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'Revolver' is widely considered either The Beatles best, or one of their best LPs; and many consider it the greatest, or one of the greatest Pop-Rock albums of all time. I can't disagree with any of those statements, and 'Revolver' is an excellent, perhaps the PERFECT starting place for someone who is unfamiliar with the band. I started to title this review, 'The Essence of The Beatles', and in a way that rings true, but as broad as it is stylistically, 'Revolver' doesn't cover all the musical genres The Beatles are known for. For instance there's no Rock'n'roll or Rockabilly here, or heavy Rock, or Music Hall (although 'Good Day Sunshine' isn't far removed from it). The album consists of Pop, Rock (mainly of the 'Beat' variety), and Psych, with some strong Eastern influences on a couple of pieces. I'll break it down for you (but only my favorites): Taxman - One of George Harrison's best songs, with witty, sarcastic lyrics, nice vocal melody + harmony, biting rhythm guitar, cool lead guitar, pumpimg bass... the song is really driven. I'm Only Sleeping - A languid but very pleasant John Lennon song about sleeping/dozing, with cool backwards guitar. No one but John could have written it, or sung it quite as well. Love You To - Another great Harrison tune- inspired by Indian traditional music and featuring sitar, tabla, etc. Very well done. Yellow Submarine - A fun, humorous Pop song sung by Ringo, geared for children large and small. She Said, She Said - Beautiful guitars and vocals, pure Beatles magic. And Your Bird Can Sing - Same as "She Said...", but a little more upbeat. Dr. Robert - A great, driving Beat-Rocker with a very catchy melody and contrasting chorus. I Want To Tell You - More great guitar sounds and typical but excellent Beatles melody and vocals. Got To Get You Into My Life - Supposedly inspired by Motown, not a bad little song (but not top notch material for the band). Awash with horns, a simple but effective "pounding" guitar bit near the end clearly stamps it as Beatlesque and somehow makes it so much better. Tomorrow Never Knows - The dark side of The Beatles... weird, ominous, nihilistic and somewhat psychedelic, brilliantly conceived and recorded. Puts you in a trance. You want to listen to it a thousand times (probably not a good idea, though it is tempting). Unique, incomparable recording.Read full review
Track listing 1. Taxman 2. Eleanor Rigby 3. I'm Only Sleeping 4. Love You To 5. Here, There And Everywhere 6. Yellow Submarine 7. She Said She Said 8. Good Day Sunshine 9. And Your Bird Can Sing 10. For No One 11. Doctor Robert 12. I Want To Tell You 13. Got To Get You Into My Life 14. Tomorrow Never Knows Details Playing time: 34 min. Contributing artists: Brian Jones Producer: George Martin Distributor: EMI Music Distribution Recording type: Studio Recording mode: Stereo SPAR Code: AAD Album notes The Beatles: George Harrison (vocals, guitar, sitar); Paul McCartney (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, bass); John Lennon (vocals, guitar); Ringo Starr (vocals, drums). Additional personnel includes: Alan Civil (French horn); Anil Bhagwat (tabla); Brian Jones (background vocals). Arguably the first psychedelic rock album, REVOLVER was praised for its musical experimentation--the Indian sounds of "Love You To," the Motown-inspired "Got To Get You Into My Life," the backwards guitar in "I'm Only Sleeping." "Tomorrow Never Knows" was the most radical departure from previous Beatles' recordings for its skeletal bass/drums propulsion enhanced only with tape loops (contributed by all four Beatles and added in the mix-down process), more backwards guitar, and an eerie John Lennon vocal. Still, the Beatles' experimentation grew out of their songwriting, which had matured beyond formula pop. "Tomorrow Never Knows" was inspired by the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Harrison's "Taxman" was a bitter diatribe, and McCartney's "Eleanor Rigby" was a bleak portrait of loneliness. Balanced with upbeat songs like "Good Day Sunshine" and "Yellow Submarine," REVOLVER proved The Beatles were not mere pop stars, but musical artists in search of new sounds and ideas.Read full review
Originally released back in 1966, the album "Revolver" by The Beatles once again showed the world exactly what these four talented musicians were truly capable of accomplishing. Ever track here is a stand-out, showing their ever-growing and always-changing diversity, as they produced songs that turned the world of music on its head. The album's opening track, the high-charged rocker "Taxman", has a brilliant stinging guitar solo throughout. It was written by George Harrison, who really came into his own on this album with this song, plus 2 additional numbers; the Indian-influenced "Love You To", which brough the sounds of the sitar to the forefront for the first time on a rock album, and the pleasant up-tempo "I Want To Tell You". Another classic love ballad is included with "Here, There And Everywhere". Songs like "She Said She Said" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" totally sent the group into a wildly new area of sound. There is a catchy pop tune called "Good Day Sunshine" that has a bright and bouncy feel to it. One of the most appealing songs on this album is the horn-driven selection "Got To Get You Into My Life", which almost has an out-of-this-world R&B essence abounding. The song became a hit song when it was released as a best-selling single a decade later. Perhaps the real sing-along is "Yellow Submarine", with a catchy chorus. This song was issued as a single with "Eleanor Rigby", which won the group a Grammy vocal award. "Revolver" was nominated for the Album Of The Year Grammy for 1966. It works as a masterful piece of music-making on a grand scale.Read full review
... In her eyes you see nothing, no sign of love be(hind/yond) the tears, cried for no one, a love that should have lasted years... She said, "I know what it's like to be dead; I know what it is to be sad." And she's making me feel like.... Eleanor Rigby, wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door, who is it fo-or: all the lonely people - where do they all come from? Dr. Robert - take a drink from his special cup. Dr. Robert... Well, well, well you're feeling fine. Well, well, well, he'll make you - - Dr. Robert! She feels good, she knows she's lookin' fine. I'm so glad to know that she is mine... I feel good, in a special way, I'm in love and it's a sunny day - Good Day Sunshine! What more can I say? Great music - got me through my breakup :)
After discovering the healing and creative effects of the of the Bob Dylan introduced, "funny cigarettes" on their last LP, Rubber Soul, the Beatles went on to record this pioneering masterpiece. This is really the beginning of the Psychedelic movement as we know it today and it came a full year earlier in 1966! This LP introduces pop fans to things that were to come in rock music way before they became a staple. Case in point: The horn section that was later to be a constant in the Chicago Transit Authority's first and subsequent Lps ( in the tune "Got To Get You Into My Life"), the first Drum-n-bass recording (with no machines, just Ringo blasting away at the polyrhythms!!), in "Tomorrow Never Knows", rock-meets-world music ("Love To You" with it's pre-Sgt. Pepper sitar/tabla workout), the shredding guitar solo by Paul on the Harrison penned, Taxman....yes Paul!!! and many other recording techniques and devices that were previewed on this LP for the first time. Overall this record is a delight to hear and showcases why the Beatles were the most important group of their generation, not only in a fashion sense (like most of today's music seems to lean to), but they upped the ante for groups that came after which led to the world getting to hear the most advanced musicians in rock with the dawning of the Progressive rock and later the fusion era.....for better or worse...Revolver.....a true rock classic!Read full review
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