I love The Beatles. Really, I love The Beatles, and I mean LOVE. With a capital 'L' and a big, cheesy peace sign as the 'O'. I have adored The Beatles since I was old enough to understand the concept of a band. They provided the soundtrack to my childhood, my adolescence, my...well, you get the idea.
Anywho, like I said, I love them. No matter to what genre or type of music I wander, I always come back to The Beatles. They are my home base, so to speak.
And every once in awhile, I go a comparatively long time without hearing one of their albums.
I have a lot of cds you see, a lot of music to cycle through and you know how it is, sometimes you're just on a certain kick.
Sometimes, I just gotta listen to that Bobby Darin over and over, and sometimes the only thing that'll get me going in the morning is a healthy dose of the Thin White Duke himself.
However, these little hiatuses only make the inevitable reunion all the sweeter.
After all, there really is no one like your first love.
This past week, I've been reunited with the old friend, "With the Beatles."
One of The Beatles earlier albums, it was originally released on November 22, 1963 in the UK. It consists of eight original Beatles compositions and six covers.
The six covers are all given a brand new Beatles spin, with wonderful results.
No offense meant to the originators of these songs, but the moment The Beatles got their hands on them, they were made theirs forever.
Lennon's vocals on "Please Mister Postman," and "You Really Got a Hold on Me," are some of the best of his career. There's a raw energy to them that I've always loved, and the backing vocals are a thing of beauty.
The Beatles have always been famous for their incredible harmonies, and these songs showcase their abilities flawlessly. There really was something magical about the way these lads sang together.
As raw as "Postman," and "You Really Got a Hold on Me," were, the Willson track, "Til There Was You," is soft and gentle and really showcases Paul McCartney's incredible voice.
It's a rare thing for someone who can scream with the best of them on tracks like "Long Tall Sally," to then be able to do a complete 180 and deliver a beautiful, rich, performance of a Broadway tune. But Paul McCartney does it, and how. It's also in this piece that Harrison gets to shine. His guitar is simple but strangely intricate, and it lends a lovely delicacy to Paul's rich tones.
As per usual, the original compositions are top notch, and include one of my all time favorite Beatles' songs, "All My Loving," and one of my all time favorite under rated Beatles' songs, "Hold Me Tight." The latter of which features some truly flawless vocals from Paul McCartney.
From Lennon, we get the ridiculously under appreciated song, "Not a Second Time."
It was teeming with the odd mix of vulnerability and harsh resolve that only Lennon could truly manage. John's voice is double tracked for that great, slightly abrasive effect that only John could pull off so well. It's one of my favorites.
The thing is, I could go on and on all day, going track by track and gushing about how great this album is, but the bottom line is this;
This album is incredible because of the sheer energy contained within it. The boys loved the music they were playing, and their enthusiasm for it is almost palpable.
The album is tight all the way through, it never lulls or looses it's intensity, not even during the ballads, which although slower, never drag. The Beatles were a great live band and in this album you can definitely tell. Listening to this album is like hearing a live concert in your own home.
There was always a fierceness, and intensity to The Beatles, and in this album, you can hear it plain as day.
The Beatles didn't just make music, they loved music, and when you really love the music you're playing, it's infectious.
That infectious energy makes "With The Beatles," one of my favorites.
