ABBEY ROAD

Many times I have tried to get into the music from The Beatles but apart from a bunch of good songs, I cannot listen to an album for the whole running time, The Beatles simply fail to get me as a listener involved. This highly acclaimed album features many good songs but to me these compositions sound as a progressive blend of pop and rock. I dare not to ignore their huge influence in the history of pop and rock music but I often have the idea that the music by The Beatles has an enormous emotional importance to many people who grew up with that wonderful time in The Sixties when Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones became 'biggies' who turned simply 3 minute pop songs into more adventurous, rock-oriented music. The Beatles are for them the link between musical excitement and emotion. Well, it sounds a bit cynical but for me (I am from 1960) Status Quo, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple were the bands that let me escape from the irritating, empty pop chart songs. If I compare the songs from this famous and pivotal The Beatles album to the aforementioned bands, I prefer these bands above The Beatles. In my opinion The Beatles are a very overrated band and for sure no more progressive than The Doors, a very underrated band on this site, in terms of progressive rock elements!

Most of this album is pretty forgettable; The Beatles simply do not offer enough musical interest in their songs or their playing to sustain my attention for a whole album or even album side since I was brought up on more sophisticated songs from bands like Strawbs and Genesis, who develop ideas more. Yes, there are some innovations but the songs just aren't that good and the playing is fairly basic, the odd Harrison solo excepted. However, there is one glorious exception to this mediocrity: Here Comes The Sun is one of the great songs of all time and shows that, whilst Lennon and McCartney get all the plaudits, it was George Harrison who wrote most of their best songs. This album is definitely not a masterpiece in any way and The Beatles are terribly overrated generally. Even Here Comes The Sun can't lift it above 2*.

One of the best albums ever made in the 60s!! The Beatles, as we all know, is one of the most influential rock bands to ever come from England. Even if the primitive technology of the 60s stands in their way, they have managed a timeless album superior than many well-known progressive rock albums of the next decade. The members are no virtuosos, but they used all their songwriting talents to create this. The first side is a wonderful set of short songs. The second half has a wonderful ballad and a collection of short songs masterfully connected.

Come Together starts the album with a bang! This unusual blues/rocker is way ahead of its time. It has a unique ascending bass riff, as well as two melodic guitar solos and rocking vocals and rhythm. Something is a very different successful track: it is a symphonic ballad with gorgeous melodies. This band is so good at composing melodies! This is their peak, so expect them at their best. Maxwell's Silver Hammer is a cute innocent sounding children song, but if you read the lyrics, it's about a kid killing a friend, a teacher, and a judge in the choruses. Basically, he is a serial killer. It features synthesizers and piano and are effecting in creating the ironic tone. Oh Darling is a bluesy song with some interesting screaming coming from the band.

Octopuses Garden is a fun children song with very catchy melodies and backing vocals. It ends with a great guitar solo. But this is not the song I want to hear. I await eagerly for the powerful and progressive hard rock of I Want You (She's so Heavy):

Everything about this song is perfect. This is the perfect Beatles song, really! The immortal and mindblowing hard rock guitar riff, while repetitive, leaves me waiting for more! The song has sing-along blues verses, organ & bass call and response riffs before the chorus, and the proggy repetitive choruses and coda. Trust me, it is not only a riff. It has moog synthesizers, hammond organ virtuosity, bass guitar improvisations , and hypnotic (yet simple) drumming. The song unexpectedly ends in silence.

Here Comes the Sun is an energetic ballad with amazing choruses featuring catchy vocal lines and analogue synthesizers (ahead of its time).

And now ... The Epic! Acapella singing introduces it. It has very psychedelic lyrics and tone. A great start of the epic. You Never Give me Your Money is a pop/rock section with very memorable melodies and changes of tempos. This song has more changes than some 10+ minute songs! Sun King has singing in some foreign language (Latin?) but it sounds really good. Mean Mr Mustard is an up-tempo rocker that ends too quickly. Not the best part of the epic, but enjoyable. Polythene Pam sounds very much like music from Led Zeppelin III, great!. Bathroom Window is another good song but is no match for Golden Slumbers' melodic genius and the anthemic "Carry That Weight" The end has a drum solo that is pretty pathetic, but the guitar solo coming before it may be the best guitar solo I have heard from The Beatles. Her majesty influenced the "hidden track" feature found in modern prog rock.

Highlights: I Want You, Here Comes the Sun, the Epic Let Downs: Maxwell Silver Hammer and Octopuses Garden.

My Grade : A

Words cannot describe the massive amount of creativity and effort The Beatles put in their swan song record Abbey Road. Recorded after Let it Be and released before it, this is truly final Beatles record. The creative juices were flowing and the songs kept churning, and this would become the Beatles finest outing on record. John sneers and soars vocally and along with McCartney creates some superb compositions (although Come Together is a "lift" of a Chuck Berry song). Paul sings staggeringly and creates rich and melodic bass runs even while singing his heart out. George is at his creative peak, with an overly emotional piece and a cheery acoustic number. And finally, Ringo has his moment of glory with his country-esque Octopus's garden.

Opening with the John Lennon piece Come Together, the song was meant to be a propoganda piece so people would vote for Timothy Leary for a Congress or Senate campaign. This song is often criticized for being a "lift" of the Chuck Berry song You Can't Catch Me. None the less, it's one of the great Beatles songs. Something is the first of two George Harrison songs on the album. This song became a huge hit for the band. It featured great augmentation of an orchestra by George Martin, and some great bass runs by McCartney, as well as a tasteful guitar solo from Harrison. One of the best songs in the Beatles catalogue. Maxwell's Silver Hammer is a McCartney track about a serial killer named Maxwell Edison. It features some great moog textures during the pre-chorus breakdown and is one of the more humorous Beatles songs available.

Oh! Darling is one song that John resented in the fact that Paul didn't let him sing it. A pretty standard 12/8 ballad number, but it features one of Paul McCartney's best vocal works in his career. Octopus's Garden is the second Ringo Starr composition to make it on a Beatles record (the first being Don't Pass Me By on the White Album, and although he helped write the bridge of What Goes On, he wasn't given a solo credit until Don't Pass Me By). It has a country beat to it and some nice guitar frills from George Harrison. One of the more experimental Beatles tracks, I Want You (She's So Heavy) is an overly overdubbed guitar powerhouse with some brilliant leads from Harrison. It goes through many time changes and towards the end, as the hisses and moans of moog synths fill the speakers, it all ends abrubtly.

Here Comes the Sun, another classic George Harrison track, is a simple acoustic track written around variations of the d chord. It features a great 3/8 breakdown as well as some uplifting moog during the chorus. The final song before the medleys is Because, the main riff inspired by John wanting Yoko to play the Moonlight Sonata backwards. This song features what I read to be 9 tracks of vocal (3 from John, 3 from Paul, and 3 from George) and is more about the music than the lyrics. You Never Give Me Your Money begins the medley to end all medleys. A very piano based intro leads into a great shift into a more rocky section, then into some great unison guitar runs from the band until gently cascading into silence with the mantra " 1234567/All good children go to heaven". Sun King is a very atmospheric piece which features some great harmonies, and some nice italian lyrics towards the end, it segues into...

Mean Mr. Mustard is a short little ditty with a very catchy riff, it leads right into Polythene Pam, which has a nice solo from Harrison; which then leads into She Came into the Bathroom Window, a bluesy number that has some great guitar frills from Harrison. It leads into Golden Slumbers, which features one of Paul's most emotional and heartfelt vocal performances on record. It leads into Carry that Weight, which has some great harmony vocals and a great reprisal of the You Never Give Me Your Money theme. It all is summed up with the stellar conclusion, The End, which has some great guitar runs from Harrison, and very fun drum solo (the only one on record) from Ringo. It all gets summed up in two phrases according to Paul McCartney "And in the end, the love you take/ is equal to the love you make". And the end is near. But then a little surprise awaits you. Her Majesty is a little ditty that seems to have fit in between Mean Mr. Mustard and Polythene Pam, a bit of a throw away but none the less enjoyable.

Overall, I know I've written a lot about this album (I think this is my longest review ever), but I just can't help but say that this album is a masterpiece by and by. There are no weak tracks, and there are no sore spots. Utterly magnificent. Essential to any music collection. 5/5.

My fav from them I was involved in Beatles because of my father - I guess every person in USSR loved "Bitly" as if they were our native band.And they were.Surely my father likes early albums - he was 13-15,when he experienced them ,and as you know the first love is for the whole love.My first fav songs were "I'm only Sleeping" and "Yellow Submarine",but when I've heard " Octopus Garden"...I was 6 or so.I was completely astonished.When I was 7 I loved "Because" - I've been crying because of this song,it is really genius.When I was 12,I loved Nirvana,but my favouritest songs were "I want you" and "Come Together". I adore Beatles,and I like this album from them most.It is better than Sergeant in many aspects,it is mature work,and I'd recommend it to every prog fan.Just listen to it,you won't regret

Aw man, the end of an era.

Just a dribbin' shame it as to end in a fight. Oh well, still we have this. After hearing the amazing Abbey Road, we can agree on the strategy of the Beatles: they were aiming for progressive material. Althought very pop, this album is still the firm intention of exploring much more ground since the White Album.

Ringo gave us his best track ever, Harrison litteraly lifted and animated the album with amazing songs and Moog effects, Paul was Paul and Lennon was sporting a superb red beard. Everything was there to create years of progressive madness. Man, talk about saving the best for last. *Sigh*

This album wouldn't be complete without the magnificent suite starting with Sun King and closing with The End. Oh so many good evenings related to those songs...

No Beatles collection'd be complete without Abbey Road, it would be insanity. If you don't have it, well shame shame. Just go buy it tomorrow and don't speak about it.

Some of the albums released by The Beatles are very linked to happy memories of my chidlhood because my late father bought some of their albums in the late sixties. Maybe some of my reviews for these albums are boring for some readers, but I`m sorry... these albums were the "soundtrack" of some of these memories.

During the last weeks I listened again to some very old singles, all released in the sixties and early seventies. Great music which was played in the Radio then, and were bought by my father. Songs like "Eloise" (Barry Ryan, 1968), "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (Procol Harum, 1968), "I`m So Glad" (Deep Purple, 1968), etc. The sixties was, musically speaking, IMO, a great decade. The Beatles closed, IMO, that decade with the release of this great album in September 1969. The Beatles said goodbye at the right time, with a very good album. Recorded after the "Let It Be" sessions, it sems like they wanted to say goodbye with a better album, and they achieved it. George, Ringo and Paul started recording this album in early July 1969, without John for several days, because John had suffered a car crash with Yoko, but he later joined the other three Beatles in the studio.

The songs:

"Come Together": a very good song about a "simultaneous orgasm".

"Something": one of the best songs that George Harrison composed and recorded with The Beatles. Paul said that it was the best song that George composed during his time with The Beatles. John didn`t participate, but agreed to release this song as a single, the only song comoosed by Harrison which wa released as a n"A" side.

"Maxwell`s Silver Hammer": a "funny" song with "dark sense of humour" about a serial killer, composed by Paul. John hated this song!

