The newest Beatles box set has been released. Actually, there are multiple sets, various cd versions, Bluray and lp. The title is Rubber Soul, the album from 1965 that comes before Revolver.
We have made out thoughts clear before on this album. It’s OK, but rather unmemorable.
There are very many YouTube creators who have reviewed the various sets available, and we’re not going to do that, but we will say a few words about the four cd and book box set.
It was originally announced in the UK at nearly £150. When it finally appeared, it was cheaper at around £125.
What you get for your money is a cardboard sleeve, a thinnish hardback book and four cds: a remix of the album, a mono cd, and American version and a cd of sessions.
The album itself runs for a little over 35 minutes, not long but typical of the time. There are 14 tracks.
The 2026 stereo version is remixed by Giles Martin, whose qualification is that he was George Martin’s son (and has done the previous ones). Six of the tracks have appeared before, eg on the 1962-1966 compilation, and these are exactly as before. The set also includes Day Tripper and We Can Work It Out, and these have also been released before in a remixed version and are again unchanged from those. So it seems like eight of the songs are newly mixed and available for the first time. And that’s not including any material on any Anthology disc.
The American version of the album has fewer tracks and is shorter. We have boxed sets of The Beatles’ USA albums on cd and they are so short that mono and stereo versions fit on one disc with room to spare.
There is also a disc of rehearsals and backing tracks, mostly the latter.