Paul & Linda McCartney: 'RAM'

More Pet Sounds than Sgt. Pepper's, RAM was unjustly panned by critics upon its original release in 1971. But the album has aged well, and the new remastered version (released in a variety of formats, from standard to deluxe four-CD/DVD box set) is a great-sounding proof positive that Macca was way ahead of his time. The album (his second post-Beatles LP and the only one credited to both Paul and his first wife Linda) is a freewheeling, unpredictable mix of blues, rock and roll, folk, and Paul's infamous ballads, but it holds up beautifully and serves as a reminder that Paul could — and still can — rock. If the album alone is a must-have, the bonus CD is even juicier. It includes several unreleased gems and a few non-album singles like the irresistibly silly "Another Day" and its B-side, the rousing blues "Oh Woman, Oh Why," in which Paul's voice picks up where "Helter Skelter" left off. This reissue has absolutely no soft spots and is a rare case where a revived classic gives you exactly what you pay for, and more. Stop arguing: I'm a John man, but RAM ranks right alongside Plastic Ono Band as one of the best post-Beatles album ever recorded by a Beatle.

★★★★★ (out of 5 stars)