Abbey Road [VINYL]

Abbey Road, the iconic masterpiece from The Beatles, has been etched into the annals of music history since its original release in 1969. Now, half a century later, the 50th Anniversary Edition on vinyl breathes new life into this timeless classic, delivering an unparalleled sonic experience that transcends the boundaries of time. From the moment the needle touches the grooves of the vinyl, it's evident that this edition has been crafted with meticulous care. The warmth and richness of the analog sound transport the listener to the hallowed grounds of Abbey Road Studios, where the Fab Four once walked in musical unison. The vinyl medium, with its inherent warmth and depth, adds an extra layer of authenticity to the experience, capturing the true essence of the recording era. What sets this anniversary edition apart is the meticulous remastering process undertaken by Giles Martin, son of the legendary George Martin, who was the original producer of Abbey Road. Giles' commitment to preserving the integrity of the original recordings while enhancing the overall audio fidelity is nothing short of remarkable. The result is a sonic tapestry that reveals nuances and subtleties previously unheard, allowing listeners to rediscover the album with fresh ears. The packaging itself is a work of art, paying homage to the iconic cover art while incorporating new elements that commemorate the album's enduring legacy. The attention to detail extends beyond the sound quality, with the vinyl housed in a sturdy, high-quality sleeve that ensures the physical embodiment of Abbey Road matches the sonic excellence within. Abbey Road's 50th Anniversary Edition on vinyl is not merely a reissue; it's a celebration of musical brilliance and cultural significance. Whether you're a seasoned Beatles aficionado or a newcomer exploring the magic of Abbey Road for the first time, this edition serves as a gateway to an era when music was crafted with passion, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to artistry. In conclusion, Abbey Road's 50th Anniversary Edition on vinyl is a must-have for any serious collector or music enthusiast. It not only pays homage to one of the greatest albums of all time but elevates the listening experience to new heights, reminding us all why The Beatles continue to be an enduring force in the realm of popular music.

I can't pretend to be impartial about Abbey Road. It remains my favourite album of all time, even though a convincing case can be made that, from an objective point of view, there are indeed better albums. Nevertheless, it's a widely held view (which I share) that Abbey Road is the best album by the greatest band in the history of popular music. As such, it deserves a place in any music collection, even if only for its historic significance. Musically, I firmly believe that it stands up today every bit as strongly as it ever did, not least because it introduced George Harrison's classic ballad, "Something", a song which has been covered innumerable times, including by artists as diverse as James Brown, Shirley Bassey, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Joe Cocker, Smokey Robinson, and Frank Sinatra (twice!) Then there's "Here Comes The Sun", again by George, which apparently is the Beatles song which gets streamed more than any other. John Lennon's "Because" is a lesser known masterpiece which displays the stunning beauty of the Beatles' harmony vocals at their very best. "Come Together" is a magnificent example of inspired, imaginatively arranged, immaculately executed ensemble playing. And yet, all of these triumphs are merely the prologue to the legendary "Long One", a superb medley of various song fragments which somehow feel like a unified, cohesive composition of almost symphonic proportions, climaxing with brief solo features by all four Fabs before resolving with the Beatles' very own karmic epitaph - "And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." I feel that no band ever ended their album career on a higher note. Abbey Road was a glorious way for The Beatles to bow out while they were still at the very top. It deserves six stars out of five!

