We’ve written about The Beatles and the Anthology set before, but it landed in the letterbox yesterday and we’ve had a chance to listen, so some random comments, no speculation.
The packaging
There is a three vinyl lp set and a two cd set, as previously. The lp packaging is a fold out thing similar to the first Anthology sets. The cd is a cardboard cover rather than the original plastic boxes. The discs are almost impossible to get out, and the little booklet has small fonts so reading is not easy and is very hard to get back into the cover. The whole thing feels cheap.
The cover art work is uninspiring and does not match the other three volumes. This is not surprising as they were visualised together and this is a last minute cash grab afterthought.
Running time
Very short, under two hours. The last side on the vinyl is under 12 minutes.
To us, this indicates that possibly they are running low on anything of even vague interest and it was a stretch to even get close to a sensible running time.
The sound quality
The lp version sounds good. The cd is just a cd.
The contents
As has been widely said, most of the tracks have been out before eg on the super deluxe editions of the later Beatles’ lps. The three Anthology ‘new’ singles are included again. There are no new tracks (actually, that’s not true, there is a very brief jam, just seconds, of something not heard before, but that’s it). The whole compilation feels lazy. They know the fans will buy it, so it’s a cash grab.
There is lots of chatter, bits of Steve Race and others, tracks with vocals removed, different takes that fail… It isn’t interesting, or fun, and it won’t be something to listen to again.
The original Anthology discs were conceived as a whole. From beginning to end they form a history of the band. There are faults, many faults indeed, but they can still be an enjoyable listen once in a while.
This volume 4 has nowhere to fit in the series, it’s just an add on. If the tracks here had any value, they’d have been included on the first three volumes. It is chronological, within itself, but there’s no real meat.
One reviewer has remarked that they should have revisited the whole Anthology series and inserted these ‘new’ tracks in the originals to stick to the time line. You can imagine existing Beatles fan complaining they were forced to buy the whole package again just for the ‘new’ stuff. At least we have it all here separately. If you rip your music, eg to a NAS, you can have a go at re-ordering the whole lot.
Is it interesting?
No.
Who will buy it?
Beatles’ fans. Supposedly it is aimed at a new, young audience. But they will be interested in the core Beatles’ albums, not crates of rejects.
Cost
The lp version is £75, roughly. The cd version is £25.
Value for money?
No way.
Would Harrison or Lennon have approved?
Who knows, but doubtful (ok, a little speculation).
Harrison was around for volumes 1 to 3, contributed to the first two singles, must have approved it at least a bit of the project or it wouldn’t have been published, and certainly did not refuse any money from it. He hated Now And Then and did not play on it.
We like to think Lennon would have liked the original if it had been a bit more warts and all. This, no.
We find this review to be very good.
