Other songs that benefit from the remix include "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," which has a new crystaline purity; "Baby You're A Rich Man," in which the slightly annoying speeded-up trumpet is potted down slightly and the vocals boosted; "Sgt. Pepper / With A Little Help From My Friends," which has a bit more clarity in the instrumental mix and a tighter bottom; and "Only A Northern Song," where all the psychedelic horn fills and chimes are given a nice swirling feel.

The only minor problem I could detect was in "Eleanor Rigby." One reviewer here claims the remix reveals Paul is singing flat. That's not the case-- he's right on pitch, and his voice has been given a bit more "top," an improvement over the original muffled quality of the original. But his vocal also seems to be a fraction of a beat BEHIND the backing "string octet." This is not at all apparent on the original mix. I wonder if this is because one of the tape heads on the Studer 4-track was slightly misaligned on the original recording and mixdown? If so, I can appreciate the problem in trying to remix it.

One can only marvel at the musicianship, vocal ability, songwriting genius, and craft displayed in these recordings. It's enough to make you believe Timothy Leary was right when he proclaimed John, Paul, George and Ringo were four superhuman angels sent to enlighten the human race. I'm quite sure we'll never see their like again, but fortunately, thanks to modern recording technology, we will always have their music to enjoy.


A Gem!   October 21, 1999
19 out of 19 found this review helpful

As a fanatical fan who grew up with the Beatles, I was suspicious of a newly remastered CD. Like past remastering Beatles projects, I expected little more than a new compilation of analogue dumps.

Not so. When these tunes were originally recorded, the engineers had four tracks from which to mix. That meant a lot of bouncing and no true stereo imaging. For example, on Eleanor Rigby we originally heard the string quartet essentially in mono on one channel and the vocals in mono on the other. Fast forward to the late `90s. The engineers retrieved the tapes with the original vocals (all recorded on separate tracks) and the string quartet (also on separate tracks) and digitally synchronized them. Voila! Now they have eight tracks to work with. The result is a fully realized stereo mix of this classic. The vocals absolutely surround you as does the string quartet. For the first time I'm sitting in the middle of the performance, enveloped by it, not listening from afar. After literally hundreds of listenings during the past three decades I'm hearing instrument nuances and riffs I hadn't realized existed.

Each cut benefits greatly from this meticulously reconstructed digital stereo remixing. The three-dimensional vocals are an absolute joy! To the purists who look at such tinkering with dismay, they still have their legacy albums. For the rest of us -- and new generations of listeners -- this production is an absolute gem, as exciting to listen to today as it was three decades ago. Thanks to technology, I've been reintroduced to these tunes in a way I never thought possible. I'm looking forward to the day when the complete Sgt. Peppers and the rest of the Beatles catalogue are remastered in this way.


Awesome!!   September 16, 1999
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

Yesterday my 20 and 19 y/o sons surprised me with the Yellow Submarine soundtrack, knowing I am still a Beatles fan at heart. The experience after listening to it was exhilarating! EMI learned from the Anthology sessions in early 1995. The remastering job is outstanding, bringing back to life these tracks which pretty much sound as fresh as being recorded recently. The voices which used to appear in the single right channel are spread nicely, and you'll notice the three part harmony singing as if recorded on separate microphones. The strings, bass, percussion is punchier, clear and with an outstanding stereo spacing. After listening, I enjoyed jumping to Hey, Bulldog and to It's all too much as I did 21 years ago! The other conclusion is that EMI should learn that with those tapes, they are still sitting in a gold mine, and I would not mind (neither many people I know) purchasing probably from A Hard Day's Night until Abbey Road if beautifully remastered in this fashion. I am in my mid forties, and this listening experience still provides listening pleasure and a good dose of nostalgia with a smile. Positively recommended!


Stunning!   November 18, 2001
Astrid Slomova (Louisiana)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful

OK, I know. Purists are going to point out that this is not the original version of the YELLOW SUBMARINE album, and they would be right. But, it really is THAT good.

First, all of the songs from the film are included here instead of the George Martin score (don't get me wrong--it's nice, but how many people actually played Side Two of the LP that many times?). Then, of course, there is the remixing (which, no doubt, will irritate some purists). Let me say that I have been a Beatles fan and collector for decades. I know and love their recordings, but have been irritated by the somewhat haphazard nature of some of the stereo mixes. The mono versions were put together with extreme care, and it is evident--they are breath-taking. However, in many cases, the stereo mix seems an afterthought, with the lead vocal often on only one channel and sometimes mixed so far down as to be barely intelligible. This remix solves that problem. The original multitrack recordings (prior to being bounced and combined for four-track) were used and mixed from scratch. The sound, while different (and not different) from the original, gives the listener a new insight into the performance.

So, how are they NOT different? No instruments were added or deleted. Everything that was recorded and in the original mix is still present. However, more range (both in frequency and dynamics) is audible, and the true stereo sound is a real treat. Frankly, I wish EMI would give all of the Beatles' recordings this treatment. Would I replace my current CDs with those remixes? No. However, comparing the results is fun and this album was obviously remixed with great care and respect, so I see no sacrelege.

Standout tracks: "All You Need is Love" (one of John Lennon's most beautiful pieces, in my opinion, takes on new dimension in this mix), "Hey Bulldog" (vocal front and center), "Only a Northern Song" (first time in stereo), and "Nowhere Man" (listen to the depth in the vocals).

Don't throw away your original copy of the soundtrack. But don't be predisposed to disliking this one, either. On its own merits, it is a great achievement and homage to the greatest recording act of all time (that last bit was just my opinion, but then so is all of this, so there it is).


AN ALTERNATIVE LISTEN   November 24, 2006
R. C. Hill (TEXAS)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

why are people freaking out about this cd? the original 1969 version is still there. no one's out to monkey up the beatles catalog. if you don't like it don't buy it.if you did try giving it to someone who might like it. think of it as a nice demonstration of the fidelity of the original mutitrack tapes, given a fresh digital remix to enjoy.for example: on "lucy in the sky" where ringo brings in the chorus, his drums have great depth never heard before on the track. it's still the beatles but in "hi fi". don't worry,it won't hurt the original cd's that were mastered with almost 20 year old technology.it's nothing to get hung about.