Time to re-evaluate The Beatles' Let It Be (Let It Be - The Beatles)

Member Name: DAC1983

Product:	Let It Be - The Beatles
Date:	21/05/09 (12 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 4/5 outstanding tracks and of course, their swangsong

Disadvantages: Inconsistent material, Spectors' "wall of sound" production

As we near the four decade mark since the release of the The Beatles' final release, Let It Be, it now seems an appropriate time to re-evaluate an album which has received much criticism as the years have gone by.

Initially intended for release a year prior to Abbey Road, but delayed by lengthy recording sessions, endless post-production, and internal conflicts within the band, Let It Be, sees The Beatles going down unfamilair territory,
in an album drenched by Phil Spector's famous "wall of sound" production.

So what about the songs?

First of all, Let It Be is not as consistent an album as say Revolver
or Sgt Pepper, containing, in places, some relatively weak material - well, by The Beatles' lofty standard anyway. Witness songs such as Harrison's "For You Blue" for the point in case.

That said, Let It Be is still contains some absolute highlights from the band - the title track, Lennon's superb "Across The Universe", "The Long and Winding Road", "Get Back" and not forgetting Paul and John's harmonising for the final time together on "Two Of Us" - and as such, cannot be so easily dismissed.

Few would argue that Let It Be is the finest album the band cut together, but equally, had anyone else recorded it, it most likely would have been regarded as a classic. And that shows, just how great they really were.

Let It Be signalled the beginning of the end for The Beatles, and as an epitaph, is an essential purchase - imperfections or not.

Summary: An underrated album that deserves another listen