 "DARK YET INDISPENSIBLE" | 2008-09-21 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
| Many younger listeners prefer THE WHITE ALBUM above all other Beatles albums. Above even the gold standard of Sgt. Pepper and the highly beloved Abbey Road. I don't share this enthusiasm. I place the afore mentioned Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road in the top two followed by Revolver and Rubber Soul. Rounding out the top five would be the unjustly neglected Magical Mystery Tour. THE WHITE ALBUM would then come in sixth.br /br /The Beatles never made a bad album. LET IT BE may be the lone exception--a failure so curious that it is difficult to merely tag it as "bad". (So "bad" it's good in a peculiar sort of way.).br /br /Coming after the psychedelic period, THE WHITE ALBUM is a surprisingly dark album--the previous focus of peace and love is missing here. The record anticipated the stripped down production and "confessional" songwriting found in prevalence during the early 1970's. While this was a welcome development for some, THE WHITE ALBUM was something of a let down initially. Most buyers were disappointed in the absence of the *Hey Jude/Revolution*. The Beatles had a preference for not putting their singles on the albums; but in this case it this was a significant error. br /br /Like most double albums, this one could easily been paired down to a single disc. Many of the cuts are frivolous while others bog things down. Harrison felt on reflection that some of the tracks could have been released as B sides. Still many critics acclaim THE WHITE ALBUM as a celebrated explosion of musicianship in which the Beatles demonstrated that they could play in number of styles--as if such a demonstration was necessary. Still, many listeners like the album precisely because it is so varied. br /br /Whatever else could be said, the wide variety of styles signaled a foreboding and desperation. With the exception of the first side, each song is distant and isolated from all the others. There is a sense of fragmentation and disassociation on THE WHITE ALBUM not found on any of the Beatles previous records. Indeed, now that we know some of the history behind the scenes, it can be seen that The Beatles were fracturing. In retrospect, without the glue of Brian Epstein, their recently deceased manager, each band member was spinning of into separate directions. The Beatles, particularly Lennon and McCartney, had in the past bounced off each other to good effect-- jolting each from their own element.. Collaboration was deteriorating and along side many flashes of brilliance weaker musical instincts slithered in.br /br /Only side one hangs together in the flow of tracks to form a "whole" which is both pleasing and memorable. Three great songs, even the lesser songs stick with you, fun, humorous and recklessly inventive -and it absolutely rocks. The three remaining sides of the original LP version suffer in comparison. br /br /Side one opens with a great coupling in Back in the USSR and Dear Prudence. Parody is a much overused word--too often meaning a barb thrown at others. In fact the Beatles frequently paid homage to the music they loved from other musicians. *Back In The USSR* is no more a parody of the Beach Boys or Elvis (both of whom McCartney loved) than *Got To Get You Into My Life* was of Motown. This is seamlessly followed by Dear Prudence which sounds better with each listening and is far more complex as a song than it seems. The rest is pleasant enough and one song follows another in sharp focus. But the room stops still with *While My Guitar Gently Weeps*. Harrison's *Guitar* towers over the rest of the album and is the one song that immediately jumps to mind in any discussion of THE WHITE ALBUM. McCartney and Lennon are like the older brother turning out excellent work. But Harrison is like the little brother who pops out of nowhere with a piece of work that blows the daylights off the competition. The acoustic version found in the Anthology series reveals it is actually a simple song that lends itself to a relaxed and tender presentation. But here it is played with vehemence with the guest guitar solo by Eric Clapton. The Beatles loved silly songs for their own sake. Yet here, following the failure of the age of peace and love to appear, lyrics of unvarnished grief are put on full display.br /br /Side Two does not hang together well and most tend to pick their favorites to listen to rather than the entire side. *I'm So Tired* is a Lennon downer that ruins this