Paul McCartney has been writing love songs for 50 years, and yet somehow he never named one of his heart-on-the-sleeve ballads after a “Valentine” until now. Accompanied by Joe Walsh, Diana Krall and what appeared to be a full orchestra (there was even a harp!), McCartney wooed the audience with his big eyes and sultry nice-guy-with-just-a-hint-of-bad-voice style as he sang a tune from his new album, Kisses on the Bottom. But “My Valentine” is not his strongest work, and this was not his strongest performance. He sounded like the type of musician an upscale restaurant might hire to serenade diners as they sip expensive wine and eat entrées covered in truffle oil. Is this really the man who wrote “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?”
Grade: B