Hardly a year goes by without the release of new Beatles related material. Be they compilation albums, books, covers, gimmicks… it seems there’s always something to keep fans of the iconic British band happy. At this point though, unless McCartney or Ringo bring out some new auto-biography, filled with never before known details, is there really anything new we can take from these releases? Probably not. But that doesn’t stop them from coming out, and nor should it. With music as good as it was (and is) there’s no reason we shouldn’t continue to celebrate it – and creative minds continue to think of new ways to do so.
2014 has been a particularly big year in terms of Beatles paraphernalia, with the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic moments in the band’s career – their first trip to the USA, when in February 1964 they arrived in New York City for a performance on the Ed Sullivan Show which is well organised as not only one of the most defining moments in the world of music, but that of broader pop culture, too.
One particular release to recognise this moment in time is the 300+ page coffee table book The British Pop Invasion: How British Music Conquered The World in the 1960s. Edited by Penrith born Alan Whiticker, the stunning book, published by New Holland in “Paddedback” format, includes some 400 rare Daily Mirror images, some never seen, others unused for decades, alongside prose and descriptions telling the story of British Pop Music from the time of The Beatles onwards. The Rolling Stones take huge focus in the book as well, while bands like The Animals, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Who, The Kinks and Herman’s Hermits go on to show just how many influential British bands became world famous in a relatively short amount of time.
The design of the book is stellar, and though fans of the genre probably aren’t going to take away much new from the book in terms of its information, it does serve as a fascinating timeline that emphasises just how important that moment in 1964 was, not just for the Beatles, but for the scene emerging from Britain in general. And there really are some amazing photos in there. An excellent Christmas gift for any fans of the genre. The book retails for $49.95.
The topic of Beatles lyrics has been a bit of a popular one this year as well, thanks perhaps in part to the release of the Spanish film Living Is Easy With Eyes Closed (read our review HERE). The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics by Alan Aldridge has just seen a re-release in softcover format. Originally released in 1969, the book takes us through the lyrics of the group, accompanied by illustrations and photographs from Aldridge himself, a group of his contemporarys (Ralph Steadman, Ethan Russell, David Hockney and Charles Bragg to name but a few) and some fans. Having not been through the book before, it’s a creative journey through a different sort of musical interpretation. How does one recreate the feel, the themes and the spirit of a track through a single image? The new release is through Omnibus Press and its 224 pages retail for $39.95.
For the “unseen stories” behind the lyrics, Hunter Davies has released The Beatles Lyrics. The book contains handwritten notes from the band alongside well articulated prose, in a work that shows Davies’ attention to detail much to what we experienced in his earlier release The John Lennon Letters. Fans may have seen most of this material before, but Davies does an excellent job of bringing the content together in an engaging way.
And then there’s the cover record, with two making a mark in the last couple of months. First up we have The Flaming Lips and their reinterpretation of the classic Sgt. Peppers with A Little Help From My Fwends. Featuring guest appearances from the likes of Miley Cyrus, Dr. Dog, Phantogram and Tegan and Sara, the album is typical of the Lips’ creative flair – and holds plenty of surprise appearances along the way. Miley in particular does a great job in Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, the highlight of the record. It travels between being wholly original and listenable to a wall of noise. Fans of the Lips will enjoy the experience, though those unaccustomed to the band’s eccentric ways may find it an often painful journey. But this is something that could be said for any Lips release. They’re just not normally doing it to something so iconic…
A lot has also been said about The Art of McCartney, an impressive 2CD compilation featuring an inarguable group of the world’s greatest artists singing the songs of McCartney. Produced by Ralph Sall, the 36 track release includes everyone from legends like Bob Dylan, Wanda Jackson, Willie Nelson, B.B. King and Smokey Robinson to newer artists Jamie Cullum, Corinne Bailey Rae and Owl City – though they certainly weigh heavily to the former category.
Like any tribute compilation, it’s a mixed bag – some tracks work well, others miss the mark. But unlike that of The Flaming Lips, this is not an attempt to do anything unexpected. Most of the renditions try to hold true to the original, and though their faithfulness is to respect to the brilliance of the original, it also fails to do much to grab hold and give you a reason to listen to it over McCartney’s original effort.
But maybe I’m just splitting hairs. Ultimately where this release impresses is in the sheer breadth of its talent. How they got all these artists on this amazing release is mind boggling, but then again, there are few musicians as influential or as respected as McCartney. We all know his music well and have our favourites, and the same can be said for all these musicians. Suffice it to say, from “Bluebird” (presented convincingly by Bailey Rae) to “Lady Madonna” (a record highlight thanks to the talents of Allen Toussaint) and “Maybe I’m Amazed” (a favourite of his post Beatles career, though disappointingly one that misses the mark in the rendition by Billy Joel), they’ve certainly chosen an excellent mix of tracks from his entire career. Find out more about the release at http://www.theartofmccartney.com/
All details and prices were correct at the time of publishing.
