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There's no way to simply gauge just how great and influential The Beatles 1967 album "Sgt. Pepper" has become. Forty-two years since its release, people still talk about it, people still write about it, people still listen to it and people still love it. On September 9th 2009, Capitol/Parlophone will finally re-release all of The Fab Four's albums on CD and give them the sonic respect they should've gotten in the first place. First and foremost, of course, is "Sgt. Pepper", which has lost none of its luster and crackle. The album, which was easily inspired by Brian Wilson's sonically beautiful "Pet Sounds", has John Lennon and Paul McCartney feeding off that masterpiece and in turn, making their own. Rambling psychedelia, poignant ballads, fanciful British music-hall tunes and Indian raga songs are all here. Although The Beatles weren't touring anymore, they still made the first (and arguably finest) concept album of all time. All this and "A Day In The Life" replete with that swirling orchestra, that lone piano note, that dog whistle and The Beatles rambling off until somebody shuts off the phonograph. And just three years after making "Sgt. Pepper", The Beatles would be no more.
Paul McCartney once said that he didn't feel that anybody was "musically educated" unless they heard "Pet Sounds". I feel the same way about "Sgt. Pepper".
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Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This Album really changed everything, including the Beatles. Up until then, songs were no longer 2 1/2 min "hit singles" played on the AM radio. After Pepper, everyone bought albums, and bought an FM radio. In fact much of this album was banned on AM radio, leaving such tame cuts as "When I'm 64" left to be played, the only really safe song, that one could be sure didn't mention drugs. I bought mine in Mono, because I didn't want to wait to save the extra money to get it in stereo, not, at that time, knowing, Mono was the way to go. (and I was disappointed at how my stereo copy of Rubber Soul sounded, voice on one speaker, music on the other, stereo was yet to be special) Was surprised when I finially bought the Pepper CD at how different it sounded from all the listenings of my album. You should have both the NEW Mono and Stereo copy of Pepper. There will never be another Beatles, or SGT. Peppers, nor will the world, or I, for that matter, be the same. A must have, even though, not my favorite Beatle Album.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.T-Lynn
Posted October 1, 2010
If you love the Beatles, you MUST have this CD. The packaging and sound quality are excellent. The CD literally takes you to the "fair" and introduces you to the "band", in another place in time, and runs the gamut of emotions and feelings. It will make you smile with the delight at the whimsy, tug at your heart with the melancholy and dazzle you with the commitment to the intricate instrumentalities. I especially liked the packaging and the booklet inside the CD package, which explains the technical and production aspects of the ground-breaking musical endeavor by the Beatles. This CD clearly emphasizes why the Beatles were and continue to be the group that has set the bar for content and performance. You will be hard pressed to pick a favorite, as all the tracks are excellent. This is one CD that I would definitely take to a desert island.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.What can I say, this is one of the most influential and creative albums in history. The songs have withstood these many years and are as fresh now as they were then. Compare that to the other ground-breaking album "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys where the songs just sound outdated.
The newly mastered quality brings crystal clarity to these ancient recordings. The packaging includes some old photos of the original artwork shrunk down to fit the CD booklet format. Included on the audio CD is a small documentary. The documentary is only about ten minutes and doesn't include any detailed information about the making of Sgt. Peppers.
SeattleSlackkey
Posted October 1, 2010
Music is cleaner but still retains that signature multi-track engineering and fullness that is sometimes overdone in re-masters.
Disappointed at the computer "extras" that were included -it did not run on my Macintosh at all so it was worthless.
GinaS13
Posted October 1, 2010
This album has always been my favorite. The sound quality is excellent. This record makes me happy!
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Editorial Reviews
All Music Guide - Stephen Thomas Erlewine
With Revolver, the Beatles made the Great Leap Forward, reaching a previously unheard-of level of sophistication and fearless experimentation. Sgt. Pepper, in many ways, refines that breakthrough, as the Beatles consciously synthesized such disparate influences as psychedelia, art-song, classical music, rock & roll, and music hall, often in the course of one song. Not once does the diversity seem forced -- the genius of the record is how the vaudevillian "When I'm 64" seems like a logical extension of "Within You Without You" and how it provides a gateway to the chiming guitars of "Lovely Rita." There's no discounting the individual contributions of each ...