Album: Revolver
Artist: Beatles
Born: Liverpool
Released: August 1966
Genre: Psychedelia
Influenced: Zombies, Jefferson Airplane, The Jam, Chemical Brothers
This is my favourite Beatles album. I've bought the LP and the T-shirt. At the time of its release, you get the sense that the band were in an arms race with Brian Wilson and Dylan (who released Blonde on Blonde the same day as Pet Sounds). Of all the Beatles albums, for me Revolver's got the best cover artwork and the best songs. Though Sgt Pepper's was my gateway drug to the Beatles as an 11-year old, I find nowadays that I listen to Revolver much more; there's something raw and timeless about it.
Whereas McCartney's contributions on Rubber Soul were pretty weak, on Revolver he really upped his game, especially with Eleanor Rigby. The fact the Beatles spent 300 hours in the studio recording Revolver (unheard of for them, or any group, in the mid-60s) is evident on Eleanor Rigby, a song about the loneliness of the elderly set against lush strings, superbly produced by George Martin. For No One is another wonderfully melancholy, McCartney-penned ballad on the album.
On Revolver, you also get the sense of how Beatles were great pop connoisseurs, all of them sponges soaking up the pop influences of their time. The key changes on Here, There & Everywhere and the background noises on Yellow Submarine show a strong Pet Sounds influence. Got to Get You Into My Life is McCartney paying homage to Motown. Revolver's influence would also extend forward into the psychedelic era, with musical innovations (backwards guitars on I'm Only Sleeping), lyrics inspired by conversations on LSD (She Said, She Said) and the all-out mind assault of Tomorrow Never Knows, which combines lyrics inspired by Lennon's obsession with the Tibetan Book of the Dead and a title taken from one of Ringo's throwaway nonsense expressions.
It may not be the most coherent album, or the best pyschedelic record ever made, but it set the ball rolling. Plus, with the hilarious Yellow Submarine, it's got a bit of everything for all the family (my Rosie loves it!). This was Ringo's chance to shine, and he takes it. You also get the sense of Harrison's songwriting developing with the marvellous, Love You To. Sadly, this would be one of the last albums on which the Beatles show a real togetherness, and soon the cracks would start appearing.
Artist: Beatles
Born: Liverpool
Released: August 1966
Genre: Psychedelia
Influenced: Zombies, Jefferson Airplane, The Jam, Chemical Brothers
This is my favourite Beatles album. I've bought the LP and the T-shirt. At the time of its release, you get the sense that the band were in an arms race with Brian Wilson and Dylan (who released Blonde on Blonde the same day as Pet Sounds). Of all the Beatles albums, for me Revolver's got the best cover artwork and the best songs. Though Sgt Pepper's was my gateway drug to the Beatles as an 11-year old, I find nowadays that I listen to Revolver much more; there's something raw and timeless about it.
Whereas McCartney's contributions on Rubber Soul were pretty weak, on Revolver he really upped his game, especially with Eleanor Rigby. The fact the Beatles spent 300 hours in the studio recording Revolver (unheard of for them, or any group, in the mid-60s) is evident on Eleanor Rigby, a song about the loneliness of the elderly set against lush strings, superbly produced by George Martin. For No One is another wonderfully melancholy, McCartney-penned ballad on the album.
On Revolver, you also get the sense of how Beatles were great pop connoisseurs, all of them sponges soaking up the pop influences of their time. The key changes on Here, There & Everywhere and the background noises on Yellow Submarine show a strong Pet Sounds influence. Got to Get You Into My Life is McCartney paying homage to Motown. Revolver's influence would also extend forward into the psychedelic era, with musical innovations (backwards guitars on I'm Only Sleeping), lyrics inspired by conversations on LSD (She Said, She Said) and the all-out mind assault of Tomorrow Never Knows, which combines lyrics inspired by Lennon's obsession with the Tibetan Book of the Dead and a title taken from one of Ringo's throwaway nonsense expressions.
It may not be the most coherent album, or the best pyschedelic record ever made, but it set the ball rolling. Plus, with the hilarious Yellow Submarine, it's got a bit of everything for all the family (my Rosie loves it!). This was Ringo's chance to shine, and he takes it. You also get the sense of Harrison's songwriting developing with the marvellous, Love You To. Sadly, this would be one of the last albums on which the Beatles show a real togetherness, and soon the cracks would start appearing.
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