I don't believe there is such a thing as perfect music. There are always flaws on any album. I've been listening to music since the day I was born, and through all the many years I've heard it, I've yet to find a perfect album. But many say Revolver is it. Let's examine this phenomenon, shall we?
Basically, if you know anything about the Beatles or music history, you know that this album was a major turning point not only for the Fab Four, but for the entire music world. It's hard to comprehend, being a 17-year old who has heard (nearly) nothing but praise for their impact, but there was a time when the Beatles were nothing but four mop-topped lads from Liverpool. After proving there was some depths to these four guys (okay, maybe not Ringo) on Rubber Soul, the Beatles blew your hair back when they released the momental Revolver. Okay, it's more fair to say they blew you away so badly you got horrible whiplash and had to be in a coma.
One of the reasons Revolver is such a great album is that, at heart, it really is a pop album. The Beatles threw straight forward rock and roll in our faces with the eccentric White Album, but they still have radio-friendly tunes on Revolver, which is why it can be listened to by just about everyone. It starts off with Harrison's Taxman, a song about the outrageous taxes in England. The lyrics are so tongue-in-cheek they'll make you smile, even if I don't know who the guys are (Mr. Wilson? Huhwha?). This song has got a catchy hook, a memorable guitar part, and great harmonies from all of our boys, which makes it a rocking pop tune opening the album up nicely.
One of the fab Four's greatest moments is Eleanor Rigby, a string-enhanced song we all know. (Or at least we all should know.) None of the boys actually strums an instrument on this song. Paul's voice is simply accompanied by some fitting harmonies and a marvelous string quartet. It is rather depressing, but it's quite different and easy to identify with, even if it leaves you with a cold, detached feeling. Most of this is because of the lyrical content, but even with that said, it is one of the band's best songs.
Next we have Lennon's first contribution to this disc, I'm Only Sleeping. This is lazy, chilled out song about the joys of sweet old rest. I love the lyrics of this song, they're just so fitting to how we all feel. "Please don't wake me, no don't shake me, leave me where I am, I'm only sleeping." Tell me you don't feel that way when you have to get up and go to work. Anyway, apart from the widely-identifiable theme in this one, the melody sounds terrificly mellow. Kind of like you want to wave your arms around to it. Lennon and McCartney's vocals blend together like honey in tea, and they sound so fittingly tired in this one. I love how this song fakes you out and you think it's going to end, but they come back to appease us. This is definitely a nice Lennon offering.
Even though this CD is tinged with a pop feel, it is a defining album because they did branch out. Given, there aren't as many musical styles as The White Album, but they did try their hand at some strange offerings, like the Harrison penned Love You To, which features George strumming away on his sitar. Alright, this song is a little bit weird, but it's the kind of weird where you're intrigued to listen to it all the way through. I've never been a big sitar fan, but it does sound lovely here and George can play it like nobody's business. It's such a nice little groove that you almost expect a belly dancer to pop out of your closet as you listen to its eccentric vibe. Nothing amazing, but still a good listen.
Things get a little mellow on McCartney's heartfelt Here, There, And Everywhere, a love ballad where Paul's voice sounds great. I've heard many Beatlemaniacs say this song is quite boring, but I couldn't disagree more. This is a very sincere song, which makes up for it being rather subdued. The Beatles never did settle for one kind of music, and it's a nice change to hear them chillout. (Even though I do love me some I Want You, but that's a totally different review.) This is a simple, short, sweet ballad and I love it.
I think there is one flaw on this album. It's a matter of opinion, surely, but I detest Yellow Submarine. John blowing bubbles through a straw does make me chuckle, but the fact that every time you mention the Beatles someone bursts into "We all live in a yellow submarine!!!" has shied me away from this song. You know it. This is a children's sing-song number with Ringo on lead vocals, and a simplistic unison chorus of "We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine." I suppose if you take it for what it is (and maybe have a few drinks), this song can provide some good times, and it does show that even though these guys can be entirely serious, they aren't afraid to be silly and have fun on record. So even though I really hate it, it's really not that horrid.