side for me. Much better is *Rocky Raccoon*--a McCartney nonsense song. *I Will* is a lovely McCartney romance that remains an unjustly neglected song by even McCartney's diehard fans. Lennon's *Julia* is one of the sweetest songs he ever wrote--infuriately used as a bit of psychoanalysis into his soul by his biographers (Julia was his mother's name).br /br /Side three was a favorite of early FM rock radio. *Birthday* just rocks. *Me and My Monkey* is joyous, free flying a rocker and truly funny. *Helter Skelter* is one tough hard rocker which some claim is a precursor to heavy metal. *Long Long Long* anticipates much of ALL THING MUST PASS and the rest Harrison's output in the 1970's. However, here THE WHITE ALBUM really needs a kickass rocker--perhaps Lennon's *Bulldog* or a reworking of Harrison's own *It's All Too Much* (both found on the YELLOW Submarine soundtrack).br /br /Side four is a disappointment. The version of *Revolution* appearing here has its own charm but in the context of the album is slow, plodding, and understated where the excitement and full blast rock and roll of the original is needed. John Lennon later claimed that he preferred the slower version--but like many things he said in the 1970's he was just plain wrong. Harrison's big band *Savoy Truffle* is quite good. br /br /In view of what was to come after the Beatles broke up, it is interesting to note that the styles of music we now associate with each Beatle are pretty much here. If you separate and group each song according to its author, we find the spiritual and sometimes sarcastic George, the gentle and good hearted Ringo, the acidic yet sometimes sentimental John, and the entertainer Paul with one foot in rock and roll and the other foot in the old English music hall.br /br /Taken as a whole, John's contributions are not his best. *Yer Blues* is a desolate and pointless barb aimed at the British blues revival. Revolution #1 had none of the exhilaration of the original. *Sexy Sadie* is just plain tedious. *I'm So Tired* makes one uncomfortable and not in a good way. On the other hand, contrary to his common image, THE WHITE ALBUM contains two of Lennon's sweetest and charming compositions: *Dear Prudence* and *Julie*. It is tempting to search *REV # 9* for a deep meaning in the chaos--there is none there. It is only a cut and paste job of various sounds and spoken word. George Martin hated it and opposed its inclusion. It sucks the air out of the room. It would have been much better if *Hey Jude* took its place.br /br /Absent the earlier psychedelic wash, much of McCartney's work remains charming but devoid of "cosmic significance". This is not to say that much of his contributions to THE WHITE ALBUM aren't truly great. It is just that he has a penchant to write very minor work. As much as many complain of the deteriorating quality of McCartney's work in the 1970's, the truth is it is all found here.br /br /Harrison hits two out of four with *My Guitar* and *Savoy Truffle* --making one wish that he caught the fire again in his later work. Ringo Starr remains the "gentle giant" who is more fun than musically significant.br /br /Perhaps one's opinion of THE WHITE ALBUM depends on how one views psychedelic music. If you have an innate understand of the multi-layered, slightly touched noise, THE WHITE ALBUM is a step down. If you feel that it is rubbish, THE WHITE ALBUM is a revelation. What is clear is that the Beatles largely began the psychedelic era and then ended it after a few years. Just compare the chronology of the Beatles and the Stones and you'll get a hint of others following in the Beatles wake. THE WHITE ALBUM is dark, yes. But it is also indispensible.br / |
| |
| "White Album was a clean slate for a new start" | 2008-09-09 |
| - Reviewed By alex_burp |
Originally release as a double lp, the "White Album" isn't only colossal in size but also in scope. Only the beatles could release such a work of beauty and turmoil. The artistic counterbalance of Lennon's "Julia" and McCartney's "Helter Skelter" define the sound throughout.
All at once the "White Album" perplexes and sparks debate with musical tenderness, imagery, metaphorical lyrics, dissonant interludes, and primal anger . Remember that not all great art is perfect, and the best art makes the (in this case), listener think and ask questions. The album was made during the bleakest period of their personal and artistic lives, and the disillusion of the group and its individual members can be heard on even the most lighthearted songs.
