Beatles

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Album ReviewsBeatles
Is The Beatles Singles Collection Box Really That Bad? (Malachi’s Follow-Up)
Malachi Lui  |  Nov 27, 2019  |  16 comments
Before I get further into this follow-up review, a short disclaimer: other than the US Apple/Capitol singles of “We Can Work It Out”/“Day Tripper” and “Hey Jude”/“Revolution” (which, as expected, sound lousy), I don’t have any Beatles 7” singles other than this new The Singles Collection box. All my Beatles listening is on LP (the 2014 mono series, the Giles Martin remix LPs, and a few mono and stereo UK and European pressings) and the occasional lossless digital format, therefore from these recordings I’m used to great sound quality. My expectations for The Singles Collection (generously gifted to me by AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer) were likely different from most others’: sure, I expected the all-analog lacquer cuts to sound good, but sound quality on 7” singles isn’t the first thing I think about. With the 7” format, it’s primarily about the musical content, collectibility, packaging (when applicable), and finally, sound quality.

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Beatles
Abbey Road Studio's Sean Magee Talks About Mastering The Beatles LP Box
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 13, 2012  |  35 comments
I spoke today with Sean Magee about the just released Beatles LP box set. Magee's resume is impressive. He's cut both lacquers and DMM and does a great deal of AAA cutting for Pure Pleasure among other labels.
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Beatles
"Past Masters" Still Masterful
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 29, 2012  |  35 comments
The Beatles' early output was as confusingly presented as it was prolific. That was true on both sides of "the pond." In America, Capitol Records at first decided to pass on The Beatles. In the U.K. singles didn't make it onto albums.
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Beatles
"Let It Be" Is a Mixed Bag Reissue
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 28, 2012  |  24 comments
This album stiffed when first released in the Spring of 1970. While it was hyped as the "last Beatles album" everyone knew it was recorded before Abbey Road, even if they didn't know the messy history behind it. And by the time the album was released the Beatles had broken up.
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Beatles
"The Beatles": Why Don't We Throw It in the Road? (When Everyone is Watching)
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 26, 2012  |  47 comments
I've fed you another piece of misinformation fed to me by someone involved in this project but I can't remember whom: at first I was told RTI pressed these records. But that had to be walked back. Then I was told, no Rainbo pressed but RTI plated. Now I've been told by RTI's Don MacInnis that, no RTI didn't plate them either. Sorry about that.
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Beatles
"Magical Mystery Tour": It's Getting Hard to be Someone (But It All Works Out)
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 25, 2012  |  16 comments
Authenticity required this album to have a "Capitol" label since it was not originally issued in the U.K. There, the five tunes on side one comprised a double 7" EP issue containing the songs from the "Color Television Film called 'Magical Mystery Tour'".
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Beatles
Best Ever "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band"?
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 22, 2012  |  45 comments
Back in 1996 EMI contemplated a newly-remastered 30th anniversary CD edition of "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. While the company later issued a 30th anniversary edition of The Beatles (The "White" Album) complete with a transparent slip case, black inner sleeves and the poster and photos originally included in the vinyl version, the 30th anniversary Sgt. Peppers... was never released. I know about it because I was peripherally involved.
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Beatles
"Revolver" On Target Or A Misfire?
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 19, 2012  |  27 comments
Of course Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band was The Beatles' and George Martin's creative and technological pinnacle and the album most cite as their greatest, but there's plenty to be said for Revolver being their best and most consistent collection of songs and performances.
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Beatles
"Producing "Sgt. Pepper" Was Like Producing A Peter Sellers Album"
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 18, 2012  |  11 comments
Yesterday was a waste case for listening. I powered up the stereo and what came out was so bad I couldn't review anything. I'm not kidding. I tried everything: various turntables, cartridges, digital and nothing sounded good......So I went upstairs and watched this fascinating BBC documentary on the life and times of George Martin. There's been an anti-George Martin backlash of late from people who think he takes too much credit for their success, but watching this makes obvious that these people are making stuff up. He certainly doesn't here.
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Beatles
Is "Beatles For Sale" Sellable?
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 17, 2012  |  13 comments
This fourth Beatles album didn't exist in America because it didn't contain any hit singles. In England, hits were singles, sometimes issued as four song E.P.s. In America hits were the bait to get teens to buy albums, but in England you got fourteen songs for your money. In America you got twelve but you got the hits.
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Beatles
Rubber Souled Out?
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 16, 2012  |  27 comments
As expected, Rubber Soul, sourced from George Martin's 1987 16 bit, 44.1k remix sounds like a CD. Why should it sound like anything else? That's from what it was essentially mastered.
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Beatles
An Abbey Roadblock?
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 14, 2012  |  34 comments
If you're looking for a quick and easy answer to the question "How good is The Beatles box set?" you've come to the wrong place. Each album deserves to be evaluated individually and that's what I intend to do, though the lesser ones (if there is such a thing among Beatles albums) will get less attention.
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Beatles
"A Hard Day's Night" Among the Best of the Box, But Why?
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 07, 2012  |  22 comments
It's June of 1964. Beatlemania is sweeping America. You've just graduated high school and are getting ready for college. You're trying to grow up, you're listening to jazz, but you've been pulled into this teen craze by the music. Not since Elvis, the Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison has your world been so rocked.
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Beatles
Beatles Box Arrives!
Michael Fremer  |  Nov 13, 2012  |  37 comments
The Beatles box arrived today, oh boy.
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Beatles
CORRECTION! PLEASE READ! Exclusive! New Beatles Box Production Details
Michael Fremer  |  Oct 02, 2012  |  27 comments
Last night I spoke with an EMI executive about the upcoming Beatles Box Set. While he is setting up an interview with Abbey Road mastering engineer Sean Magee that will have to wait until Magee is "off shift," he did provide some useful information.
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