The boys get right back on track with the amazing She Said She Said, which is probably one of my favorite Beatles tracks. The lyrics are pretty meaningless (apparently inspired by a drug trip, but what Beatles song isn't?), but the melody is so catchy and Harrison's riff is so memorable that you can't help but fall in love with it. "She's making me feel like I've never been born" Lennon belts. It's just a simple meaningless number that makes you bob your head. And that's always a good thing.
McCartney comes back for us on Good Day Sunshine, which really shows Paul honing in on his sound that he would continue for their next album (Sgt. Pepper). If you hear that album first (I did), this may sound a bit redundant, but it is the first of Paul's songs like this. It's got a happy, bouncy, optimistic number about the joys of being in love, and all their voices sound great in this one. Now is a good time to note how together the group sounded on this album, as opposed to some of their later works.
Next up is one of my favorite songs on this album, And Your Bird Can Sing. This song has an instantly recognizable guitar riff, and the lyrics are so poignant that they just kind of get me. "You say you've got everything you want, and your bird can sing, but you don't me. You don't get me." I just love it. Anyway, musically, this song is catchy as all hell. I'm not a fan of Lennon's voice necessarily, but he sounds great on this song, and all of the instruments piece together very nicely in this one. It all sounds very put together, which goes with the flow of the entire disc.
Paul is back, and he isn't happy in love for long as he brings us into For No One, a very nice down-tempo piano ballad. This song has a fantastic melody, and Alan Civil's French horn fits in so nicely with the simplistic piano, bass, and tambourine. May I mention how great Paul's vocals are on this track? Apart from being an amazing musician, he had some pipes, and they are gentle and warm on this track, which adds so much to it. I think this song is often ignored, but I think it's beautiful.
Things go a bit uptempo on Dr. Robert, Lennon's ode to a plastic surgeon. (Don't you know, it's the one that made the Paul look-a-like a look-a-like!) From the beginning, I adore the guitar riff in this song and it has a great melody. Lennon's vocals are great as well, and McCartney pipes in in their classic harmonic style, which sounds just fine on this album. It even has a nice little break from it all as they chime "Well, well, well, you're feeling fine." Harrison has lovely guitar work in this song, and like most of this album, everything pieces together so well that it makes for a nice listening experience.
As much as I love Paul, if I pick a favorite Beatle, it has to be Mr. Harrison. His best work isn't on this album, but I Want To Tell You is still a good step in the right direction for him. I especially love Paul's funky piano playing in this one, and the George's guitar throughout sounds great. (He's a totally under rated guitar player, but don't get me started.) Everything in this track just seems so together, which is probably why I like it so much.
If any of the Beatles is the star on this album, it's definitely Paul. One of the highlights is Got To Get You Into My Life, which features a whole brass section. (3 trumpet players! Wowee!) There isn't much special about this song, and I can't say how innovative it was (hey, I wasn't even alive.), but I know when something is daaaang catchy, and this song is that indeed. When Paul half-sings, half-yells "Got to get you into my liife!!", you can't help but sing along. I know diddly about instruments, but I can hear George's guitar and that sounds good. Anyway, Paul manages to produce a fun little catchy song that flows together really well.
About as experimental as you'll hear on this CD is Tomorrow Never Knows, which is real damn weird. This song has a great beat that sounds remarkably fresh (considering I'm spinning it almost 40 years after it came out). Come to think of it, everything in this song sounds as good as new, which is one of the reasons I have so much respect for the Beatles. Anyway, this song is just a big orgy for eccentricity. I'm actually about to say it, but Ringo's drumming holds the whole thing together, among a mix of tape loops (it's birds. Weird, eh?), sitar, piano, and guitars. You really have to take the lyrics into consideration when you listen to this track: "Turn off your mind, relax, and float upstream." It's so weird that it works, and stands in its own right, closing off a damn near perfect album.
Revolver is a perfect mix of everything the Beatles excelled at without going overboard on anything. It's not overly serious, it's not overly funny, it's not too experimental, and it's not a carbon copy of their previous work. It seems as if all is right in the world when you listen to this disc, which is why it's so terrific. We never really saw the Fab Four this genuinely together on an album again. All their best is right in this one.
I still don't think there's a perfect album. But I think Revolver is about as close as we'll ever get.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.