Customer Reviews

Haymans Green

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've bought Pete Best's titles because I'm a bit of a Beatles completist and because I met him a few years back and he's a very down to earth and charming man.

None of his previous releases could have prepare me for Haymans Green. The song writing, both melodically and lyrically, is first rate. The production is modern while at the same time harkening back to the late 1960's. The songs have great hooks and even better vocal arrangements. And while you can certainly hear a later Beatles influence in the work, more surprising were the times that I heard elements that reminded me of the Kinks, Crowded House or vocally, Jon Anderson of YES. Three weeks after purchasing the disc I still find myself singing many of the songs.

This record deserves airplay and it deserves a Grammy nomination. In the past twenty years, there are few titles that I would say that about, including ones that won Grammys.

Stand out tracks include:

Grey River
Gone
Dream Me Home
Hayman's Green
Broken

My girlfriend gave this to me as a valentine's present. As soon as I saw it I ran over to the rack to compare it with Beatles Anthology I. Yep, it's the very piece of photo with Pete's head that Klaus so clumsily ripped from the front cover. Ya gotta love Pete's attitude right from first glance.

Not groundbreaking (what is these days?), the recording sounds all the world like archetypal swinging england mid-60's fare, from some well reviewed corduroy garbed quartet. The songs have that easy beat, Rickenbacker ring, with a lead singer who could easily pass for another Gallagher brother.

Nothing like the Pete Best show I saw a couple of years ago. A charming though obviously derivative recreation of the Cavern show. Pete came out afterwards and was happy to talk to everyone who hung around. Perfectly lovely man.

Gotta be happy for the guy that this cd turned out so damn well. it definitely does not suffer in comparison to any recent efforts from his former mate(s). I hope it gets the publicity it deserves. (Nice to see all the reviews so far in Amazon.)

The title of my review is my review. I'm a Beatles "complete-ist." My brother kids me that my goal in life is to own every note The Beatles ever played. So of course I bought this. I was prepared to listen to it once and then shelve it. Instead I played it over and over for days. Few ex-Beatles albums have I enjoyed as much. I made a conservative list of what I think are the 12 absolute best albums/cds by ex-Beatles. This is one of them. Someone should play it for George Martin.

Haymans Green is a pleasant middle of the road late sixties style rocker. Nice vocal harmonies, almost Byrds-like, other songs meant for Paul and/or John to sing--easy to imagine. Pete is back-beat style(and whats wrong with that?), but, does show his chops on the last track, Haymans Green with some tasty drum fills.

I am a lifelong Beatles fanatic and buy anything remotely connected to them. I even go as far as getting "Beately" CDs, such as The Posies "Dear 23", anything by Jellyfish, etc.

My husband got this for me for Christmas. I gotta tell you I WAS skeptical, but WOW! It is one of the best Cds I have heard in years. Music kinda sucks nowadays for us old horses, but this is STELLAR. A+++++, too bad it didn't get any public notice or airplay. Too obsessed with rap and hip hop.

Buy it. A+++++++++++++++++++++

He was dismissed from the band he had toured with for 2 years, with many rumors as to why? We may never know the whole reason, but after listening to this 2008 album it is clear that he had tremendous potential. One wonders if he could have made some great contributions to the Fab Fours albums , as did George, on the last several albums. we will never know! If you love music and the Beatles you owe it to yourself to buy and listen to this CD. It's Quite Good, though maybe only 4.5 stars!

I applaud the Pete Best Band for recording and releasing this very fine power pop release. Three songs on this really stand out: "Step Outside", "Dream Me Home" and the title track. These songs represent really excellent power pop songwriting and would sound so wonderful on the radio but, then again, they would probably wouldn't fit with the mediocrity that is today's FM playlists. I'm a Beatles fan from the mid-60's, been a fan of the Beatles' solo efforts in all the years since, plus I've been a major fan of power pop bands & artists that emulate the Beatles style for about 40 years so I know good songs & melodies. But while these three songs I've cited are a pleasant surprise and something we never imagined we'd hear from Pete Best, the rest of the album is really nothing that we've not heard before by other power pop artists. Nonetheless, it's always great to hear a release of melodic songs of this caliber plus it's a good thing when Beatles-influenced music gets attention instead of slipping through the cracks, as most power pop music does. The three tracks I mentioned are four-star tracks that should be heard by lovers of The Fab Four and other artists of the power pop genre. So, I give 4 stars overall, but mostly based on these tracks - the rest I would give three stars. One additional bonus to note on "Step Outside" and "Haymans Green", you'll hear some very Abbey Road/Sgt. Peppers-esque drumming! I do hope Pete & his band follow this up with an even stronger release.

A bouncy little pop album with some great hooks. The band doesn't try to be profound, just plays some fun, catchy songs. Good for Pete!

Gives you the feel of 1965 without being out of place with todays music. Great harmonies telling fun little stories.

I read the one and only negative review here and he or she must have just rushed through listening to it. I liked it right away. After more plays I now love it. I haven't re-played an ex-Beatle recent solo release since "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" by Sir McCartney. My favorite tune is "Gone" it is a uplifting remorseful tune. It has a bit of "Your Bird Can Sing" guitar middle eight to it, but it mostly an original tune by Mr. Best.
If you listen to the early Beatle hits you'll hear that Ringo was paying tribute to Pest by playing those tunes his style, just listen to "Love Me Do", I Saw Her Standing There" and others. He basically has the back beat, beat. His drumming is top notch here.
Unless you are expecting some hip hop stuff, you'll love it. It also has a Babfinger vibe to it. I thought it kind of sounds like a lost Badfinger album(Mr. Joey Molland are you reading this?).
So go buy or pay to download this darn thing NOW!!!!

Peace and long Life To Ya
Jack Plotner