[compuryan]

I love all the beatles albums. But if you're getting them on cd, try and find a copy of the black triangle version of abbey road. "black triangles" are first generation CDs released by EMI-Toshiba in Japan, during the initial launch of the CD format, in 1983. The name is derived from the label design that was used on the CD. Most stayed in print for less than a couple of years (some, like abbey road, much less) and in general they're highly sought after because they are reasonably flat transfers of the Japanese master tapes used for each title. Abbey Road is from an LP master and has no noise reduction and is very dynamic, particularly when you compare them to the officially sanctioned versions that British EMI released after 1986. oh and there are lots of fake black triangle cds out there so be careful.

 

[Stephen_Ri]

I would say pick up Live at the BBC to cover the earliest years, then everything is essentail from Rubber Soul onward.

 

[dmt1]

The peak of the Beatles creativity working together as a group is easy--Rubbers Soul and Revolver (Incidentally John Lennon said in several interviews that after these two albums, he lost significant interest in the Beatles, and it was after these albums he felt they should have disbanded). These are sister albums; they almost should be a double CD set.

That's not to say the other albums aren't great in their own right (although I will always maintain Sgt. Pepper is overrated), and I would wholeheartedly agree with taking the bands work chronologically.

After you've done that, listen to the first couple of albums, and compare them to the White album, Abbey Road, and Let it Be. Truly amazing how they both transformed rock and roll, and were in turn transformed by it.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen_Ri /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would say pick up Live at the BBC to cover the earliest years, then everything is essentail from Rubber Soul onward.

Wow, I almost completely forgot about this album. Hell, I had it on TAPE! My only reservation with it is that, while it's got some great early stuff (and a whole lot of it), the versions heard in many cases stray heavily from the album recordings. "Honey Don't" as sung by Ringo (and I love it when Ringo sings, FWIW) is one of my all time favourite covers by the band and it's really weird to hear it sung by John, even though the BBC version came first.

[EDIT] I just realised I wrote the post-REVOLVER years above as the reference point for their break-out instead of Rubber Soul. May the rock gods have mercy on my rubber soul!

 

[zumaro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmt1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The peak of the Beatles creativity working together as a group is easy--Rubbers Soul and Revolver (Incidentally John Lennon said in several interviews that after these two albums, he lost significant interest in the Beatles, and it was after these albums he felt they should have disbanded). These are sister albums; they almost should be a double CD set. That's not to say the other albums aren't great in their own right (although I will always maintain Sgt. Pepper is overrated), and I would wholeheartedly agree with taking the bands work chronologically. After you've done that, listen to the first couple of albums, and compare them to the White album, Abbey Road, and Let it Be. Truly amazing how they both transformed rock and roll, and were in turn transformed by it.

I line up with you here as well - Revolver and Rubber Soul are the best and truly indispensable, the rest are only indispensable. After that I would grab Help as well, maybe then the White Album or the wonderful ragbag of Magical Mystery Tower, or Beatles for Sale etc etc etc. All are great except Let It Be.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zumaro /img/forum/go_quote.gif All are great except Let It Be.

I thought I was the only one...

 

[DavidMahler]

I wouldn't say Let it be isnt great..........it just pales in comparison to Abbey Road and the White Album. It has some indispensable songs (Across the Universe, Long and Winding Road, and Let it Be)..............but I also think its incorrect to say that Rubber Soul and revolver was their creative high point. It certainly was their turning point, but as song writers they certainly surpassed both albums. It seems to me that the Beatles, like most artists followed a particular path: and the pattern......they started off rather primitive and simple (love me do, i want to hold your hand, a hard days night)......these are still great songs of course, but they are downright simple compared to what came later.........the next phase was complex and experimental composition..........Rubber Soul, Revolver, of course Sgt. Pepper, and Magical Mystery Tour fit this description. But after this tenure, they began to write more emotional and contemplative songs. There style began to fuse the complexity of Revolver and Pepper with the primitive production of earlier albums like Beatles For Sale.......This is the White Album and Let it Be (which was recorded before Abbey Road)..........Abbey Road is not my favorite Beatle album (The White Album is), but Abbey Road is their crowning acheivement as a band I think. It has the complex writing of Pepper (maybe even more complex - Because, You never give me your money and the whole side two medley).....it has the primitive rock style of earlier times - Come Together, Oh Darling, it has the emotion of the white album thanks to Harrison....something and Here Comes the Sun, and as an album it flows better than any other Beatle album.

