It's been a wonderful week, but it's always nice to be back home... the extra long drive back meant... you guessed it, more Beatles Remasters!
We shall be dealing with "A Hard Day's Night", "Help!", "Let It Be", "Rubber Soul", "Sgt. Pepper's...", and the "Yellow Submarine" EP.
Just a few comments, since there are so many... "Help!" was everything I expected from these remasters. The vocals are together, yet separate, as well as the guitars, the electric instruments have been amplified, and the backing vocals are right up front where they can be heard. Just fab gear and all that.
"Let It Be", one of the stereo only albums, is another goodie... since Phil Spector had to, in essence, piece that album together from whatever unreleased "Get Back Sessions" he had, there's quite a bit of studio banter and jamming ("Dig It" being a good example, although it isn't the often-bootlegged four minute full jam). All that's been amplified... what you used to be able to barely hear is now loud and clear, as it should be.
Well, one of their songs is worth more than a thousand of my words, so let's get cracking! How about going in alphabetical order?
First up this evening, from the soundtrack to their first film (my personal favorite, but not the guy's), "A Hard Day's Night", it's one of those lost treasures, "Tell Me Why"...
Up next, another from a film soundtrack, this time it's the title track to "Help!"...
From the "Phil Spector Album" (that's what I call it), here's "Two Of Us" (listen to how they've moved John's vocal and rhythm guitar to be as loud as Paul's lead)...
From "Revolver, Part One" (that's what George called Rubber Soul), here's another lost gem, and, I believe, the first time John used a song to push his message (Brian usually kept John on a tight leash when it came to such things), it's "The Word"...
Prepare yourself to finally fully "smell the sawdust", it's Sgt. Pepper's "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite" (the inspiration poster is here, if you've never seen it)...
Lastly, from the Yellow Submarine soundtrack, recorded during the Pepper sessions, it's George's "Only A Northern Song"...
Listening to these remasters is kind of like this...
