YELLOW SUBMARINE SONGTRACK

Songtrack is a fantastic addition to the Beatles canon and a unique release in the catalog - it is the only commercial release that features remixes of Beatles classics. For some, the original mixes are sacred and not to be altered in any way; I personally celebrate the new mixes, and can always go back to the originals. Unlike Love which mashes up and combines elements of different Beatles songs, Yellow Submarine Songtrack stays faithful to the original compositions, placing vocals in the center for the most part and wrangling in the extreme stereo separation of the instruments. And unlike the 1968 Yellow Submarine album, this release includes just Beatles songs featured in the movie and none of the George Martin orchestration. This results in a far more listenable experience and a "psychedelic-Beatles- Greatest Hits" compilation of sorts...the vast majority of songs are from 1966-1968.

"Yellow Submarine" from 1966's Revolver forms the basis for the movie. For those that have never seen it, Yellow Submarine is an animated feature inspired by the Beatles music and their likenesses. The film was beautifully restored and released on DVD for the first time in 1999, and again in 2012 for Bluray. The two CD issues of Songtrack are identical except for the packaging. The song "Yellow Submarine" brings out more sound effects to the fore and places Ringo's voice front and center. The primary reason to pick up Songtrack is for "Hey Bulldog," "All Together Now," and "It's All Too Much." Though the majority of tunes were previously released in one form or another, these three are exclusive to Yellow Submarine and its purchase is essential for that reason alone. This companion piece also includes the first true stereo mix of "Only A Northern Song" making it a worthy addition to any Beatles collection. As a Proto-Prog album, Songtrack is full of psychedelic goodies such as "Lucy in The Sky With Diamonds," the Raga-Rock "Love You To," and Symphonic Pop of "All You Need Is Love." The release does have its problems, such as the out-of-sync vocal on "Eleanor Rigby" and dubious exclusion of "I Am The Walrus" and "A Day In The Life," both of which are in the movie. Despite these shortcomings, Songtrack is a great little compilation to play casually and just enjoy.