Customer Reviews

The Beatles In Mono

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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've never written an Amazon review before, but had to put in a good word for this effort. If you own the Beatles Mono Box and are looking for some nice, insightful "liner notes" presented in a listener's guide type format, don't hesitate. Nice work from the perspective of a Brit that grew up with these recordings... the writing is of high quality (as good as any "name" rock crit) and not simply fan-boy gushing... EMI should license this for the inevitable next round of even more definitive re-issues ;)

Extra point because it is really cool to see someone who gets the potential of the Kindle platform for self-publishing actually do something useful with it.

Though I have nothing but the greatest respect for the writing of Mr. Hickey (whether it's on the Beach Boys, Comics, or a dozen other things) and the music of the Beatles, I didn't *necessarily* expect to embrace this particular product. MONO? What possible difference could it make? Can something like that occasion a book? Ah, you have no idea! With his judicious analysis - tempered with an obvious Joy in the music - you will hear these songs, many of which are hardwired on the public CNS at this point, with new ears. I was personally impressed by his treatment of the Magical Mystery Tour LP, perhaps the most *balanced* Beatles document in terms of showing the four at the peak of their powers. Fine stuff.

Andrew Hickey has created a terrific resource for those who want to go beyond the facts. His insights and opinions give timbre and texture to a topic that has, let's face it, been done for decades. Two things in particular appeal to me: The short form, which allows for dipping and browsing, and the musician's insight into the music. Will the reader agree with every opinion? I hope not. Will each piece make the reader consider his own opinion? I hope so. Well done, Mr. Hickey.

This book is, by the author's admission, a collection of blog posts, and it really does show in its unsystematic approach and overt Lennon bias. I'll readily admit that it's got to be hard writing anything new about the Beatles, but I'm afraid the author really missed the mark here. Essentially, if you have more than a shelf's worth of Beatles-related books, you don't need this one. If you're still unsure, then if any of the names Spizer, MacDonald, or Lewisohn appear on the books on your shelf, you *really* don't need this book. And if I haven't convinced you yet, Google "usenet guide to Beatles recording variations", and follow the first link in the list. It doesn't explicitly cover the remasters, but it probably has all the facts you're looking for regarding mono vs stereo Beatles recordings - minus the opinions.

I'm fairly certain most Beatle "scholars" who come across this book will be, like myself, underwhelmed. The book promises to represent an in-depth song-by-song analysis of the differences between the mono and stereo versions of the 2009 special releases of the Beatles canon.
In fact, the "analysis" generally appears as an extremely brief and often non-specific few sentences at the bottom of each individual album track review. The majority of the reviews are comprised mainly of Hickey's own evaluation of the songs in terms of their worth as compositions.
Like many Beatle fans, the author rightly holds in total awe Lennon's brilliance as one of the greatest songwriters in the history of popular music. Conversely, however, his disdain for Lennon's chief creative counterpart Paul McCartney is frankly ridiculous. Throughout the book, Hickey regularly informs the reader of Paul's inferiority to Lennon on almost every level; he gives only occasional, grudging credit to Paul for his contributions to the Beatles as a creative force, while frequently dismissing McCartney tracks as being grossly overrated. Most serious Beatle fans recognize that while McCartney was certainly capable of superficial banality, particularly during the group's later period, both he and Lennon relied upon one another for not only direct assistance with each other's songs, but also for the positive effect the competitive nature of their working relationship had upon the quality of their respective compositions. Hickey never seems to recognize this crucial dynamic.
It was disappointing, as a life-long Beatles follower, to have been expecting in Hickey's work an exhaustive, detailed analysis of the wonders of the Beatles in mono, but instead to find myself distracted by the author's curious disregard for Paul McCartney's contribution to the Beatles canon.

Not sure what to think about this exhaustive book, which contains much more than just the mono set. If you are an avid Beatles fan, be prepared to be a little taken back, as the author is more than a little critical of a number of Beatle classics that are widely loved, and revered by many! The author is obviously not much of a McCartney fan, and seems to dismiss much of his work up through Sgt. pepper, and beyond, claiming Lennon superior to McCartney. When the subject turns to the mono stereo differences the writing is quite informative, and provides some very interesting reading, but I find much of this appalling, and unfounded. The author even states Eric Clapton to be one of the most over rated guitarist in the industry when discussing his role on the White Album. I have read dozens of books dealing withe Beatles and their music, and don't recall reading anything like this. Definitely some interesting reading, but when things switch from facts to opinion the problems begin!