Let It Be Spector! (Let It Be - The Beatles)

Member Name: RussellsReviews

Product:	Let It Be - The Beatles
Date:	11/04/09 (85 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good songs, back to basics Beatles.

Disadvantages: Terrible production, some bad songs.

Let It Be was released just before the Beatles broke up but there are certainly no audible signs of such fractures in the band as Let It Be shows more unique musicality from the Fab Four. There are a few things to notes of Let It Be. Phil Spector produced it and in typical Spector fashion he felt inclined to put strings on some of the tracks which is something I'm not a great fan of. Some of the tracks are taken from the rooftop concert and so explains the rawer sound of the album, Lennon refusing to use George Martin as they didn't want any of his 'production s@#&'.

Two Of Us
Two of us is a galloping acoustic number featuring stomping bass drum, acoustic guitars and sliding bass. The harmonious vocals of John and Paul create the message of the song beautifully. I still think these songs would be vastly better with the input of George Martin but sadly no...

Dig A Pony
Charging guitar riffs and flam filled drums rule this fantastic Lennon composition which is uo there with his best. Harrison provides beautiful lead guitar as a scape for Lennon's non-sensical lyrical themes.

I Me Mine
The Harrison composition was completed without any input from Lennon but it doesn't show. Its a really great song and I love the disparity between the waltzy verses and the rocking choruses. The light strings are a bad touch and make me despise Spector and the Beatles ill choice in hiring him.

Get Back
The finale to the Beatles final release taken straight from the rooftop concert performance. It features Paul on lead vocals and Billy Preston on the organ. Lyrics were typically nonsense at this stage of the Beatles careers but it hardly mattered when the music was good. Its a good song but the production makes me feel cheated, I'm surprise Spector didn't smother it in strings.

Let It Be is a good Beatles album. It has some fantastic songs and some pretty terrible ones. You may notice I've decided to leave out the ones I dislike as I'm afraid I might tarnish my reviewing reputation. Spector's production was an ill choice and came under fire from reviewers. Quite harshly in some cases (NME: 'If the new Beatles soundtrack is to be their last then it will stand as a cheapskate epitaph, a cardboard tombstone, a sad and tatty end to a musical fusion which wiped clean and drew again the face of pop') Ouch...
Its good but bad production and lack lustre songs make The Beatles sound tired.

Summary: Some good songs which are frankly ruined by Spector's efforts.