by admin on January 21, 2010
When The Beatles were recording their legendary albums in the 1960s almost everyone listened back to their music using a mono playback system. Since nearly everyone was listening back to their music in mono it only made sense that The Beatles spent most of their time perfecting their mono mixes while basically just “throwing together” the stereo mixes. In fact, according to Geoff Emerick (who worked on many of The Beatles recordings) the band itself spent almost no time on the stereo mixes.
The first 10 Beatles albums were all mixed in mono as well as in stereo (the first two albums were only mixed in mono. ) And now as a part of The Beatles Mono Box Set all 10 of those albums are included in their original mono mix. This is a huge deal to Beatles purists who want to hear their songs as they were originally meant to be heard.
But it’s not just “purists” that should be interested in hearing these mono mixes. Many have claimed that the mono mixes are not only how these albums were meant to be heard but that they actually sound far better in mono than they do in stereo. For example John Lennon himself has said that the 1967 classic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sounds much better in mono than it does in stereo.
And even if it doesn’t sound “better” (that’s a subjective statement anyway. ) It certainly sounds different! There are many differences in what you can hear in the mono versions of Sgt. Pepper and the other Beatles albums from what you can hear in the stereo versions. Certain instruments are mixed more loudly. There are certain effects (such as an echo on the vocals on “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”) which were lost in the stereo versions. If you’re a big Beatles fan like I am then you are curious to hear this alternative version. Particularly when you think about how this is the way most people heard it for the first time back in 1967!
Along with those first 10 Beatles albums (all of the UK studio albums including Magical Mystery Tour even though it was initially released only as an EP in the UK) there’s also a non album songs set called Mono Masters which is included. Mono Masters has all of The Beatles songs which were never included on an album which were mixed in mono. If you’re thinking that non album means that they aren’t very good songs then you are definitely mistaken! Many of The Beatles greatest songs were never included on an album including huge hits like “Day Tripper” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand. ”
The Beatles final three albums (including Let It Be & Abbey Road) are not included in the mono box set. Why not? Because they were never mixed in mono in the first place. By 1969 mono had been so completely phased out that The Beatles didn’t bother mixing their albums in mono at all. How quickly things changed in the 1960s!
CLICK HERE to learn more about The Beatles Mono Box Set including how you can order it online 24/7/365 at the best price without paying any shipping fees. Also buy The Beatles Stereo Box Set.
Tagged as:
1960s,
Alternative Version,
Beatles,
Beatles Albums,
Beatles Fan,
Emerick,
Hearts Club Band,
John Lennon,
Legendary Albums,
Lonely Hearts Club,
Lonely Hearts Club Band,
Lucy In The Sky,
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,
Mixes,
Mono,
Mono Mix,
Mono Versions,
Original,
Playback System,
Purists,
Sgt Pepper S Lonely Hearts Club Band,
Stereo Versions,
Studio Albums
by admin on October 11, 2009
I am a big fan of the Beatles and wrote many articles about how The Beatles are great. I have written about their greatest albums (The White Album, Revolver, Abbey Road, Sgt Pepper, etc.) but today I decided to do something a little different. What about The Beatles' worst album! I decided to consider only their official UK studio albums to make it more difficult (or I could choose a compilation made by the terrible record company at one time or another).
# 1 Yellow Submarine
The Yellow Submarine album contained only six songs of the Beatles true Instrumentals (the rest was rather boring created by their producer George Martin.) And these two songs ( "Yellow Submarine" and "All You Need Is Love") had already been released. This means that there were only four new songs on the album.
Two of these were songs by George Harrison ( "It's All Too Much" and "Only A Northern Song.") One was by Paul McCartney ( "All Together Now") and one by John Lennon ( " ; Hey Bulldog. ") I actually think" Hey Bulldog "and" It's All Too Much "to rescue the album from being a total loss of time. These are two of the coolest and least known songs of the Beatles. "All Together Now" and "Only A Northern Song" is a bit subpar standards Beatles, I suppose, but I like them.
Usually I classify this album so low because he has so little new to him, not that new hardware is not good (even if it is not as great as it was normally.) What is cool is that even with the worst Beatles album there were gems that deserve to be listened to (at least before it reaches those who are instrumental a bit of a snooze fest.)
# 2 With The Beatles
The second Beatles album lacks the energy and punch of their first album, Please Me Please. It is much too heavy on the covers (and for the most part, the blankets are not particularly well done) and new songs are not particularly fantastic (except for "All My Loving" of course.) That said, I 'still love the album pretty well. I like their cover of "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" by Smokey Robinson. This album is actually ranked # 420 on the magazine Rolling Stone's 500 best albums of all time, which is either proof of the greatness The Beatles were even when they were not so important or evidence that may may be they are a bit overrated.
# 3 Please Please Me
The first Beatles album was among the worst in my opinion. Historically, it is obviously very important and I'm listening to it for these reasons. It also includes a start of some great songs like "Please Please Me" and "I Saw Her Standing There" with one of their greatest covers "Twist & Shout".
But Rolling Stone this class as the best album of all time as the 39th and big fan of the Beatles as I am, I must say that is ridiculous. They rank above actually Night A Hard Day's? They rank above Let it Be? They rank above Magical Mystery Tour? And your help!? I'm not really a serious manner. I'd love listening instead to one of these albums as I Please Please. Yes, it was their first album and yes it has an energy "certain" to him as 10 of the 14 songs were recorded in one day (the other 4 had already been released on singles), but it's just not very good.
Dishonorable mention: Beatles For Sale. You probably expect to see Beatles For Sale on this list because it is probably the most maligned on this side of the Beatles album Yellow Submarine and if I had a 4th slot, I would have understood there. But I find most pleasing to hear that one of these three albums. Songs like "I'll Follow The Sun", "I" m A Loser, "&" Every Little Thing "certainly do makeup for me and for the covers (I do not want about 75 % of early Beatles cover songs.)
Matthew Yoho recommends the purchase of your next online guitar amp. You can also find great deals on electric guitars and acoustic guitar online.
Tagged as:
Abbey Road,
Albums,
Beatles,
Beatles Album,
Beatles Albums,
Blankets,
Bulldog,
George Harrison,
Greatest Albums,
Instrumentals,
John Lennon,
Love Quot,
New Hardware,
New Songs,
Paul Mccartney,
Producer George Martin,
Revolver,
Sgt Pepper,
Studio,
Studio Albums,
Three,
Two Songs,
Worst,
Yellow Submarine
