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Ay! Let's go back to the main Beatles page! And Yyyyeah. This Album Does Not Make a Good Coaster
Overall Album Score: 10 out of 10 Man ... I don't know why the heck this had to be the first rock album I've ever bought. I mean ... DUDE! ... It had me subconsciously thinking: "If this album is this great, then why shouldn't every rock album be this great?" I was wrong, of course. Even though, there were still many, many "treasures" (and if I have any luck, there will still be many, many "treasures") to be had en route of my musical journey, nothing I would listen to would ever really surpassed The White Album in quality. It's a bit odd the circumstances to why I picked up this album among all the other Beatles albums. At the time, I had a small collection of Broadway soundtracks to my name. After seeing the re-release of the film "A Hard Day's Night," I decided that I liked the music enough to pick up a Beatles album when I stored up enough allowance. (Oh yes ... the allowance days.) Most of the soundtracks I had bought were double-albums, which for some reason, I thought the only decent rock albums would be double ones as well! (Yep ... if you think I'm an ignoramus now, I'll have you know that I came a long way!) So I picked up The White Album as well as The Red Album. (I didn't fully realize that The Red Album was a compilation at the time.) I don't remember which of these I bought first, but in essence, The White Album was the first rock album I ever bought. And I remember being DANGED impressed with it! The first song that struck me out of all of these, for some stupid reason was "The Continuing Adventures of Bungalow Bill." The only reason for that was because I thought it resembled Britney Spears' "Oops, I Did it Again." (Now, I see the resemblance only slightly.) And ... after listen #3 at least, I became enamored with the whole thing. I simply had to have more! So I bought more Beatles albums! AND MORE! And then when I ran out of money and so I went to Napster (back in the good old Napster days)! I listened to more! And when I got more money I bought more! I bought more even if I didn't have any money! Oh boy... And so this is how I became a rock fan. All my peers in high school were listening to Korn and Marilyn Manson, and the pop scene never impressed me ... and it was the Beatles' White Album that made me realize that there is actual good taste associated with "The Devil's Music." In fact, it's even better than those stupid crap Broadway soundtracks that I was listening to (even though I still have an affection for stupid crap Broadway soundtracks). Needless to say, after going off on that probably irrelevant rant, this is a DANGED good album. The Beatles, even when creating "filler" to fill an entire double album with, doesn't even seem like filler! Every moment on here feels classic and sounds wonderful. Taking a look at it with respect to the whole Beatles catalogue, this is a rather severe move from The Magical Mystery Tour. Essentially, there is no psychedelia on here at all. Instead, the Beatles attempt almost every type of music they can. There are soft ballads ("Julia"), there are quick, quirky rockers ("Back in the USSR"), there are silly, upbeat numbers ("Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"), there is country ("Rocky Racoon"), there is the infamous experimental track ("Revolution 9"), and there is even metal ("Helter Skelter")!! And there's even more types of stuff on here, but I run the risk of naming EVERY SONG. This album is 30 tracks long and every single one is a classic! By far, this is the least overbearing double-album in existence. Just ask Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Genesis, The Clash'll tell ya twice, um, and everyone else who ever put out a double album. They know. Overall Album Score: 10 out of 10 (Yep ... The White Album isn't famous for nothing, is it? I don't think so. It's 30 tracks stuffed with greatness. And that's not an exaggeration.) Average Song Score: 9.7 (This is a solid collection of wonderful tunes! With the possible selection of Revolution 9, every moment is savory until the very last drop.) Album Tilt: 10plus (Well... I figure if Sergeant Pepper gets a plus on artistry, and Magical Mystery Tour gets a plus on the songs, then why not give the world's greatest double album a plus on the album category? I thought it a nice gesture, anyway.) Artist Rating: 10 (The Beatles tried anything and everything, and they all turned out to be a remarkable success. Artistic points all around, I says.) Track Reviews Back in the USSR 10plus/10 Ohhhhhhh... How can thou putst on a price tag on this? THOU CANSTS! (Alright ... I'm