Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

So we've finally reached the climax of our journey into all things Beatles, their final two albums, while Let It Be would be the Beatles last studio release, chronologically Abbey Road was the last album of new materiel that they recorded together. Abbey Road was released in 1969 after the aborted Get Back sessions and marks the end of an era in many ways. Being the Beatles of course their last "real" album couldn't be anything but superb, but how does it stack up next to their other greats. It's certainly feels different, the last seven tracks on the album are out-takes and discarded tracks brought together and produced into a seamless end medley and of course the Abbey Road sessions where famed for their tension, John, Ringo and George have all referred to the making of Abbey Road as there most unpleasant and testing experience as apart of the Beatles. So in many ways Abbey Road is a hodge podge, and album without a clear conceptual basis, hell half the songs aren't even finished, yet it never feels like Yellow Submarine it's something different it's an improbable classic.

Maxwell's Silver Hammer, now any Beatles fan upon hearing those words will either cringe or start humming the "Bang, Bang" hook. Whether you love or hate this song one thing is for certain this track will bury itself in your head and refuse to leave. It's a classic example of what Lennon called McCartney's "granny shit", that sweet and sugary waltz timed inescapable singalong. Making this one song tore the Beatles apart, McCartney became obsessed and the other three were driven mad by it, and well for the listener it's...well...it's...okay. It's not as bad as some make out but it really nothing particularly special. McCartney immediately makes up for his sins however with the excellent Oh! Darling it feels like a homage to the Beatles early motown influences complete with the classic McCartney howl circa '63. However the song is more than a little pop throwaway, it's a primal, emotional, bluesy howlathon, it has more in common with Lennon's Yer Blues than a classic McCartney ballad, but Paul does a great job of shredding his voice to capture the tone of the song. It always strikes me as odd because it feels like McCartney doing Lennon with a Led Zep "ah ah aaaah".

Harrison is far more consistent with his offerings; Something is a song of legend, utterly perfect you could not change a single note, it's just gorgeous. Something is contrasted by Harrison's second offering Here Comes The Song another beautiful work, so light delicate and refreshing. It captures the mood of bright summer's day perfectly and effortlessly. It's a real testament to Harrison's song writing ability that he could craft two songs that are practically the polar opposite of one another and yet they could both be judged so deftly. Lennon is on equally devastating form with two songs that are so deep and so beautifully textured. First I Want You (She's So Heavy) a song that sounds like the last few moments before the end of the world, there's so much desperation and so much soul, it's both jagged and smooth. Paul McCartney's bassline and Billy Preston's organ are just sublime. The tracks length is really intriguing at eight minutes, it's a wonderful piece but let's face it on repeated listens it does drag a little. A track that certainly doesn't drag is Because undoubtedly one of my all time favourite Beatles tracks, it feels both mind bending and apocalyptic. It's a really seductive and hypnotic track with the haunting Beach Boys-eske three part harmony and the eternally grinding harpsichord. Because is positively otherworldly and as far as distinctive lyrics go it can't be beaten:

Because The Wind Is High,

So what of Ringo I hear you cry! Well he offers us his second true classic in the form of the wonderfully charming Octopuses Garden and he actually gets his first ever drum solo on The End. I have to say I always much preferred Octopuses Garden to Yellow Submarine it's far more interesting both musically and conceptually.

From here on in we're left with the concluding medley which is both a testament to the amazing production skills of George Martin to bring these little slices of imagination into a coherent and fast flowing conclusion. It's kicked into gear by McCartney's brilliant You Never Give Me Your Money a true epic, a song huge in scope that feels important from the first lyric onwards, it's wonderfully crafted and changes moods and personas at will. From then on in we get Sun King which feels like the successor to Here Comes The Sun a more mellow psychedelic evening come down after a day in the sun. It's bleaker in tone and as a track it's hard to pin down. From then on in B-side start flying at you Polytheme Pam rocks like a mother fucker with Lennon's scathing sarcasm running throughout:

"Well You Should See Polythene Pam,

Polythene Pam pounds thrilling into She Came In Through The Bathroom Window, this whole section of the album is just buzzing with energy and excitement, it feels vibrant, it feels live. McCartney not to be out match conjures this huge pre chorus and some wonderful lines of his own; "Sunday's On The Phone To Monday, Tuesdays One The Phone To Me, She Said She's Always Been A Dancer, Worked At Fifteen Clubs A Day". The track just flows so perfectly that it can switch themes in so swiftly and yet feel so natural, it's a staggering achievement.

The medley concludes in schizophrenic fashion; describing it in words it seems illogical but it works so perfectly, they go to the beautiful wrenching ballad Golden Slumbers to big bouncy wave goodbye sing song Carry That Weight. Carry That Weight itself jumps around suddenly dropping into minor chords to bring back the refrain from You Never Give Me Your Money. The roller coaster ride then settles down and comes to the perfect conclusion in the form of The End, it's pitched to perfection and serves as the perfect end note to the Beatles career "And In The End, The Love You Take, Is Equal To The Love, You Make" a perfect feel good ending to the last ever Beatles album. Of course being the Beatles they screw sentimentality and throw in one last joke in the form of Her Majesty.

So how do we rate Abbey Road? It's really hard to say, it's staggeringly brilliant, relentlessly creative and it refuses to be defined, it's bursting at the seams with ideas, it really shouldn't work but it just does. What's most surprising about Abbey Road is that the first half of the album loaded up with classic singles Something, Here Comes The Sun, Come Together, Octopuses Garden and Because actually pales in comparison to the unbridled thrill of that concluding medley. The way the tracks blend together at lightening pace is an absolute delight, it's full of surprises and no matter how many times you hear them you'll always surprised by the sheer exhilarating power of that concluding medley. Abbey Road almost falls into the Rubber Soul category, they defy definition, they click perfectly, but they are experiences, you can't describe in words the feeling you get listening to them, you simply have to experience it for yourself. Not a very helpful review ah? But it's true, Abbey Road is the polar opposite of Rubber Soul your not immersing yourself in a single mood your instead being thrust about, and pulled from left to right in a madcap explosion of ideas. It may not work as conventional LP in the way that Sgt. Peppers and Revolver do, and it may not always satisfy but everyone at one time or another should attempt to get their heads around the creative expolsion that is Abbey Road.