A classic in any century!
|
| |
 "Too much padding" | 2008-07-26 |
| - Reviewed By heas@alltel.net |
| The Fab Four always respected their record-buying public, and adhered to their own standards as the flagship pop group of the era. Their quality control was tight. They never released a live album, for example, because neither the quality of the performance nor the sound would have been up to snuff. The "Let It Be" tapes sat on the shelf for months because the group weren't happy with them. Parlophone, their U.K. label, didn't put out an entire album of material that had been previously released until "A Collection of Beatles Oldies" came out in 1966, and the title of that record clearly indicated to buyers what they were getting. Nevertheless, "The Beatles," released in late 1968, clearly reveals a slip in quality from the top rung of the ladder. Many listeners give this the usual 5-star Beatle album rating, but I don't. Though high points abound ("Julia," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Blackbird," "Helter Skelter," et. al.), as the only double album the band released, it contains far too much half-baked screwing around in the studio. Paul McCartney's "Rocky Raccoon" is one of his most overrated tunes, and no one can seriously argue that his "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" is anything approaching a decent song. For his part, John Lennon doesn't escape criticism, either; much of the record is taken up by his tape-recording experimentation ("Revolution 9"), which isn't songwriting, and really isn't that interesting, either, forty years later. The White Album reflects the growing fragmentation of the group; by this time, the individual Beatles were writing and recording separately from the others. Thus, the band's days were already numbered by the time this album came out. |
| |
| "Great Album!" | 2008-07-05 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1USB9BPS307M2 |
| Although I tend to prefer The Beatle's earlier work, this album is one of their best in my opinion. Double CD and all the songs are great. Worth every penny! You really can't go wrong with any Beatle album. |
| |
| "An album unlike any other" | 2008-04-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A6MQCAJTBS75T |
Beginning with the release of Rubber Soul in 1965, the Beatles quickly evolved from brilliant popular songwriters and performers to artists whose best songs stand comparison with great classical music. The cost of their transformation was a progressive withdrawal from their audience and their rock and roll roots. In 1966, the group gave up live performance. By the time of 1967's Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, their withdrawal had proceeded to the point of assuming fictional personae. The White Album was an attempt by the Beatles to return to their origins, while retaining the musical sophistication and depth they had acquired. For several reasons, this effort could only be partially successful.
First, the grim atmosphere of 1968, with its political assassinations, Vietnam war casualties, and sense of impending chaos, made it impossible to recreate the ebullient atmosphere of the group's early years. The Beatles were, in a sense, returning home to a foreign land. In the words of The White Album's first song, they were "Back in the U.S.S.R."
Also, as has often been noted, by 1968 the group had drawn apart both as individuals and as musicians, and could not recreate their earlier cohesiveness. Although an ensemble work, the White Album already shows the direction the band members will take in their solo careers. Paul McCartney shines as a melodic genius ("Blackbird"), who sometimes settles for surface beauty at the expense of musical depth ("Honey Pie"). John Lennon's transformation from introspective artist to political activist is crystallized in a single, remarkable moment on The White Album. In "Revolution 1," when singing the lyrics "but when you talk about destruction/ don't you know that you can count me out," Lennon speaks the word "in" after singing "out," thereby showing a new ambiguity about the value of social upheaval. George Harrison emerges as the clear songwriting equal of Lennon and McCartney, particularly in his masterful "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." and "Long, Long, Long." (Unlike Lennon and McCartney, his best songwriting years were still ahead of him.) And Ringo Starr records his first original composition with the group, the charming, bluegrass influenced "Don't Pass Me By."
Yet another reason the Beatles could not reach their roots is that they were by now too accomplished and versatile to return to a single, original "sound." The White Album is a musical library of more than 25 songs plus assorted snippets. Its diverse styles include gorgeous slow ballads ("I Will", "Mother Nature's Son"), blues rock ("Yer Blues"), early heavy metal ("Helter Skelter'), calypso ("Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da), 1930s dance hall ("Honey Pie"), Indian-influenced rhythms ("Dear Prudence') and electronic sound collage ("Revolution 9'), to name just a few. Arrangements range from solo guitar accompaniment ("Blackbird") to full orchestration (the final lullaby, "Good Night'). The lyrics portray grim realism ("I'm So Tired"), nature-based metaphor ("Blackbird"), Alice and Wonderland-type fantasy (Cry Baby Cry'). The classic "Happy Birthday to You" meets a new rival in the raucous rocker "Birthday." Each song is unique, a separate world. The album, in total, is bigger than all of popular music.