going to stop it with this phony old English before I live to regret it.) I'm sure everyone's heard it ... but just in case if not, this is a great little send up of the Beach Boys. The melody is utterly classic ... and so are the lyrics (they're funny!) And ... yeah! Everyone likes this song! If there's somebody out there who doesn't like this song means that they've been dead for 35 years, and haven't heard it yet. Dear Prudence 10/10 This is an odd transition from a fast, "beach" rocker to a slow and deep-sounding love ballad. Yet, the Beatles are about the only ones who could make such an unlikely transition work, if it's just through the strength of the song. Another great classic! Glass Onion 9.5/10 How do they do it? This song clearly sounds like it ought to be throwaway. The lyrics are entirely silly (I believe it was a response to the music critics at the time). The song, without a doubt, was effortlessly put together, yet the song is 100 percent memorable, (man!) that Paul McCartney's bass line is just about as menacing and lively as it gets ... 'tis simply amazing. It's even a bit mod! (Ew!) Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da 10/10 ...As if you wouldn't believe it, the Beatles now do a jolly novelty act. (This is one of the Fab Four's most popular songs.) And, as if you wouldn't believe me, it's dang fun! The various, quirky instruments, voices, and sound effects they utilize all over this song makes it great ... it's as fun as it probably was in 1968. Wild Honey Pie 9/10 Totally throwaway this one, but the INSANE instrumentals and singing keep me from hating this song whatsoever. (Crazies.) The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill 9/10 I'm not exactly sure what I ought to categorize this song as. It's unusual whatever it is! Totally quirky. And their magical gift of melody doesn't falter whatsoever. While My Guitar Gently Weeps 10plus/10 With the exception of Revolution 9, this is the longest song on this whole album ... and it's the best! And I'll venture to say that it's the most serious and straightforward song on here, although that certainly isn't why it's my favorite. What makes this especially cool is that it was written by (*gasp*) George Harrison! This is his second song since "Taxman" that was able to rub noses with the stuff his bigger brothers were doing. The melody is nearly tear-inducingly sad and beautiful ... and the song's greatness certainly isn't hindered by the guest guitar appearance from Eric Clapton! Happiness is a Warm Gun 10/10 And another great! The beginning of the song sounds more like a normal late 60s song (whatever that is) and then we get a bit of drugged-up do-wop. This is a song whose melodic quality is just about as complex as the title sounds. It's kind of deep and overbearing (in a good way). Martha My Dear 10/10 And now we get a fairly light ditty (with atmosphere, nevertheless) about nothing other than one of Paul McCartney's dogs! The song still sounds utterly perfect, yet I doubt the band spent too much time perfecting it. I'm So Tired 9/10 Dreary, angry, and suicidal! (I'm not always a major admirer of these types of depressing songs.) Yet ... man! It's still classic! Blackbird 9.5/10 This is Paul McCartney's quiet, folk tune that just uses a quiet acoustic guitar, a few bird sound effects, and a light clomping of percussion. I know I'm repeating myself, but this is another Beatles classic if it's not the greatest track on here. Piggies 9.5/10 Rack in another point for George here! This is a stately type of song that does a little bit of social protesting. I'm always in the mood for a little bit o' social protesting. I won't lie to ye. Rocky Racoon 10/10 Man! I can't give out too many 10pluses for this album, but this song is just on the VERGE of getting one. This song, penned by Paul, has one of the album's great tunes (which is certainly saying something). It's a sort of country song that'll have you singing along with it, I bet. Don't Pass Me By 8.5/10 A Ringo original! The first one at that! (He's not a bad singer ... people shouldn't say that Ringo's a bad singer.) Okay ... this isn't the album's best track, but certainly with a little help from his friends, he was able to make this song almost instantly memorable. The violin here was the perfect touch! Why Don't We Do it in the Road 9/10 This is a very short and very goofy boogie parody that sports a great vocal delivery from Paul McCartney. (Whoah ... that guy could really belt it out if he wanted to.) I Will 9.5/10 This is an extremely light love song that recalls everything we used from the early Beatles love songs. The melody is perfect! That McCartney fella's gift of melody writing is proved ... again. Oh, this is too much! It makeths me blush! Julia 10/10 This is one of John Lennon's most beautiful love ballads. (The classic tracks keep coming and coming. I don't know how I can contain myself.) The first CD ends on a quiet, beautiful and somber note. Birthday 10/10 And the second CD starts on an unabashedly enjoyable note! Hurrah! This song, which is perfectly ideal for birthday celebrations, I'm disappointed that it hadn't replace that dreary "Happy Birthday to you song" ... even though, given, I can't imagine people singing this song around a birthday cake! But, you see, instead of singing with awful voices and no instruments, they can put this track on the album stereo and sing with it! Of all the songs on the album, this one is just about the most fun. Yer Blues 9/10 I'm still not a big fan of blues-rock, but this is pretty good. John Lennon's performance is great and this song doesn't at all remind me about what I generally hate about the blues. Mother Nature's Son 10/10 You know ... I think McCartney rules this album. Sure, John Lennon gives it some depth and George Harrison delivers, ultimately, the best song, but Paul seems to have come up with the album's most impressive set of songs. This is a quiet, reserved folk song that just has this wonderful melody! Man! This guy isn't called the greatest composer of the 20th century for nothing! Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey 9.5/10 Another rabble-rousin' Beatles classic! Ohhhhhhhhh... There's 9 more tracks to go, and I've run out of great things to say about them. It's great! The end of this song is pretty funny. Sexy Sadie 9.5/10 More Beatles greatness! This one is a moderate-paced rock song that I'm having trouble categorizing. It sounds like a normal late-60's pop song except with a lot of weirdness injected into it. Helter Skelter 10/10 Here's something that you would *never* have expected Paul McCartney to pen. What's this? A somewhat violent proto-heavy metal song? FROM PAUL "Band on the Run" MCCARTNEY???! Nooooooo! This is not only the Beatles's most heaviest and dirtiest hard rock songs, but it's heavier and dirtier than most musicians who actually made a living at it! (Man! Check out that vocal delivery! Isn't that impressive?) It seems Paul could have gone any direction he wanted for his solo career ... he could very well have followed the whole Led Zeppelin thing ... but he was too nice for that, methinks. Long, Long, Long 9.5/10 George Harrison composition #3 pretty much goes along quietly and smoothly except for loud, threatening bouts of the drum. It's yet another wonderful track! Revolution 10/10 Another incredibly famous song! I think the way this one's sung is interesting. It's kind of nonchalant considering its subject matter. And then, at the same time, the instrumental performances are fairly exciting! Honey Pie 9.5/10 This one's a bit of fluff! But it's fun and professional fluff! It's an old-fashioned Vaudevillian number. More wonderment ... that even helps make the album even MORE diverse. Paul's vocal delivery here is funny! Savoy Truffle 10/10 Mmmmmmmmmmmm... Are you ready for dessert? George Harrison composition #4 is an almost sinfully erotic tribute to the Savoy truffle. (Erotic? Those horns sound like something played at a 60's gentlemen's club ... I saw "The Odd Couple" ... I ain't naïve.) Cry Baby Cry 9.5/10 Still! Everything's great here! ... Ohhhh ... Revolution 9 7/10 Yeah ... this 8-minute sound collage is about as excruciating as everyone says it is. It's kinda crazy, though. And I like crazies. Not after that Savoy truffle, though ... urrrp. Goodnight 9/10 Goooooodnight?!?!? You mean this wild & wonderful album is over? Oh man ... what am I going to do now? This is a silly song that is utterly reminiscent of those cheesy musicals from the 50's. Sung by Ringo, how can life get any better? Oye! Got any comments? Leave them here you old scallywag! slb23@shaw.ca (Simon B.) received July 22, 2004 I first listened to the Beatles "WHITE ALBUM" about 4 or 5
years ago in a CD store. I thought it was pretty good, but that was in
the days of allowance, and it was $40 so I didn't get it.
I did, however, find a copy in the used record section of a store I
went to not long after. It wasn't in the greatest condition, but it was
only $1 so I bought it. I liked it, but think I listened to the whole
thing all the way through only once (it was a pretty daunting task, for I
had not ventured into the depths of TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS by
Yes yet.)
Don Ignacio Responds: I would never ever want to cut any of these songs! They're all tops in my book! |
All reviews are copyrighted by Michael Lawrence who has a powdery nose.
