Post by kim on Sept 6, 2009 12:59:14 GMT -5
All together now: A breakdown of the Beatles remastered albums.
By Mike Devlin, Canwest News ServiceSeptember 5, 2009
If you're one of the many who have been patiently waiting more than two decades for the remastered release of the Beatles' entire catalogue on Sept. 9., here is a breakdown of the 14 releases being sold in stores individually.
Each title in the Beatles' remastered catalogue comes with a mini- documentary (approximately 10 minutes in length and playable on your computer) and three-panel gatefold digipak featuring unpublished photos, newly updated historical information, and first-hand studio notes.
The track listings differ greatly from what you may remember: These stereo recordings (mono versions are only available via boxset) are faithful to the original U.K. pressings, not the North American ones, hence the omission and addition of certain songs.
Please Please Me (1963)
The sounds: Though recorded on two-track tape, the new stereo mix gives heft to early hits I Saw Her Standing There and Love Me Do. Songs nearly 50 years old rarely sound this good.
The text: Vintage photos abound, but they are outdone by fun factoids. Case in point: The total time it took to record, edit and mix the album was a mere 25 hours.
The video: The mini-doc is mostly still images, as very little footage from the era exists. But new audio interviews with Paul, Ringo, and producer George Martin provide excellent context; a nice touch is studio chatter from the original sessions, including quips from John.
With the Beatles (1963)
The sounds: Not one of the essential Beatles efforts, as three of the four hits from the album were covers. That said, the remastering of Roll Over Beethoven qualifies as a revelation.
The text: With the Beatles, which stayed at No. 1 for 21 weeks and became the first album by a British band to sell one million copies, was overshadowed by one of the band's biggest hits, I Want to Hold Your Hand, which arrived as a stand-alone single one week later. Though it was eventually included on the U.S. release, the song is omitted here.
The video: Interesting but hardly illuminating.
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
The sounds: The group's third album in 18 months marks the debut of George's new 12-string Rickenbacker guitar; its familiar chimes are essential to Can't Buy Me Love. The newly created stereo mix for CD is great but hardly revolutionary, considering it marked the first time the band recorded on four- track tape.
The text: Interesting to note that the album, much of which was written to accompany the film of the same name, was the first Beatles effort to include exclusively original material.
The video: Images of crazed fans mobbing the group herald the beginning of Beatlemania. A hard day's night, indeed.
Beatles For Sale (1964)
The sounds: Recorded during stops on their British tour, the Fab Four needed only seven days to put these 14 songs to tape. Among the best here is a revitalized Rock and Roll Music, featuring a reeling and thumping piano.
The text: The 20-page booklet, black and white for all but two pages, provides fascinating background to the sessions.
The video: Rare TV footage of performances of Kansas City and Baby's in Black are highlights of an otherwise slight mini-doc.
Help! (1965)
The sounds: A stopgap recording which doubled as the soundtrack to the film of the same name, Help! is packed with hits. The songs written specifically for the film (including Help!, Ticket to Ride, and You've Got to Hide Your Love Away) rank among the band's best - and sound utterly astonishing here.
The text: Images of the group, taken on set during the Bahamas film shoot, burst from the pages of the booklet in vivid aqua blue.
The video: Footage of the band's legendary Shea Stadium concert has never looked better.
Rubber Soul (1965)
The sounds: The band began its unparalleled artistic streak with what some consider to be their best album. Hard to argue when you hear the new mixes of The Word and Norwegian Wood. In a word - wow.
The text: It's interesting to note that two of the group's biggest songs (We Can Work it Out and Day Tripper) were recorded during this time but not included on Rubber Soul. Instead, they were issued as a double A-side single the very day Rubber Soul hit stores.
The video: Great images of the band's lengthening hair but little else aside from Ringo's always spot-on insights.
Revolver (1966)
The sounds: Paul's bouncing bass during Taxman sounds like a 747 achieving lift off, the first of countless sonic revelations the remastering provides. You'll hear now why Revolver took 300 hours to record and mix.
The text: The band recorded just 16 songs in 1966 - a 50 per cent drop from the year prior - and fans had to wait eight months for Revolver to arrive, the group's longest dry spell at that point. Needless to say, the masterpiece was worth the wait.