"Oh! Darling": an intense "heavy-ballad" composed and sung by Paul, with heavy piano played by John.

"Octopus`s Garden": a good and funny song composed and sung by Ringo.

"I Want You (She`s so Heavy)": a heavy Proto-Prog song with has several guitars recorded by John and George, with a bit of Moog noises added at the end of the song.

"Here Comes the Sun": another great song composed by Harrison, also recorded without John. It also includes a bit of Moog playing.

"Because": a song composed by John, with great vocal harmonies by John, George and Paul.

"You Never Give Me Your Money": a song about Apple Corps` finantial problems.

"Sun King": orignally titled "Here Comes the Sun-King", composed by John, but he changed the title to avoid confusion with George`s song.

"Mean Mr. Mustard" and "Polythene Pam": both songs composed by John, about two weird characters.

"She Came in Through the Bathroom Window": another good song composed by Paul, it also was recorded by Joe Cocker for one of his albums (which also included "Something").

"Golden Slumbers": composed by Paul, and recorded by Paul (piano and vocals), George (bass) and Ringo (drums), linked to "Carry that weight", also composed by Paul, and also recorded by Paul, George and Ringo, including backing vocals by Ringo too.

"The End": also composed by Paul, and recorded with guitar solos by Paul, George and John. It closes the album very well.

"Her Majesty": an irreverent song composed by Paul, and originally included in the album as a "hidden track" only listed in the L.P. label.

This album was bought by my father in late 1969 or maybe until 1970, because he liked "Here Comes the Sun". He also bought it again in 1979, in a "Picture Disc" limited edition release. He even bought the C.D. in the late `80s.

After struggling to record the sub-par and rough-edged "Let it Be" the Beatles realized that it would not be a fitting or appropriate testimony to their glorious legacy and made amends with George Martin to help them create another great LP. The result is an album that is topped only by "Sgt. Peppers" and equalled only by "Revolver" and "Rubber Soul." Starting with the brilliant mood of the surreal "Come Together," they set the music world on its ear once again. The only things that keep this from being their best effort are the silly "Maxwell" and "Octopus' Garden" which are way too whimsical to appeal to me over the long haul. They are brilliantly produced and recorded but they just don't belong alongside the other magnificent compositions that surround them. Starting with "I want you (she's so heavy)" the Fab Four created their most progressive music ever. (I hear shades of this musical refrain as Dream Theater fades out of "Scenes from a Memory"). Harrison's "Here comes the sun" is a delight in its simplicity. The medley of songs that close out the album fit together so well that it defies description. If there was a Grammy for multiple-song editing it would be named for Mr. Martin and his engineering crew just because of this effort. It has no reason to flow so well but somehow it just works like a charm. Every song is great and lasts just long enough to make an indelible impression. Nothing else in rock music history even comes close to it. In retrospect this was, indeed, "The End" of a miraculous era in music and the tunes they gave us througout their career have stood the test of time as if they were carved from granite. The cover pictured them walking out of our lives but they will never leave our hearts and our memories. What a great way to exit stage left! Bravo!

I think that as one progresses through the Beatle albums in terms of reviews it gets harder because musically in terms of technical ability I would not put any of them really " Up There". But as a unit and a songwriting collective force I doubt there have been few others who could compare as favourably as Harrison/Lennon and Macca.

' Abbey Road' is an excellent piece of work from beginning to end. Some specific highlights would be " Come Together ", " Octopus's Garden", " Golden Slumbers' and the fragile and beautiful ' Here Comes The Sun". Great work from a band who can be noted for being pioneers in the creation of epic progressive sounds.Four stars.

When THE BEATLES were added to Prog Archives I was one of the members who objected their inclusion, not because of the quality of the music but because I never considered them one of the most influential bands in the development of the genre called Progressive Rock and also being that most of their career (Until Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band) they were not even remotely related with Prog.

But if I had to choose one album that justifies their inclusion in Prog Archives it would be the excellent and versatile "Abbey Road", a real masterpiece by the fabulous four that was clearly one step before all popular bands from the era.

The balance between songs is simply outstanding and the impeccable production helps a lot, side one is excellent but side two is almost perfect, almost an epic consisting of several short tracks linked perfectly one with the other.

"Abbey Road" starts absolutely strong with the legendary "Come Together" an almost Hard Rock track with intelligent lyrics and a great sound, breathtaking from start to end but the strength of this rack is more evident because of the contrast with the beautiful and calmed "Something" (Despite a good dose of drama), this guys really knew how to calm the mood when it was necessary.

"Maxwell Silver Hammer" it's a silly but funny little track acts as a relief after the dramatic first two tracks and allows us to appreciate more the bluesy "Oh Darling" another good track with strong piano sections and powerful vocals, would have been much better without the cheesy "oohs" by Paul Mc'Cartney that break the mood. (This shouts were OK for their early stuff but not for a serious album).

"Octopus's Garden" is one of the few songs by Ringo Star, I believe QUEEN used this simple but interesting track as inspiration for some of their songs as "Seaside Rendezvous", many people hate it but I really like it specially for the good backing vocal work.

"I Want You (She's so Heavy)" is a complete and evident product of the late 60's, the organ work takes us to the center of Psychedelia with it's druggy atmosphere and the guitar work is simply delightful and the Moog is outstanding and of course the beautiful Hammond Organ, probably the only 100% Progressive track THE BEATLES ever released, and what a masterpiece.

"Here Comes the Sun" is by far my favorite Harrison track and perfectly located to open side two, I always heard people saying it's a simple ballad, something with what I strongly disagree, the changes are subtle but brilliant, the chorus perfect and the synths are brilliant, never understood why some progheads seem dislike a good melody, a high point.

But the best is at the final part, the next tracks linked perfectly one with the other create one of the first real epics that starts with the excellent "Because", absolutely dramatic and based mostly in the strong vocals with dark mood and ends with the breathtaking "The End"..no not forgetting "Her Majesty" but well this could had easily be avoided..

If it was only for "Abbey Road" I would had never opposed to the inclusion of THE BEATLES in Prog Archives because this one is a real Prog masterpiece that deserves no less than 5 solid stars.

Don't expect another similar review by me about another BEATLES album because I always believed "Abbey Road" is their peak and by far, not even "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" comes remotely close.

It's really an honour to review a BEATLES record, and this was the last studio album they recorded. It's interesting that as prog was being birthed in the late sixties THE BEATLES had already had an illustrious career that was ending in 1969 with this record. For many BEATLES fans this is their favourite one of the lot, and certainly the album cover is famous.

The first song "Come Together" was a song I never really liked. Even when AEROSMITH covered this song in the late seventies I still didn't like it a whole lot, even though I was a big AEROSMITH fan back then. "Something" is one of the greatest ballads I have ever heard ! I must confess that George Harrison has always been my favourite BEATLE. The best for me on this record is "Here Comes the Sun" followed by this song "Something", both George Harrison songs. As a matter of fact the closest BEATLES paraphernalia I ever owned was a George Harrison t- shirt when I was in my teens. "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" was a fun song who's lyrics reminds me of the old English nursery rhymes. "Oh ! Darling" is Paul McCartney all the way. "Octopus's Garden" is a Ringo sung and written song that is quite good. "I Want You (she's heavy)" is dark and heavy.

"Here Comes The Sun" was written at a time when THE BEATLES seemed to have these endless meetings to discuss business, and sign forms and cheques etc. with their management and accountants etc. Anyway George decided to skip one of the meetings he was supposed to go to with the rest of the band, and he drove out to the country to a farm on a sunny day and wrote this song with his guitar in hand. Just listen to the lyrics and the melody that is full of light and evokes happiness. "Because" is dark, while "You Never Give Me Your Money" has a beautiful piano intro and the guitar is good later in the song as well. "Sun King" is reserved, while the next three song blend into each other like a medley of songs. All three are uplifting and fun tunes.The next three as well blend together forming another medley, as the album ends with a less than 20 second song.

This is one of my top three favourite BEATLES albums and a must-have people.

When I cleared 2-300 albums out of my own collection last year to make way for a large collection I inherited, this was one of the first to go along with the other Beatles albums. I grew up with The Beatles and Beatlemania and never got seduced by it, and even though I bought all their albums to try I didn't play them more than once or twice as there was nothing to grab my interest - no great epics, few decent solos and dull melodies. I get the impression that they were experimenting to find out what they did best and they didn't get it right very much even by this, their final album. The musicianship is basic and several songs are deplorably bad (the cheesy Octopuses' Garden being the absolute pits). Come Together and Here Comes The Sun redeem it a bit, just enough to save it from the ultimate degradation. And my final comment - how does such a mainstream pop album ever get on a progressive site?

Strung-together leftovers from Let It Be do not equal genius

The Beatles swan song is holy to some who consider it their finest hour. I respectfully disagree with my esteemed colleagues. While the production here is better than the original Let it Be, the songs are mostly leftovers from those sessions (for those unaware, LiB was recorded before Abbey Road, even though it was released after it) and by this time our lads were phoning it in and looking ahead to their solo careers. I am a Beatle fan and Abbey Road is the one I play the least. Let it Be features far better material than Abbey Road.

"Come Together" is a real Lennon yawner that just bores me to tears. The two Harrison hits on this album are admittedly wonderful and it's these songs that keep Abbey Road from being a 2 star album. George finally beats both Paul and John in song quality on an album and it's not even close. "I want you" is a good song but Lennon would do much better soon on Plastic Ono Band. The majority of the rest of the songs range from completely dreadful to mediocre, the worst being Maxwell, Octopus, Mr. Mustard, and Poly Pam. On the latter Lennon sounds positively contemptuous on his "yeah yeah yeah" bit, like he couldn't wait to get out the door.

It is true that Abbey Road has a really nice sheen to it, a certain whole feeling imparted by the connected tracks and the high quality production. It sounds good but it's empty calories music. Look at the meat of the songwriting and it's frightfully thin, again, except for Harrison. The other stuff has very little soul, little grit, little of the Lennon/McCartney spark and passion. I'm supposed to care about Maxwell and Poly Pam after being treated to things like Across the Universe, Two of Us, I've Got a Feeling, and Long & Winding Road? People often mistake side 2 as some kind of genius moment akin to great progressive rock, as if simply stringing together some mediocre bits that were lying around makes a profound musical statement. I've never understood this line of thinking.

They manage to concoct a very nice ending sequence of "Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight/The End" which literally saves the day and puts a period at the end of the Beatles career, though ending with Let It Be would have been far superior. We could now look forward to decades of (often) subpar material from our lads solo careers after a few good albums like Plastic Ono Band, All Things Must Pass, and Band on the Run.

Abbey Road is without question the most over-rated Beatle album (yes I'm using the dreaded O-word for this occasion) and the last one I'd suggest to young Beatle fans. Start at the beginning and work your way forward chronologically through the brilliant career of these legends. The very best albums are the debut, Rubber Soul, Magical Mystery Tour, and Let it Be (get the Naked version.)

