The Capitol Albums Vol. 1 (2004) Apple/Capitol
My rallying cry here and elsewhere used to be "The Beatles' Capitol albums never, ever need to be released because what would be the point? They were badly sequenced and basically unauthorized." Well, they're still badly sequenced, but now they're authorized. There are several reasons you need this box in your collection, despite its shocking pricetag. Number One: The Beatles' music has not sounded this good in years; we have begged and begged for remasters of their British LPs and they have not come, but here we have a lot of their greatest work in pristine quality and loud as all hell. Number Two: It's brilliantly done, with both stereo and mono versions of every track on all four albums. Number Three: Where else can you hear these songs in stereo? Nowhere, at the moment; these songs all come from the first four British albums, the CD versions of which are all mono. Number Four: The artwork. Tiny, yeah, but that BEATLES' SECOND ALBUM cover is unbeatable. Number Five: Thanks to the technology of CD burners and MP3 players, you can begin making a program of the British LPs -- including a complete WITH THE BEATLES, and if you have the BEATLES 1 CD, a complete A HARD DAY'S NIGHT save one track -- in stereo.
Now for the cons. First of all, the price. If this were 2003, I would rant about how the Beatles are rich and don't need your money, but in retrospect that kind of logic seems rather self-defeating, so forget it. The major con is that these are not the Beatles' first four American albums. It is missing, for one thing, Vee Jay's INTRODUCING THE BEATLES, which I can forgive if the Capitol equivalent THE EARLY BEATLES appears on Vol. 2 or 3. The set is also missing the UA soundtrack for A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, which is available at various MP3 download services so I may have to purchase it, because how can I live without George Martin's easy listening background rendition of "And I Love Her"? Sometimes I do miss my records, I must admit.
This CD set is addictive and deeply satisfying. And the music, of course, is a revelation, even the 200th time around. Can't wait for Vol. 2!
The Capitol Albums Vol. 1 (2004)