Out of this sprawling vastness, the Beatles try to establish order by resorting to a unifying ironic detachment. Never losing themselves in a particular style, they maintain a contemplative distance. The feeling of detachment is enhanced by use of parody--of the Beach Boys ("Back in the U.S.S.R"), country and western ballads ("Rocky Racoon"), and the Beatles themselves ("Glass Onion"). By distancing themselves from their content, the Beatles are able to achieve their first entirely self-conscious work. On every song, we are aware of the Beatles performing as Beatles. The price is a certain darkness of spirit, even (as in "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da") in the most joyful songs.
No succinct summary of The White Album is possible. Within its spacious sprawl, the group is sometimes on the verge of coming apart at the seams. But on another listening level, the Beatles are here at the threshold of transcendence. As one's attention shifts from style to style, from artist to artist, a stunning holography unfolds, with each shifting scene encapsulating the entire, massive work. The album veers from fragmentation to unity, never quite reaching one or the other. Endlessly interesting, never fully resolvable, The White Album remains, forty years after its release, at the absolute cutting edge.
|
| |
| "The Beatles' defining album" | 2008-04-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A6MQCAJTBS75T |
Beginning with the release of Rubber Soul in 1965, The Beatles quickly evolved from brilliant pop songwriters and performers into "serious" artists whose best songs stand comparison, in their craft and creative scope, with great classical music. As their music became more ambitious, The Beatles drew progressively further away from their rock and roll roots. After their last scheduled concert in August 1966, they gave up live performance to become exclusively a studio band. Their withdrawal reached its limits in 1967's Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, when they assumed the identities of fictional performers. The pendulum turned the following year. As suggested by its self-title, The Beatles (The White Album) was an effort by The Beatles to return to their original essence. In this quest, they faced great difficulties arising both outside and within the group.
The first obstacle The Beatles confronted was that of history. Between the time of their first stardom in the early 1960s and their making of The White Album in 1968, the world transformed. The album was recorded during a time of political assassinations, Vietnam War casualties, and a sense of impending chaos. At a fundamental level, the meaning of everything had changed. In The Beatles' darker tone and loss of ebullience, one can sense how deeply affected they were as their musical home in rock and roll became a foreign place "back in the U.S.S.R."
In addition, The Beatles had by now drawn far apart musically. There was little in common between John Lennon's shattering introspections and Paul McCartney's bursts of pure melody. With such songs as "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," George Harrison emerged on The White Album as Lennon and McCartney's compositional equal, upsetting a balance in which his two band mates had held the role of dominant songwriters. Ringo Starr, too, moved more to the forefront with the recording of his first song, "Don't Pass Me By." Although The Beatles were still an ensemble, the White Album is very much a collaboration of four solo artists.
Searching for their past, The Beatles broke new ground. The White Album's range is vast, with calypso ("Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"), blues rock ("Yer Blues"), early heavy metal ("Helter-Skelter"), Indian-influenced rhythms ("Dear Prudence"), 1930s dance hall ("Honey Pie"), and electronic sound collage ("Revolution 9") just a few of the forms represented. Instrumentation varies from the sparse guitar and bird song accompaniment of "Blackbird" to the luxurious, full orchestration of the concluding lullaby "Good Night." There are contrasting lyrics of distant love ("I Will") and uninhibited sex ("Why Don't We Do It in the Road"); pastoral repose ("Mother Nature's Son") and insomnia ("I'm So Tired"); forfeited time ("Long, Long, Long") and birthday celebration ("Birthday"). There are parodies of The Beach Boys ("Back in the U.S.S. R.") and The Beatles themselves ("Glass Onion"). Each of the album's nearly thirty songs and assorted fragments is unique. Together, they make up a library of styles reaching across all of music.
