SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND

The Beatles's progressive period started soon after Sergeant Pepper's, with The Magical Mystery Tour. There are a couple of good songs on SPLHCB, but the most progressive side on this album is the cover, complete with pictures of composer Karlheinz Stockhausen and (an RS) footballer Albert Stubbins.

Although weaker than many other Beatles's records, SPLHCB stikes a chord with a lot of prog fans, because it's often been claimed to be one of the first theme albums, and there are a lot of people who find a theme from this album, as well as there are a lot of people who think "a theme album" only happens in prog rock. In fact, SPLHCB is a compilation of songs with great variety (thanks to that!) but a theme..? Repeating the main theme before the only prog song of the album before the end is not sufficient, I'm afraid.

The high moments of the album are Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite (by John Lennon) and the ending track, A Day In The Life (by both Lennon and Paul McCartney). Other than them, there's only little for *prog* fans. And still, having said that, it is not a bad album at all!

The most important thing is, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is NOT prog. My rating goes with that, otherwise this would have got three stars.