Customer Reviews

Rubber Soulive

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This CD was available on Amazon for THREE days! It now states that it was, "discontinued by the manufacturer." I am guessing there were issues with royalty fees. You see this is a CD by Soulive exclusively covering Beatles songs. If this at all interests you, proceed to your web browser, type in 'Rubber Soulive' and you will find a couple of sites where you can download this album for free.

Track listing:
1. Drive My Car
2. Taxman
3. In My Life
4. Eleanor Rigby
5. I Want You (She's So Heavy)
6. Come Together
7. Something
8. Revolution
9. Help!
10. Day Tripper
11. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

If any of you were lucky enough to catch Soulive over the tail end of last year, you may have been treated to a set of music where they covered the Beatles. This was probably the inspiration for this CD. This CD is comprised of studio and not live tracks. So they took the time to make it and manufacture it. My guess is the label pulled it over rights. This is an awesome disc of music.

Man, I think this is a hip little record; I'm not understanding the bad reviews at all. The recording quality may not be up to, say, Steely Dan standards (but, then again, what is?), but it still sounds good to me. Bravo to Soulive for even attempting an homage so far out of their "comfort zone"!

I love this cd. I saw them perform a few songs from this live and the full album does not disappoint.

Soulive is an organ trio (Hammond B-3, drums and guitar) that has been cutting soul-jazz grooves since the late `90s. This 2010 entry in their catalog offers instrumental interpretations of eleven well-known Beatles titles, drawn from the Fab Four's mid-to-late period albums. Jazz and soul tributes to the Beatles are a well-trod path, including Bob Hammer's Beatlejazz, Roger Webb's John, Paul and All That Jazz, Count Basie's Beatle Bag, Don Randi's Revolver Jazz, the Music Company's Rubber Soul Jazz, Ramsey Lewis' Mother Nature's Son, Booker T. & the MG's McLemore Avenue and George Benson's The Other Side of Abbey Road, but none of these earlier efforts reduced their approach to an organ-driven trio. In typical jazz fashion, the arrangements state the melodies - with the guitar or organ taking the vocal line - before the players embark on some improvisation. In keeping with the Beatles' pop radio roots, however, the jamming is concise and listeners will never lose sight of the familiar melodies. The album's only real disappointment is the mediocre recording quality, with overbearing bass and drums that lack definition. It's still enjoyable, but not the audio experience the playing deserves. [©2012 hyperbolium dot com]

I like the Beatles and I like Soulive, but I never listen to them back to back. I was a bit skeptical when I first learned about this album, but was pleasantly surprised as it is very impressive, creative, and funky. There are no vocals, and the songs vary in their degree of commonality with the original Beatles tunes. In fact, some of the songs sound so much like Soulive, it takes a minute to figure out while Beatles tune they're playing.

The Beatles, reinterpreted by Soulive. If you like the Beatles you'll love these arrangements, which preserve the key emotional and musical aspects of the originals, yet deliver a unique, purely instrumental approach with just organ, guitar, and drums. If you like Soulive, you'll appreciate their totally fresh take on 40-year old material.

... at a Jazzfest here in Ottawa, Canada... From a distance I recognized the bass line from a Beatles tune and so went inside a tent to find Soulive jamming... Was a fantastic show and of course I had to buy their music. Was a bit disapointed that this album's studio feel, although great, does not have the feel of their spectacular live performance.... HOWEVER... inside the sleeve was a code to a website where you can download much extended live-jam versions of the best tunes they play off this album... Well worth the price :)

This take on the Beatles material is okay-not great. Actually, rather pedestrian as far as interpretive music goes. I've heard better - on an intellectual and emotional level. This is just another ho-hum. Nice idea, just not executed very well.

I saw Soulive play at the Santa Monica pier last month and was compelled to buy this album. Their live performance was energetic and soulful, plus I really enjoyed the Beatles covers. However, this CD is a major disappointment. The sound quality is very poor and lacks clarity, I'm amazed that a band of this caliber would releases a record that sounds like this. It literally sounds like it was recorded in a trash can with the cheapest equipment available. Coincidentally, the engineer for the album is drummer Alan Evans (did they want to save money by recording/mixing the album themselves?). Big mistake. I love the music but this album is unbearable for anyone with trained ears. What a shame. I sure hope they remix and remaster the album.

Superb album. I just wish it were longer. Revolution is my favorite song from here.