To truly listen to The White Album is to wonder whether, in the midst of its immensity, The Beatles have found their old voices. It is an inquiry vital not only to these four musicians but to our entire era. Have we, along with The Beatles, drifted forever into a trackless future, or can we find a way back to our foundations? The White Album may not provide an answer, but without it we can't even properly ask the question. |
| |
| "Listening for the truth" | 2008-04-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A6MQCAJTBS75T |
Beginning with the release of Rubber Soul in 1965, The Beatles quickly evolved from brilliant pop songwriters and performers to "serious" artists whose best songs stand comparison, in their craft and creative scope, with great classical music. As their music became more ambitious, The Beatles drew progressively further away from their rock and roll roots. After their last scheduled concert in August 1966, they gave up live performance to become exclusively a studio band. Their withdrawal reached its limits in 1967's Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, when they assumed the identities of fictional performers. The pendulum turned the following year. As suggested by its self-title, The Beatles (The White Album) was an effort by The Beatles to return to their original essence. In this quest, they faced great difficulties arising both outside and within the group.
The first obstacle The Beatles confronted was that of history. Between the time of their first stardom in the early 1960s and their making of The White Album in 1968, the world transformed. The album was recorded during a time of political assassinations, Vietnam War casualties, and a sense of impending chaos. At a fundamental level, the meaning of everything had changed. In The Beatles' darker tone and loss of ebullience, one can sense how deeply affected they were as their musical home in rock and roll became a foreign place "back in the U.S.S.R."
In addition, The Beatles had by now drawn far apart musically. There was little in common between John Lennon's shattering introspections and Paul McCartney's bursts of pure melody. With such songs as "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," George Harrison emerged on The White Album as Lennon and McCartney's compositional equal, upsetting a balance in which his two band mates had been the dominant songwriters. Ringo Starr, too, moved more to the forefront with the recording of his first song, "Don't Pass Me By." Although The Beatles were still an ensemble, the White Album is very much a collaboration of four solo artists.
Searching for their past, The Beatles broke new ground. The White Album's range is vast, with calypso ("Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"), blues rock ("Yer Blues"), early heavy metal ("Helter-Skelter"), Indian-influenced rhythms ("Dear Prudence"), 1930s dance hall ("Honey Pie") and electronic sound collage ("Revolution 9") just a few of the forms represented. Instrumentation varies from the sparse guitar and bird song accompaniment of "Blackbird" to the luxurious, full orchestration of the concluding lullaby "Good Night." There are contrasting lyrics of distant love ("I Will") and uninhibited sex ("Why Don't We Do It in the Road"); pastoral repose ("Mother Nature's Son") and insomnia ("I'm So Tired"); forfeited time ("Long, Long, Long") and birthday celebration ("Birthday"). There are parodies of The Beach Boys ("Back in the U.S.S. R.") and The Beatles themselves ("Glass Onion"). Each of the album's nearly thirty songs and assorted fragments is unique. Together, they make up a library of styles reaching across all of music.
To truly listen to The White Album is to wonder if, in the midst of its immensity, The Beatles have found their old voices. It is a question vital not only to these four musicians but to our entire era, for what we are asking about The Beatles we must also ask of ourselves. Have we forever drifted into a trackless future, or is there a way back to our foundation? Although it does not contain an answer, The White Album can teach us how to hear one. |
| |
| "Black and White" | 2008-04-15 |
| - Reviewed By User: AHQ4BHTO39ZW5 |
The Beatles (aka The White Album) is a fascinating mix of many diverse styles and finds the Beatles stretching out a bit more as far as stylistic daring goes. As a casual Beatle fan, however, I feel there is also a lot of what I do not love about them all that much. There are too many lightweight songs mixed in with the bona-fide genius of others. I am sure die hards love this sort of thing and find the appeal of those songs all the more endearing. I am, however, not in that category and can't help but feel there is one solid single album somewhere in between these grooves. I mean, all double albums give a band the opportunity to branch out and approach styles they would not normally test out for the public. That's not the problem. The problem lies in the filler material, in which there is plenty of.
