Personnel: Paul McCartney (vocals, various instruments); Linda McCartney (vocals). McCARTNEY II, like it's titular predecessor a decade earlier, is all Paul. He handles all the instruments and vocals here, and even produced and engineered the album himself. That's pretty much where the comparison ends, though. While many of the cuts do have a light-hearted feel a la McCARTNEY, this is a much more song-oriented album, and is an unjustly overlooked entry in the McCartney catalogue. The hit "Coming Up" is McCartney at his most infectious and ebullient. "Temporary Secretary" is a humorous, very British-sounding tune that bears more than a little resemblance to the work of McCartney's former band (no, not Wings). McCartney gets to show off some bluesy guitar chops on the soulful "On The Way." Most importantly for as ballad-oriented as artist as McCartney, this album contains two of his most poignant '80s tunes, "Waterfalls" and "One of These Days."

• Genre: Pop
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 6/14/2011