SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band has in my book always been a good album, but I do not see why it is so popular; the only track on it I really love hearing is "A Day In The Life", all the other tracks do not have that little extra that makes them those timeless Beatle songs but are more poppy McCartney-failures.

The first track, named after the album, starts with a little intro then begins with a rock song that starts out nice, but when you expect it to become a little bit more exciting there's a bit of singing followed by a decent trumpet solo. This song doesn't do it because of the backing music - it's like the singers get all excited and the rest of the band just sit there thinking what the fuss is all about. 1.5/5

Next is "With A Little Help Of My Friends" which starts out very melancholic and charming, especially with that Ringo on vocals touch, who gets responses from Lennon I think. It's got a nice tune and isn't bad at all, the melodies are very touching, but the backing music again isn't as special - something which I DEMAND from my progrock. However, it's better than Sgt. Pepper's, and I actually just realised that I like it better than I really admit, but now I admit I do like it quite a bit. However, the endless covers have completely demolished this song. 2.5/5

The following song, which supposedly is a play on LSD (Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds) but according to another prog writer who's judgement I'll follow apparently isn't, has been one of my favorite songs ever. The verse and chorus alternate nicely, with the keyboard and sitar in the background and a barely hearable drum, this track is absolutely gorgeous and moving. John Lennon sings very good, but second the chorus just isn't my thing and has never really stood up to the greatness that are the verses to me. 3.5/5

"Getting Better" has an upbeat intro, the backing vocals are nice and the whole concept and song is nice, but that's just it - it's nice, it's good, a great tune, but not so special. The hand-clapping gets really annoying. 1.5/5

What a haunting piano intro does "Fixing A Hole" begin with. On all the other tracks, the drumming was quite bland to me, but here it isn't bad at all. The guitar in the background is amazing, and the lyrics and singing is supreme too. This song is very good, and for a rock song quite proggy actually. Near the end there's some weird noise though, the chorus is pretty annoying and the "hey-hey-hey" part sucks a bit too. The end is boring too. 3/5

My mother and siblings always loved "She's Leaving Home", I hated it. The story and the backing music all are very nice, but it just seems that this song has no soul and is a bit unfinished, which I have with most tracks actually. It's quite boring actually, and the whole violin thing on the foreground so much is so un-Beatley. 2/5

"Being for the benefit of mr.K" is a song with funny lyrics. The fact that the Beatles use "Mr.K" at certain moments really adds to the atmosphere, which suddenly goes into some interlude with ghostlike solos. Now I listen to this song, I realise how great it is - notice that it doesn't have a chorus, and that the instrumental parts are very good and atmospheric? This is the part of Sgt. Pepper's that would justify it's prog image. 4/5

"Within You Without You" is the only Beatles' song written by Harrison that I don't like. It's not bad, but the beginning is so boring that getting to the semi-interesting instrumental interlude is a chore. 1.5/5

"When I'm 64" just can't have been serious. Suuuure, it sounds good, but whoever sings it sounds like the Granny who tells the story and probably is McCartney. It's a song for little children really, just like "Hello, Goodbye". 1.5/5

"Lovely Rita" has that nice guitar intro with the vocals. It's not a really good song, but I've always liked it a lot. However, it's not really good and the verses now seem a lot worse than they used to be. I have to say that nearly every track on this album has nice intros though. 2/5

"Good morning, Good morning" is horrible. Sure, again, the tune is nice but it's a obnoxious song and the only reason I'd listen to it is for the end which links up with Sgt. Pepper's reprise nicely. 1.5/5

Sgt.Pepper's reprise is better than the normal one, it just has a steadier beat and no weird interval, and it links up with "A Day In The Life" so good. 2/5

As the last track of the album comes "A Day In The Life" which would be worth getting this album for. Such cynic lyrics, the drums that follow them so good, the piano plays here and there, the delicious melody and that harmony make it a true masterpiece. The orchestra rising also adds a nice touch, the mid-part following it is put in pretty smoothly, the piano bits on there are very interesting. It's followed by another orchestra piece with John's beatiful chanting and then the beginning theme comes back again but it appears slightly faster because of the way the piano is played. The best track of the whole album, you _must_ listen to this. 5/5

Total: 31.5/60 => Good, but non essential.

Revolver's better - the songs are more experimental and less poppy.