ANTHOLOGY 2

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This is my favourite of the 3 Anthologies. Most of these songs are of course already well known, but this CD features alternate versions, mainly early ones that didn't make it to the finished LP at the time. The highlights are -

"Real Love" - another Lennon solo effort completed by the remaining Beatles as per "Free as a bird". The original solo version can be found on the Lennon box set.

"That means a lot" - originally intended for Ringo, but eventually a single for P J Proby. An undiscovered Beatles gem.

"Tomorrow never knows" - a completely different early version, much slower.

"I'm looking through you" - McCartney's demo, a bit slower than the released version and without the "Why tell me why" middle eight.

"Got to get you into my life" - again very different to the Revolver version and without the brass section.

"And your bird can sing" - Lennon dissolves into hysterical laughter. "Strawberry Fields Forever" - there are 3 versions here which show how the final version we all know was constructed from the gentler acoustic version and the more manic version with the strings and brass. Fascinating.

"You know my name look up the number" - the full stereo version as opposed to the shorter mono version of Past Masters volume 2.

As with all releases of this type, most are of historical interest rather than something that you would play all the time, but few groups have unreleased material as good as this.

This second volume of the "Anthology" series is more interesting due to the influence that the music of The Beatles of this period (1965-1968) had in the deveopment of new styles like Progressive Rock by other bands in later years. Betwwen those years, the creativity of The Beatles improved a lot in arrangements, new ideas, new experiments, always helped a lot by a very good producer like George Martin. With another producer, the band maybe couldn`t develop their ideas in a proper way, IMO. George Martin helped them to bring to reality their arrangements. He was a very good "Translator" of all these ideas to reality.

This "Anthology 2" package starts with "Real Love", another "new song", another song compoosed and recorded by Lennon in the late 70s to which the rest of the band added their parts in 1995, again with Jeff Lynne as a co-producer, but with better results than in "Free as a Bird". I think that as a song, "Real Love" is better than "Free as a Bird". Also the arrangement done by the other three Beatles are better, IMO.

The rest of Disc 1 shows the development of new aexperimental ideas for songs, like "Tomorrow Never Knows". Also there are some previously unreleased tracks, like "That Means a Lot", a very good song, IMO, which Lennon & McCartney finally gave to singer P.J. Proby to record, and "If You`ve Got Trouble", a song composed for Ringo to sing. There are also some live recordings of their 1965 and 1966 tours.

Disc 2 is mostly dedicated to their 1967-early 1968 period, with demos, alternate takes or new mixings of songs from the "Sgt. Pepper`s" album, the "Magical Mystery Tour" E.P. and some songs released as singles. Also included, is the 6 minutes Stereo version of "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)", a very funny song. Disc Two is finished with a very good previously unreleased version of "Across the Universe", recorded in early 1968.

Volume 1 is undispensable.

For a Beatles fan like myself, this is a must. Living without it would be insanity, since so much material is related to my favorite period: from Revolver to Magical Mystery Tour.

The Beatles cohesion was still touchable, not too much dissonance was on the horizon. George still wanted to be 'fab', Ringo was himself has it's best, Paul and John were still tolerating and sometimes admirating themselves quietly.

To have Real Love as the 'new' Beatles song only proves this record right: this is to get and keep for a long time. Real Love is far superior as Free as a Bird in melody and honesty. Real Love already existing in John's repertoire, it is only better with George slide guitar and Ringo's laconic drumming. Plus you have 'Yes it is' and 'If You want trouble' performed by Ringo, a great song that could've been on Help if fate hasn't got into it.

Get this to complete your Beatles collection in a significant way. Bonus songs, great humor and total LSD attitude, this is the most complete anthology of the 3.

Vlolume 2 is fine, but redundant.

Each Beatles Anthology album is packed with alternative takes, demos, rarities and lots of fun chatter, a Beatles fan's paradise. This is perhaps my fave of the 3 due to the era it was focussing on, the psychedelic Beatles. I remember hearing some of these versions on a special radio show with the host boasting of owning such rarities; I wonder how he feels now that the versions are so easily accessible. In any case this is a great afternoon of listening and surprises with some of the rawness of the early versions without the studio trickery. They are not better versions per se but are simply fascinating curios showcasing the creation of legendary songs and milestone albums.

The album begins with the new song with Lennon resurrected thanks to the use of studio wizardry, Real Love (3.54), and it is a great song with a great clip to coincide; irresistible to Beatleholics. Highlights on CD 1 are alt versions of You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (2.45), If You've Got Trouble (2.48), Yesterday (2.34), It's Only Love (1.59), I Feel Fine (2.16), Ticket To Ride (2.45), Help! (2.55), Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (1.59), 12-Bar Original (2.55), Tomorrow Never Knows (3.14), And Your Bird Can Sing (2.13), Taxman (2.32), Eleanor Rigby (Strings Only) (2.06), I'm Only Sleeping (Take 1) (2.59), Rock And Roll Music (1.39) and She's A Woman (2.55).

Highlights on CD2, are definitely the many versions of Strawberry Fields Forever (Demo Sequence), (Take 1), and (Take 7 & Edit Piece). Also love the versions Penny Lane (3.13), A Day In The Life (5.05), Good Morning Good Morning (2.40), Only A Northern Song (2.44), Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite! (Takes 1 And 2), and (Take 7), Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (3.06), Within You Without You (Instrumental) (5.27), Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) (1.27), You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) (5.43), I Am The Walrus (4.02), Your Mother Should Know (3.02), Hello, Goodbye (3.18), and Across The Universe (3.28). Wow, that is a lot of highlights but that is why this is really a great Beatles collection. If you take it as a collection of superb alternative versions it is a very enjoyable experience, but one has to bear in mind that none of the versions are cleaned up and as great as the originals. It does not matter really because this is a collection of how the tracks sound before the studio trickery and is certainly fascinating listening from start to end.