Paul McCartney Announces The Boys of Dungeon Lane
New album out May 29 via MPL/Capitol Records
A day before he steps onstage for a two-night stint at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles, Paul McCartney surprises his fans with the announcement of a new studio album.
Said to be his most introspective work to date, The Boys of Dungeon Lane — Macca’s first LP since 2021’s McCartney III — finds the iconic ex-Beatle working with producer Andrew Watt on these 14 new songs, including “Days We Left Behind,” which premiered today along with the announcement from Macca’s longtime press agent Steve Martin of Nasty Little Man.
“The Boys of Dungeon Lane is not only the first new solo album to be released by Paul McCartney in over five years; it is a collection of rare and revealing glimpses into memories never-before shared along with some newly inspired love songs, from one of the most culturally significant figures of our time,” proclaims the press release. “With The Boys of Dungeon Lane, Paul McCartney turns the lens inward, revisiting the formative years that shaped not only his life, but the very foundations of modern popular culture. In a career defined by timeless storytelling and unforgettable characters, Paul now tells the most personal story of all, his own. The Boys of Dungeon Lane is his most introspective album to date and takes the listener back to where it all began.”
Speaking about “Days We Left Behind,” McCartney “This is very much a memory song for me. The album title, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, comes from a lyric in this track. I was thinking just that, about the days I left behind and I do often wonder if I’m just writing about the past but then I think how can you write about anything else? It’s just a lot of memories of Liverpool. It involves a bit in the middle about John and Forthlin Road which is the street I used to live in. Dungeon Lane is near there. I used to live in a place called Speke which is quite working class. We didn’t have much at all but it didn’t matter because all the people were great and you didn’t notice you didn’t have much.”
As someone who believes the last four Paul albums definitely rank closer to the bottom of his catalog than the top, I wait with baited anticipation to hear if he truly creates an album on par with the cream of his work as a solo artist. With McCartney playing the majority of the instruments and Watt behind the boards on a collection of songs about Paul’s childhood in Liverpool, we might be in for something special.
We are all just going to have to wait until May 29 to find out what Macca’s got in store on the cusp of 84.
Track list:
As You Lie There
Lost Horizon
Days We Left Behind
Ripples in a Pond
Mountain Top
Down South
We Two
Come Inside
Never Know
Home to Us
Life Can Be Hard
First Star of the Night
Salesman Saint
Momma Gets By
VIDEO: Paul McCartney “Days We Left Behind”
- Howlin Rain: ‘Watermelon’ Sugar High - November 11, 2026
- P.E.E. Kick Off North American Tour - November 7, 2026
- Panchiko Announce 2027 U.S. Tour - November 6, 2026
You May Also Like
-
June 21, 2018 -
February 11, 2025 -
Last four, eh? Hm. Which four is that? I think it’s Kisses on the Bottom (Title not as risqué as it sounds), NEW, Egypt Station, and McCartney III?
Kisses is what it is. Not my thing, but not terrible. It’s pleasant, but more or less forgettable. Almost a side project, given it’s mostly covers.
NEW is quite good. Paul made a 21st century album pop-rock album that still manages to sound like Paul McCartney. It’s not Band on the Run or RAM, but what else is? It’s not even Memory Almost Full or Chaos and Creation (Two outstanding later albums), but a solid album that’s a bit of departure.
Egypt Station is truly dreadful. “Come On to Me” and “Fuh You” are bad. Embarrassing, even. Even geniuses fail sometimes. Nothing on that album connected with me. Lots of people seem to like it though. I don’t.
McCartney III is this divisive album, but I don’t understand why. I freakin’ love it. One of Paul’s more diverse albums, and not a bummer in the bunch (Yes, even “Lavatory Lil” is good). Love the opening and closing bookend songs, and let’s not lose sight that a 77 year-old made that album virtually by himself.
Even if that 77 year old was Paul McCartney that’s nothing less than stunning. I think it’s fabulous, and a more then worthy follow up to those first two truly solo albums I think loads better than McCartney II (Better songs, certainly), and probably a more realized album than the first McCarney (Even though Paul’s never topped “Maybe I’m Amazed,” and “Every Night” is nearly as good).
Quite a mixed bag, and I don’t think any two Macca fans will agree on everything, so we’ll have to wait and hear for ourselves. I like the first single. Hoping for more good things from the rest!