Along with "Revolver" this is perhaps the best BEATLES album. And I am talking in terms of experiment, studio wizardry, avant- gardistic approach, groundbreaking and progressive expansion of the sound, composition and musical ideas.

Apart from obvious hit-start with "Come Together", Harrison and Starr provided their arguably best compositions penned for the group - "Something", "Octopus's Garden" and "Here Comes the Sun". Lennon/McCartney duo on the other hand made their way through the first side via strange and disturbing "Maxwell Silver Hammer" and 7-minutes minimalistic improvisation of "I Want You".

The whole of Side B is devised as a semi-suite of 10 short pieces tied together in what sounds like a magnificent pop-symphony, with the main theme from "You Never Give Me Your Money" repeating in the closing parts of "Carry That Weight". Something that would be brought to perfection by GENESIS in the following decade... "Abbey Road" is very important album for progressive rock style and a masterpiece of THE BEATLES in its own right.

PERSONAL RATING: 4,5/5

P.A. RATING: 5/5

The band had almost finished "Let It Be" (under difficult circumstances) when Paul suggested to Martin to start another album, more in the spirit of a band's album like they were used to do in their early days. This idea was well received and the Fab Four started the sessions for "Abbey Road".

The band will come up with some of their finest songs. Especially George. "Something" is one of the very best Fab Four song. One could say that it is the most McCartney ones of his creation. An enormous melody, an emotional guitar solo (but "While My Guitar. was already a hint of this). It is my fave of this album.

It was released as a single (which I purchased in 1971) with "Come Together". Another great and famous Lennon song. It will be the first Nr. 1 hit from George. It was initially meant for Joe Cocker who will perform an incredible cover of "With A Little Help For My Friend" at Woodstock.

The first weak moment is for sure "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". Just press next and listen to "Oh Darling". It is an excellent song from Paul even if he had some problems with his voice at the time. John has even said that :" He could have done a better job, but since Paul wrote it, he should be on the leading vocals".

"Octopus Garden" is the second song written by Ringo in the Fab Four history. It is also one of my fave from Ringo when he was in charge of the lead vocals.

The closing number of side one "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is my second preferred track from this album. And so it was some thirty four years ago when I discovered it. It is a dual song with two separate parts. It is their second longest composition (after "Revolution 9") and features an hypnotic and heavy guitar riff with an abrupt finale which was desired by John. The band developped a long and vibrant instrumental section, which was not the standard for the band.

The contrast with "Here Comes The Sun" is enormous, especially when you listen to the CD version since it just comes straight after. I already made this type of comment for "Rubber Soul" when "Michele" finished side one and "What Goes On" started side two.

It is another of the very good George composition. He wrote it while being at his friend Eric Clapton's house. He just grab an acoustic guitar, walked in the garden, thought of the never ending English winter and wrote this great song. Sounds so easy... Lennon did not participate in the recording.

In terms of melody "Because" is probably the most beautiful one from this album (on par with "Something"). John was really at his best while writing it. The song features interesting synthesizers work as well.

IMO, it ends the most interesting part of this album. The next eight songs are some sort of "suite" of which "Sun King" is very soft and melodic. But there is little consistency in this work. They are really eight different short songs.

The McCartney parts being very pleasant ("You Never Give me your Money "and "Golden Slumbers"). On the "Carry That Weight" chorus, the four members are signing (which was not often the case).

During "The End" each member will perform a short solo (even Ringo for fifteen seconds! ). It is a song with lots of theme change which should have closed this album instead of the ridiculously short "Her Majesty" The shortest track ever recorded by the Fab Four (twenty-two seconds.).

It is the Fab Four album in which McCartney was the less involved. Probably becuase he was thinking of something else...

"Abbey road" is very good and will peak at the first spot of the UK charts for seventeen weeks. Four months!

Four stars.

The artwork of this album has been so legendary that some people always refer to it whenever the cross the road. In fact in some of the social activities with my friends - especially those who knew this album we always mention "Let's do Abbey Road!" referring to crossing the road when went out together for lunch, for example. This cover has also inspired the artwork of modern band Red Hot Chili Pepper. Actually, the artwork is so mundane and nothing so special. It's probably the music that made the artwork very popular. This album contains all excellent tracks and nothing is "just good" as far as music composition. All of the songs are truly excellent. The opening track "Come Together" (4:20) is an excellent rocker with great ambient and groove. It has a powerful nuance resulting from a combination of bass guitar work and guitar plus drums. It flows beautifully with "Something" (3:02) which has some blues flavor in the music. This song is so legendary and it was one of my favorites during my childhood.

The next track "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (3:27) is a pop rock outfit that suits beautifully after "Something" and it connects naturally to another bluesy pop "Oh Darling" (3:26). "Octopus's Garden" (2:51) opens a great welcome of a song with great riffs "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" (7:47) which has very strong orientation towards rock music. "Here Comes The Sun" (3:05) gives a musical break. All the remaining songs are excellent, including: "Because" (2:45) - which has good vocal harmonies, "You Never Give Me Your Money" (4:02), "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" (1:57), "Golden Slumbers" (1:31) - "Carry That Weight" (1:36).

It's odd if we love classic rock music but do not have a copy of this legendary and truly excellent album. All songs are masterpiece and memorable.

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Despite the growth apart they were experiencing and bizarre legends that haunt this release, it shows a band at the height of their powers, modern but firmly rooted in the rock experience that came before them. Producer George Martin evidently wanted the boys to make a proper record after the brilliant but cobbled-together White Album and fun jams of the Get Back sessions, and the tracks on Abbey Road were a reasonable extension of the former. Plans to do a nearly-full side of continuous, interconnected songs that was envisioned for Pepper's but shelved (a decision long-lamented by Ringo) had finally come to fruition, and the whole feeling of the album is, ironically, charged with positivism and gleaming with electrical energy.

Starting the record with typical Beatles class is 'Come Together', John making no allusions about his increasing concern for all of us, the people pulling us apart and what needs to happen despite his rock star status, but George Harrison calms things with the delicate 'Something'. Paul is up next with two; the altogether strange fairytale of Maxwell and his magical mallet cracks even him up and is in a very 'Honey Pie' vein, and his early work with Little Richard comes screaming out in 'Oh! Darling'. 'Octopus's Garden' could best be described as a children's song, but it's 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)' that is really the shining moment on the first half, an astonishing piece even for the Fab Four with size, drive and undeniable power. It is one of their finest moments, clearly influential on all serious rock musicians to this very day and though sung by John, it sounds like a true group effort here. Harrison's flourishing talents as composer are heard on 'Here Comes the Sun', fortifying and hopeful for the future. The song is taken from material he and Eric Clapton were playing with, Harrison recalls: "Here Comes The Sun was written at the time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen: 'Sign this' and 'sign that'. Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided I was going to sag off Apple and I went over to Eric Clapton's house. The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric's acoustic guitars and wrote Here Comes The Sun".

That pretty much says it all about this period and it becomes clear that personal differences weren't the only things pulling them apart. But you'd never know it, 'Because' being one of the most beautiful group vocal performances in history (the voice tracks sans music is a must hear for fans), perfectly recorded synthesizers still sounding as fresh as ever and 'You Never Give Me Your Money' is hilarious, Paul's blues piano and tragically hip lyrics leading. Brian Wilson's extraordinary influence is heard on John's sultry and romantic 'Sun King', followed by his 'Mr. Mustard' and sister song 'Polythene Pam'. McCartney pretty much closes out the show with 'She Came in Through the Bathroom Window', throat-lumping and sublimely arranged 'Golden Slumbers', sage 'Carry That Weight', their farewell to the world with 'The End' and final, funny and wonderfully absurd 'Her Majesty'.

Though Let it Be was released a year later, this was indeed goodbye. It is a flawless testament to four young guys with good souls and a gift for rock 'n roll the world is unlikely to see again, and it was an inestimable evolutionary moment for rock.

Much can be said about the Beatles, and I unquestionably I'm in the group who consider them one of the most overrated rock bands of all time. Even though, despite much of what they play had already been experimented before, in opposite of much of what is said about them, I have to admit certain works are evolved by a particularly sublime aura. This is the case. The album flow in a continuum, containing some precious moments like Something or Here Comes the Sun which elicit a genuinely appealing feeling, some more experimental tracks, other more rocking ones, all blended perfectly in a well done production. Regarding this matter, sound effects are scattered all over the album giving a special presence to the work, and inspiring perhaps the magnanimous Dark Side of the Moon years later. Lyrics and message are as well pretty decent - In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. Together with the pretentious and self-indulgent St. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club, this is probably the best Beatles has made and a classic of the history of rock music.

If you were to listen to Meet The Beatles, and then listen to this, you wouldn't even know it was the same band. The Beatles started out as a typical 60's rock group, and then made the first prog album ever. It has complexity, unique arrangements, diversity, and longer songs. Sound like prog to you? This abum is a masterpeice like no other. Sure other DT, Yes, and Genesis albums are better, but none hold their place in rock history like Abbey Road. It starts out with a great rocker, Come Together, and just gets better from there. Later in the album comes a very heavy and proggy 8-minute track followed by the lighthearted ballad, Here Comes The Sun. Next comes the Phsycadelic Because, and then the album really begins. A 16-minute epic that defined prog as we know it. It starts out with beautiful piano chords with Paul singing, and then the rest of the band comes in. This idea is later reprised in Golden Slumbers and Carry That Weight, with elaborate arrangements. Then comes the grand finale to The Beatles, The End. The band goes back and forth with 2-bar guitar solos, and let me tell you: IT ROCKS!! Then the piano comes in and, using one of the greatest lines in rock music, And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. I love The Beatles, and this album entirely sums up why: A high recommendation those who still think The Beatles are like The Rolling Stones.

01. Come Together Come Together is one of the most famous riffs in the world of rock (the riff in question is the riff from bass of Paul), the song was kind of an anthem for John and he played throughout his solo career. The sound of the Beatles is unique and all tones are almost impossible to recreate. Has a guitar work invoked in the bottom of the music that is very difficult to hear and the vocal support of Paul were perfect. And what about the chorus? One of the most thrilling and exciting things. Question? You have a band? So enjoy this music and play on your shows you'll see is true, I can attest. It has a keyboard solo from already short of an amendment on guitar. The drums of Ringo I love. Have that timbre 'tuneless' he's one that few talk about but it should be more respected.

02. Something George does not write with the same speed of Lennon and McCartney, but when did ... God, when he did it... Such a pearl of the world songbook already re-recorded thousands of times. And special attention to the great Paul McCartney in one of the most sensational lines already written down for bass. And of course we have the hand of the 5th Beatle George Martin with beautiful orquestrations and a shy keyboard in background. The guitar break? Good solo is the more melodic that has news, regret the whole body to tell you the truth. Save George wherever you are, the more quiet of Fab Four, never got into scandals, his only fault was being too religious and believe in the wrong people (read Indian Gurus and alikes).

03. Maxwell's Silver Hammer What is this? Simple! Paul! He is one of the greatest composers who have already stepped on the planet. One of the most expensive musical of the music world. Paul song that tells a story super cool and crazy about a student who put the hammer on the head of a bunch of people (laughter), he is as brilliant? Who would imagine a demented lyrics with a melody that beautiful? Ah! And do not forget the lines of synthesizer (in 69? Yep!) And sensational guitar lines from George!

