The Beatles - Love
(2006)

Review by Sean Lynch

Is it impossible to perfect perfection? And anyone willing to attempt such a feat, well, is fighting an uphill battle. But by jingo, by crikey, gee williker and a bunch of other ye olde' terms - legendary Beatles producer George Martin may have very well pulled the impossible off.

Unlike most modern compilations of artists from the golden era of music, rather than simply throwing together a remastered list of hit tracks, old Georgie boy shows he still has the skills in the production room by making one giant, epic Beatles ballad with "Love". 

From the very first seconds of this album (created as a soundtrack to a multi million dollar Cirque du Soleil production, which a purpose built stadium was created just for it's performance) the listener is taken on one of the most impressive musical journey's you are ever likely to embark on.

Born from a personal friendship and mutual admiration between the late George Harrison and Cirque founder Guy Laliberté, "Love" evokes the exuberant and irreverent spirit of The Beatles. Using the original master tapes at Abbey Road studios, Sir George Martin and his son Giles have created a unique soundscape of The Beatles music. The beauty of it, is that "Love" is more like a surreal Mixed Tape - a stream of musical consciousness or a dream like river all seen through the eyes of Beatlemania.

What you notice throughout "Love" is just how good some of these songs are (and also how much influence a music producer actually has in the direction of a song). The opening track, Because, bleeds perfectly into the concert starter of Get Back (and a rare drum solo out-take from a session with Ringo Starr), and is just one example of not only the foursome's song writing ability, but also some of the smoothest vocals heard in some time.

There are subtle tweaks and re-arrangements here and there, most notably the re jigged Octopus's Garden, which is transformed from a novelty melody into a sweet and epic ballad. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! mixes in beautifully with Helter Skelter, while the opening of Blackbird into Yesterday heartbreakingly superb.

There are a number of tracks which will become new favourites, Drive My Car, Revolution, the ever so sweet Here Comes The Sun and A Day In The Life all stand tall and give a modern kick which seems to be missing from most radio stations of late.

It's an utterly amazing technical, musical and artistic achievement - the icing on the cake for Martin's producing career - and quite possibly one of the most fitting conclusions to the single most famous artist/producing partnerships in the history of music.

Everything old is new again, making "Love" an album to help us get back to where we once belonged.

RATING: 5 out of 5