Since bootleg remixers and mash-up artists have been having a go at the Beatles catalog for years -- sometimes to stunning effect -- I guess it should come as no surprise that the Fabs decided to authorize an official effort, specifically to provide the musical backdrop for Cirque du Soleil's multi-million dollar, Beatles-themed Las Vegas production entitled Love. What is surprising, so long as you don't consider this sort of thing to be sacrilegious, is how good, and even moving, the results are. Helmed by Giles Martin, under the watchful eye of his father and "fifth Beatle", Sir George, this is a recording on which vocals, guitar riffs, rhythm tracks, instrumental solos and even more isolated elements from the Beatles master tapes -- including demos, alternate takes and even idle studio chatter -- are mixed, layered and otherwise blended together into an 80-minute collage of sound. Some tracks leave entire songs virtually intact, albeit with guitar solos, drum patterns or bass lines pulled from other songs and seamlessly overlaid, while others are full-on mash-ups, in which numerous songs are cut together to create something entirely new (but at the same time, of course, very familiar). The effect throughout is nothing less than engaging, and it's fun to play "spot the riff" or "name that bassline," but at certain moments -- such as the way the vocal melody from "Sun King", played backwards, segues into "Something," or hearing John, Paul and George's harmonized vocals from "Because" completely a cappella -- it'll give you goosebumps. "Strawberry Fields Forvever" morphs from one of John's acoustic demos, into an early, alternate studio take, and then into the master take that everybody knows so well. An acoustic version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," with a gorgeous new string arrangement by George Martin (the only newly-recorded music that appears anywhere on this project), is another of many highlights. Most amazing of all is the sheer sound quality on these painstakingly remastered tracks -- close your eyes and it sounds like The Beatles are in the room with you. (Listening on headphones is particularly breathtaking. Even someone like me, who has heard these tracks literally hundreds of times, can discover little nuances -- a sweet McCartney bassline here, a cool drum fill by Ringo there -- that he never noticed before.) Until EMI finally gets around to remastering the entire Beatles catalog, this is as close as you can get to hearing what it sounded like in Studio Two at Abbey Road when the greatest band of all time was at work.LISTEN / DOWNLOAD: Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing, to hear 3 great mid-period Beatles tracks, two by Paul and one by John, all mashed together -- one of the more clear-cut examples of what's in store on this record.
7 comments:
Here's what happened with this album:
My in-laws rolled into town for Thanksgiving, so we had them babysit for us one night so we could go out. You can't pay your in-laws for babysitting, so we bought them this CD as a thank you (they had just gotten back from Vegas and were raving about the show and the music). We popped it in during dinner one night and I was floored. I don't remember George being that good on bass (I deserve any grief I get on that one). When they went to sleep that night, the CD went from the player to my computer for quick burn. We've been listening to it ever since. Added bonus: my daughter loves it, so we can listen to adult music in the car now. Sweet.
that's mr. mccartney on bass, buddy -- so there's your grief. i think people forget that mccartney more or less invented modern bass-playing -- those long, intricate bass lines that more or less serve as counter-melodies. on that left-handed hoffner bass that he still plays to this day. mindblowing.
Even more embarrassing. Of course he was the originator of the sweet Rickenbacker left-handed bass (or did I screw that up as well). I have no idea what I was thinking. Let's just forget that I said anything.
Anyway, the bass playing on this was a revelation was all I was trying to say.
revelation is a good word for it. i've always listened in awe to mccartney's playing on the beatles records, but the sound on this recording really brings it to the fore. and he played a left-handed hoffner (custom-made, i'm guessing) on virtually all of the beatles records, and still plays that bass, on stage at least. it's pretty cool to see him playing that bass and think, that's the same bass he played on ed sullivan in '64, at shea stadium, on "taxman", etc. jesus, i could go on and on just about the bassline on "taxman".
Lets not kid ourselves on Sir George Martin. I could be the greatest record producer of all time too if you gave me the Beatles, a room, and a tape recorder. Afar from this mashup and the ommision of Beth Orton's Comfort of Strangers, once again you have made a fine, thought provoking list.
Respectfully, I have to disagree with the "any idiot with a microphone" theory when it comes to George Martin, somepig. It surely would have been tough to ruin their records, but I think Martin deserves a great deal of credit for steering their sound, keeping them focused, writing those gorgeous string arrangements, and making some pretty revolutionary-sounding albums in those last 3-4 years ("Rubber Soul" to "Abbey Road"). You should read the excellent book about the Beatles' recording sessions, "Here, There and Everywhere," that engineer Geoff Emerick put out this year -- it might alter your opinion a bit.
Will check out the new Beth Orton, too. I have some of her early records, but never heard the one that came out this year.
ya what haooened tio the download. The space is empty
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