The Beatles - Abbey Road
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Free Music Notes for Abbey Road
Free Music Review: Great music, but the CD cries out for remastering
Hit: 5 Stars
I've listened to Abbey Road dozens of times. Tonight as I listened to the CD, I was motivated to write about the sound quality. It sounds like a poor transfer. I have the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs vinyl, and though it has been a long time since I listened to it, it is much more tolerable than the CD. Why? The CD sound is a plastic imitation. Ringo's cymbals sound like white noise. The drums are all stick and no skin. Bass is flabby and indistinct (granted, even on the Mobile Fidelity release it is not anything to praise, but the CD is worse). The organ on Harrison's "Something" sounds more like a Casio keyboard than a Hammond. There's a smudging of everything and very little sense of open space around any of the vocals or instruments. I could go on and on, but if anyone can get a superior analog version of this album, they can make their own comparison. I think in almost every category, any trained listener would find the CD sound worse.
Yet, I have trepidations about the inevitable remastered versions of the Beatles catalog that are rumored to be just around the corner. When they remade the Let It Be album (Let It Be Naked), the sound had more clarity, but it also seemed dynamically compressed. I could live with it, if they did that to the other albums, but I would not be completely satisfied.
Most people will think I am just nitpicking. But good music deserves a decent transfer from the master tape. Comparing the CD with the vinyl, this didn't happen when Abbey Road was transfered to digital. I find the CD convenient, but it is always a strangely unsatisfying experience. The CD gives an impression of this great album, but the unnatural timbres of instruments and electronic quality of the voices deaden the beauty of the songs.
If you buy this, just remember that there is more to this album than you will ever hear from the CD. We hope for better... maybe the remastered version. But I may just digitally record my vinyl copy. It may well outdo any future remastering.
Free Music Review: Another Rutles Tribute Band?
Hit: 4 Stars
These guys just might make it as some kind of casino/state fair playing band. I like their music but frankly its way too derivative of the Rutles. They need to develop their own style
Free Music Review: At the peak of their creative power
Hit: 5 Stars
From the first cut, "Come Together," to the last, "Her Majesty," this is filled with songs, by turn, that are quirky, musical, emotional, amusing. . . . This is a classic "Late Beatles" album, even as the group was falling to pieces. There is a maturity to this work that belies their relative youth.
"Come Together" starts this album off in fine style. Nice guitar work is manifest here. This is followed by George Harrison's "Something," starting off with distinctive and enjoyable guitar work. A couple key lines:
"You're asking me will my love go?
I don't know, I don't know."
Then, the wild and weird "Maxwell's Silver Hammer." A couple lines indicate why I choose those words:
"But as she's getting ready to go,
Bang, Bang, Maxwell's silver hammer cam down on her head.
Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer made sure she was dead."
Yikes! What an ending to her putative date with Maxwell!
"Here Comes the Sun" has a more pleasing sensibility and follows. A wonderful song. . . .
After that comes a series of songs interlinked with one another. Let's look at a couple to illustrate. "Mean Mister Mustard" segues into "Polythene Pam."
"You should see Polythene Pam,
She's good looking but she looks just like a man."
And on it goes. To close, there is a brief, amusing ditty, "Her Majesty."
"Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl,
But she doesn't have a lot to say.
. . . .
Someday I'm gonna make her mine."
And so ends this wonderful masterpiece from the Beatles' body of work.
Free Music Review: "Another Essential Recording By The Beatles"
Hit: 5 Stars
In 1969,without really knowing it The Beatles were about to split but before they released two albums "Abbey Road"that same year and "Let It Be" in 1970.Abbey Road was named after the recording studio were they recorded their albums and it was in fact recorded after the Let It Be sessions but it was released before that album came out,its awkward but that`s how it is.For this album they knew they weren`t a band like they used to,but unlike Let It Be for this album they putted their differents aside in order to make a great album,which they exactly did.Its not credited to be as good as it really is,but its a superior album(at least better than most band`s material that`s for sure)and some consider it the best.Its tricky to choose the best album as they have many unforgettable classics and great albums,but this one has each musicians focusing on the music and playing and writting very well(even Ringo wrote a song on this album and its great).
