Strawberries, Oceans, Ship, Forest is a bizarre instrumental recording released here in the United Sates in the mid-90s.

Here's the evidence:

1. The CD, an acid house slash industrial slash grunge slash dance record, has a repeating vocal-theme that is sampled from Wings' 1979 inclusion of "The Broadcast," an Ian Hay/John Galsworthy spoken-word piece, on their last album Back to the Egg.

2. A small vocal token is also borrowed from the album's opening number "Reception."

3. The press-release information sent out by Capital records, Paul McCartney's label, included a special Beatles issue of "National Record News" - an early promotional leaflet for the Beatles themselves.

4. Furthermore, Back to the Egg's inner sleeve gives thanks to the Soho Firemen. Perhaps there's some relation to The Fireman. Who knows?

5. Finally, all the music on Strawberries, Oceans, Ship, Forest is copy written by Juggler Music; the logotype for McCartney Productions Limited is a man juggling.

Could it be Paul's not dead, yet, and experimenting with techno and rave? Well, reports are that the duo is comprised of McCartney and "Youth" of the post-punk eighties band Killing Joke. No reason to doubt the publicity lady, right?

While the type of music on the album is new to McCartney, the pseudonym game is not. In the seventies McCartney recorded under The Country Hams, Percy "Thrills" Thrillington, and Suzy and The Red Stripes.

And, as was the case with his other secretive efforts, McCartney has made some pretty good stuff. Ambient enthusiasts shouldn't be scared off by Melodic McCartney - this album has rhythm.