04. Oh! Darling To complement what I said up there we have the top 3 McCartney. Excellent bass (Something), excellent composer (Maxwell's Silver Hammer) and a awsome vocalist (Oh! Darling). How can someone sing so very different as if he had not doing anything much? Saw this guy! The 'ballad' has composed more emotional! Pay attention to small details (aka the whole disk).

05. Octopus's Garden Ringo's song, quiet unusual in the Beatles! Octopus's Garden is a country half way rock song with a weird chorus and modulation of tone for solo. The guitars vary and George was sensational. The voice of John and Paul too!. The voice of Ringo is the perfect for this song, he does not have what we call 'voice for singing' but in none of the songs he sang with the Beatles in any of them I have some kind of complaint.

06. I Want You (She's So Heavy) MY GOD! WHAT WOULD IT? This is BEATLES? Are you sure? These are common questions of who hears I Want You for the first time. Only this song has affected half of prog musicians on the planet (and I say the King Criimson for sure). John sings incessantly while the same phrase in almost all the music accompanies the guitar in perfect tune. And the chorus is one of the most sensational things of the world, we could be listening to this music even if she had some 30 minutes (which was delicious). The guitar break is another pearl, started with the melody of the song. And do not forget the hidden Hammonds entire range. Voice more than perfect (hey, we're talking about Beatles here, perfection is redundant). She's So ...... Heaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaavyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy !!!!!!! UAU!

07. Here Comes The Sun Well, here we started the 2nd part of the album, in fact I'm sure that this track should have been in Side 1 of the lp as all the rest is composed of small beads all linked, probably was not included in part 1 for lack of time, and many great songs! Like I said above George is a great composer, at Here Comes The Sun this does not change at all. All we know this song. The beginning of the guitar is beautiful, something genius. Fantastic melody. Great band! I love these guys.

08. Because Here we begin what should be a single track (one day I will put all together just to have the taste, laughter). The guitar and keyboard sounds that begin very well together. And the voice? All singing together in perfect vocalization. It is difficult for me to write about it because most of the time I'm singing along (laughs).

09. You Never Give Me Your Money This piano is divine, most of the melodies of Paul and the bass from the beginning? UAU! Until no more emotional power. And for diversifying the chorus is full of Honky Tonk, a kind of sallon sound. The drums of Ringo is that splendid party! A lullaby in the end only makes the most sensational thing. Great guitars at the end.

10. Sun King One step further and arrived in Sun King (which originally was called Here Comes The Sun-King, but John changed the the name, this way it is not equal to the music of George that opens the side 2). The most sensational of the band (besides the weather and the guitar 'Hawaiian') are the vocals in Spanish, very cool to hear the Beatles singing in Spanish. And again Paul hit the bass.

11. Mean Mr. Mustard Another great track! A half-moon tambourine is a percussion in the background while the band sends one of his most sensational stories about fictional characters (or not!), The effect that Paul was put in the bass is sensational.

12. Polythene Pam Polythene Pam comes in, which in itself is a continuation very cool, has a nice guitar in the background and the basic voice of John was spectacular, and was the guitar solo of course.

13. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window A hell of a melody, a guitar and a wonderful bunch of vocals in the background. Aside from the excellent chorus, and melancholy.

14. Golden Slumbers Is just fantastic! What George (Martin) did with the orchestra here haven't a price (give a look on the disc 'Love' he has launched with collages of sounds of the Beatles and will understand why the guy is genius), and once again shows that Paul is one of the best vocalists of the rock world (in my opinion the best, going to the Freddie Mercury, which is one of Great for me).

15. Carry That Weight Indeed these last 3 tracks are one. Carry That Weight have a small orchestra and a solo guitar, is perfect. Outside the piano course! Chorus is one of those for you to sing along! Want something better?

16. The End Ask for a drummer doing a solo! What does it do? Fill in with tons, snares, etc, not Ringo! Make a super simple and beautiful line. Aside from that solo are then recorded two batteries! While everybody sings' Love You 'at the bottom there George recorded one of his best solos. Well-Blues Rock. To finish the melody which is most exciting news in musical history.

17. Her Majesty Question! A sticker may be the greatest thing you ever heard? Answer! If was The Beatles of course!

Source: www.progshine.com

'The Beatles' - Abbey Road (8/10)

Generally considered to be the 'end' of the Beatles' saga, 'Abbey Road' is certainly not a dissapointing finish. It has all of the elements (especially the final 'epic' medley) that gives a feeling of wrapping up something collosal. The Beatles had a strong sense that their band was in it's dying hour, and they certainly went out with a bang.

I wouldn't say that 'Abbey Road' is the best album by the Beatles, but it's definately up there. I personally prefer their mid-era work (Revolver) if I'm going to take out an album to listen to. 'Abbey Road' is certainly the most grandiose, epic work by them though. The 'medley' that consists of almost half of the albums tracks could be considered as a mini-epic of sorts. Even though it doesn't clock in overall at an 'epic' length, it still works magic, and all of the different musical ideas getting bombarded upon the listener one after the other makes the medley feel alot longer than it really is.

There are lots of complex orchestrations here, and quirky musical ideas that makes for a really interesting trip. It's hard to believe that this is the same Beatles who only a few years back was being called a 'boyband.' This is very mature music, and you can hear the experience of age in each of the band member's playing.

A four star rating is awarded in terms of comparison, really. The only two real 'masterpieces' I would say the Beatles did were 'Revolver' and 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.' Those were done at the start of progressive music, and therefore were alot more groundbreaking. While this is excellent, and every Beatles fan should own this, I simply didn't get the same groundbreaking feeling listening to this one. It's excellent, though.

I'm not a Beatles fan, and I heard almost every song they recorded so many times that I would rather not ever hear them again, but I do enjoy this album.

Does it have some prog leanings? Soitenly, as a late great comedian would say. But it also has some spectacular songs. Come Together, Something, Oh! Darling, and Here Comes The Sun are fantastic pop tunes, and the production of them always brings a smile to my ears. Even Maxwell's Silver Hammer, while silly, is finely produced. And the group of songs that filled most of side 2 of the LP version, what more can be said.

But the gem here is I Want You (She's So Heavy). This to me is the best song the Beatles ever produced.

I've never been totally in awe of any of the Beatles works, so my rating for this is quite unusual for me. I feel that of all of the Beatles albums I've heard so far, ABBEY ROAD is the only one that has a ''timeless'' quality to it without sounding like a cluster of awkward filler tunes. A good batch of their best songs are right here.

''Here Comes the Sun'' is pure gold; an acoustic pop song with many progressive quirks, it really highlights Harrisons' songwriting skills that usually go unnoticed. If you take ''Octopus's Garden'' and ''Maxwell's Silver Hammer'' for what they're worth (goofy pop songs), neither aren't too bad. The mini-suite at the end sounds pretty corny for a while (''Mean Mr. Mustard'' for instance), but getting to ''The End'' and its guitar solos is worth it. The atmosphere of ''Sun King'', the synth in ''Because'' and the heavy jamming of ''I Want You'' should keep the progsters coming back.

The two hits at the beginning are a tad overplayed, especially ''Something'' which despite it being a Harrison piece, the song really sounds flat. ''Oh! Darling'' is an awful slow rocker that has no business here. Despite its flaws, ABBEY ROAD is a Beatles album worthy for a prog collection and maybe even a spin or two here and there.

"Abbey Road" is the 11th full-length studio album by UK rock act The Beatles. The album was released through Apple Records in September 1969 in the UK and in October 1969 in the US. This is actually the last full-length studio album recorded by the band as "Let It Be (1970)" was for the most part recorded before the recording sessions for "Abbey Road", although it was released after. The "Get Back" sessions in January 1969 (which would later become most of the "Let It Be" album) were disastrous as the band members at that point had a hard time working together and it was only after the band had agreed with long-time producer George Martin that they would do "Abbey Road" his way that they would begin sessions for that album. At this point the "Get Back" sessions were shelved.

The psychadelic tinged pop/rock that had dominated the last couple of releases by the band, were not as prevalent on "Abbey Road" which instead features lots of hard rock and blues rock leanings. The focus on experimenting with sound productions is not that dominant on "Abbey Road" either and the album overall comes off as a bit more simple and "to the point" than it´s direct predecessors. It´s not necessarily a minus though as The Beatles were still able to produce well-crafted memorable melodies and intricate vocal and song arrangements.

Tracks like "Come Together", "Something", "I Want You (She´s So Heavy)", and "The Abbey Road Medley" on Side 2 of the original LP (several short tracks that seque into each other) are among the highlights on the album but there´s nothing here that´s sub par. It´s a quality release through and through. Even the quite silly Ringo Starr led "Octopus's Garden" is bearable and one of the better Beatles tracks where he sings.

The sound production, is pleasant, organic, and professional. The great mix provides room for Paul McCartney´s bass lines which I find particularly enjoyable on this album but also George Harrison´s lead guitar work is of high quality and prospers greatly from the great quality sound production.

One of the things I mostly enjoy about "Abbey Road" is that the band seems to be enjoying themselves (which stands in stark contrast to the fact that the band were close to disintegrating at this point). Their passion for the music really shines through. I find "Abbey Road" to be a very accomplished album and one of the most important albums in The Beatles discography. Just short of a 5 star rating, but a 4.5 star (90%) ratings is well deserved.

Take a trip down ABBEY ROAD - watch your step!

The last great album from The Beatles before it all went pear shaped (as opposed to Apple). The album cover may well be the most famous location in music history. The Abbey Road crossing has become a pilgrimage for fans worldwide. The eerie 'Paul is dead' fable is strong in the iconic imagery, Paul in bare feet, out of step, a weird number plate and a cigarette ? all point to his death, don't they? The music is another matter.

The album begins brilliantly with the masterful 'Come Together', perhaps the best on the album. The nonsensical lyrics sum up the shakey era it was created 'got to be a joker he just do what he please'.

We have some other highlights on side one such as 'Octopuse's Garden', a childish romp into aquatic excess, and the brilliant 'She's So Heavy'. The guitar work on this track is sublime and features one of the best lead solos from the group. Lennon's vocals are full of angst and it has many time shifts and metrical signatures. The end goes on repetitively and very metal like in a sense and then it ends so abruptly it's a shock. Check out the version by metal warlords, Coroner!

However, the real joy is on side two. It begins with 'Here comes the sun', such a great melody and I adore 'Because' with its overlayered vocal harmonies, but the real treasure, as far as progressive territory, is the multi movement suite of the last few tracks. They all blend one into another seamlessly and are really like one lengthy track rather than a series of short tracks less than 2 minutes each. None of them feel complete and seem to be parts of unfinished songs, which in reality they were. 'Polythene Pam' is memorable and 'She came in through the bathroom window' has a wonderful guitar motif in the verses and 'carry that weight' blends into the finale 'the end'. In fact it was the end for the Beatles, at least the end of their greatness. A flawed album certainly but still worthy of any musicologists collection.

