The Beatles - Rubber Soul

The Beatles...It's a no brainer.

I was amazed to find a couple of songs on here that I didn't remember. This has a lot of my favorites. If you are a Beatle fan, I would definately recommend 'Rubber Soul'. July 6, 2008

Delicious!

My favorite Beatles album, actually. Others were more experimental, influential, and innovative, but Rubber Soul is really the bee's knees, musically speaking. Chronologically speaking, it captures the Fab Four at a crossroads, bridging the gap between their tenure as the world's smartest teen pop band and rock `n' roll's preeminent celebrity mad scientists. As such, it captures the best of both worlds: The songs are smartly crafted pop classics with perfect melodies, but they're also bold and original. The lyrics are subtly poetic, the instrumentation is rich and complex, and even the most innocuous tracks burble with exciting new ideas.

"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" is a sepia-toned miracle, full of folk and mystery and parallel-universe pop melodies. It also has some of the best use of a sitar on a Beatles record. "In My Life" is a tearjerker that can really jerk tears, a haunting work that's full of memory and melancholy. "Drive My Car" is really fun and really groovy, and the guitar solo is wonderfully, unbelievably, quintessentially 60s.

But the real draw of this album is the underappreciated gems. Rubber Soul is full of `em. Take "You Won't See Me," for example. It would have been the highlight of just about any other 60s group's career- it's an absolutely flawless pop song, from harmonies to lyrics to chord progressions. It's cool, it's wistful, it's catchy, it's dynamic, and it's fun. Perfect, I tell ya! "I'm Looking Through" is absolutely gorgeous, and "Wait" has one of the most bewitching choruses in history. I even like the much-maligned "Run For Your Life," because it creates a genuine sense of menace and aggression. Marvelous!

To top it off, the cover art is hipper than anything else in existence. Be hip and buy Rubber Soul. Bon Appétit. July 5, 2008

Coming of age

A lot has been written and spoken about "Rubber soul" It is basically The Beatles coming of age release. Their work takes on a more reflected and personal identity. They sound more mature in their singing, playing and songwriting. At no time though does this CD sound heavy handed or preachy. Some of the pop sheen is still present, but their melodies and subject matter have a very passionate feel to them. They were still writing in a "singles" (45's) mode and so most everything on the CD sounds like it could have been a hit single in 1965. For that matter probably could be a hit record these days too. Really the only true throwaway song on here is Ringo's "What goes on?" Everything else brims with worthy craftsmanship. Imagine how good this album would have been had they included "Day tripper" & "We can work it out" instead of issuing them as a double A side single. June 4, 2008

Beatles Rubber Soul

I received this CD as a gift and was very disappointed to find that the songs were not the same as on my old record. I've Just Seen A Face was my favorite song and it is not included. May 19, 2008

Sid the Elf thinks Rubber Soul is the most underrated Beatles album

Whenever Sid is driving in his car on a crisp autumn day the first thing he thinks about listening to is some Beatles. And, Rubber Soul just might be the best album the Fab Four ever made. "Drive My Car," the first track is good, a solid single for the lads. But, Sid tends to dislike many of the guys' "hits." It's the second track, "Norwegian Wood," that really kicks off the brilliance in the effort. This is one of the best song the group has ever done, and it is never mentioned in a listing of their better tunes. The whole album is excellent with the exception of "What Goes On," sung by the one and only Richard Starkey of course. The highlight, though, is the incomparable "Michelle." Sid defies you to find a sweeter ballad. If you can't groove with the mellow licks at the end of the song, Sid doesn't know what to tell you. May 18, 2008

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