Review Summary: Make no mistake, this is the best of the Beatles.
After reading that awful awful review dissing on this album, I felt compelled to make my own in defense of it, because this is without a doubt the best that The Beatles have to offer. And that's saying something considering there's one maybe two average albums in their collection with the rest ranging from good pop songs to incredible masterpieces. Paul, Ringo, George, all of the boys are on top of their game here and it shows throughout the 17 songs. Ironically the best album opens with one of the Beatles's most overplayed songs entitled Come Together. A fine trip through psychedelia to be sure but I've heard it so much that its kind of lost it's punch. But all that changes when you hear the masterpiece known as Something, also sometimes referred to as George Harrison's best Beatles song. I'd actually argue that Here Comes the Sun might be better, but alas.
Paul gives out some good efforts too, especially the deliciously violent Maxwell's Silver Hammer and OH! Darling being two early highlights of the album. Really as Paul was struggling to keep the band together at this point, it's fitting that he was the one to produce the best songs. Though who can forget Ringo's best song with the Beatles', Octopus's Garden. It's got such a jaunty doo-wop vibe that it's impossible not to immediately fall in love with. It also has some of the catchiest guitar licks on the album, which is saying something when the whole album is filled with them to the brim. Another highlight is the surreal and dreamesque Because with it's freaky synthesizer and haunting harmonies.
But the big one I have to mention is the suite at the end starting with Mean Mr Mustard and ending with Carry That Weight. All the songs seamlessly blend in to one another without so much as a proper transition and the whole thing feels like one giant song. The best part of the whole album is on Carry That Weight when Paul harkens back a reprise to You Never Give Me Your Money's chorus (another highlight). Before tying it all up in a nice bow known as The End, which little did they know would soon be symbolic of the end of their careers. And then Her Majesty is just a fun little outtake that happens to be fun to play on guitar. Overall this is the best album by one of the most important and entertaining rock and roll bands of all time and to give it any other rating than a 5 is just a disgrace.
