1962-1966: The Red Album - The Beatles

There is always a danger with compilation CD's that they'll ever depend too much on a few brilliant tracks and add in a lot of many which are of a lower standard. Or that you feel completely ripped off and should have just brought the back catalogue of all of the bands material. I think to be fair that there is a distinct undercurrent of both of them factors here with the Beatles 1962 - 1966 album; whilst there are some fantastic tracks, there are also some, I feel, that were included for the sake of it. All together, the album contains 26 tracks, thirteen on each other the two disks. This greatest hits compilation was released in 1973, just a ...  Read the complete review

Feast your ears on this extraordinary 63 minute celebration of The Beatles best tracks during the 1962-1966 period. The production by George Martin of these tracks only enhanced what was already a group destined for greatness. The album starts with the happy love pop song innocence of that era with tracks such as "Love Me Do", "Please Please Me", "From Me To You", "She Loves You", and "I Want To Hold Your Hand" Then we move on to "All My Loving" which starts to show a more complex musical composition and lyrical abilty and is my favourite amongst the first 6 tracks. "Can't ...  Read the complete review

My review of the 1962-1966: The Red Album - The Beatles - by an experienced guitarist, and fan! The Red Album -was one of the first Beatles compilation albums, and features their hits as well as some other welcome inclusions -between 62 and 66. After 66 the Beatles would stop gigging and become an entirely different (but still brilliant) musical entity. But the Red Album, with it's almost iconic imagery of the fab 4 looking over a balcony, captures the band -while they actually were still a gigging, cohesive (no Yoko -lol!!) band who got on well together. It's pointless me pointing out the strongest songs on this album - better to ...  Read the complete review

This, along with 1967-70, was my first Beatles albums, I got them on cassette when I was 8 years old. I listened to them both back to back for years, & still now I expect the tracks to flow into each other as they do here. All the singles from the period are here, as well as some of the best album cuts. You can gripe over brilliant tracks that were left off, but everyone would select a different list, & 2 records will never be enough to squeeze on all the best material from what was 7 albums, numerous singles & a number of outstanding B-Sides. I rarely listen to this now, as I have all the original albums, & with the Past Masters ...  Read the complete review

If you are someone who got into The Beatles a little after their time (of which there are millions of us, as their music is timeless) then getting the Red and the Blue albums will prove a very good basic catalogue of their work. Excellent value, you can get the Red album for around £10 and for that you get two discs, featuring 26 of The Fab Four's biggest hits released between 1962 and 1966. Also included is a booklet featuring photographs of the band and song lyrics. CD one starts with Love Me Do and features 13 hits including Can't Buy Me Love, Eight Days A Week and Yesterday. CD two starts with Help! and features Day Tripper and Girl. A brilliant ...  Read the complete review