One of the all-time best Beatles records gets the deep dive spotlight it deserves.
It was back in 1989 that I first got heavy into The Beatles. I mean, I’ve heard of them, on all those weekend FM radio specials even way back. I have a distant memory of hearing “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” on the radio which by my estimate was 1979 (or early 1980) because after that, I have another memory of catching a glimpse of the John Lennon special on TV when he died (which I clearly heard my eldest cousin Kuya Jojo Rasco say) which was December 1980.
Regardless of how trusty my hazy childhood memories are, what I’m really sure of was by 1989, I was playing “The Beatles For Sale,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” and “Revolver” on my turntable (that my dad gave to me) every morning whilst I was getting ready to go to school. Those albums were sort of hand-me-downs from my Uncle Kit (I say sort of because I took those records from his collection). Said albums were probably from the early 70’s.
It was “Revolver” that resonated with me. Maybe because I was just starting to get deep into the guitar, and I found that I learned much plucking along to “Here, There And Everywhere.” And that the Fab Four rocked on “Taxman” and were exceptionally heavy on “Tomorrow Never Knows,” and were capable of painting colors and moods on songs like “Eleanor Rigby,” “For No One,” and “Got To Get You In My Life.”
Apparently, millions of Beatles fans that have listened to it long before I did thought it was a great record too. In fact, “Revolver” is ranked Number One on the “All Time Top 1000 Albums” book by Colin Larkin who had written that it is “a shamelessly perfect record.”
So, its great news that recently “Revolver” Super Deluxe was released as a Special Edition by Apple Corps Ltd., Capitol and UMe.
The refurbished collection includes new mixes of the original 14 tracks. The set which now has 63 tracks in all, includes remastered mono mixes to go with the Dolby Atmos mixes sourced from the original multi-track tapes.
There’s also “a four-track EP with new stereo mixes and remastered original mixes for “Paperback Writer” and “Rain.”
Plus 28 “early takes” from the “Revolver” recording sessions and “three home demos” that really gives the feeling of a ‘fly in the wall’ POV in the process of the Beatles as creators.
For example, hearing the original demo of “Yellow Submarine” as it is sung by John Lennon as he worked on the tune before it came out in the final version as a Ringo Starr sung track.
Ditto “Paperback Writer” (takes 1 & 2 / Backing Track) gives a detailed listen of its rhythm guitar work.
George Harrison’s “Love You Too” is an interesting study on how it went from acoustic guitar demo to its mystical sounding sitar version.
It’s the same with Paul McCartney’s “Got To Get You In My Life,” wherein we get a glimpse of how the Beatles as songwriters and musicians approached a piece of song and how they developed it. This, I think, is the invaluable highlight for this release.
So far, I have listened to the digital/streaming version of the “Revolver” through headphones (using a simple DAC connection) and it sounds great. I can only imagine how the vinyl version would sound.
Definitely an improved version of the album I've been listening to all those years ago. High time I get a new one.