niall Horan, Beck), on all but one song. Kurstin’s distinguished body of work, paired with McCartney’s illustrious contribution to and ceaseless influence on the music industry make for an unquestionable success come September. Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic and The Runaways input alongside Kurstin’s furnish the eager anticipation of the album’s release. The trio’s distinctive legacies will inevitably foster an unforgettable landmark in McCartney’s musical evolution.

The words ‘Egypt Station’ truly say it all: the 14 recorded tracks unify to create a unique travelogue vibe. Each song finds Paul capturing a place or moment before transporting the listener seamlessly to the next destination. Stops along the way include an acoustic meditation on present-day contentedness (“Happy With You”), a timeless piece that would fit on virtually any album of any McCartney era (“People Want Peace”), and an epic multi-movement closer clocking in at seven minutes with a song suite structure harkening back to the days of Paul’s previous combos (“Despite Repeated Warnings”).

Recorded between Los Angeles, London and Sussex, McCartney describes the sui generis title as representative of an in-depth experience which are his songs: “‘Egypt Station’ starts off at the station on the first song and then each song is like a different station . . . I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from.” Plainly, added that he “liked the words ‘Egypt Station.’” The result is a kaleidoscopic journey through many musical locales and eras, yet firmly rooted in the here and now – McCartney’s singular and unmistakable melodic and lyrical sensibility serve as a guide through the listener’s expedition as they experience the brilliance of the album.

Listen to “I Don’t Know” and “Come On To Me.”

PRE-ORDER Egypt Station HERE, available in the following formats:
– Limited Edition heavyweight Concertina vinyl package
– Limited Edition Concertina CD package
– Digital album
– Super Deluxe Limited Edition hand numbered box set package featuring bonus tracks coming soon.

The artwork of “Egypt Station” and the single “I Don’t Know / Come On To Me” are inspired by two paintings by Paul McCartney named “Egypt Station” and “Egypt Station II“.

My original inspiration was similar to a picture we were talking about the other day, with Egyptian symbols and shapes I got from looking at a reference book on Egypt. I was interested in the way they drew sunflowers, so two appear on the left and on the right. It was a nice shape, so I took that and then I also love the way they symbolize trees. I like the way they reduce a tree to just some very simple symbols.

Paul McCartney – From Egypt Station – McCartney Art

Last updated on December 23, 2023