I cannot blindy call this album a Beatles' classic when in comparison to "Abbey Road", "Revolver" and "Rubber Soul". EVERY song on those mentioned albums was stellar (well, maybe not Yellow Submarine) but you get the point. Unlike popular belief, The Beatles weren't always perfect and The White Album, which for most of it is as good as good music gets, is the real beginning of the cracks that had begun to appear in their relationships with one another. You have Fluff like "Wild Honey Pie", "Bungalow Bill", "Why Don't We Do it in the Road", "Honey Pie", "Savoy Truffle", "Good Night" and the eight minute catastrophe of "Revolution 9" alongside masterpieces such as "Dear Prudence", Ob La Di", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Blackbird", "Birthday" and "Helter Skelter". Even the version of "Revolution 1" is not as good as the single version.
All that being said, any understanding of the developement of modern pop music must start with The Beatles. The White Album, however, is not the place to start, in my opinion. Yes, it is better than just about anything else that was released during it's time by bands working the same territory, but it is not the best The Beatles have to offer. This is along the lines of "Let it Be", "Magical Mystery Tour" and (oh here come the comments) "Sgt Pepper". All classics, but not the creme de la creme. |
| |
| "Double Your Pleasure" | 2008-04-08 |
| - Reviewed By jaything |
"The Beatles" aka "The White Album" is notable for many reasons. It's the Fab Four's only double album. It differs greatly from the band's previous two psychedelic albums for a more back-to-basics approach which would continue with their following albums. It's a sprawling and at times schizophrenic record that documents the falling apart of the band as most songs are primarily composed by whomever is singing the lead with the rest of the boys as backup band. Though this is true going back to about "Beatles For Sale", it especially applies to this album as Ringo briefly quit for a while with Paul playing drums on "Back In The U.S.S.R." and a few other songs; Yoko Ono's presence in the studio which irritated everyone with the exception of John; and other personal events that had the band unraveling.
Kicking things off to a rousing start is "Back In The U.S.S.R.", an inspired mixture of Chuck Berry and The Beach Boys. Sung by Paul with wonderful backup singing by John & George, it has a great melody and witty tongue-in-cheek lyrics. John's "Dear Prudence" with a sweet, cascading guitar line the boys became known for follows. This song was inspired by Mia Farrow whom they met during their stay in India for the purpose of studying meditation with Maharashi Mahesh Yogi. Next up is the lyrically self-referential "Glass Onion", another brilliant song by John. For me, the pseudo-reggae of Paul's "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is cute but ultimately somewhat forgettable. It's another of the Beatles' children's songs in the tradition of "Yellow Submarine". "Honey Pie" is another track that could easily have been left off the album, sounding totally like filler. John's "The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill" is mainly notable for its satiric lyrics and Yoko's unique backup singing. Its melody is especially weak when compared to George's stately, lovely "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" which follows. Graced with guitar solos by George's pal Eric Clapton, this song firmly establishes Mr. Harrison as a songwriter on par with Lennon & McCartney. "Guitar" also utilizes that trademark cascading guitar figure that bonds the verses with the choruses. This song is beautifully straight forward, abandoning the psychedelia (which I nonetheless adored) of compositions like "Within You Without You" from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Blue Jay Way" from "Magical Mystery Tour". "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" is a song in three parts and the second song from this album in which John mentions guns. Spooky. In light of his tragic assassination in 1980, was this guy psychic? The verses on this one are a bit folk, the bridge is bluesy and the chorus is inspired by doo-wop. Again, the lyrics are delightfully tongue-in-cheek. Paul's "Martha My Dear" is a great little number that was inspired by his dog. John follows this with another bluesy tune, "I'm So Tired". Paul's sublime "Blackbird" was inspired by the American Civil Rights movement. It's just Paul, an acoustic guitar and birdsong and it's absolutely lovely in its simplicity. George's "Piggies" is another satire, this time concerning class differences. The first reference to Bob Dylan on "The Beatles" is "Rocky Raccoon" with Paul emulating the American poet in the lyrics and general form and tone of the song. Ringo makes his writing debut with the country song "Don't Pass Me By". The lyrics are dryly funny but like the songs that immediately precede and follow it (Paul's "Why Don't We Do It In The Road"), the tunes a bit tossed off, a bit throwaway. "I Will" is another very pretty song by Paul that is instrumentally minimalist with just acoustic and bass guitar. Disc 1 ends with John's ode to his mother, the delicate acoustic guitar ballad "Julia". It's a very touching song and its simplicity, it mirrors "I Will" perfectly.
