McCartney fans and lovers of his music from the magical days of The Beatles will probably be old enough now to enjoy most of the songs on this album – although McCartney crooning his way through feathery old American soppy songs is hardly likely to appeal to all of his fans.

History tells us that young Paul’s dad (who was the leader of a rather average jazz band) endeavoured to instil a passion for music in his son by regularly subjecting him to (then already!) long-ago moonlight-and-roses tunes such as It’s Only a Paper Moon which is also featured in this album.

Clearly these old songs inspired the youngster because even in the glory days of The Beatles fame he continued to weave his own brand of old-school rendition into numbers such as Yesterday and When I’m Sixty-Four. So perhaps it is not so surprising that he is stepping back in time as his mop turns to grey and his original fans are becoming a little too creaky to stomp and romp about to some of his more robust earlier tunes.

McCartney has always been blessed with the rare qualities of “feel” for rhythm and lyrics and the ability to fit his rich, gentle and caressing voice to sentimental ballads and to make them his very own. And he brings his rather unique silky touch to this 14-song album featuring classics such as Fat Waller’s My Very Good Friend the Milkman and the poignant More I Cannot Wish You from the original Guys and Dolls musical.

Equally gentle on the ear are golden oldies such as We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me), The Glory of Love, It’s Only a Paper Moon and Bye Bye Blackbird.

Kisses On The Bottom is as smooth as Irish coffee and will probably appeal to your parents and their parents, but it is probably much too saccharine-frumpish to appeal to younger folk, particularly the shooter set that lives on a musical diet dominated by thumping drums, repetitive base picking and bubble-gum lyrics.