If you compare Let It Be to Abbey Road there is a big difference between the two as anyone with sense will say Abbey is superior,but in fact Let It Be is often said to be the filming of the breakup of the band and it was recorded before Abbey Road.Yet for this album you can`t really tell that as they sound so great and they were focused to make of this a great album,and what a masterpiece did it become!Still after doing Let It Be,its impressive how they managed to work back as a unit again,or at least make it feel like,anyone who listened to Let It Be will understand me.If not then you learned something!Still for this one,each Beatles did their stuff as they wanted(unlike on Let It Be when Paul told George exactly what to play and pitty George doing what he had to)and the result is impressive while at this point of their career it probably shouldn`t have.
There are many rock`n`roll songs on Abbey Road like the great opening track that is "Come Togheter" or George`s "I Want You(She`s So Heavy)" and its for the better,but there still are some of those fun pop songs such as "Maxwell`s Silver Hammer" and "Mean Mustard" that you can still enjoy.George has a more important presence on the album than on previous ones,his guitar playing is seemingly better and his songs and lyrics are great.Even Ringo wrote a song for the album,"Octopus`s Garden"(inspired by what someone told him,that octopuses decorate the front of their house,just like a garden)and its done really well,he did a very good song,not as good as the other three Beatles but still very good and worth being on the album.Trow in a couple of ballads such as the amazing "Here Comes The Sun"(wich is credited for being the best love some of all time,Elvis Presley himself said so along with a few others)and the excellent "Something"(both written by George!)which are two of the world`s best ballad,and you`ve got Abbey Road one of the greatest albums of all time(along with a few other Beatles album rightfully deserving so such as Rubber Soul,Revolver and others).
See there is more about this album than the iconic cover it has!Actually speaking of the cover it was quite controversial as a DJ in the States(U.S)started rumours that Paul McCartney`s death.The thing is the cover had a few signs that pointing towards his death,tought it was not intended on purpose to.Those signs were Paul walking on the street(on the cover)without shoes on,which is appearently a mafia sign of death!There`s more the white car`s plate at the middle left of the cover reads ""28IF" wich meant to the belivers that Paul would be 28 if he wasn`t dead!Also Ringo wore a black suit wich meant he was the undertaker,you see all those kinds of things(those are the ones I know)and The Beatles knew it was all rumors but how to make them understand Paul was still alive?Anyway that is the dark story behind the cover with all those rumors,quite interresting but not true of course!
The songs are pretty much all great,tought im not really a fan of Paul`s "Her Majesty" who at only 22 seconds is not exactly `The best thing ever`(its not bad but its way,way,WAY too short!To me the highlights of the album are "Come Togheter" a strong Lennon song and the impressive at 7:47 or so minutes(a Beatles epic!Might be the only one they did)"I Want You(She`s So Heavy)","Here Comes The Sun","Polythene Pam" and a few others.Really its a collection of great songs put togheter.I think what makes Abbey Road so great is that The Beatles have matured as persons and as artist wich allowed them to do terrific stuff .On the second half of the album it seems to be a medley and it surprisingly fits,I don`t know if that`s what it was supposed to be but that`s what many fans think anyway."You Never Give Me Your Money" is in fact a direct reference to the record industry and how The Beatles felt about it,just tought I`d say that.There are other good songs I haven`t mentionned yet such as "Oh!Darling"(Paul does a good job but I think it might have fitted John`s style more) and "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" but really each song are good and have something different,special and unique.Oh and Ringo even does a drum solo on "In The End" as he felt pressure from other drummers who did and didn`t take him too seriously as a drummer,well considering all I hear before of other drummers I don`t think that this little 10 second solo part will scare them but its certainly nice.
What`s left to say?Well first this might be a little long review but had a lot to say about this great album and I couldn`t do it any shorter.This NEEDS to be in your collection,if you like The Beatles or rock then you need this,really.If you don`t trust or belive me there are plenty of reviewers who can say the same thing to you.Five stars the very least,its that good and you won`t regret it it has great songs,beautifull songs,rocking songs not to mantion great playing and absolutely terrific writtings.Its an essential album and one of The Beatles`s best album in my opinion no matter what you say it won`t make me change my opinion.I hope you will buy this album if you don`t already have it.
Free Music Review: Stunning
Hit: 5 Stars
What can I say that hasn't already been said about this album? Sonically stunning and beautifully crafted. Not every song is great, but there is not a bad song to be found.
It's not a concept album, but it almost plays like one. Even the album cover is brilliant in it's simplicity. Some of the high lights "Come together", "Something", "Here comes the sun" and "Because"
A must for any CD collection