New music: 'The Art of McCartney,' the Decemberists

"The Art of McCartney" (Kobalt)

Maybe imitation really isn't the sincerest form of flattery, or flattery simply isn't all it's cracked up to be. Either way, this two-CD tribute drawn from Paul McCartney's estimable songbook is a blown opportunity. The talent list is impressive: Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Willie Nelson, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John and, in a nod to musicians who got their start after 1970, Owl City and Perry Farrell, to name a smattering of the nearly three dozen participants. They're backed by McCartney's band, which ostensibly adds a layer of authority. But these note-perfect renditions make it sound like McCartney karaoke night. (Was anybody waiting breathlessly to hear Sammy Hagar rock out on "Birthday"?) The standout track is Wilson's treatment of a low-profile track: "Wanderlust," from the 1982 album "Tug of War." He invests the song with melancholy and sweetness, and his harmonies are characteristically gorgeous.

RANDY LEWIS, Los Angeles Times