A HARD DAY'S NIGHT

Important note: This is a review written without a consideration for prog standards. If you don't want to read it, please don't waste your time. If you do not want to get discouraged from hearing something good, you may proceed.

I personally don't see it as a classic album. It is possible that its reputation has something to do with the fact that the album is louder and more guitar-driven than any of their previous efforts and that it features more of brief and elaborate solos. Nothing has changed in their instrumentation or line-up, obviously. They just keep doing the thing they are really good at: writing catchy songs in a normal form and maintaining the sweet vocal harmonies. More than so, as I have mentioned before, they add more of that vivacious drive to most of the songs.

"Are there any exceptional tunes on the record?" Yes. My personal favorites are the quite 'If I Fell' and 'I'll Be Back', especially the latter since it sounds so dark and has some sudden changes in mood. It's just schizophrenic, and that is all. It probably could benefit from having some strings dubbed onto it, but then again, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it wouldn't be as tacky as it was some five-six years ago when I was still listening to this band. 'If I Fell' is just as tacky as 'I'll Be Back'. Those vocal melodies, though put together in a harmony, still have that aural magic. Of course, it may mean nothing to you when I say that I wish I could write something like those songs since they are so outstanding and melodic, though not quite like them.

Ratings/comments (if you have to ask):

1. 'A Hard Day's Night' - ****

2. 'I Should Have Known Better' - ****

3. 'If I Fell' - ****

4. 'I'm Happy Just to Dance With You' - ****

5. 'And I Love Her' - ****

6. 'Tell Me Why' - ****

7. 'Can't Buy Me Love' - ** (It's not the excessive airplay that is the major problem here. It's just that I don't like the vocal melodies much, although I have to give the band the props for crafting that short and elaborate guitar solo.)

8. 'Any Time At All' - ****

9. 'I'll Cry Instead' - ****

10. 'Things We Said Today' - ****

11. 'When I Get Home' - ** (It sounds quite dumbed up. It's not really outstanding or very melodic. It least it has a decent vocal hook.)

12. 'You Can't Do That' - **** (This is probably my third most favorite song on the album.)

13. 'I'll Be Back' - **** (It's a 4.5-star song, though I don't want to violate my whole-star rating system. I just don't find it beyond awesome.)

Stamp: "I like it."