5(+), which brings here strange situation. One of few times I feel comfortable enough to give rating before, not after review. When somebody thinks, that this is useless album and is full of forgettable songs, I can oppose him and say that every one of them is masterpiece, probably the most memorable album I know. Come Together with it's opposite side of mood for Something makes pretty nice pair. Together. Crazy and madness bringing (but funny, so funny) Maxwell's Silver Hammer (bang bang) and classic rock Oh! Darling. You can say that they're little bit pop, but I'll reply that they overcomes borders of pop rock and dwells into something bigger, better and more mature. This is their dusk, after this album is just twilight. But after this song came playful Octopus's Garden.

For example these album sales. They and Elvis Presley made it so far. And both were pioneers, but while Elvis is legend in quite different style (my grandma likes listening his songs), The Beatles (my father likes listening their songs) are prog. Why ? Because all these things they created, or helped to create, or used in a way that caught audience. Why not The Monkees guys ? I suppose we all know the answer. Never mind, this I Want You is great instrumental song. Yes, there are lyrics, but as I once learned (hey father, we can listen to Abbey Road and I got all lyrics, except I Want You, I once said to him. He replied that for this song, lyrics are not needed. That I will understand. And I do), but they just express his desire. So raw and emotional song, without cheap emotional style. And consider how long this song is, so many in it. For me, it became some kind of legend, same as with the rest of album.

Both accessible (for normal people) and masterpiece (for prog lovers, who will see behind perfect rock and find perfect prog). This is something which not much albums accomplished before. Interesting part is ending of this song (still (She's So Heavy) I'm talking about), where you can think at one point that it's about to end, but timer shows still tens of seconds to the end. And when the song is over, it doesn't seem like end, more like as it want to continue, but that couldn't happen. I see it as scream of heart-broken man, who's love is rejecting him, but he's trying over and over again to reach for her. And this fake end is when he's losing hope for reaching her feelings, but then he tries it again. And finally, loses. At least I see it like this. Then happy Here Comes the Sun and better average, but overall hated by me Because and Sun King. But track-to-track ratings is not only thing from which I have final rating. And after all, I'm already decided, I'm just justifying it.

There is also second side, but a lot of words were already written. And after all, everyone writes about 2nd epic, I'll just take some time. I mean, I'm not obliged to write about every track here. All I can say now is that if first side is 5(-) - 5(+), second one is 5(+) without doubts. You're looking on masterpiece man, from legendary cover art (beaten only by Sgt. Pepper), to last tricky song.

The Grand Finale to the Greatest Band of All Time

ABBEY ROAD was the final album recorded by the Beatles, who hold the title of biggest rock band of all time and have been variously ascribed every superlative the English language holds. After the disastrous LET IT BE sessions, Paul immediately suggested the band get back together with "Fifth Beatle" George Martin, and record an album together as they had earlier in their career. The result was the perfect conclusion to the band's great career, an album with monster hits, experimentation, and great production. The album utilizes numerous elements that became staples of the Prog Rock style, placing ABBEY ROAD as probably the most important proto-prog album out there.

The album contains a huge variety of material that may seem scattered, but in fact effectively recaps the band's entire career. The bluesy "Oh Darling," perhaps better than any song on record, captures how the young band must have sounded (full of testosterone and hunger) in the basements doing covers of American songs. Harmony vocals are essential in many of the songs, with "Because" having some of the most lush of the Beatles' catalog. Ringo gets a light-hearted turn on "Octopus' Garden," which he actually wrote, and Paul gets one of his "granny tunes" (Lennon's term) on the album with "Maxwell's Silver Hammer." While this was a weaker song compared to much of the disc, it is an essential part of the Beatles style and deserved a place on this coda.

At the same time, the album also looks very much forward. George Harrison's most famous songs of his career appear here in "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun." Lennon leads off the album with the singular "Come Together" which might have been rather ordinary without the minimalist combination of Ringo's drumming, Paul's rolling bass line, and Billy Preston's keys. Lennon also lends a progressive wink on the extended "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" with its juxtaposition of styles and quite intense timbred sounds courtesy of guitar and Moog.

The second side contains the somewhat controversial medley. In fact the entire side forms a continued whole, and its suite-like construction became a recurrent element in prog to this day. Without a doubt, the piece has a pasted together feeling, and several of the transitions are extremely abrupt. Some were unfinished from previous records, but more importantly, some of the ideas may not have sustained an entire song. As they are, they are the coda to the coda, a final flourish recapping not only the album, but the career of the greatest rock band there may ever be.

ABBEY ROAD is a masterpiece of rock, prog, music, and art in general created during the memory of those currently living.

The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969)

The perfect record...

I really love Sgt. Peppers, I like the old beatles songs and I'm still trying to get a vinyl of the White album and Rubber Soul. This album however was a big letdown!

The production of the album is very good and the sound is clean but OK. The songs however are very very boring! There are only two tracks I can enjoy, Come Together (of which the intro was recycled) and the great Hear Comes the Sun. All other tracks are boring or even painfull. I know this oppinion might be very provocotive for some members of our society, but it's just my opinion. I just miss the excitement of Sgt. Pepper's or the catchy tracks of other Beatles albums, or even the experiments with recording and rare instruments. All gone.

It's truly amazing how this album became one of the best selling and rated albums of the Beatless. My guess it's because it has a lot of easy popsongs. If you like popsongs this might still be a good album for you, but if you're in search for progressive music you'd better skip on this one because you'll only find intelligent and atmospheric songwriting on Here Comes the Sun. Two stars. Way to much filler.

If, like me, you prefer your Beatles bearded and barefoot, then ABBEY ROAD is likely your favourite from the Fab Foursome. Sure, SGT. PEPPER'S was more influential, and THE BEATLES (AKA "The White Album") has twice the tune-age, but this one is just plain flawless, with some of the best, most polished material The Beatles and producer George Martin ever committed to tape.

As you may know, the Beatles' albums were re-mastered and re-packaged recently, and the results were great. Now is the time to start, complete or even replace your collection of CDs from the biggest band ever. As with the entirety of The Beatles catalog, ABBEY ROAD is much better than before thanks to the re-master. The sound sparkles, and is more clearly defined -- you can hear individual instruments and nuances you may have been completely unaware of before. The packaging is also a class act: the fragile old plastic jewel box is gone, replaced by durable, esthetically-pleasing and environmentally friendlier cardboard. There are loads of great photos, historical notes, recording notes and a mini documentary on the making of the album, to further sweeten the deal. The documentary can be played on your computer, and features video and more photos, plus audio commentary from the Fabs themselves. Gear! Does it get any better than this? Well, yes: I can't speak for your country, but around these parts the re-masters are selling for nearly ten dollars less than previous inferior editions. I often wondered why Beatles CDs needed to be so expensive (typically around $25 Canadian, compared to average CD costs of 18 to 20 dollars). Now here they are, sounding and looking better than ever, for just 15 bucks a pop. Thank you, universe!

Of course, as I indicated above, ABBEY ROAD may just well be the finest of The Beatles' long-haired classics. Some of the biggest and best hits are here, including Lennon's ultra-cool album opener "Come Together," Harrison's beautiful and romantic "Something" and his uplifting "Here Comes the Sun," McCartney's cheerfully dark "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," and Ringo's wistful, escapist kiddy favourite "Octopus's Garden." The Liverpool Lads were in top form here, and working very well together as a band. The mood was good, and the result was the career high note that should have been the last release (if it all had to end as it soon did -- leaving a then ten year-old me in tears of disbelief at the news). McCartney's "You Never Give Me Your Money" may not have made the old blue 67- 70 hits compilation, but man, it's an absolute gem, and the melancholy longing for lost innocence in the line "Once there was a way to get back homeward, once there was a way to get back home" now moves me more than ever. Finally, and best of all, the seamless song-cycle that forms the album's second half is, simply, stupendous. On the mini-doc, Sir Paul tells us that as he and John entered the iconic studio, they had "lots and lots of bits of things-- and we hit upon the idea of medlying them all, which gave the second side... a kind of operatic structure." Paul, Ringo and your humble reviewer are in agreement; quoth Ringo: "one of the finest pieces we put together."

ABBEY ROAD is a rock masterpiece, and no less than a landmark of 20th-Century popular music and culture. It's a timeless album to live, love, and revisit again and again. Remember, folks: "and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." Hear, hear!

For those who have been following my recent review streak might have already guessed my opinion on Abbey Road, but why would I have it any other way? Besides, what better way is there to celebrate my 500th review than by exploring this gem of a release?

After a solid streak of studio albums the Beatles finally stuck gold with the release of Abbey Road. Unfortunately the journey leading up to this point has been straining on the quartet, meaning that this turned out to be their final group effort. It's almost impossible not to experience the feeling of sadness when listening to this this album, but they say that if you plan to go out, make sure to do it on a high note. I honestly can't think of a better example of such occurrence.

After the exhausting The White Album-sessions followed by the even more nerve wrecking preparations for the Get Back performance, that was meant to revive the band's enthusiasm but instead did more damage than good, the Beatles had all the odds against them. Although, if we've learned anything about this band then it's the fact that they always worked best under pressure. According to the later interviews conducted with both Paul McCartney and George Harrison both members claimed that they knew that this particular recording session was going to be their final group effort. Whether this is actually true or not is entirely debatable, still the fact that this great album exist only adds to the already well established legacy left by the Beatles.

It's as if everyone in the band decided to chip in and do their best no matter the consequences. George Harrison had finally completed his songwriting maturity cycle and even surpassed Lennon/McCartney with Something and Here Comes The Sun. Ringo Starr also managed to chip in one his better offerings with Octopus's Garden, co-written by Harrison, this is easily the most enjoyable track Starr composed while being in the band. Of course Paul McCartney and John Lennon did their best to maintain their songwriting quality all the way to the end. Among the notable performances related to prog I Want You (She's So Heavy) is easily the most prog-related composition with Billy Preston playing the h#ll out of the Hammond organ towards the end while the abrupt ending is pure genius!

Still, the highlight of this album comes towards the end with the Abbey Road Medley that occupies most of side two. Since I've heard different opinions as to which songs are considered a part of this medley let me clarify by saying that I'm talking about Because and onwards. This medley was suppository composed out of incomplete song ideas from Lennon/McCartney but it's difficult to hear it considering how well each section fits in with the rest of the medley. Paul McCartney's outro section, beginning with She Came In Through The Bathroom Window is easily the highpoint of this album for me just for the sheer joy I get from hearing these masterful song hooks.

The final offering from the Beatles showed the band finally achieving their well deserved prog related credentials and it's a masterpiece well worth exploring! I can understand everyone who prefers the more cheerful side of the band on Revolver or Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band but those albums never sounded like complete self sufficient masterpieces to me. Abbey Road, on the other hand, has that special feeling plus a bunch of amazing stand-out moments attached to it. Essential for all fans of creative music!