The video: Keeping in tune with Klaus Voormann's trendsetting artwork, Revolver's mini-doc is a feast for the eyes.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
The sounds: Of all the remasters, Sgt. Pepper's is arguably the most essential. It was a revolution in sound back in '67. With the care and attention given to the remasters, it is almost impossible to describe what it sounds like today.
The text: The 36-page booklet is a treasure trove, with new introductions by Paul and producer George Martin, a lyrics sheet, a who's-who of the cover art, and various historical essays.
The video: Heaps of footage, audio, and photographs make this the best mini- doc of the bunch.
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
The sounds: Six songs were recorded specifically for this soundtrack to the group's British television special, but this majority were singles released at various points in 1967. Nonetheless, the psychedelia of I Am the Walrus - keep headphones at the ready for the tune's frenetic final minute - holds everything together.
The text: Lyrics are included, but the 36-page booklet favours images over text.
The video: The topic of John dominates the mini-doc, which leads to some revelations (he cites it as his favourite record).
The Beatles (1968)
The sounds: The Fab Four's ninth outing is known widely as The White Album, but there's nothing bland about the music therein. The first eight-track recording of the Beatles' career (even more immaculate-sounding in 2009) is arguably the band's grandest statement.
The text: The original photo collage is included as a pullout, but the four photos of each member this time are embossed on the cover. That's a shame, as the text is relatively slight.
The video: It's a double-album, but you only get one mini-doc. It's a good one, however, with the longest running time of any of the remasters.
Yellow Submarine (1969)
The sounds: With only four new songs and George Martin's film score as a selling point, Yellow Submarine, which arrived two months after The White Album, is generally considered the weak link in the Beatles' catalogue. The selling point here is the previously unreleased mono version of Only a Northern Song.
The text: A big score is the inclusion of both the U.K. and U.S. liner notes. It's all a bunch of nonsense, whose saving grace is the animation artwork.
The video: Footage of the All You Need is Love global broadcast is spliced together with cartoon imagery, making for a potent visual c*cktail.
Abbey Road (1969)
The sounds: Abbey Road is a head-spinning document, the first of two albums by the band mixed solely in stereo; the mono box set does not include Abbey Road or Let it Be. It's clear today why full dynamic range was necessary: Come Together and The End, anchored by Ringo's thick drums fills, are mind- roastingly good.
The text: Worth the price of purchase solely of the shot which depicts a clearly unhappy band during an April 9, 1969, photo session.
The video: The mini-doc keeps the focus on the music given the tinge of sadness dotting the final album featuring the band working as a cohesive unit.
Let it Be (1970)
The sounds: Yet another soundtrack - this time, for a documentary of sorts - Let it Be wound up being the group's last will and testament, even though the album as a whole pre-dates Abbey Road. You'll hear no problems with the audio; Ringo's drums, as per custom with the remasters, pounce like a cat all over I Me Mine.
The text: Let it Be has the most in-depth of liner notes, which are routinely illuminating. Late-era photos which double as lasting images of the band in its final form, add to the impact.
The video: Ringo, who calls the drama surrounding the band's final days ``bullshit,'' always brings the truth. But nothing is more real than seeing a glimpse of the Beatles jamming on Get Back, high atop the roof of Apple Records' headquarters. It's a lasting, legendary image.
Past Masters (1988)
The sounds: Given the discrepancies between North American and U.K. pressings, Past Masters cobbles together singles that fell through the cracks or may not have appeared on full-length albums. The two-disc compilation, which includes at least two dozen of the quartet's biggest hits, sounds great but isn't essential.
The text: If there's a reason to pick up Past Masters, it's for the detailed liner notes spanning the band's entire career.
The video: Past Masters is the only reissue to not be given a retrospective documentary.
For what it's worth...nice to see that they have finally decided to clean
up what is arguably one of the greatest collections to date in rock and roll history.
What do you think folks?...will this bring some new members into the
Fab Four club fanwise? Especially with the release of the video thing to boot...I'm wondering if this will wake up a few of the fans that have fallen asleep over the years?
I read the recent Rolling Stone article regarding the group and I must say...it was a great and informative read.
Yeah...I know it's only "The Beatles"...but is there anyone else ripping up the charts these days since then or from the recent past that deserves the kudos that this entity does?
Not a fan?...I understand...no problem...regards respected...but for those who do have any respect for the talent, inspiration, and wonderful output that the lads have offered over the years in their short, albeit illustrious career, by all means...chime in!
