NOTE: I have not written this review in track-by-track format, as I don't think it is appropriate for this particular album. Back in the hazy halcyon days of the summer of 1967, The Beatles treated the world to their best-selling album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which shot straight to no.1 in the UK in June of that year. It stayed at the top for a 23 week run, returning for one more week in November, then for a further two weeks in late December and early January of 1968. In February, it then spent another week at the no.1 spot. For at least a couple of decades, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was the best-selling album of all time, when ...  Read the complete review

The 1960s saw many musical greats emerge and compete with each other, but there was one cross-continent battle that seemed to serve only to give us better and better music as they went on. Following the Beatles' successful album Revolver, the Beach Boys then went and developed their iconic Pet Sounds. This involved a lot of decision making in what the Beach Boys were doing, such as moving away from their usual 'surfer' influenced music and main writer Brian Wilson stopping touring. This is reported to have spurred the Beatles on to making a similar decision of their own, and it was to have a brilliant effect. Up until this point, and including the release of ...  Read the complete review

There is probably little left that could be said about the Beatles that hasn’t already been told. Billions of words have been written about them. Over one billion of their records have been sold world wide and that number still to this day, continues to grow. They have been honoured with the titles of ‘honouree founder members of the rock and roll hall of fame (1960’s) and will forever be donned with the title ‘world most successful group.’ The word ‘group’ has a very definitive meaning within this particular album. Only their eighth album but yet in the ‘group’ category, it was certainly to be their last. In 1968, they released the controversial ‘White ...  Read the complete review

Usually seeing myself as a rock/indie music kind of fan, definitely in tune with many unheard of American or Canadian artists from across the pond, it might seem a shock to some that I even gave this album a chance; I vaguely remember listening to some of the Beatles material as a young girl, my parents citing them as one of the best - if not the best - bands of all time. When 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' was announced as the best pop record of all time earlier this year, I was sceptical to say the least; an album of 40 years of age ranking that high up? I did briefly wonder who had actually voted in the first place and whether they were in tune ...  Read the complete review

Unless you are Mrs SWSt (who had never heard of this until I asked for it for Christmas!), almost everyone has heard of Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, even if you're not particularly a fan of The Beatles. One of the major reasons behind its widespread (and long-lasting) popularity is that it offers something very different. In today's musical world, where music is a manufactured product, Sergeant Pepper still stands out as something that dared to be different and fully deserves its cult status. Musically, it's best described as a mish-mash of styles, but there is an underlying playfulness to much of the lyrics and music. Some will make ...  Read the complete review