***** star songs: Come Together (4:20) Something (3:02) Here Comes The Sun (3:05) Because (2:45) You Never Give Me Your Money (4:02) Mean Mr Mustard (1:06) Polythene Pam (1:12) She Came In Through The Bathroom Window (1:57) Golden Slumbers (1:31) Carry That Weight (1:36) The End (2:19) (Her Majesty) (0:23)

**** star songs: Maxwell's Silver Hammer (3:27) Oh Darling (3:26) I Want You (She's So Heavy) (7:47) Octopus's Garden (2:51) Sun King (2:26)

I'm surprised to see 2 and also 3 stars reviews of what I consider an absolute masterpiece. This is one of the first albums on which each songs fades into the following like in many acclaimed progressive albums to come in the following years (The Wall and Misplaced Childhood just to mention some...) and this is the same year of the King Crimson's debut that many people consider as the first progressive album of the history.

Abbey Road is pop, some of the songs are famous hits, but this adds value to an album that can be enjoyed like a suite and has many elements that can easily be called "progressive".

"Come Together" is a great opener and one of the most famous Beatles' songs. Some pop mellow songs are interludes to pop-rock moments. Many of the songs of this album have had excellent covers during the years, since Joe Cocker's version of She's coming through the bathroom window" to the medley played by Transatlantic on Live In Europe.

Songs like Polythene Pam, Here Comes The Sun, and of course Octopus's Garden (look at my nickname) are evergereen classics.

This is the 199th review of this album so there's no much that I can say that hasn't already been said. For me it's one of the most important albums ever and is the only one Beatles album that I sometimes enjoy still today.

I can't find the 6-stars checkbox, so it's only 5.

As a rule, I refuse to give 5 stars to any album in Proto or Related. If this was a plain vanilla rock site, this would get 5 stars from me. I think Revolver has better songs but Abbey Road is far more consistent. And there's Moog here. You can't go wrong with Moog(even something like Switched-On Bach is nice).

"Come Together" has some of Lennon's best lyrics("Got to be good looking cuz he's so hard to see"). "Octopus's Garden" is the best song Ringo wrote while a Beatle. Abbey Road also has some of his best drumming. "I Want You(She's So Heavy)" is one of the greatest songs ever. Period. "Here Comes The Sun" is the best song George did while a Beatle. His guitar tone on this album is fabulous. Before this was recorded Harrison released one of the first electronic albums, Electronic Sounds. You can hate this band all you want but you'll never convince anyone that they were not influential.

The so-called Long Medley("You Never Give Me Your Money" to "The End") is fantastic and a precursor to the beloved epics of prog. "You Never Give Me Your Money" is possibly my favourite Beatles song. It's like 4 or 5 songs in one. "Mean Mr. Mustard" has great fuzz- bass. "Golden Slumbers" has the best vocals McCartney ever did with the group. "The End" is great proto-prog; it has drumming in stereo and George, Paul and John trade guitar solos. Sweet. "Her Majesty" was removed from the medley(it was originally between "Mustard" and "Polythene Pam"). It's a throwaway the band didn't want on the album.

"Because" was always one of my favourites here. John, Paul and George recorded their vocals three times each, so you are literally listening to nine Beatles singing. The instrumentation is just superb with an electric guitar arpeggio(Lennon), electric harpsichord(George Martin) and Moog(Harrison). This was the last song the three ever recorded together. Now let's talk Moog. Paul plays it on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"(the happiest song about murder); George plays it on "Here Comes The Sun"; and John plays it on "I Want You"(the noisy part at the end).

The first time many people heard a synthesizer for the first time was on this album. But the Beatles were no pioneers in this department; The Monkees, The Byrds and Simon & Garfunkel had already used Moog. It's strange that a band as big as the Beatles was only using 8-track to record this album. Obscure(at the time) American artists like Zappa and The Grateful Dead were using 16-track in 1969. British studios were behind their American counterparts until the early 1970s.

Not much else to say really. Great album. Great Proto-Prog. 5 star effort but 4 stars for PA.

Abbey Road, what an album. After seeming distant from each other on the last few albums, to the point where some of the tracks had become solo works, it's really heartwarming to hear the band on this album, sounding as close as they ever did! With this album, we don't hear the psychedelic or eclectic noodling that made the other albums stand out. Instead, The Beatles take us back to basics, and just play extremely good rock music.

I never really liked Come Together as the opening to this album. It seems like quite a dark song, for an album that is mainly very bright. It's quite a cool track, but I have actually heard better covers!

When compared to any of The Beatles' love songs from their earlier period, Something shows you just how much this group had moved on. This is a deeply moving track with really sweet lyrics.

Maxwell's Silver Hammer is a deeply twisted track! The bouncy melody seems like just the wrong theme tune for the brutal, yet comic, murders that are outlined in the lyrics, but instead I think this song comes out just right. I really like the fun lyrics, although I've never understood the Maxwell character. Not the best song on the album musically, but a fun little track nonetheless.

Oh! Darling is best known for Paul's soulful singing. He really pours emotion into those lyrics, making this a very difficult song to cover! Fantastic song.

The reason Ringo has never been taken seriously is because of songs like Octopus's Garden. You get the feeling that he probably didn't take himself that seriously either, because he actually wrote this! It's a fun melodic track, but this is another children's song! Thematically, it's extremely close to Yellow Submarine, but this track is an improvement. It's an important song, and it's definitely well remembered, but I really wish Ringo could have concocted something more fulfilling.

Talking of fulfilling, next up is I Want You (She's So Heavy), which remains my favourite Beatles track. Structurally, it's a very simple track, and with all three verses having exactly the same lyrics. However, this track has some of the best music around. At 7:47, this is the longest proper Beatles song (discounting Revolution 9 which is ...). I particularly like the jazzy instrumental verse section, with brilliant drumming, and a great subtle guitar solo. However, this is nothing compared to the jawdropping 3:10 coda, played entirely in 6/8 with one of the greatest chord progressions ever. The chords repeating in this way set a prog rock standard, and there are countless songs that finish in such a way! To name a few, Yes's Starship Trooper, Uriah Heep's July Morning and Steve Hackett's Shadow of the Hierophant. In fact, Dream Theater made a much more direct tribute in their song Pull Me Under which finishes in the same abrupt way as this track. Bursting with prog, this is undeniably The Beatles' most epic track.

Here Comes The Sun opens the second side, and what a beautiful track this is. This is a song for all the proggies, as the 'Sun, Sun, Sun, here it comes' section has many odd time signatures built into it.

I've always found Because to be incredibly creepy. This song borrows the 6/8 theme from I Want You but turns it into a 4/4 theme. The lyrics are really deep, and possibly pretentious, but I won't judge them.

The next 8 tracks form a 16 minute piece of music commonly known as the Abbey Road Suite. I recently joined these tracks together on my computer for two reasons. Firstly, I'm a prog fan and in my world, longer generally means better. Secondly, if I didn't, then I'd barely every give tracks like Sun King a listen. The medley starts with You Never Give Me Your Money which is a great standalone song. It's quite progressive in nature too, as there are several parts to the song. Sun King is quite dull, and towards the end gets a bit silly, with nonsense lyrics made to resemble Spanish. The next couple of songs, Mean Mr. Mustard and Polythene Pam have a rough unfinished feel to them, and I've never been a particular fan of either. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window is an improvement with good lyrics, and more structured writing. The music temporarily stops before Golden Slumbers begins. This is a beautiful section with lovely lyrics, and mature instrumentation. Carry That Weight is an anthemic track which brings back a theme from the beginning of the medley, making this feel more like a prog epic. The End has always been my favourite part of the medley. There is a brilliant drum solo from Ringo, followed by a wonderful guitar solo which is actually played by all three guitarists. Some brilliant 'words of wisdom' help bring this epic, and indeed The Beatles, to a close.

However, there's a surprise 'encore'! Her Majesty is actually an out-take from the medley, which was originally placed between Mean Mr. Mustard and Polythene Pam, before Paul had it edited out as he felt it was out of place. It accidentally got stuck on the end of the album, and as a result, does not appear on the vinyl sleeve, making it one of the first 'bonus tracks'. I do agree with Paul's decision, and, in fact, it's quite sweet that you just get to hear a little bit more of The Beatles before they were really gone. Very much like an encore indeed.

Abbey Road is one of the most iconic and well known albums of all time. It's one of my favourite Beatles albums and deserves to be in everyone's music library. I feel quite sad reviewing this album, as Abbey Road marked the end of a musical legacy that has transcended time. The Beatles are objectively one of the best bands in the history of rock music, and I don't think there's any band that could come close to being as musically ingenious and well-recognised as them. With some brilliant pop tunes, some very progressive songwriting, and an amazing 16-minute faux-epic medley, this album deserves no less than the perfect five-star rating.

A dignified but not exceptional exit for a band that knew in its heart of hearts that its time was up, Abbey Road is a far better way to remember the Beatles than the patchwork monster that is Let It Be (even though it has its own weird patchwork of ideas that don't really sit together properly in the form of the side 2 medley). With numbers like Come Together, the joyful Octopus's Garden (possibly Ringo's best songwriting contribution to a Beatles album) and the sublime Something (again, one of George's best tracks) and so on the album in some respects represents a preview of the directions many of the Fab Four's solo careers would go.

It's not altogether perfect, of course - She's So Heavy's outro goes on for too long without introducing any real variation beyond the gently increasing white noise, whilst Maxwell's Silver Hammer is an unfunny joke track - Lennon dismissed it as more of McCartney's "granny music", and I can't say I disagree on that point. But let's face it: by 1969, the situation of the band had deteriorated to the point where it would be futile to expect perfection, and perhaps we should be glad it's as good as it is.

The Beatles has never been among my very dearest bands but I enjoy their later albums. This is their finest in my opinion. (What an awkward situation it would be if I didn't like this, when it comes to the rating! Maybe my five stars do have some sort of extra for Absolute Classic Album By The Absolute Classic Band in Rock History, because after all I don't listen to this - or The Beatles in general - too often in my life. But yes, five stars it shall be.)

If the group was about to disband, it really don't show in the music. It's so full of cheerful energy. Well, John Lennon's (darker?) contribution is maybe smaller than usual; I have understood this album is very much Paul McCartney's child - and without his uncompromising working attitude the album possibly would have never been finished. Why on earth his solo output seems so much less impressive then? The Beatles must have been a playground for great individuals challenging each other. Also "the black horse" George Harrison brought his best known compositions here, lush love song 'Something', which has been covered by dozens of artists, and bright 'Here Comes The Sun'.

The first side includes also the deliciously ironic 'Come Together', fantastically over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek 'Oh Darling' with Paul's best vocals ever, and magnificent 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)'. One could consider two hilarious Ringo Starr numbers ('Maxwell's Silver Hammer' and 'Octopus's Garden') as weaker links of the great album, but they give their share to the overall charm.

