McGear (1974)

Rock star siblings such as Chris Jagger and Simon Townshend have occasionally made records, but none as delightful as this 1974 solo album by Mike McGear (né McCartney), a veteran of Liverpool's satirical group Scaffold. Produced and (with one exception) cowritten by big brother Paul and largely performed by Wings, the jolly and sensitive McGear sounds like audio sketches for Band on the Run; the fraternal vocal similarity is close enough for a double take. As difficult as it is to imagine McCartney himself covering Roxy Music's ''Sea Breezes,'' rocking out on the T. Rex-y ''Giving Grease a Ride,'' or sneering the sarcastic ''Norton,'' that very illusion is part of McGear's pleasure. This reissue adds one track, ''Dance the Do,'' not on the original release. B+

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