56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thrilled, but it's expensive, June 16, 2004
This review is from: CD Singles Collection (Audio CD)
The Beatles SINGLES COLLECTION is a very pricey set of the 22 British singles. Each of the 22 discs is comprised of the two songs from the corresponding original 45 rpm single along with the British-single artwork. (In America, we had different artwork and, to some degree, different singles.)
I bought this for one reason: to finally get the glorious mono versions of many of these songs on CD. Scores of us older Beatles fanatics--those of us who grew up as fans of the band in the 60s--bought the mono versions of these songs and became accustomed to their clear, full, focused, and balanced sound. George Martin spent the majority of time working on the mono mixes and comparatively little time on the stereo. Mono was, by far, the norm in those days; meticulous work and many hours went into making the mono mixes sound perfect. And they still do sound perfect. In fact, they still sound shockingly superior to the stereo versions in most cases. Why?
George Martin recorded the vocals on a separate track from the backing so that, in the final mix, the vocals would not become buried and the engineer would have the means to adjust their volume. Because of this, Martin's mono mixes were superb. But when it came to stereo mixing, the vocal track was sometimes shoved to one side of the stereo picture, giving an unnatural, lopsided left/right channel separation and making the vocals sound detached from the rest of the music. To make matters worse, the drums and bass--key instruments from which rock bands get their power--were usually shoved far left, robbing the music of much of its strength. (An example of this is the egregious stereo version of "Day Tripper.") Indeed, the stereo versions of many a Beatles tune sound artificial, unbalanced, and anemic.
The lack of time and effort spent on mixing the pre-1969 stereo versions reflects just how unimportant they were considered to be. It is documented that five songs from the BEATLES FOR SALE album were remixed for stereo in half an hour. As The Beatles recorded REVOLVER, showing more and more interest in the mix sessions, their attention was focused on the mono mixes. Even during the recording of SGT. PEPPER'S, the band members were all present for the mono mixes--the stereo being done in their absence. Moreover, when MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR was released in America, the stereo version of the album had mock-stereo versions of "Penny Lane," "Baby, You're A Rich Man," and "All You Need Is Love" because stereo versions did not yet exist for those songs. "All You Need Is Love" was mixed for stereo in October 1968 for inclusion on the YELLOW SUBMARINE album. But "Penny Lane" and "Baby, You're A Rich Man" did not receive stereo remixes until late 1971!
Many of the mono versions in this collection can be found elsewhere (either on the CDs of the pre-1965 British albums or on various compilations), so my reasons for obtaining this set are as follows:
Here, we get actual versions of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "This Boy" used for the original single, sounding fabulous and in mono. The grossly inferior stereo mixes on PAST MASTERS VOLUME ONE are not the versions that sold millions, as the notes deceptively imply.
On PAST MASTERS, we are given the stereo "I Feel Fine," which has the drums and bass far left, the guitars far right, and the vocals--sounding abnormally detached and somewhat cavernous--in the middle. How realistic the mono sounds in comparison: power coming from the rhythm section, Ringo's magnificent drumming dancing around the vocals as it should, and the total sound focused and balanced (as if the band were right in front of us!).
Though the stereo version of "Ticket To Ride" improves upon the previous stereo mixes, the mono version reveals the degree to which the divine interplay of the rhythm section--especially Ringo's contagious drumming--is masked on the stereo by the peculiar channel separation. The mono gives us an astounding difference in power. The stereo version of "Yes It Is" sounds hollow and misshapen, almost a mutilation of the gorgeous piece of music presented on the mono track.
Many of us were infuriated when PAST MASTERS VOLUME TWO gave us the stereo versions of "Day Tripper" and "Paperback Writer," probably the two most disappointing mixes of all. In both cases--and to a shocking degree!--the anemic and gimmicky stereo mixes sap this incredible music of its original power. Though I still own the original 45s of both, how thankful I am to finally own the mono versions on CD!
I slightly prefer the stereo "Help!" (found on the HELP! CD) to the mono version, which was released as the single. The stereo is a different take: John sounds more involved, the whole track is clearer, and the added tambourine on the choruses makes those sections even more infectious. I also prefer the stereo versions of "Get Back" and "Don't Let Me Down," the first Beatles single to be released in stereo rather than mono. (In this set, we get the mono mixes.) Finally, "Something," "Come Together," and "Let It Be" were originally released in stereo, and that's what we get here.
To those who have longed for the mono versions, I say only: Well, here they are but they are indeed expensive. Unfortunately, it's the only way that some of these masterpieces can be had. If you are a Beatles fan and have not heard many of these mono versions (and if the price is not a problem), go for it; the difference in the quality of these mono-mixed gems will truly astound you.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must for any Beatles fan!, June 20, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: CD Singles Collection (Audio CD)
In 1982, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Beatles' first hit single, Love Me Do, EMI in the UK re-released the single on 7" vinyl in a specially designed picture sleeve. All of the original Beatles UK singles were then subsequently re-released, in sequence and on their 20th anniversary, from 1983 through to 1990. A box set was also released in 1982 containing these 7" releases.
This box set contains CD versions of the 22 original 7" singles the Beatles released in the UK between 1962 and 1970 and the discs are packaged in picture card sleeves, each of these replicating, in CD form, the 7" vinyl singles re-released during the 1980s.
The interesting thing about this box set is the fact that many of the tracks are in mono (up until the last few singles - Ballad of John & Yoko was the first UK single to appear in stereo, in 1969) and this is the only way, on CD at least, to obtain mono 7" mixes of songs like Help!, Day Tripper, Strawberry Fields Forever, Eleanor Rigby, Hey Jude, All You Need Is Love & Get Back. The mixes of some of these songs is quite different in mono form, making this an essential purchase for any Beatles fan.
I listened to the whole set in sequence when I first got the box, from Love Me Do right through to Let It Be including all the B-sides. Listening on headphones made hearing the differences in the mono mixes even more apparent.
Depsite all the critical acclaim heaped on the Beatles for their classic albums, many forget these guys were a great singles band too, without doubt THE great singles band of all time.
In summary this is an excellent package and a must for Beatles fans and collectors. For the more casual listener, this is probably not appropriate - instead check out the new 1 compilation or, for a broader selection of their best-known work, check out the 1962-1966 (Red) and 1967-1970 (Blue) albums.
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oh YES!!!! GREATEST SINGLES COLLECTION OF ALL TIME!!!!, August 30, 2001
This review is from: CD Singles Collection (Audio CD)
Well this is it. The greatest collection of singles of all time! This box will make you smile all the way through! From the greatest rock group of all time comes 22 CD versions of their original 45's. The box has a few rarities included. Inside you will find the original monophonic 45 mix of 'Help!' which features a different lead vocal from John Lennon. Also included are the superior monophonic mixes of 'I Feel Fine', 'She's A Woman', 'Day Tripper', 'Paperback Writer', 'All You Need Is Love', 'Lady Madonna', 'Revolution' (be ready for a hurricane when this one comes on). In the USA, 'Get Back' was the Beatles first stereo single. In the UK, it was 'Ballad Of John & Yoko'. Included here are the UK mono mixes of 'Get Back and 'Don't Let Me Down'. Each single comes with a picture sleeve. The only annoying thing about that is EMI used the same photos used on the 20th anniversary singles from the 1980's. The box is rather attractive even if EMI has used that layout a few thousand times in the past as well. Perhaps in the near future, EMI can include 'Free As A Bird' and 'Real Love'. That would be rather nice.
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