ANTHOLOGY 2

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.