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29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It Was 40 Years Ago Today, 1 Jun 2007
Well, almost.
What do you say about this truly iconic album, about which millions of words, both intelligent and otherwise, have been written and spoken by millions of people?
As a total package, it's brilliant, from the cover, to the cut-outs (which are much better with the LP version!) to the music itself. The sound, experimentation, the songs and the musicianship are stunning.
If you're at all interested in The Beatles, you already own this and arguments about whether or not it's the 'best' Beatles album (or even 'the best album ever') are irrelevant. But, if you're not that interested, or new to the music, I suggest this isn't the place to start.
Of course, A Day in the Life is probably The Beatles' all time greatest song, but after many hundreds of listens, I really think Revolver, its predecessor, and The Beatles, its successor, are more enjoyable albums and better demonstrate the genius of the band.
Anyway, whatever anyone says, this is still **#@! fantastic.
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25 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The genius of George Martin, 24 Jan 2004
Many people believe this album to be the greatest album ever made. But there was more to the creative genius of 'The Beatles' than Lennon and McCartney (and Harrison for that matter). What really made 'Sgt. Pepper' a quantum leap in the evolution of music history was the skill, artistry and production genius of George Martin. He was the master of the sonic soundscape that would define a generation, and turn into reality what Lennon and McCartney could only dream. You might argue about the true identity of 'the fifth Beatle', but this album demonstrates (for me atleast) that George Martin is the most deserving of that particular description.Every track is now part of popular music legend. Ranging from the twee and silly pop of McCartney in 'When I'm 64', to the fascinating and brilliant 'A Day In The Life' (a song many people regard to be the greatest Beatles song ever written), 'Sgt. Pepper' represents 'The Beatles' at their creative peak. Controversy surrounded several tracks, not least because of veiled (and sometimes downright overt) references to drugs. The BBC infact banned atleast 3 songs for that exact reason, 'Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite' and it's references to 'Henry The Horse' (both Henry and Horse being alternative terms for heroin), 'A Day In The Life' for the lyric "Went upstairs and had a smoke/then someone spoke and I went into a dream" being perceived as a direct reference to marijuana use (and on public transport too!), and of course, 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds', which according to John Lennon, was NOT about LSD. Blinding coincidence though, you'd have to say! But 'The Beatles' were experimenting with more than mere drugs when they made this album. With the expert guidance of 'straight man' Martin (from whom they would hide their joints during rehearsals like naughty schoolboys), 'The Beatles' tried everything to create an original masterpiece that would silence their critics, who couldn't understand what was taking them so long in preparing this album. But to Paul McCartney's endless joy, the end result was more stunning than even the most impatient of critics could have hoped for. And then of course is the other thing that makes 'Sgt. Pepper' stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of artistic achievement... the legendary cover art by Peter Blake. Packaged in a neat, glossy slipcase, the famous 'crowd' of living and dead celebrities is detailed on the reverse side, telling you exactly who is who. Indeed, this album is a shining example to the record industry of what you should expect from a CD. Like a DVD packed with 'extra features', this CD comes with a thick booklet with all the original lyrics and details of when the tracks were recorded, plus information about the album in general. Indeed, all that is missing is the original idea by Lennon to sell the album complete with coloured pencils and pictures to colour in. A bit impractical today perhaps, but it would no doubt sell like hotcakes! 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' transcends every other album of it's generation for it's sheer originality and creativity, and (sadly) represents a musical peak that 'The Beatles' would never reach again.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
" A Splendid Time Is Guaranteed For All!", 10 Sep 2009
That 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' is an iconic album in the history of popular music is without question - the Beatles, with the aid of producer George Martin, were pushing boundaries in terms of the kind of sounds and production techniques they were using, and producing something genuinely different from a lot of their earlier material. If you're familiar with the Beatles' music, the chances are you know the album inside out already. So, to the most important question - is the remastered edition worth getting?
In a word, yes. There isn't perhaps the night-and-day difference between the old CD and the new that one might expect, but it's certainly a difference you can notice - especially when comparing the two versions side by side. There's a 'cleaner', less hissy sound to the tracks now, which benefits some tracks immensely - 'Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds' and 'A Day In The Life' particularly. On others, which were arguably a little more 'lo-fi' to begin with, such as 'Lovely Rita', there's a less pronounced difference. One thing all the tracks benefit from, though, is a slightly heavier bass presence - always there, but the remastering makes it much clearer.
Frankly, some of the hype surrounding the remasters is going to leave potential buyers with unrealistic expectations, and as I've only heard selections from other remastered tracks from the catalogue, I can't comment on how it compares to the other Beatles albums undergoing the same treatment. If you're perfectly happy with your current CD of 'Sgt. Pepper', you needn't feel too pressured into picking up this new version, but if you've ever felt a little disappointed with the original CD, go for it. You won't regret it - and, you get it all in an attractive gatefold sleeve akin to the original vinyl, with sleeve notes and lyrics in an accompanying booklet, plus a short featurette on the making of the album included as a CD-ROM element on the disc.
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