Ocean's Kingdom

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Ocean's Kingdom
Studio album by
Released3 October 2011 (UK)
4 October 2011 (US)
RecordedJune 2011
GenreContemporary classical, ballet
Length56:33
LabelDecca (UK)
Hear Music/Telarc (US)
ProducerJohn Fraser
Paul McCartney chronology
Paul McCartney Live in Los Angeles
(2010)
Ocean's Kingdom
(2011)
Kisses on the Bottom
(2012)
Paul McCartney classical album chronology
Ecce Cor Meum
(2006)
Ocean's Kingdom
(2011)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic60/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
BBC Music(unfavourable)[3]
Consequence of SoundC+[4]
The Guardian[5]
The Independent[6]
musicOMH[7]
The New York Times(unfavourable)[8]
PopMatters[9]
Record Collector[10]
Uncut[11]

Ocean's Kingdom is the fifth classical album by Paul McCartney. It is the score of the ballet of the same name, commissioned by the New York City Ballet. It was performed by the London Classical Orchestra and conducted by John Wilson. The album was released on CD and vinyl,[12] on 3 October 2011 by Decca (UK)[13] and October 4 (US) by Hear Music/Telarc (US).[12] In the United States, it peaked at number 144 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album has a score of 60 out of 100 at Metacritic, based on eight reviews, signifying a "mixed or average" critical response.[14]

The ballet tells of a love story based in two fantastic worlds – the "pure" ocean kingdom, and the Earth kingdom with its "sort of baddies" who threaten the underwater way of life. According to McCartney, love happens when earth meets water, and "you'll have to see whether the couple make it".[citation needed] His score for the ballet consists of four orchestral movements.

Track listing[edit]

All pieces by Paul McCartney.

Movement 1
  1. "Ocean's Kingdom" – 14:07
Movement 2
  1. "Hall of Dance" – 16:19
Movement 3
  1. "Imprisonment" – 13:36
Movement 4
  1. "Moonrise" – 12:31

Bonus Track edition[edit]

Available through iTunes and as a digital download with the code card included in the CD and LP, it contains the studio & live versions of the four movements. The live tracks are from the world première on 21 September 2011, as performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra & conducted by Fayçal Karoui.

Movement 1
  1. "Ocean's Kingdom" (Live) – 12:15
Movement 2
  1. "Hall of Dance" (Live) – 14:27
Movement 3
  1. "Imprisonment" (Live) – 10:14
Movement 4
  1. "Moonrise" (Live) – 10:31

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Paul McCartney: Ocean's Kingdom". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Paul McCartney's Ocean's Kingdom - Paul McCartney,London Classical Orchestra - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  3. ^ Gardner, Charlotte. "BBC - Music - Review of Paul McCartney - Ocean's Kingdom (conductor: John Wilson; The London Classical Orchestra)". Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  4. ^ "Album Review: Paul McCartney – Ocean's Kingdom". 6 October 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  5. ^ Mackrell, Judith (30 September 2011). "Ocean's Kingdom – review". Retrieved 8 March 2017 – via The Guardian.
  6. ^ "Album: Paul McCartney, Ocean's Kingdom (Decca)". Independent.co.uk. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Paul McCartney – Ocean's Kingdom - Album Reviews - musicOMH". 2 October 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  8. ^ Macaulay, Alastair (23 September 2011). "Paul McCartney's 'Ocean's Kingdom' - Review". Retrieved 8 March 2017 – via NYTimes.com.
  9. ^ Garratt, John (31 October 2011). "Paul McCartney/London Classical Orchestra: Paul McCartney's Ocean's Kingdom". PopMatters. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  10. ^ Draper, Jason (December 2011). "Paul McCartney – Ocean's Kingdom". Record Collector. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  11. ^ "Paul McCartney Ocean's Kingdom (Decca)". Uncut. December 2011. p. 89.
  12. ^ a b "Paul McCartney Announces Ocean's Kingdom". Broadway World. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  13. ^ "Paul McCartney: Ocean's Kingdom". The Beatles Bible. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  14. ^ "Reviews for Paul McCartney: Ocean's Kingdom". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 September 2016.