Exuberant early material (Please Please Me - The Beatles)

Member Name: simoncardwell

Product:	Please Please Me - The Beatles
Date:	27/05/09 (4 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great covers & singles

Disadvantages: 'Love Me Do' is their 1st, & worst, single

At one time this was my favourite Beatles album, before I was old enough to appreciate the nuances of the later material. It's not my favourite anymore, but it's still one of the albums I play the most.

It has a wistful & innocent quality about it that can be heard in none of today's popular music, whether it be on enthusiastic readings of Motown tracks, or breathless takes of their own compositions, the Beatles show here the work ethic that would make them into the biggest band the world has ever seen.

The whole album was recorded in one marathon session, with 'Twist & Shout' saved till last as the sheer energy of the vocal often caused Lennon's voice to crack. If you listen carefully you can hear it do exactly that, which meant another take was never attempted, perhaps the finest single take in music history rounds out this outstanding debut.

Compate it to what their competitors were doing in early 1963 - case closed.

Summary: An album I still play regularly after 20 years