Rubber Soul was the key which opened the door to an evolution of pop pin ups into musical visionaries. Often regarded as one of their finest efforts (behind Revolver), rubber soul contains every aspect of the Beatles broad musical taste, with each of the main songwriting members all contributing equally (Lennon/McCartney/Harrison). There's pop perfection with songs like 'In my Life', dirty old rock n roll (drive my car), classic ballads (girl), and aspects of country, classical music, Motown and Dylan. This creative scope and willingness to try things new can only now be labeled 'Beatlesesque'. The fab four could no longer be defined as anything after this effort.
New phases of music were created merely from one song on the album. Norwegian Wood is credited as being the first pop recording to use the sitar; an Indian instrument, which sparked a musical craze in the mind sixties. This song is now classed as one of the cornerstones of what we now know today as world music, with trends being incorporated from Asia and Africa.
Innovations in recording are threaded throughout the album aided by then producer George Martin. Instruments were being processed electronically for the first time, with Lennon's 'The Word' being the key example. This effect soon became extremely popular in the worlds of pyscadelic music as well as what later became prog rock.
With increased levels of thoughtfulness and sophistication, the Beatles lyrics also acted as a major progression in music. Before this, the group had tended to fall back on the simple boy meets girl loves songs. Instead, they were now singing about marital affairs between the singer and mysterious girls (Norwegian Wood). Happy happy portrayals of romance were also shelved, to make way for more downbeat, bitter love tales. Songs like 'I'm looking through you' and 'you won't see me' demonstrated this.
Even though it was recorded in a mere 4 weeks to make the Christmas market it acted as a major artistic ahievement for the band, attaining both critcal and commercial success. To this day, it is still appreciated world-wide, and in 2003, the rolling stone magazine placed it at number 5 on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. If you've never listened to the beatles before, this is the perfect album to ease you in. It acted as the perfect bridge between the poppy hand claps which came before, and the drug fuelled experimentation which followed. The perfect combination in my book.
Side one 1. Drive My Car - 2:30 2. Norwegian Wood - 2:05 3. You Won't See Me - 3:22 4. Nowhere Man - 2:44 5. Think for Yourself - 2:19 6. The Word - 2:43 7. Michelle - 2:42 Side two 1. What Goes On- 2:50 2. Girl - 2:33 3. I'm Looking Through You - 2:27 4. In My Life - 2:27 5. Wait - 2:16 6. If I Needed Someone - 2:23 7. Run for Your Life - 2:18
Key Tracks- In My Life, Nowegian Wood, Drive my Car
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So many good songs.... all on one good album... a great summary of the album, but I agree with MM below about the individual tracks - it would help you to get higher ratings.
MizzMolko 17.02.2008 17:27
Really good review here - it would have been slightly more helpful if you'd given us a brief insight into each track but other than that it was very good. The Beatles are Legends! Eleanor x
Rank 'em how you like,Rubber Soulis an undeniable pivot point in the Fab Four's varied ... more
discography no matter where, or how, you first heard it. So many classics: "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man" merge the early combustible Beatifics to a burgeoning stu...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Rank 'em how you like,Rubber Soulis an undeniable pivot point in the Fab Four's varied ... more
discography no matter where, or how, you first heard it. So many classics: "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man" merge the early combustible Beatifics to a burgeoning stu...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Rank 'em how you like, Rubber Soul is an undeniable pivot point in the Fab Four's varied ... more
discography no matter where, or how, you first heard it. So many classics: "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man" merge the early combustible Beatifics to a burgeoning s...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Rank 'em how you like,Rubber Soulis an undeniable pivot point in the Fab Four's varied ... more
discography no matter where, or how, you first heard it. So many classics: "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man" merge the early combustible Beatifics to a burgeoning stu...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Many of the Beatles best songs, new sounds like fuzz bass and sitar, cool cover Disadvantages: I'm Looking Through You gets on my nerves. It's not horrible, though
Advantages: Many of the Beatles best songs, new sounds like fuzz bass and sitar, cool cover Disadvantages: I'm Looking Through You gets on my nerves. It's not horrible, though
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