Thanks
Kim
By Mike Devlin, Canwest News ServiceSeptember 5, 2009
If you're one of the many who have been patiently waiting more than two decades for the remastered release of the Beatles' entire catalogue on Sept. 9., here is a breakdown of the 14 releases being sold in stores individually.
Each title in the Beatles' remastered catalogue comes with a mini- documentary (approximately 10 minutes in length and playable on your computer) and three-panel gatefold digipak featuring unpublished photos, newly updated historical information, and first-hand studio notes.
The track listings differ greatly from what you may remember: These stereo recordings (mono versions are only available via boxset) are faithful to the original U.K. pressings, not the North American ones, hence the omission and addition of certain songs.
Please Please Me (1963)
The sounds: Though recorded on two-track tape, the new stereo mix gives heft to early hits I Saw Her Standing There and Love Me Do. Songs nearly 50 years old rarely sound this good.
The text: Vintage photos abound, but they are outdone by fun factoids. Case in point: The total time it took to record, edit and mix the album was a mere 25 hours.
The video: The mini-doc is mostly still images, as very little footage from the era exists. But new audio interviews with Paul, Ringo, and producer George Martin provide excellent context; a nice touch is studio chatter from the original sessions, including quips from John.
With the Beatles (1963)
The sounds: Not one of the essential Beatles efforts, as three of the four hits from the album were covers. That said, the remastering of Roll Over Beethoven qualifies as a revelation.
The text: With the Beatles, which stayed at No. 1 for 21 weeks and became the first album by a British band to sell one million copies, was overshadowed by one of the band's biggest hits, I Want to Hold Your Hand, which arrived as a stand-alone single one week later. Though it was eventually included on the U.S. release, the song is omitted here.
The video: Interesting but hardly illuminating.
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
The sounds: The group's third album in 18 months marks the debut of George's new 12-string Rickenbacker guitar; its familiar chimes are essential to Can't Buy Me Love. The newly created stereo mix for CD is great but hardly revolutionary, considering it marked the first time the band recorded on four- track tape.
The text: Interesting to note that the album, much of which was written to accompany the film of the same name, was the first Beatles effort to include exclusively original material.
The video: Images of crazed fans mobbing the group herald the beginning of Beatlemania. A hard day's night, indeed.
Beatles For Sale (1964)
The sounds: Recorded during stops on their British tour, the Fab Four needed only seven days to put these 14 songs to tape. Among the best here is a revitalized Rock and Roll Music, featuring a reeling and thumping piano.
The text: The 20-page booklet, black and white for all but two pages, provides fascinating background to the sessions.
The video: Rare TV footage of performances of Kansas City and Baby's in Black are highlights of an otherwise slight mini-doc.
Help! (1965)
The sounds: A stopgap recording which doubled as the soundtrack to the film of the same name, Help! is packed with hits. The songs written specifically for the film (including Help!, Ticket to Ride, and You've Got to Hide Your Love Away) rank among the band's best - and sound utterly astonishing here.
The text: Images of the group, taken on set during the Bahamas film shoot, burst from the pages of the booklet in vivid aqua blue.
The video: Footage of the band's legendary Shea Stadium concert has never looked better.
Rubber Soul (1965)
The sounds: The band began its unparalleled artistic streak with what some consider to be their best album. Hard to argue when you hear the new mixes of The Word and Norwegian Wood. In a word - wow.
The text: It's interesting to note that two of the group's biggest songs (We Can Work it Out and Day Tripper) were recorded during this time but not included on Rubber Soul. Instead, they were issued as a double A-side single the very day Rubber Soul hit stores.
The video: Great images of the band's lengthening hair but little else aside from Ringo's always spot-on insights.
Revolver (1966)
The sounds: Paul's bouncing bass during Taxman sounds like a 747 achieving lift off, the first of countless sonic revelations the remastering provides. You'll hear now why Revolver took 300 hours to record and mix.
The text: The band recorded just 16 songs in 1966 - a 50 per cent drop from the year prior - and fans had to wait eight months for Revolver to arrive, the group's longest dry spell at that point. Needless to say, the masterpiece was worth the wait.
The video: Keeping in tune with Klaus Voormann's trendsetting artwork, Revolver's mini-doc is a feast for the eyes.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
The sounds: Of all the remasters, Sgt. Pepper's is arguably the most essential. It was a revolution in sound back in '67. With the care and attention given to the remasters, it is almost impossible to describe what it sounds like today.
