If you want to read about the original mix in detail I also suggest Mark Lewisohn's "The Beatles Recording Sessions/The Official Abbey Road Studio Session Notes 1962-1970 (Harmony Books).
So to get this review posted as quickly as possible, the planned microscopic examination of this mix versus the original got scrapped. Originally, UMe/Apple Corps wanted reviews held until release date of November 9th but as of the day this review was posted (October 23rd), that restriction was lifted. Some of those 8 track recordings also stand out, but some don't, probably because they were secondarily bounced to 8 tracks. When Ken Scott found out there was an 8-track machine at Abbey Road, he moved it into the studio without authorization so it could be used for much of the rest of the album. Most of the album was recorded on 4-track machines. Some of you who are more “into the weeds” probably know why “Dear Prudence” sounds particularly good on the original and reissue because it was recorded at Trident on an 8-track machine. Without knowing why (until now) certain tracks sound better than others. This album is in my DNA and probably yours. The book is a "must have" for hard-core fans and it's a shame a 4 LP box set with that book was not made available. In addition the deluxe box includes a 164 page hardcover book that includes track-by-track details, and pictures of the band, tape boxes, recording sheets, and print ads. The Blu-ray disc contains a new transfer of the original mono mix and new 5.1 and the new stereo mix at 96k/24 bit resolution.
There’s also a 3 CD set containing the same program as the 4 LP box set and for those who must have it all, there’s a numbered deluxe box containing 6 CDs containing what’s on the 3 CDs plus 3 CDs of studio jams, alternate takes and rehearsals taken from the album and associated singles. QRP pressed the double LP set minus the Esher Demos (not auditioned). All 4 LPs in the sealed set I received were perfectly pressed. Miles Showell 1/2 speed mastered the 4LP set at Abbey Road from the high resolution files and it was pressed at Optimal. Instead there’s a folded over 24”x12” heavy board “one-sheet” containing pictures of each Beatle playing their instrument and short essays by Paul McCartney (emphasizing the album’s group nature), Giles Martin (an introduction with some historical background information), and Beatles biographer Kevin Howlett’s album essay on the inner gatefold and Esher Demos essay on the outer gatefold along with four more photos.
However, while some on-line sites claim a “stapled 12”x12” booket” is included, one is not.
The full sized poster and 4 individual head shots are included as well and all are well-reproduced as are the inner gatefold’s black and white images. The inner sleeves are, like the original’s black, but with added inner protective rice paper or another vinyl protecting material. The gatefold jackets are not “top-loaders” nor are they “fold overs” nor are they numbered, but The Beatles is embossed. The 4 LP box packaging has its good and less than good aspects. To restate the obvious, the Esher demos is like the first “Unplugged” album and it clearly demonstrates that at least at the time it was recorded, the 3 Beatles were getting along famously and working together as a musical unit. Please click on that link for the details. Also, many books exist that go into all of this in near-excruciating detail if you are interested, especially Mark Lewisohn’s “The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions”, which I highly recommend.Īpple Corps/UMe will release on November 9th a number of configurations of the newly remixed The Beatles as outlined in the AnalogPlanet story written directly after the recent event at Power Station at BerkleeNYC studios. Other than Beatles aficionados and historians, most consumers to this day don’t really care about this back story and many have never heard of the “Esher demos” but hopefully now they will.