so I'm going chronological on that Beatles box

discostu · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:25 pm

Hell yeah TEH MACHINE!!!

Cap'n Squirrgle · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:27 pm

Radcliffe Wrote:

Just starting this right now.

Also...

Cap'n Squirrgle Wrote:

14. Twist And Shout

Why must I picture Matthew Broderick, goddamit.

I'm so glad I don't have those kind of reference points.

I'm not happy about it.

Dalen · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:24 pm

GREAT thread idea!!!!!!

shiv · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:44 pm

i was trying to decide between buying the box or just grabbing them individually, and have decided on the latter as i can't see dropping $150 on cd's right now.

Dalen · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:50 pm

Radcliffe Wrote:

Senator Ba HumGAR Wrote:

I don't really think you can debate cultural impact, but the musicianship thing is probably easily as subjective as any other subject.

Jesus, I can't believe you spent all that time listening to the Dick's Picks and still haven't HEARD the Dead. They suck, plain and simple. It's not subjective, unless you're also stating that the musicianship behind the Shaggs is subjective. Fucking atrocious, piece of shit band with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Okay, maybe ONE redeeming quality: Garcia died.

not sure i've ever agreed with rads more.

Radcliffe · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:05 pm

I'm attempting to do these in real time, or as close to real time as I can. First thing that surprised me is that Please Please Me contains 14 songs in just over 32 minutes. Now, I remember the howls of outrage that met the Ramones debut over the fact that it was 14 songs in just over 28 minutes - and now I'm wondering if some of those rock "journalists" of the era had even listened to this Beatles album. And a mere 13 year gap between the two records - that's the equivalent of expecting a modern rock journalist to have a working knowledge of OK Computer.

Anyway...

I Saw Her Standing There
Right off the bat, this remaster is slaying me. This is one of those songs that I'd heard throughout my early life, mostly this version but often in versions by lesser bands taking the piss (the Tubes) or by older artists grasping futilely at hip (variety show hacks*). It's a song that sound to me like it's always existed, for at least as long as single cell organisms, and up until this reissue I'm not even sure if I knew it was written by Lennon/McCartney or thought it was a Chuck Berry song.

In other words, a PERFECT song to start these remasters with. This is like hearing it for the first time. I can actually hear the separation of instruments. And because of that, if I squint, I can also hear the pill-popping, badass kuchenfarters that rocked the Kaiserkeller mit der zingen und der geetarstrummen. It's somewhat neutered and cleaned up by the studio, but there's a rhythm machine at work here. Paul pumps, Ringo smacks, John chugs, and even George's solo is more rhythm than flash. There's a distinct touch of gravel in Paul's vocal, and the scream before the guitar solo clinches it. Bedrock.

Misery
I gotta run to catch up. This sounds like an apology or reassurance to all the parents out there for skirting the danger zone on the previous track. Cute and hairless and slight. The harmonies carry it.

Anna
Nice cover of an Arthur Alexander tune, and another one seemingly aimed at an older crowd. John's voice is in fine form.

Chains
Damn. Just reading the liner notes. They cranked out 11 songs in one 9 3/4 hour session? That means they were pulling these covers out of their back pocket.

Boys
Huh, I'd only previously heard the Tammy St. John version of this song (it's on my "Don't Call Me Honey" mix, if you haven't heard it). Tammy's version is better. It feels weird and vaguely homoerotic to switch genders like this but, hey, it's Ringo. Chances are good that Ringo really did like to talk about boys. Great harmony vox declaring the possible meaning of life in the line "bop shoo wop bop bop shoo wop". Paul's bass is absolutely hyperactive.

Ask Me Why
"It's okay, mum and dad, they're not bad boys at all... see - my panties are starting to dry." First track that feels sub-par. Good vox from John. Nice harmonies. Next.

Please Please Me
Oh shit, a neck-snapping upgrade. Love that chopping rhythm guitar - never heard that before. Ditto the layers of harmonies. This really ties together the band's reach for palatable singles with their background as a hardass club band. Pretty amazing.

Love Me Do
And this is all about grasping for palatable singles. Hooks all over the fugger, but toothless and sweet and simple. Still, those John and Paul vocals work a particular magic.

PS I Love You
This makes "Love Me Do" sound like it reeks of gin and masturbates in public. Toying with formula.

Baby It's You
Damn, this is good. And John knows it. I can hear those vocal chords start to shred.

Do You Want To Know A Secret
Threatens to pick up at the bridge. Doesn't. More formula.

Taste Of Honey
This sounds like some ass decided to rewrite "Greensleeves" for the Petula Clark crowd. Blech.

There's A Place
Another one I've never heard before. Really saves the proceedings after those last two tracks. More of that Cavern Club racket going on, but muted. Also more of that John/Paul magic, a mournful harmonica in the mix, and Ringo actually bangs around a bit. I bet they were simultaneously proud of this and worried about how it would go over. Very nice.

Twist And Shout
This comes as no surprise, but it must've come as an electric shock in '63. No more Mister Nice Guy. Lennon's voice is so raw, so urgent, that all the disc's previous reassurance to the parents of the nations' teen girls was immediately tossed out the window. Under the matching suits, these testicles had hair on 'em. The remastering on this is excellent.

Overall: The unbridled enthusiasm of the band is hard to resist. We're coming up to 50 years since this was first released, and at its best it still sounds (maybe now more than ever) like a breath of fresh air. Lots of filler on this album, but the highs more than make up for the lows.