The text: The 36-page booklet is a treasure trove, with new introductions by Paul and producer George Martin, a lyrics sheet, a who's-who of the cover art, and various historical essays.
The video: Heaps of footage, audio, and photographs make this the best mini- doc of the bunch.
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
The sounds: Six songs were recorded specifically for this soundtrack to the group's British television special, but this majority were singles released at various points in 1967. Nonetheless, the psychedelia of I Am the Walrus - keep headphones at the ready for the tune's frenetic final minute - holds everything together.
The text: Lyrics are included, but the 36-page booklet favours images over text.
The video: The topic of John dominates the mini-doc, which leads to some revelations (he cites it as his favourite record).
The Beatles (1968)
The sounds: The Fab Four's ninth outing is known widely as The White Album, but there's nothing bland about the music therein. The first eight-track recording of the Beatles' career (even more immaculate-sounding in 2009) is arguably the band's grandest statement.
The text: The original photo collage is included as a pullout, but the four photos of each member this time are embossed on the cover. That's a shame, as the text is relatively slight.
The video: It's a double-album, but you only get one mini-doc. It's a good one, however, with the longest running time of any of the remasters.
Yellow Submarine (1969)
The sounds: With only four new songs and George Martin's film score as a selling point, Yellow Submarine, which arrived two months after The White Album, is generally considered the weak link in the Beatles' catalogue. The selling point here is the previously unreleased mono version of Only a Northern Song.
The text: A big score is the inclusion of both the U.K. and U.S. liner notes. It's all a bunch of nonsense, whose saving grace is the animation artwork.
The video: Footage of the All You Need is Love global broadcast is spliced together with cartoon imagery, making for a potent visual c*cktail.
Abbey Road (1969)
The sounds: Abbey Road is a head-spinning document, the first of two albums by the band mixed solely in stereo; the mono box set does not include Abbey Road or Let it Be. It's clear today why full dynamic range was necessary: Come Together and The End, anchored by Ringo's thick drums fills, are mind- roastingly good.
The text: Worth the price of purchase solely of the shot which depicts a clearly unhappy band during an April 9, 1969, photo session.
The video: The mini-doc keeps the focus on the music given the tinge of sadness dotting the final album featuring the band working as a cohesive unit.
Let it Be (1970)
The sounds: Yet another soundtrack - this time, for a documentary of sorts - Let it Be wound up being the group's last will and testament, even though the album as a whole pre-dates Abbey Road. You'll hear no problems with the audio; Ringo's drums, as per custom with the remasters, pounce like a cat all over I Me Mine.
The text: Let it Be has the most in-depth of liner notes, which are routinely illuminating. Late-era photos which double as lasting images of the band in its final form, add to the impact.
The video: Ringo, who calls the drama surrounding the band's final days ``bullshit,'' always brings the truth. But nothing is more real than seeing a glimpse of the Beatles jamming on Get Back, high atop the roof of Apple Records' headquarters. It's a lasting, legendary image.
Past Masters (1988)
The sounds: Given the discrepancies between North American and U.K. pressings, Past Masters cobbles together singles that fell through the cracks or may not have appeared on full-length albums. The two-disc compilation, which includes at least two dozen of the quartet's biggest hits, sounds great but isn't essential.
The text: If there's a reason to pick up Past Masters, it's for the detailed liner notes spanning the band's entire career.
The video: Past Masters is the only reissue to not be given a retrospective documentary.
For what it's worth...nice to see that they have finally decided to clean
up what is arguably one of the greatest collections to date in rock and roll history.
What do you think folks?...will this bring some new members into the
Fab Four club fanwise? Especially with the release of the video thing to boot...I'm wondering if this will wake up a few of the fans that have fallen asleep over the years?
I read the recent Rolling Stone article regarding the group and I must say...it was a great and informative read.
Yeah...I know it's only "The Beatles"...but is there anyone else ripping up the charts these days since then or from the recent past that deserves the kudos that this entity does?
Not a fan?...I understand...no problem...regards respected...but for those who do have any respect for the talent, inspiration, and wonderful output that the lads have offered over the years in their short, albeit illustrious career, by all means...chime in!
Thanks
Kim
