MEET THE BEATLES!by Anonymous
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February 14, 2007:
This is the original British version of the album that kicked off Beatlemania in the United States. Those four shadowed faces in black and white, staring back at a world that was soon to be changed forever, has got to be one of the greatest album covers of all time. Re-titled MEET THE BEATLES for the U.S. record market, (featuring a slight variation in songs) the Beatles became the first British act to crack the American top ten. It also happens to be one of the Beatles ‘ best albums. Some of Ringo’s best drumming is featured and Lennon and McCartney’s song writing is in full bloom. George Harrison contributes some amazing lead guitar as well. If you want to relive 1964 or just want to hear some great music, this is the album for you.
No Sophomore slump for the Fab Four!by Anonymous
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July 17, 2006:
This is a more than worthy followup to the Beatles' excellent debut, Please Please Me. Like any good sophomore effort should, this record transcends their debut and shows the band evolving further into the pop superstars their debut suggested they would become. It is hard for me to say whether I like this record or its American counterpart, Meet the Beatles, better because they are not the same record, despite having a similar cover and somewhat similar content. I guess I would give the edge to Meet the Beatles because of the inclusion of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," but With the Beatles can and does stand on its own so maybe it would be unfair to compare the two. This record represented an unusual conceit at the time, an album that was not designed to promote, or that was not built around, a hit single. No hit singles were released from this album, though several tracks did receive a lot of radio airplay. In this case the conceit, and the gamble, worked. This record definitely shows the Beatles evolving as both performers and songwriters. The cover versions further underscore the fact that the Beatles were bar none the best live band of their time. Once the Beatles covered a song it became theirs. Their covers of the Marvellettes' "Please Mr. Postman" & Barrett Strong's "Money" clearly eclipse the original versions and their covers of Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" & the Miracles' "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" are as good as the originals. The original numbers also stand out on this collection showing a growth and development, especially in the case of John Lennon, that was barely hinted at on their debut. Lennon's compositions really shine on this record with "It Won't Be Long," "All I've Got to Do" & "Not A Second Time" ranking among his best work. George Harrison delivers a classic right out of the box with his first composition to be featured on a Beatles' record, the dark, foreboding, "Don't Bother Me," a foreshadow of what was to come from "the quiet Beatle." McCartney would have to wait until "A Hard Day's Night" to show his development as a songwriter. Most of his contributions to this record are weak. Not even "All My Loving," his best composition on the album, can hold a candle to Lennon's work here (and please do not get me started on his oh so earnest reading of "Til There Was You:" as if "A Taste of Honey" were not enough. Thank God Paul's penchant for showtunes and standards ended here). All in all this would make a fine addition to your Beatles' collection. Even Ringo gets in the act with a rousing send up of Lennon-McCartney's "I Wanna Be Your Man." If you own Meet the Beatles, you still must buy this CD! It would only get better from here.
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