The second side is a seamless suite of songs (too bad it doesn't have a name, only separate track titles), and especially by many progheads often considered their finest moment. There are a couple of rougher parts I usually skip, but they too are crucial to the artistic whole. The first part, 'Because', is fantastic (I'm really running out of superlatives!) slow and mystic-feeling song with lovely harpsichord sound and vocal harmonies. I remember it once being used, to a great effect, in a TV document about fractals. The next song, 'You Never Give Me Your Money', has beautiful melancholic melody that's genuinely repeated near the end of the suite. 'Golden Slumbers' is so heartachingly beautiful McCartney ballad that it's probably self-mockery. Even with some less enjoyable sections this suite is amazing and hasn't dated at all. A masterpiece album, no question about it. Also the superb level of production is very rare for its time.

Amazing; the best Beatles album and a triumph in 20th century pop music. It seems that 1969 was a peak in British and American music, and that certainly applies to George Harrison, who on this record delivered two of the greatest pop songs ever written. Paul was prolific as ever in his creation of mega-catchy melodies and innovative genre-blending, while John continued to write increasingly complex music (touching on progressive rock), and Ringo proves he can also write a decent song. Enhancing the fab four and helping defuse their explosive arguments, keyboard extrordinaire Billy Preston, who mingles in soulful jazz electric piano and pure rock organ. Add to that a plethora of super-producers (including the formidable organiser of sound Alan Parsons, and proven master of instrument clarity Ken Scott) all under the masterful eye of George Martin himself, and you can see exactly how and why the greatest and most innovative band to walk the Earth managed to go out on an unequaled high.

'Come Together' is smoky, funky jam rock with great singing and playing from everybody. 'Something' has beautiful chords, simply effective lyrics and is expertly arranged. Both reached number one, at a time when that meant something. 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' is one of Paul's whimsical pieces of "granny music", made wonderful by the lyrics, contagious melody, and great interludes on the then- new Moog synthesizer. 'Oh! Darling' is nothing new, in fact it harks back to Fifties 6/8 swamp pop, yet it's sheer style and passionate singing makes it one of my absolute favourite Beatles songs. Then we have Ringo's 'Octopus's Garden', which is lovely enough to listen to that you forget about the grammatical error in the title. Closing an overwhelming first side is the rather epic 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)', which sees John Lennon influenced by the latest blues rock guitar styles. Preston makes this track even better. The time signature alternates to an incredibly dark, foreboding passage that never ends (until it is cut off without mercy by an engineer).

The second half of Abbey Road wows me even more, starting with 'Here Comes The Sun', surely the song where George overtakes Paul as the best writer of melodies in the band. 'Because' is a haunting, philosophical masterpiece from John, where thick, three-part harmonies are laid over harpsichord and guitar arpeggios. Then, it is the suite; the indicator that The Beatles would have been a prog band in the Seventies if they'd not split up. 'You Never Give Me Your Money' is another of the band's great group pieces, without a chorus or a verse, rather a linear journey across many moods and times. It flows via nature sounds into the Fleetwood Mac inspired 'Sun King'. More lush vocals create a Mediterranean feel, and Lennon's chords are as original as they get. Things naturally segue into 'Mean Mr Mustard' and 'Polythene Pam', a pair of rock songs that are just good fun. 'She Came In Through The Bathroom Window' has a great beat to it, and a brief pause signals the finale of the album, consisting of 'Golden Slumbers', a beautiful vocal piece, 'Carry That Weight', which climactically reprises the start of the suite, and then, 'The End'. This song features solos from all four members of the band, and concludes with one of the best couplets ever. There is a misplaced 26 seconds of folk in 'Her Majesty', just to outline that this was a band that never took itself too seriously, even in the end (uh, the very, very end).

Everybody should hear Abbey Road. It has the most consistently high quality songwriting of any Beatles album, the crispest sound, the best playing and solos, and feels more like a piece of art than a 'collection of tunes'. I love it, and I will listen to it as long as I live.

Abbey Road was certainly a change in direction for The Beatles. I heard it the day it was released to record stores in the United States. Over and over. My best friend's nineteen year old brother had just bought it and played it non-stop the entire day while I was there. He kept coming out of his room saying things like, "Are you hearing this?" "Isn't this amazing?" I was hearing and feeling an album very different from the heavily-played-at-home-by-my-mother Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour--both of which I loved. I wasn't disliking what I was hearing, I just wasn't sure of how I felt. Ambiguous. The feelings the album was evoking in me were ones of simplicity, peace, patience, determination, ennui, clarity, steady pacing, and spacing. None of these were feelings that I had typically associated with Beatles songs or albums. So, needless to say, it took me a while to digest and appreciate Abbey Road. Plus, I was distracted for a while by the album's added fuel to the raging fire around the "Paul is dead" rumors. (I had friends who were quite fanatical about all of the "evidence" in the albums, covers and literature. On this one Paul's bare feet on the album cover picture were sure signs that he was the cadaver, Ringo, in black, the undertaker, John, in white, the minister/priest, George, in jeans, the lay representative--stuff like that!) When my brother brought home the album all we ever really heard was Side One. The radio was playing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" a lot (which I always thought was a silly song-- more like a medieaval nursery rhyme). The music was at times too heavy for my delicate tastes ("Come Together" and "She's So Heavy") and because of my language disability, the lyrics were non-objects to me. (I do not hear lyrics; that is, I am unable to make sense of spoken or sung words--unless I read them repeatedly along with listening to the song. I am too distracted by the music. To me, singing is merely another instrument added to the tapestry of the fabric.) Plus, some of the songs shifted radically or went on longer than the two-to-three minutes to which I was accustomed. (I was a young, unworldly 11 years old.) To this day, the impression left on me by Abbey Road is one of ennui; I could really care less if it were ever made or if I ever hear it (or it's songs) again. (Though "Octopus's Garden" and "Here Comes the Sun" were fun for my child-raising/parenting experience.) As to a more cerebral, intellectual perspective on the value to the album to the future of music and to the inception of "prog," I do believe it added to the world's views as to what directions were possible for musical exploration. Is it the most influential Proto-prog album of all-time? I do no think so. Not by a long shot. Don Ellis Orchestra Live at Monterey, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, Days of Future Passed, several Frank Zappa albums, Are You Experienced?, and even Magical Mystery Tour all rate higher than Abbey Road for me.

Abbey Road is one of the best Beatles albums, and that says something.

The weakest track on the album is "Oh! Darling," and I think that says something, too: while it's by no means a great song, each of the other sixteen* is better. My only other criticism is that nearly eight minutes, "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is a bit long. I do appreciate the need for the song to be longer than the usual track, by the way; I think in particular that the three-minute coda gets a little monotonous. But overall, the songwriting here is excellent. In fact, among all Beatles LPs, Abbey Road represents the best balance among the group's songwriters. Although Paul McCartney doesn't have a standout track, his contributions to the Side Two medley are pretty good - - especially "You Never Give Me Your Money," "Golden Slumbers," and "Carry That Weight." Ringo Starr's contribution, "Octopus's Garden" is delightful, and John Lennon turns in both "Because" and "Come Together," the latter being one of his best Beatles songs. The real star, though, is George Harrison, as his best two songs, "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun," are both here.

While few bands have produced a song as incredible as "Here Comes the Sun," "Something" is in another league. Among Beatles songs, "Something" is only equaled by "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," "She Loves You," "I Saw Her Standing There," and "Eleanor Rigby," and is surpassed only by "Penny Lane." Of course, to be fair to Lennon and McCartney, Harrison learned from the best. Every compositional aspect of "Something" is fantastic, from the way the verse-chorus melody builds and resolves to the contrast the bridge provides to the incredible guitar solo. And the hopeful but ambivalent the lyrics ("you're asking me, 'will our love grow?' / I don't know; I don't know") are on a par with the writing of Lennon or McCartney.

In addition to the compositions, the instrumental and vocal performances (and in particular the choral performances on "Because" and "Sun King") are superb. As the group's bass guitarist, McCartney outdoes himself, so to speak, on "I Want You (She's So Heavy);" surprisingly, the appropriately conventional bass line on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is played by Harrison, the lead guitarist. In turn, McCartney, Lennon, and Harrison play successive guitar solos on "The End," the song which also features a drum solo by Starr.

While I still consider Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band to be the Beatles' best LP, Abbey Road and Revolver are also strong contenders. It's particularly remarkable that the band produced Abbey Road after two relatively weak albums (The Beatles and Let it Be, the latter finalized and released after Abbey Road).

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*counting each track on the 2009 CD as a separate song.

Abbey Road has a first side of songs that characterize the styles of their authors: two remarkable Lennon rock- blues; two by McCartney, a pop song (the usual Macca song that takes the Beatles out of rock and in light music for families and children) and a remarkable rock and roll; a Harrison melodic classic and a tasty Ringo country. A second side follows where almost all the songs are mixed together, to form a suite that anticipates those of progressive rock (Colosseum's Valentyne Suite will be released shortly after). Both sides are very thick and, in particular, the second side of Abbey Road is the most innovative and certainly the best of all the second sides of the Beatles albums (average 8.00) since in this case there is no , as happened in practice in each previous album, no drop in quality: the compositions intended for facade B are not "minor", compared to those of side A - however, it may also be that the three central segments, by Lennon, if developed into real songs, they would have given rise to minor pieces. Slow, atmospheric love songs are missing from the album, there is not the usual honeyed retro song by McCartney, on the other hand there is a sweet and vocal song by Lennon. Abbey Road, as well as Let It Be, printed later but recorded earlier, marks a return of the Beatles to rock, after the psychedelic hangover of 1966-67, in which McCartney mainly recorded vaudeville and retro songs of every possible musical genre, with orchestral arrangements more than rock, and Harrison raga songs with Indian arrangement.

Abbey Road is a rock album with a much smoother sound than the White Album, but also much more 70s, and in fact the synthesizers appear, the only case in the Beatles discography. In this album, Lennon signs two little Beatlesian rock songs, which place the Beatles on the same level as the rock-blues bands of the time (Rolling Stones, Cream), and two very original melodic and atmospheric songs; Harrison writes his two most famous songs: a melodic classic, and a folk classic; McCartney does not write any of his true classics (but the weakest song on the album) but, in reality, he places on the second side two piano songs, with a beautiful intro, which then evolve into two mini rock suites that constitute the avant-garde peak of the album. The disc opens with Come Together, which for bass and drums constitutes a unicum in the Beatles discography. It is a very refined rockblues ballad, with dark and sensual atmospheres which brings the Beatles towards much more "heavy" music than pop music. On an instrumental level, it is excellent, each Beatles gives its best in the arrangement: bass, drums, solo guitar, singing.

Something is a much lighter song that however delights for the melody, and for the bridge, fantastic, one of the most evocative crescendo of the Beatles, which unfortunately has the defect of not being repeated a second time. Frank Sinatra will make it his own, dilate it and, of course, he will be able to emphasize bridge and repeat it. Something remains a small masterpiece, which could have been a great masterpiece with an extra bridge and greater pathos in singing. Maxwell Silver Hammer opens the Macca songs on the first side. It is a vaudeville goliardic pop, at a slow medium rhythm, which lowers the quality of the disc but which, at least, enjoys a good musical arrangement, suitable for a rock complex, with synths in the foreground, which does not make it appear a song too dated or for children. Oh Darling is a doo-woop song and you don't understand if it is a parodic, caricatural piece or just an emphaticpiece: in any case it's a great song, however retro. It is a rock and roll to listen to at full volume, where Paul stirs the listener between singing and bass. Great work also on drums and guitar. The song alternates the melodious voice with a hoarse voice, scraped up to the throat, which fills the refrain with an emphasis on the limit of excessive.