My favorite thing about Abbey Road has always been its sound--I've never considered the album one of the Beatles' very best, but have always considered it their "sonic masterpiece". I've listened a few times now, and the single most impressive remastered track to my ears is "Here Comes the Sun": the Moog is fascinating. The clarity of the Moog allows the details of its sounds to gives it a presence that I don't think could ever have been appreciated before. Rather than just being a backing instrument, the thoughtful deliberation in how the Moog was played and its sounds were crafted give it a centrality to "Abbey Road"'s sound. The Beatles didn't rely on the Moog to be trendy or as spectacle as most not bands had the tendency to do. Not only does the Moog make this contribution to "Here Comes the Sun", but it becomes a sort of leitmotif that continues through the following tracks. The backing vocals on "Here Comes the Sun" and across the album are among the Beatles' best and the clarity is incredible. I have always considered Ringo one of the best rock drummers, and the remasters similarly provide clarity to the drums that makes Ringo's precision and creativity more pronounced than ever. I wonder if McCartney provided some direction to the remastering? The bass sounds too heavy on the tracks published on YouTube; on the disc itself, the sound is much more balanced. The remaster has a nice little flourish on "Her Majesty", as the vocals slowly pan from right to left. I could well be wrong, but I can't imagine Giles Martin could take liberties that wide (pun intended!) without approval from McCartney. Bonus tracks are worth listening to, but maybe not as exciting as those from the "White Album" session; definitely not as much as the best outtakes from the "Let It Be" sessions that were leading up to "Abbey Road". I'm already looking forward to hearing what Apple will do with the "Let It Be" album and sessions. I dig it!

Fantastic cd. Beatles at their very best

Had this album years ago, loved it then. Great price, quick delivery. Thank you

In humble opinion, the most technically accomplished Beatles album to exist. Thats a big statement - afterall, Sgt. Pepper's has often been cited as one of (or if not, the) greatest albums ever made, given how much influence it had not just in popular music, but within cultures worldwide too. Abbey Road is a special product for it single handedly defines why this band was special. It is bold, but never alienates the audience. Its lyrics speak of value, but are never overly sentimental. And contains humorous motifs that are loved by audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The first side of the album - 'Come Together' through to 'I Want You' - is reminiscent of many of the bands earlier works and contains a host of wonderful melodies, but the it is the second side of the album that is commonly regarded as the highlight. 'Here Comes The Sun' is surely the most uplifting song you could wish for, and and sets a tone for the ambitious segueing of works that follow; all ending on the whimsical note of 'Her Majesty' that McCartney original wrote as a joke on the way to the studio. At 23 seconds long, its blunt ending typifies how the band could seamlessly merge more abstract ideals with the traditions that they popularised. This 2009 remaster is a joy to listen to. From reading some of the other reviews/comments, I was under the impression that unless I owned a super-hi-fidelity sound system worth at least four thousand pounds, it would impossible for me to now enjoy this music because I am absolutely compromised by my CD players lack of value. I need not reiterate that playback technology has, somewhat, 'improved' since the '60s, and the weedy sound that my stack-system used to produce is quite embarrassing today. This mastering seems to tick all the boxes that the vinyl and its equipment of the day completely missed, so I'm thrilled to hear my favorite songs with such depth and clarity, and whats more, I appreciate the efforts that went into it. If you're a newcomer to The Beatles, you'd be hard pushed to find a better album than Abbey Road. Top drawer!

