The Beatles ~ The Beatles (1968)

TheFeldster

Mr Kite
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Posts
4,168
Reaction score
10
Location
Adelaide, South Australia
ALBUM REVIEW

beatles-the-white-album.png

The Beatles was the tenth album released by the popular British rock group, The Beatles. Released in 1968, The Beatles, more commonly known as The White Album, was the first album release (excluding Magical Mystery Tour, which was originally a Double EP) since the critical and commercial success, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967, and hence, expectations were high for the album upon release.

For the most part, the lads from Liverpool did not disappoint on this album. However, it does give the feel of 4 solo albums thrown in together, with the Beatles beginning to go their own ways and outgrow each other - indeed, drummer Ringo Starr walked out on the band during recording, leaving Paul McCartney to play drums on a couple of tracks.

Many of the Beatles' most acclaimed tracks appear on this album. Rocking tracks such as Back in the U.S.S.R., Glass Onion and Birthday are mixed in with undeniable masterpieces such as Happiness is a Warm Gun, While My Guitar Gently Weeps (featuring guitarist Eric Clapton) and Blackbird as well as some tracks hinting at the heavy metal movement yet to begin (Helter Skelter and Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey).

These tracks, among many others, really make the White Album a must-have. Unfortunately, there's a few tracks that let the album down as a whole, meaning it cannot reach the heights reached by Sgt. Pepper, Revolver and their later album Abbey Road. Revolution 9, John Lennon's attempt at avant-garde, and the bizzare Wild Honey Pie are the main culprits in this. These are among the most drugged out songs to come out of the mainstream 60's circuit, and they really take an acquired taste to understand, a taste which the majority of people do not have.

However, these tracks aren't enough to drag the White Album down from a spot in my list as a quintessential classic rock album. The White Album has been in popular culture for decades now, and it will no doubt remain a household name for decades more.

Rating: star.jpgstar.jpgstar.jpgstar.jpgstar.jpg
 

LG

Fade To Black
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
36,862
Reaction score
71
Re: The Beatles ~ The Beatles

Very nicely done Feldy.:clap:

On my personal scale that album is about 4th on my list. You already mentioned my least favorite track, it is one of the very few that I will skip over on the CD. I can play psychedelic music when I'm in the mood, but Revolution #9 is one of those songs you need a "Chemical Imbalance" to get into...:D
 

TheFeldster

Mr Kite
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Posts
4,168
Reaction score
10
Location
Adelaide, South Australia
Re: The Beatles ~ The Beatles

:heheh:

Yeah, I don't tend to skip songs, definitely not Beatles songs, as a general rule, but Revolution 9 is definitely not a great song. That's what drugs will do to you, I guess :tongue:
 

LG

Fade To Black
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
36,862
Reaction score
71
Re: The Beatles ~ The Beatles

The before and after pictures of the band from Rubber Soul to Abbey Road would be fitting about now...:heheh:
 

TheFeldster

Mr Kite
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Posts
4,168
Reaction score
10
Location
Adelaide, South Australia
Re: The Beatles ~ The Beatles

What, like this?

the_beatles_1962-1966_b000002uyz.jpg
beatles19671970.jpg


:heheh:
 

LG

Fade To Black
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
36,862
Reaction score
71
Re: The Beatles ~ The Beatles

Exactly what I was thinking...Before discovering mind altering substances...and after a trip to the neighborhood chemists.:tup:
 

Magic

Woman of the World
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
24,793
Reaction score
4,533
Location
Ohio, USA
Re: The Beatles ~ The Beatles

Timon_Clapping_Hands_ID_by_FATtimon.gif

Great Review!
 

rollingstoned

Queens of the Stone Age
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Posts
3,803
Reaction score
6
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Re: The Beatles ~ The Beatles

:heheh:

Yeah, I don't tend to skip songs, definitely not Beatles songs, as a general rule, but Revolution 9 is definitely not a great song. That's what drugs will do to you, I guess :tongue:

I listened to Revolution 9 when I was high and it wasn't very enteraining. The Doors "The End" or something seem to do a better job. But The White album is great nonetheless, favorite track is Everybodys got something to hide except me and my monkey.
 

Craig in Indy

Your cool Uncle
Joined
Oct 3, 2009
Posts
717
Reaction score
0
Location
Circle City
Re: The Beatles ~ The Beatles

Back in the day, I disliked "Revolution 9" so much that in my memory it became much longer than it really is. I seemed to remember it as taking almost an entire album side, when it's really much shorter - not a whole lot longer than "Hey Jude," actually.

Of course, that doesn't mean it has musical merit on par with HJ.
 

Find member

Forum statistics

Threads
30,658
Posts
1,064,913
Members
6,353
Latest member
edmerka

Members online

Top