Rubber Soul and Revolver are where the Beatles began to change popular music from commercial to artistic. But they went even further I think.

 

[GlendaleViper]

I think I'd have to agree with you there, David. I guess it would go something like this:

Help! - The crux of their early output.

Rubber Soul/Revolver - The turning point.

White Album - The height of their creativity/experimentation (albums up to here were, of course, a progression toward this). This is not my favourite album by the band, though certainly close.

And it's their bravery here that led to...

Abbey Road - Their conceptual masterpiece. Here, they struck the perfect balance of musicality, playfulness, ambition, narrative and, most importantly, near-perfect cohesion of all of these.

At least that's how I see it.

It's odd that I can see Abbey Road for the treasure it is and yet Revolver remains my favourite, however. I've never really been able to explain it. Perhaps it's just the sheer variety of songwriting on the album? The catchiness? George being so prominent certainly doesn't hurt, either.

 

[DavidMahler]

My favorites are in this order

1. The White Album
2. Abbey Road
3. Rubber Soul
4. Revolver
5. Magical Mystery Tour
6. Sgt. Pepper
7. Let it Be

from this point on its a whole different level to me.........I appreciate the early beatles albums more than enjoy them...

8. Please Please Me
9. A Hard Day's Night
10. Beatles For Sale
11. Help!
12. With The Beatles

I would rate all the beatles albums on my list up to Let it Be a 9 or 10. Let it Be gets about an 7 or 8

The others get about a 5 for my personal taste. I was very fond of the early Beatles music when i was about 4 or 5, but it is their work from 1965 onward which has kept me interested in them long after I lost interest in almost every other popular music act.

 

[SR-71Panorama]

The Beatles are one of those bands (to me) that really require you listen to the entire catalog, there is such a large scope. My favorite songs are not on my favorite over-all albums. For instance, I really love Your Mother Should Know (Magical Mystery Tour) but I would put Sgt Pepper as my favorite album. I would urge you to get all the albums, even if you need to do it over time.

So much emphasis from reviews/magazines/etc is placed on a few albums; this ignores SO much material, that many will never hear because they went with the albums the press recommended. Its a shame.

 

[Relayer71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarchi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Rubber Soul Revolver The Beatles (White Album) Abbey Road

^ all you need ^

Though I would add "Sgt. Pepper's" to the list or replace Revolver with it.
Either way, you get the band at it's peak with The Beatles & Abbey Road.

 

[Sordel]

I'm wondering whether it's primarily tired ears that are leading to the exclusion of Sgt. Pepper, which to me is obviously essential although I've listened to it so much in my life that I wouldn't bother with it myself much now. My perception is that the critical swing towards Revolver in the last twenty years largely came about because the album had been undervalued against Sgt. Pepper. Yes, they're both fine, essential albums but Pepper is to me the better and more historically significant of the two.

In order, I'd say that the essential Beatles albums were: Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road, Revolver, Rubber Soul, then the rest are optional.

 

[greenzee]

Another vote for "all" here, as The Beatles truly gave us a body of work, not just great individual albums. My personal fave is the White Album, but if I were tasked to "turn someone onto" The Beatles I'd probably go with Sgt. Pepper, or perhaps Magical Mystery Tour.

I need to spend some quality time with my Beatles discs this week. Been too long away...

 

[epaludo]

The LOVE recording is marvelous. I started to enjoy Beatles after watching the Cirque du Soleil LOVE show and buying the LOVE album. Really good album and has pretty much all the famous Beatles songs ...

 

[Kernmac]

I get my Beatles fix with the combination of three albums.

LOVE
Sgt. Pepper's
Number 1

Hardly hard core Beatles, but three great albums for different reasons.