Disc 2 opens with the rocking "Birthday" which is followed by John's "Yer Blues", a tortured blues number that references "Like A Rolling Stone" with the line 'just like Dylan's Mr. Jones'. Paul's gorgeous "Mother Nature's Son" is next. Largely acoustic, it also features a lovely horn section. John brings back the rock 'n roll with "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey" with its rollicking guitar bits. The piano-driven "Sexy Sadie" was written by John about the boys' fallout with the Maharishi. Lovely background vocals enhance an already terrific song. "Helter Skelter" proves that although best known for his beautiful ballads, Paul could rock like a hell-hound. 'Blisters on my fingers', indeed. Did he invent heavy metal with this song? I believe it predates Black Sabbath's debut album by a couple of years! George's "Long,Long,Long" makes a 360 degree turn from the heavy rock of "Helter Skelter". Anchored by organ, this song is a sublime marvel. The shift in tone, like so many from this album, is what gives "The Beatles" the schizophrenic feel I noted earlier. The version of "Revolution 1" on this album is quite different than the single version. Its focus is more acoustic and again owes a debt to doo-wop. I don't share Paul's love of the music hall/vaudeville genre but if you're curious about it, the second (!) "Honey Pie" is a great example of it. George's tribute to sweets, "Savoy Truffle" follows. It's a nice little rocker with swinging horns. John's haunting, beautiful "Cry Baby Cry" precedes the Beatles' most experimental track, "Revolution 9", which was constructed from various tapes John made. His association with avant-garde artist Ono becomes crystal clear after a listen to this mind-blowing 'song'. Paul & George had enjoyed making tracks out of tapes going back to "Pepper's" at least but had never released them under the Beatles name. It has enormously influenced my own music. If you enjoy "Revolution 9" then check out the works of Karlheinz Stockhausen, one of the original practitioners of musique concrete. "The Beatles" fittingly closes with "Good Night", a wonderfully wistful tune perfectly sung by Ringo.
Needless to say and despite its flaws, "The Beatles" is an essential part of this amazing band's catalog. You won't regret owning it. |
| |
| "Eclectic" | 2008-03-28 |
| - Reviewed By louvox |
| Very few artist have ever produced such a diverse and eclectic album such as this. For all its oddness "The Beatles" (The white album) seems to work as a coherent form. I am sure they were not trying to accomplish this feat when they first set off on this endeavor; it just ended up that way. Musically it's all over the map. Caution was thrown to the wind. It's more a collection of solo recordings and a group effort, but you still get the feeling it's The Beatles. There are some great moments (Back in the USSR, While my guitar gently weeps, Birthday & Dear Prudence) and few low points too (Revolution #9, Goodnight) many have tried to recreate it, but none have come close to capturing the essence of this work. Because it is so eclectic and varied on one level and kind of focused on another that it works. It's not their best album by any stretch of the imagination, but certainly their most interesting. George Martin their long time producer has always maintained he would have preferred they had made a single "good" album instead of a double album, but other than a handful songs, which ones do you cut out? |
| |
International Available
![The Beatles - Rubber Soul [UK]](product_images/183000/183442_thumb.jpg)
![The Beatles - Revolver [UK]](product_images/183000/183386_thumb.jpg)