This is a sympathetic and sensitive remaster. The changes over the 1987 remaster are subtle. The recording is clearer with better overall instrument definition and dynamic range. The bass dominance in the 1987 version has been addressed. The differences between this and the 2009 remaster are far more subtle. Again this remaster is a little clearer yet some of the warmth has been sacrificed. The 2009 master is closer to the original vinyl recording. Is this better than the 2009 remaster, probably not, it is different, clearer but colder. The 2009 remaster is more rounded being clearer than the 1987 version but with more range and warmth. These remasters are not as transformational as the “LOVE” recordings but that approach might have been too much of a departure from the original for many fans. For my part the original vinyl is still the definitive version. From a musical and sound quality approach this release was probably not worth the money. However I am not a collector of every release of an album. If there is a significant improvement in the sound quality then I tend to be happy. For me the 2009 CD remaster was adequate. Disc 1 I have not set out to write reviews of the music content as “beauty is in the ears of the listener”. These reviews are about the quality (or not) of the recorded sound. To read about how the reviews are done please see my profile. • Clarity – ok, good dynamic range, better than the 1987 version • Channel separation - good • Channel balance – better definition than original versions. Dynamic mix retaining the feeling of the original recording. The instruments are more evenly “spread” than the 1987 re master • Sound Stage – is more detailed than the 1987 remaster. Reasonable sound stage but still limited • Distortion – non audible • Compression – far less limited than the 1987 remaster. Slightly louder with more dynamic range and detail. • Atmosphere – reasonable far less muddy than the 1987 remaster. Not the most atmospheric recording but better in that it feels more energised as a result of the enhanced clarity • Bass – low frequencies – more controlled less “boomy” but less of the bass guitar is revealed. The drums are tighter but still not over dominant. • Treble – high frequencies – the guitars and piano have a more realistic and “personal” sound which is more open • Vocals – very clearly front and and centre of the recording. Not significantly different than the 1987 remaster, just a bit cleaner. Disc 2 – extra versions These early versions may be of interest to collectors showing the evolution of the original release. Most significantly they illustrate how the recording process gradually erodes the sound quality as the layers are added and the final track built. The dynamic range is greater. The instruments and sounds are much clearer. The vocals in particular feel as if a light has been shone on them, lifting a veil. For me the additional tracks were interesting but not a real reason to buy this recording. As a general rule of thumb recordings from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s are nearly always better on the original vinyl. Remasters often fail to please as it’s just not possible to make a silk purse from a sows ear, i.e. the original recording lacks the necessary detail to be processed digitally and show an audible improvement. Indeed such processing can make the sound worse. Modern recordings which have been processed digitally from start to finish can be as good as vinyl. CD’s are often unfairly criticised for being poor quality. This is not the case, it is the original recording or the process which is to blame. Modern “remasters” can both enhance and degrade a recording. The statement GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out) is the limiting factor. Ignore this at your cost.

Got this for my girlfriend for her birthday, and she loved it! She said it was amazing and obviously worked I presume, so if you want to get someone special a gift and you know they like The Beatles, Get this! I was honestly about to keep it for myself 😂

I Beatles sono sempre i Beatles. Stupenda questa versione DeLuxe. L'audio si sente davvero bene e si riescono ad apprezzare tutte le sfumature delle voci e degli strumenti. Da fan dei Beatles da sempre, non posso che consigliare l'acquisto. Ho tutta la loro collezione, distribuita tra vinili e cd. Sono stati dei grandissimi insieme e Paul McCartney ha continuato a stupirmi sempre, anche nelle svariate collaborazioni con altri artisti, come ad esempio quella con Michael Jackson in Say Say Say.

Nice!

Mooie heruitgave van het iconische Abbey Road! Blij terug te hebben in mijn collectie, leuk om te plaatsen als object in de woonkamer. Mooie kwaliteit!

The 50th anniversary edition of the Beatles final & in my opinion finest album. The extra songs on the SuperDeluxe editions are just a wonderful insight into the Beatles music making process. Wish they also offered those extra recordings at a lower price without fancy packaging for Beatles fans who aren't super rich. The packaging of the BluRay/CD SuperDeluxe edition is fantastic & absolutely worth it for wealthy collectors, but there are lots of other fans who aren't wealthy & would love to have these additional recordings in a physical format (LP, CD, BluRay, etc) so as to listen to them whenever they want to even decades later (I still listen to stuff purchased decades ago), it would have been nice to see such editions available at a more affordable rate with basic packaging. The remainder of this review pertains to the 50th anniversary edition of the Beatles Abbey Road in LP format (Vinyl) . I find the sound of this edition a bit too extra 'refined/polished' compared to the various previous editions I've owned over the decades. But it gives us a new way to appreciate this fantastic final album of arguably the worlds best band, you notice new details in songs that weren't noticeable before. The Vinyl version I have can be on the quieter side if your turntable isn't well calibrated as I noticed it's volume is very sensitive to how the turntables tonearm & catrige is calibrated. It's the only Vinyl I've owned that seems to be so sensitive.... get that balance right with your turntable & the sound from this LP is fantastic get that balance (tonearm calibration) wrong with your turntable & the sound output is much lower.

It was originally a greatly mastered album. Well, Giles Martin adds his won touch in remastering/remixing, and some subtle frequencies can also be heard. Good one to collect.