Ringo arrives (helped by Harrison in the composition) with his pop-country: an excellent solo of Fender guitar by Harrison with a clear sound, a beautiful singing, an excellent arrangement with noises of bubbles in the instrumental part. It is his second (and last) song for the Beatles, and fills the first side with freshness. In closing, I Want You - She's So Heavy, is a long, heavy, gloomy and obsessive song, which makes the most of its minimal text. Not loved by Beatles fans (because it's too rock and gloomy), on the contrary it is one of their absolute masterpieces. The depth and intensity that Lennon knows how to touch with his voice and the hypnotic guitar tour that goes on for 7 minutes is unsustainable for lovers of the cheerful and carefree Beatles of two minutes. The first side ends like this, with I Want You being cut (the recording tape ends, and the Beatles decide to leave this ending). As for the quality of the songs, and the refinement of the instrumental arrangements we are at very high levels (average above 8), however in terms of sequence, smoothness and sonic innovations, the first side of Sgt Pepper (and also of White Album) are superior to it.

1) Come Together 8,5 ; 2) Something 8+; 3) Maxwell Silver Hammer 6,5/7; 4) Oh Darling 8+; 5) Octopus's Garden 7,5; 6) I want you ' She's So Heavy 9;

The second side opens with a large melodic folk piece by Harrison. Just the phrasing of guitar and singing to delight, in this very simple song. In the middle, a one-sentence bridge repeated 5 times, with crescendo of synthesizers, then returning to the initial melody. A song that remains in mind. Follows Because, voices and synthesizers, a very beautiful melody reminiscent of Beethoven's Moonlight, dreamy choruses, an atmospheric song that lacks development. Here is finally McCartney, with You Never Give Me Your Money, a song little known to most but which represents one of his artistic peaks. Written as a response to Lennon's Happiness Is a Warm Gun, which was a condensation of changes in rhythm and melody, You Never ... is a minisuite, with a beautiful piano start, melodic, to then become a boogie, then return melodic and end with a country atmosphere at night, with the sound of crickets, which is mixed with the medley of three pieces of Lennon's songs. First there is the atmospheric instrumental of Sun King, very nice, it looks like a soundtrack, then the romantic voices arrive but soon transmute into the mocking goliardic of an Italian-Spanish language that it is not known where it could go to save unless the piece arrives by Mean Mr. Mustard (one minute), with a fast pace, which unfortunately ends too early in the guitars of Polithene Pam (a minute and a half), in which the sound of the voice seems distant and the excited rhythm has no time to unfold in something more accomplished. All in all these three pieces of Lennon are interlocutors, and they surprise, amaze with their changes in sound and rhythm but do not give time to be appreciated.

Polythene Pam results in a continuum of guitars in a better developed Macca song (two minutes), a good almost complete guitar rockblues piece (Joe Cocker will make a great cover), She Came In Through The Bathroom Window, which closes too quickly. Overall, so far this medley, made up of a real song by Paul (You Never ...), three pieces by John, and an almost song by Paul, after an excellent start suffers from an incomplete fusion of music and sound in its various passages : the pieces appear superimposed a little too quickly on each other (it would have helped if Lennon's had lasted longer), and before and after Mean Mr. Mustard there are no connecting phrases, however the sequence holds up well and the piece of Mr. Mustard serves to give a change of gear.

After She Came Trhogh The Bathroom Window there is a pause, a part of the medley finishes and another decidedly more compact begins, with Golden Slumbers, which has a great effect: it opens with a melodious and romantic piano line, it becomes serious in the vocal crescendo of Macca, who forgets that he is singing a lullaby, returns melodious with a beautiful background of strings, of a somewhat expressive romanticism, and then explodes in the chorus of Carry That Weight, which is halfway between the goliardic and the epic; then it takes refuge in a reprise with trumpets, beautiful, of You Never Give Me ... The choir of Carry That Way returns and then changes its pitch and rhythm to flow into the instrumental that sees first Ringo then the three Beatles grapple with a solo (always very simple compared to the jams of the rockblues complexes of the time). The three guitarists are called and respond to each other with the same number of guitar phrases per head. The solo of the three guitarists is a very genuine and amused solo, which reflects the Beatles' behavior in the studio: they were having fun, like in the old days. Ringo, on the other hand, did not perform a real solo, because he refused but his teammates fooled him: they removed the guitars from the mix channels and so almost only Ringo's drums remain, which perform a really simple and elementary rhythm, so much so that many criticized Ringo for this rudimentary solo: but he didn't know he was doing it! He was not doing any solo! Closes the percussive piano on which Paul sings the maxim of The End ("And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make"). It was supposed to be the end of the album but McCartney couldn't resist and inserted the acoustic piece by Her Majesty, which was a piece excluded from the previous medley.

7) Here Comes the Sun 8; 8) Because 7,5; 9) You Never Give Me Your Money 8,5; 10) Sun King/Mean Mr Mustard/ Polithene Pam 7+/7,5/7+/ 7,5; 11) She Came Through the Bathroom Window 7,5/8 ; 12) Golden Slumbers/Carry That Way/ The End 8,5/9/8+/ 8,5/9; 13) Her Majesty.

Overall, it is the most adult Beatles album, which leaves little space for cheerful and carefree songs, vaudeville, exuberance (even the rhythms are decidedly medium, not high), with retro arrangements: it is an album completely played by a rock complex (and it is the most refined musically, the Beatles show that they are also great instrumentalists), with the addition of orchestration to make some melodic moments memorable. Like Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road is a well-kept album, which is developed according to a precise idea (both albums have a song that is resumed, to sign a concluded circle, which for Abbey Road is valid only for the second side), however divided in two distinct parts; compared to Sgt Pepper does not have that festive and flowing and varied beginning, sometimes with pyrotechnic sounds and arrangements, which is maintained for most of Pepper, on the other hand Abbey Road is more reflective, homogeneous, deep; psychedelia is replaced by a greater romanticism alternating with blues gloom. Like Let It Be, it is less heterogeneous than the albums ranging from 1966 (Revolver) to 1968 (White Album), more compact, without Indian or retro or orchestral sounds but, compared to Let It Be, Abbey Road is finished with extreme precision and coordination in the studio between the various Beatles and George Martin (while Let It Be is recorded live, only to undergo posthumous orchestrations); moreover, it has better pieces.

Abbey Road, although not the album that has most affected in the history of the Beatles (and pop music), and although it is not the most innovative album in terms of sounds and arrangement (the palm of these peaks is up to Sgt Pepper), on the whole their greatest masterpiece, as the best rock album, containing the most mature and valuable songs, and as played with the best instrumental skill, and with the same care of Pepper's arrangements; and where Pepper is one of the first albums concept (however broadly speaking), Abbey Road is one of the first albums with suites that anticipate those of progressive. It is a masterpiece of composition and arrangement, with high quality songs, without any significant drop in tone, summa of the Beatles' styles but with an eye to represent it with contemporary rock sounds, without falling into light music, and with a second side that wants be experimental for the long sequence of pieces of tracks mixed together, the original and seminal solution of progressive.

Medium quality of the songs: 8,02: Rating: 9,5/10; Five stars.

According to the recording dates or so, "Abbey Road" released in September 1969 could be thought as the 'last' album by The BEATLES. Contrary to the very last album "Let It Be" set with lots of masterpieces, this album features less 'smash hits' than the following one but possibly the four talented musicians especially Paul would perfectly concentrate the overall production. Curiously it's said the producer Giant George MARTIN might have barely influenced nor touched the creation, but in "Abbey Road" George's "Inquiry spirits" and "Creativity" should live vivaciously. In addition, every single track has not only "originality" but also "homage" for the rock vanguards like Chuck BERRY or Buddy HOLLY.

Listen and we can find that the first track "Come Together" by John involves a massive homage for Chuck's "You Can't Catch Me" (later John covered and released in his album "Rock 'n' Roll"). Needless to say "Come Together" has also his innovative interpretation for Black Music and deeply heavy texture though. Such a powerful soundscape can be heard in the last track on SIde A "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" that is so simple in melody lines but at the same time possesses crazy heavy and challenging atmosphere. In Paul's "Oh! Darling" we can touch his heavy- metallic but delightful preference in those days, in the same vein of "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" in the White Album. No complication nor distortion is here. Sounds like he would have created, played and sung this song as he wanted to do. Speaking of 'as he wanted to do', Ringo's "Octopus Garden" is quirky catchy for this album but very enjoyable to feel plenty of sound effects and easygoing vibes. "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is quite unique and sarcastic stuff, flooded with splatter bloody hellish but mysteriously cheerful hints.

"Something" and "Here Comes The Sun" by George HARRISON are splendid masterpieces. His deep religious vision or outlook is pretty intriguing. These stuffs are seasoned with such a meaningful flavour but produced to incredibly brilliant, acceptable gems. Makes sense George's "My Sweet Load" won the first prize on Billboard Hot 100 ahead of other Beatle guys. On the other hand "Because" by John reflects his world vision in a peaceful manner. His lyrics are not complex but definitely are thoughtful and energetic enough to ring our bells again and again.

The Side B created by the quartet and produced almost by Paul McCARTNEY is kinda magnificent rock opera itself. Regardless of such a bad group condition as we know well, they completed the excellent suite placed on the top of the rock mountain. "You Never Give Me Your Money" is very suitable to open the theatre curtain with a colourful melodic / rhythmic pattern. Wondering what Paul said with the words 'funny papers' not money but we could easily imagine he would have found no substantial The BEATLES' existence value like 'funny papers'. Sounds at least for me like that John's "Sun King" might take on the role to respect George's vision. Calm, religious, dramatic "Sun King", and stable, sincere but slightly weird "Mean Mr. Mustard" calling for rolling stones all over the world, and the following uptempo, attractive and cynical one "Polythene Pam" are John's massive intention and attitude for missing the beatle spirits, that were featured tragically by Paul.

On the contrary, from "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" until "The End ~ Her Majesty" Paul would tell the 'last' words which should be great fit for their epilogue. Guess Paul might sing his concerns about a mysterious beautiful lady who has stolen the spirit, on this track. Drenched with sad, lonesome flavour ... who knows if they would have a bright future or not. But he tried to dig something energetic and hopeful out in the next stage "Golden Slumber" with powerful voices. Sleeping tight but do not give up his dreams, he should have said via this stuff. "Carry That Weight" featuring the highlight of "You Never Give Me Your Money" is kind of an adrenaline rush just before the finale. Everybody might get optimistic at this moment. And "The End" sounds exaggerating, pessimistic, but dreamy, that must be suitable for the end. The 20 second silence is like their, and our 'empty life' but do not throw our rock spirits out. Because he left small messages for us to keep our mind eternally in "Her Majesty" a tiny short song.

Yes they give such an enthusiastic passage towards the fantastic future.