* Variety Show Hacks were good at Coachella

ayah · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 12:03 pm **Posts:** 6402

please, please me:

3 moist pankies out of 5.
taste of honey really blows.

Cap'n Squirrgle · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:41 pm

Which one's next?

DumpJack · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:42 pm

Cap'n Squirrgle Wrote:

Which one's next?

With the Beatles.

Radcliffe · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:43 pm

Cap'n Squirrgle Wrote:

Which one's next?

toots · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:52 pm

mcputos stereo mix contains the first track only, and the mono mix is 'temporarily unavailable'

anyone have another link?

DumpJack · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:06 pm

Silent Toot Wrote:

mcputos stereo mix contains the first track only, and the mono mix is 'temporarily unavailable'

anyone have another link?

For With the Beatles or Please Please Me? The latter is posted in the thread here and I was going to up the former shortly.

toots · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:08 pm

With the Beatles.

mono mix finally DL'd, but with an error

thanks for upping

Cap'n Squirrgle · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:12 pm

Yeah that one I didn't have yet (Mit den Beatles)

robotboy · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:22 pm

listening now

FT · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:42 pm

Are there MP3 Stereo versions available of Help! and Rubber Soul?

DumpJack · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:51 pm

FT Wrote:

Are there MP3 Stereo versions available of Help! and Rubber Soul?

'

There are, but I think we're still doing this one album a day thing. So we'll be getting to those two in a few days.

Here's With the Beatles

Code:

http://hidelinks.com/?nl1px2y7ij

Quote:

With the Beatles is a sequel of the highest order — one that betters the original by developing its own tone and adding depth. While it may share several similarities with its predecessor — there is an equal ratio of covers-to-originals, a familiar blend of girl group, Motown, R&B, pop, and rock, and a show tune that interrupts the flow of the album — With the Beatles is a better record that not only rocks harder, it's considerably more sophisticated. They could deliver rock & roll straight ("I Wanna Be Your Man") or twist it around with a little Latin lilt ("Little Child," one of their most underrated early rockers); Lennon and McCartney wrote sweet ballads (the achingly gorgeous "All I've Got to Do") and sprightly pop/rockers ("All My Loving") with equal aplomb; and the propulsive rockers ("It Won't Be Long") were as richly melodic as slower songs ("Not a Second Time"). Even George Harrison's first recorded song, "Don't Bother Me," is a standout, with its wonderfully foreboding minor-key melody. Since the Beatles covered so much ground with their originals, their covers pale slightly in comparison, particularly since they rely on familiar hits (only "Devil in Her Heart" qualifies as a forgotten gem). But for every "Roll Over Beethoven," a surprisingly stiff reading of the Chuck Berry standard, there is a sublime moment, such as Lennon's soaring interpretation of "You Really Got a Hold on Me," and the group always turns in thoroughly enjoyable performances. Still, the heart of With the Beatles lies not in the covers, but the originals, where it was clear that, even at this early stage, the Beatles were rapidly maturing and changing, turning into expert craftsmen and musical innovators.

FT · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:59 pm

FT Wrote:

Are there MP3 Stereo versions available of Help! and Rubber Soul?

Also...

Introducing...The Beatles, Meet the Beatles!, The Beatles' Second Album, Something New, Beatles '65, and Beatles VI

FT · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:00 pm

DumpJack Wrote:

FT Wrote:

Are there MP3 Stereo versions available of Help! and Rubber Soul?

'

There are, but I think we're still doing this one album a day thing. So we'll be getting to those two in a few days.

Oh, OK. Cool. Carry on, then!

DumpJack · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:05 pm

FT Wrote:

Are there MP3 Stereo versions available of Help! and Rubber Soul?

Also...

Introducing...The Beatles, Meet the Beatles!, The Beatles' Second Album, Something New, Beatles '65, and Beatles VI

Just what's in this set:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles_Stereo_Box_Set

Stone · **Joined:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:27 am **Posts:** 1562

Radcliffe Wrote:

Twist And Shout
This comes as no surprise, but it must've come as an electric shock in '63. No more Mister Nice Guy. Lennon's voice is so raw, so urgent, that all the disc's previous reassurance to the parents of the nations' teen girls was immediately tossed out the window. Under the matching suits, these testicles had hair on 'em. The remastering on this is excellent.

Isn't the story on this that it was the last song taped in that session and Lennon's voice was trashed by then, adding to the raw effect, or am I thinking of some other song?

d · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:08 pm

ok, just realized there's no way I'm going to be able to participate in this... y'all are too fast!

Radcliffe · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:13 pm

d Wrote:

ok, just realized there's no way I'm going to be able to participate in this... y'all are too fast!

This is not an acceptable excuse.

toots · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:16 pm

the only things i'm taking away from this second installment is that it seems like there is a heavier inflection of dirty blues and american roots rock (as opposed to chamber-y pop), and that i like jerry lee lewis' version of 'Money' better

the end

toots · **Posted:** Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:16 pm

Stone Wrote:

Radcliffe Wrote:

Twist And Shout
This comes as no surprise, but it must've come as an electric shock in '63. No more Mister Nice Guy. Lennon's voice is so raw, so urgent, that all the disc's previous reassurance to the parents of the nations' teen girls was immediately tossed out the window. Under the matching suits, these testicles had hair on 'em. The remastering on this is excellent.

Isn't the story on this that it was the last song taped in that session and Lennon's voice was trashed by then, adding to the raw effect, or am I thinking of some other song?

we have determined you are thinking of the correct song

so I'm going chronological on that Beatles box

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