The Beatles - Abbey Road
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Free Music Notes for Abbey Road
Free Music Review: Don't tire of listening to it
Hit: 4 Stars
Great cd.
i love it.
it's so relaxing
Don't get tired of it.
Free Music Review: Better than the sum of its parts
Hit: 4 Stars
Abbey Road lends truth to the equation that the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts. Separated for analysis, the "songs" on this LP are among the least in the Beatles' repertoire. Apart from Lennon's contribution of Come Together, a re-invented Chuck Berry tune, only Harrison contributed songs worthy of the Beatles in their prime. Something and Here Comes the Sun are classics that overshadow everything else here. Side one is full of remakes, not counting the Berry tune. McCartney rewrites Helter Skelter as Oh! Darling; Starr recreates Yellow Submarine as Octopus's Garden; and Lennon reworks Don't Let Me Down as I Want You (She's So Heavy). Actually the latter has an great bluesy feel, unusual in Beatles' tracks, but is only half completed as it has no lyrics other than the title and is weighted down by yet another example of Lennon's recording excesses, already evidenced on the "white album", as he tacks on several minutes of white noise to the end. Side two is nothing other than an amalgam of unfinished ideas and half-written tracks skillfully blended together by McCartney into a "huge medley". Some of these tracks date back to before the "white album" yet are no further along in completion. This is primarily where the "sum of the parts" comes into play. It all sounds rather Pink Floyd-ish until you pull it apart and realize there's nothing substantial there. Again, credit Harrison with the creative idea of bringing the Moog synthesizer to the party; it definitely helps keep the tracks sounding as if they belonged together. Otherwise we would be in for another Let It Be hodge-podge. Sports one of the best album covers of all time.Free Music Review: This is a fun record
Hit: 3 Stars
As a child of the '70s, I am no expert on Beatle's music. I have only listened to two complete Beatles' albums ever. "Revolver" and "Abbey Road" and that is only 4-5 listens each in the last week - I am totally blown away. I can't get enough of either album.
This is my take as a newcomer into the world of Beatles' albums.
To me "Revolver" is razor sharp and a "thinking" album. Every track on "Revolver" is brilliantly conceived and executed.
Not so with "Abbey Road." It is a free and "feeling" album. This album carries the listener on a journey. The listener gets immersed in the vibes - feelings created. The conception/execution is equally amazing; however it doesn't appear to be the focus - the result is that it is not as focused, condensed or and as sharp. But, it is soooo fun to listen to.
It is difficult to express, but even on first listen to "Abbey Road" I got the feeling that I became privy to some sacred discovery.
I love "Mean Mr. Mustard" "Polythene Pam" - the harmonies just take you wherever and I love that free-wheeling experience. Where is this going to go next?
"You never give your money/and Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight" all thematically alike are melodic, sensitive - yet never boring.
"I Want You" is a bit too long, but I love the bluesy passage in the middle.
"Because" is gorgeous.
"The End" is pure fun. Most of the rest is standard classic material we've all heard thousands of times.
Anyway I have heard so much about Sgt. Pepper and that is my next venture.
P.S. The 3 stars is a mistake. But system won't let me fix. I meant to give this 5 stars.
Free Music Review: "Road" of Riches
Hit: 4 Stars
The Beatles came together for one last effort and it's a monumental one except for a few glaring weak spots. "Abbey Road" begins with Lennon's funky "Come Together" which he stated is built on a riff by one of rock's founding fathers, Chuck Berry. George Harrison's majestic ballad "Something" follows. It's a remarkable achievement that shows just how much he'd matured as a songwriter when compared to the lame McCartney-penned "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", a silly ditty following the likes of "Your Mother Should Know" from "Magical Mystery Tour" and the somewhat rote "Oh! Darling" which Paul makes up for in his impassioned performance of the song. Ringo's composition, "Octopus's Garden" is also a bit weak in my humble opinion. It sounds like another take on "Yellow Submarine" but the kids should enjoy it. John's lyrically minimalist "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is half hard rock, half slinky blues. It's a long number at almost eight minutes but it holds up well. The original take goes on longer but the released version is cut abruptly which is a good thing as the boys' tendencies to jam (off record-listen to "Let It Be"'s "Dig It" also) could be a bit much at times. This song ended the first side of the vinyl album.
Side Two is comprised of eleven tunes, the last nine of which are edited as a suite and are worth the price of the album alone. Beginning with George's sublime "Here Comes The Sun" and John's "Because" with those shimmering, gorgeous harmonies; "You Never Give Me Your Money" which sounds like it was really co-written by John and Paul, follows. There are more exquisite harmonies on "Sun King". John handles lead vocals on the rockers "Mean Mr. Mustard" and "Polythene Pam" before Paul takes over with "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" and the lovely ballad "Golden Slumbers". The whole group sings "Carry That Weight" with Ringo's voice the slightly prominent one before each member has an instrumental solo on the fabulous "The End". It's a kick figuring out who is playing each bit. If you're at all familiar with the styles of John, Paul and George, you can pretty easily tell which is which and this is the only song that featured Ringo doing a solo bit. "Abbey Road" ends with the shortest piece the Beatles ever recorded- Paul's simple "Her Majesty".
Though not my favorite record by the Fab Four (see my reviews of "Revolver", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "Magical Mystery Tour"), "Abbey Road" is definitely an essential Beatles album to have.
Free Music Review: If I could be anywhere in time...
Hit: 5 Stars
...I think I would choose to be in Abbey Road studios during the recording of this album, watching and hearing these great tracks laid down. The Beatles proved that you don't need kazillion-track recording machines and high-tech gadgets to create what is arguably the best album of all time.
Every song is a pure joy to listen to and as a whole, they cover an amazingly wide variety of styles. "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" by John Lennon is one of the hardest, most guitar-driven smokers out there with a riff that just cuts through the sky, and have you ever heard anyone belt out a vocal like Paul McCartney does on his R&B number "Oh! Darling"?
George Harrison's uplifting "Here Comes The Sun" can't but help one feel optimistic even during the bleakest of moods and his "Something" is one of the most romantic songs ever written. Ringo gets a fun one in too on the almost country/western-sounding "Octopus' Garden" with some great guitar flavor from George.
There are the sublime "Because", the hilariously macabre sing-along "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", the fascinating lyrics Lennon was so famous for on the album opener "Come Together" with that innovative groove and it all culminates with just perfectly composed back-to-back medleys that range from the most touching sentiment to funky to all-out rock 'n roll that build toward a very simple message of love.
There's a great book called "Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles" by Geoff Emerick and Howard Massey that describes the moment when John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison walked down into the studio and recorded that climactic guitar jam in one take, squaring off "like three gunslingers" with their guitars over their shoulders, firing away at one another.
What I would have given to be in the studios that day...