Love

Editorial Review

Parts of this album teeter on "Stars On 45" territory. Others veer into wafted atmospherics. So if anyone else had done this, then "sacrilegious" would have been bandied about ad-nauseam. But Sir George Martin was not only there as producer of all the originals, but is one of the most gifted non-performing talents in music. His empathy in orchestration is masterful, and so nothing in this album was ever going to be less than reverential – however individual perceptions are on the results. His son Giles has assisted, and presumably added the youthful qualities that shine through. This is not a compilation though, but a comparison.

The Beatles are – and always will be – timeless. But that doesn't mean that the tracks should be locked up and left to gather dust. Those originals have never gone away, and some of these new interpretations are nicely different. "Something" takes on an extra plush quality, and evolves through "Nowhere Man" to "Mr Kite". Clever. Cynics will suggest that such transitions are to benefit the 'Cirque du Soleil' Beatles production in Las Vegas that this release is associated with, and that the Big Top is not that far away. Perhaps, but these are songs that deserve centre-stage.

There are a few chords that appear in the 'wrong' songs, but consider that more an artful jigsaw than messy cut 'n' paste. It makes for a "name that chord" competition should you so desire. To have rather of an intro to "Lucy In The Sky…" is a few pure seconds of appetite whetting. Likewise on "Here Comes The Sun". A few instantly recognizable notes are taken from the midriff to extend the preamble. That's a success, but "Hey Jude" into a rambunctious "Sergeant Pepper" is not a highlight.

There were turkeys in Beatles albums don't forget, and Ringo's finest moment in "Octopus's Garden" is one that many would omit from their CV. But you know, with a clichéd old-style interpretation that is added here, it actually sounds rather good.

The rocky guitar solo within "Lady Madonna" takes a little getting used to, and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" has become too orchestrated and over-perfect. Still a great track though. "Blackbird" shouldn't really work as a segue into "Yesterday" but it does. "Strawberry Fields Forever" remains psychedelic, but updated. Perhaps too much actually.

Some tracks have had little added – and rightly so. You can't beat the raw energy of "Help!" and that largely remains. "A Day In The Life" was already perfect the first time round, and there's only minor tweaking here. If anything "All You Need Is Love" has been stripped down a shade before the shambolic postscript. There lies one of the rubs – even tracks that needed no enhancing have had to be fiddled with a shade, just to keep the project unified.

Purists will object to the glossification of what are seminal tracks from masterful albums. It was that initial raw simplicity of the early albums that developed into the wider technical mastery of "Sergeant Pepper" which made the few years of Beatledom so special. So is this new uniformity of style really fitting? However others will appreciate a new twist from a new perspective. And although "classic" is a term too frequently applied to tracks that distinctly aren't, there's nothing here that isn't at least nudging that category. Even Ringo's octopus - bless him.

Neil Chase
Music Editor
November 2006

Contributors:

• Beatles (The)
• George Martin; Giles Martin

Additional Info

• Label: Capitol/EMI Records
• No of Discs: 1
• Recording: STEREO
• Format: Single Case

Tracklisting