Review: Sgt Pepper -- The Beatles (1967)

Nice little album. Even though it’s hard to tell whether this is one better than A Hard Day’s Night, Rubber Soul, or Revolver, I’d say this hotty is more consistent than any of their other albums. Of course, I do miss the overall warmfullness of the Rubber, the raws of the Night, the surprises of the Gun, but here’s just as many greats as on any of these three. It’s more fun as well. The dry witty from, let’s say, ”Drive My Car” is perfected here. This is obviously the most funny piece of music they’ve ever made. It’s not as serious as Revolver which pleases cose Beatles has always been more about the wit and the hit and not the pit – whatever that means. So even though this isn’t ”warm” it still is, not in the hummy-kind of way but rather the humbly kind of way.

   

The main problem with this disc is the beginning, the three firsts. It sure sets the tone for the rest of it, just like the opening three on any album by the band. But where ”A Hard Day’s Night”, ”I Should Have Known Better” and ”If I Fell” were both a selection of perfect songs and a setting of the stage, the titletrack, ”Help From My Friends” and ”Lucy” on Pepper are merely toners. The songs are not bad but they´re not great either that is. This bothers me – a lot. They do waste my time and leaves me waiting for something big to come. 

Eventually the big does come; when ”Getting Better” kicks off everything actually does get better – and I’m not even punning! ”Getting Better” is a great song, I love those crispy guitars, the hotty drumming and the notty lyrics. The vocals are both rusty and crystal clean, the chorus keeps the promise which the verse gave us of a goody. Everything sits there – quite an accomplishment. Maybe even better is the one about a girl who is leaving home, a song which might be the most moving song by/about The Beatles. I like the last chorus in particular – the one where the chorus is singing ”She is having” just to stop, letting the listener think that she’s fucking pregnant! But then they continue and let us all know that she is having ”fun” (what a relief). Confusing and beautiful at the same time – brilliant!

What else? There´s an ragalika song in the middle of the disc. Good one, lasts for over five minutes. It lets us catch our breath and dry our tears after ”She’s Leaving Home” which is always nice. Then there is this song about a man who wants a date and therefore puts a note in a paper in hopes to find the one, someone who can stand him even if he´d happen to be like 64 years old. Lovely tune! Excellent playing, let’s have a toast for the Ringo during the second bridge, carefully whisping the drums. And what about the John’s picking and plinging in the last verse? And how mature is not this song really? At least for a 25 year older. Paul sounds as if he was 64 too, not a day younger. Maybe he is 64, maybe it’s not even Paul singing: there is this rumour that Paul might have died and have been replaced by some kind of  random. Pretty likely when you hear this song.

Peppers ties everything neatly up in a fag with the spooky ”A Day in the Life”. Not too much to say about this song though other than that I really enjoy it. It is pretty moving to hear John singing the opening lines although I can hardly see any man being this sad while reading the… Oh, someone´s died? Well, that explains everything, does it not? Go ahead, keep on whining – like som cheeze? Or are you going to the movies? Guess you are. Damn, what a nice song! First he’s reading the papers and THEN he’s at the movies. What kind of crappy story is that and why does it work? Then there is that bridge which ends up in another bridge which, in its turn, leads into another bridge (this one gives me bumps de goose). One last verse and a grand chord, banged on some pianos finishes it all off on a high.

The major problem with this one is that it sounds a bit too much as a copy of Queen’s ”Bohemian Rhapsody”: you know the part when Paul sings ”Woke up, fell outta bed” reminds me a lot of the ”Easy come, easy go”-acrapella-part. The Beatles tends to sound like a 70’s-cover band here which is never a good thing if you’rn't into progg. But I do think The Beatles’ wrote the better one of these two anyway so it's OK. This one is not as hysterical, not too perfect. John and co. definitely bet the Queen at her own game this time.