Help! -Remastered-

Successful ventures into folk rock, and more!
I remember, during my Beatles-obsessed teenage years, how "Rubber Soul" was almost automatically referred to as "The Beatles' move into folk-rock." Perhaps this is because, until 1987, many Americans knew the "Help!" album as half Beatles music, half movie instrumentals. I personally consider "Help!" to be an album chock full of excellent folk-rock from the Fab Four; in fact, some of the finest folk-rock ever recorded. Let us consider a few choice examples: "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away." Yes, there is an obvious Dylan influence/imitation at work here. But, hey, if you're going to imitate, might as well imitate one of the best. And, it is a great song. A few years after its original release, none other than Waylon Jennings saw fit to cover it. In my book, that's enough proof. "You're Going to Lose that Girl." Mid-tempo folk-rock. Uplifting. Transcendent. Perfect. "Ticket to Ride." McGuinnesque guitar, and some mighty fine drumming from Ringo. "Act Naturally." The Beatles take on a Buck Owens hit with lead vocals courtesy of Ringo. It is well-documented that Ringo has a genuine love of country music, and it shows on this track. "It's Only Love." The music on this track has a Western movie feel to it; that's why I like it. "I've Just Seen a Face." Another great song with a country feel to it. Arlo Guthrie did a fine cover, and this song has also become something of a bluegrass staple. These are not necessarily the best songs on the album (except "You're Going to Lose that Girl," which is an all-time great tune and the best song on the album); they're the ones I make my "folk-rock argument" with. I would be remiss if I didn't mention George Harrison's contributions, "I Need You," and "You Like Me Too Much." These are both credible additions to his songwriting bank. And, Paul's "The Night Before" is an excellent piece of songcraft buoyed by the backing vocals of Lennon and Harrison. Honestly, there's not a bad track on here. If you're thinking about investigating the new remasters, "Help!" would be a great place to start.

Making history all over again
Wow, I can't believe for the first time ever, I'm writing a review of a CD BASED on the remastering. Earlier on Tuesday, The Beatles' entire catalog was re-released on CD, with new remasters by George Martin from the original tapes. Painstakingly remastered, they are now released in new digipack cases with booklets with exclusive photos and notes. First off, about the album itself, this is my favorite Beatles album right next to Revolver. All the songs are excellent. We have the catchy opener "Help!", the Ringo-sung "Act Naturally", hits like "Ticket to Ride" and McCartney's signature tune "Yesterday", the tongue-in-cheek "You Like Me Too Much" and the extremely catchy "Dizzy Miss Lizzy". As for the remaster... HOLY FRIG! Seriously, this is the best version of the album. I had the 1990 release for a short time, but today I bought this and Sgt. Pepper. This remaster is, in every sense of the word, amazing. We have much clearer sound, no tape hiss at all like on the 1990 version, Paul's Rickenbacker bass really sticks out and thanks to this amazing remaster. These editions are to the Beatles what the 1998 remasters are to my favorite band, Iron Maiden. The booklet is interesting too. One can expect lots of on-location photos since a movie was released from this album. And there are- quite a few screencaps actually, especially one of RIngo standing covered in blood in the water on a beach in the Bahamas. Having seen all episodes of the "The Beatles ANthology" Documentary miniseries, (I think it was) Ringo said that it was freezing cold down there, and they had to wear T-shirts as if it was extremely hot. I can imagine how hard it was to film that! (Apparently the shooting of the finale of "Ichi the Killer" on the climatic rooftop scene at the end had the same thing- extremely cold) The photos have subtitles desribing when and where the pictures were taken. There are also some historical notes on the album which are interesting to read, and a brief insight into the recording of the album from Mr. George Martin himself. In short, even if you already own the entire Beatles catalogue, do not hesitate to buy the remasters, you will not believe your ears.

The Beatles Remastered-Simply,no,majestically a masterpiece body of work!
I've been listening to the Beatles since I was old enough to know what music was. My older sister was, and is, a huge Beatles fan and bought every album and single that was released here in the U.S.. I can remember as a small child, my sister and I getting ready for school listening to the Beatles blasting on our RCA TV console record player. The stereo my mother had won on the TV game show Let's Make A Deal. The school day mornings were ours, our parents were off at work already, so we were free to escape into the world the Beatles had created. Later on when my sister had her own record player, don't tell her, when she was away I would sneak into her room and listen on headphones to her prized collection. I became very intimate with all of the songs the fab four shared with me. Their music so inspired me that I became a singer, songwriter, producer etc.. Thank God for the Beatles' music. Cut to 1987 when with great anticipation the Beatles finally released their music on CD after many years of legal wrangling. As has been stated before, they didn't live up to the sonics I had remembered. Gone were the clicks and pops, but so was the magic and excitement I so cherished. They sounded very flat, mushy and overly compressed. It was still the same songs but as heard through a filter. Now in this glorious age of technology and even more compressed volume wars of the digital era, they have been finally res erected. Everyone, including me, who cared about the great legacy that is the Beatles were skeptical. Would the powers that be try and please the masses that are used to overly hyped, compressed, CDs and MP3s? Or would they treat them as the musical historical documents that they are? Well worry no more! The rematsered Beatles albums are a revelation! I can honestly say I am very impressed. To my ears, these sound much better than I have ever heard these songs. As I have read from others, I have heard things in these recordings that I have never heard before after intently listening to these songs ever since their original release. The clarity is startling in it's honesty. Most musicians would be horrified to hear their vocals and playing with such a microscope after being used to having things so meshed together by the past mediums' masters. These aren't your ordinary musicians as the world knows. It is jarring at first to hear these recordings that we have loved for so long. They sound like the same songs but so clear that they sound different. The first thing you notice is that you can now hear the bass and drums with much more clarity and authority. Next I noticed the vocals of such amazing resolution that you can really hear their spit and snarl. I can go on, but you are wasting time reading my ramblings. Go out and get your favorite album and have a listen. Or just find some money and buy all of them, if you are a Beatles fan you will be glad you did. Simply,no,majestically a masterpiece body of work.

just a comment!...
So many others have reviewed so I have nothing further to say...except that I bought this one as a birthday present for my son who is 18 and a great fan of The Beatles...just like I was fortyfive years ago...and still...if not directly a fan anymore...at my age you simply are not a "fan"...yet I must admit that without The Beatles the music history had looked so much different! -"Put Your past ahead of You!"

1 OF THE BEST BANDS EVER!!!
NO jonas brother is better than the beatles!!! I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!! writton by David, Mommy's son!!!