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REVIEW: The Beatles remastered 1967-70
Part 2 of our expert guide to the box sets
Joe Bosso, Tue 8 Sep 2009, 1:10 pm UTC
By this time, EMI was finally a fully functioning eight-track facility - an advancement the band had longed for. With hi-fi stereos now becoming commonplace in people's homes, the decision was made to mix in stereo and forgo mono altogether.
The new stereo remaster is, for the most part, a marked improvement on what easily ranks amongst the band's finest works. Abbey Road had a much smoother sound than its predecessors - the mixing desk at EMI was transistorized, which produced softer tones overall. This is not necessarily a bad thing - it suited the songs - and the wide separation of the tracks here literally opens up and caresses your senses.
Harrison's Something is spellbinding – and now its every luscious nuance is exposed. It's no wonder a notorious rock hater such as Frank Sinatra quickly installed this composition in his repertoire and referred to it as one of the greatest songs ever written. It is.
The Moog synthesizer touches that the band judiciously added to songs such as Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Here Comes The Sun and Because are almost 3-D in their aural impact.
Likewise, the guitars – harsh jolts on Oh! Darling; smooth, melodic leads on Octopus's Garden; and the famous three-guitar shootout that graces The End – pack bite, clarity, and most importantly, the personality of each player.
"I Want You (She's So Heavy) sounds like you're sitting in a smoke-filled club watching the band groove bossa nova-style."
As for Ringo's drum solo in The End, it's thunderous, and the "chick" sound he gets from his hi-hats once the band kicks back is way, way cool.
I Want You (She's So Heavy) sounds like you're sitting in a smoke-filled club watching the band groove bossa nova-style. The reverb that existed on the original CD from 1987 has been removed and we now have The Beatles, uncompressed and au natural.
Lennon's Because is one of the most gorgeous of all Beatles tracks. Geoff Emerick has stated that he recorded the vocals with no compressor or limiters – and it shows. At times, you'll be looking behind you, certain that you can feel the breath from each singer's mouth on your neck. This virtual Beatles choir – three singers performing nine harmony parts – is a religious experience.
