My Favourite Video Games I Beat In 2020

 

2020 has been such an unspeakably miserable year for me that it doesn't even deserve me writing about why that is. So screw that, I'm gonna write about video games instead.

 

I haven't always been a consistent gamer, and over the recent years (aside from my annual Christmas tradition of beating Mario 3) I barely played them at all. This changed in 2020, due to a combination of being stuck at home by myself for like 98 percent of this hell year, and discovering YouTube shows like Angry Video Game Nerd that rekindled my love of retro games (especially the Super Nintendo, which I played more than any other console). My actual SNES died a decade ago, so most of these games I beat were using an old emulator (without save states). Anyway lets get into this

 

#12 - Mario's Time Machine (SNES)

Beaten before 2020? - Who cares

Recommend? - Dear god no no no no no

I really only played this (and the Waldo game) just to see if they're as bad as I remember from when I was a kid. At least "Waldo" is short. This game is bloody awful and tedious.... you spend a good chunk of the game as Mario on a surfboard trying to collect mushrooms and go into whirlpools. WTF? Sure, it's an educational game (though several of its facts are historically incorrect) but there are ways they could've combined that and made this actually something resembling fun. Mario traveling through time, thwarting Bowser and his koopas? That could've been awesome! And I enjoy reading about history! 

But no... it sucks and you'll be bored after five minutes. Bad repetitive music, flat graphics, annoying quiz questions, irritating dialogue... combine that with probably the most unsatisfying and lazy ending in any Mario game (apparently there are three endings and I got the bad one, but I'm never playing this shit again so screw that)... this is legit the worst game I've ever played long enough to beat. They should send it back in time to where it can never be found.

 

  

 

#11 - The Great Waldo Search (SNES)

Beaten before 2020? -- Yep. Who can't beat this?

Recommend? -- Only as a joke

 

This is probably the easiest video game I've ever played. And one of the worst, though it slips into "so bad it's hilarious" territory. I remember getting it probably when I was ten and being excited, since I loved the Waldo books, then being extremely confused after beating it so quickly. I tried it again here 20+ years later... and beat it again in twelve minutes. Twelve. On "Expert Mode" no less. It's the kind of game I like to show people only because it's so funny in its awfulness, but even as a joke it lasts even less time than the game itself. 

 

#10 - MVP Baseball 2005 (PC)

Beaten before 2020? -- not sure. Can't remember if I played 2004 or 2005 back in the day

Recommend? -- If you like baseball games and don't care about updated rosters  

 

There's not much to say with this one. It's a perfectly fine mid-00s sports game and it give me my fix when MLB was shut down during the late spring. The graphics aren't pixelated too much and the different stadiums are distinctive and unique (aside from bad crowd animation, which seems a constant in these games). I like this one, and seeing these old rosters is definitely a nostalgic trip (top of my head I think only Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera are still active players). 

Since you usually can't "beat" a sports game, I count this one since I won the World Series. All right next.

 

#9 - Kirby Superstar (SNES)

Beaten before 2020? -- No

Recommend? - Yes

 

A very colourful game, with tons of fun items for Kirby to use and the graphics are stunning. My only complaint is while the different games have their own unique quirks, overall the game is on the easy side and the levels/bosses do get somewhat repetitive in their design. Still though it has some neat moments, like the one where Kirby has to take down a giant airship, or a boss battle where you fight a trio of enemies in RPG hit point style. It's a fun, lighthearted adventure. 

#8 - Aero The Acrobat 2 (SNES)

Beaten before 2020? -- Yes

Recommend? -- Yes

 

One of my favourite games on the more obscure side, Aero 2 finds you controlling an acrobatic bat (get it) on a quest to destroy an evil clown. The graphics and level design are why I love the SNES, with three dimensional backgrounds and big levels filled with secret bonus stages. It also has one of my favourite soundtracks of all time, and there's an entire level based on disco music! The biggest flaw is that the story, while creating its own world, feels underdeveloped and somewhat vague. Nevertheless this game is fun, hilarious and great to look at, with enough tricky secrets for replay value. I love this game and it feels weird to rank it so low, but I played a lot of great games this year.

 

#7 - Super Mario Bros 2 - All-Stars Edition (SNES)

Beaten before 2020? Yes

Recommend? - Yes, but it's not a typical Mario game

 

Probably my least favourite of the original NES Mario trilogy, but still a wonderful game. It was strange at the time (early 90s) when I first played it, since I was surprised how you could choose between the four different characters and each one has their own strengths and weaknesses. I've always chosen Luigi, which many people have told me is the character they pick the least, but I'm just used to his weird jumping mechanics I guess.

My only faults are I find it the easiest early Mario game, and some of the dungeons can get a bit tedious and predictable in terms of having to grab the key and evade the floating masks, over and over. Still though, the final world is hard as steel to beat and definitely provides a good challenge. A great game and always fun to pop in and listen to the delightful music of the overworld stage. 

(also for you nerds out there yes I now about how it was Doki Doki Panic in Japan etc etc)

 

#6 - Super Mario Bros - All-Stars Edition (SNES)

Beaten before 2020? - Not without Game Genie as a kid

Recommend? - Uhhh... duh?

 

To be totally upfront, if this were the original NES version it would rank higher. The All-Stars version, while more colourful, gets a bit monotonous with the backgrounds and the updated iconic music just doesn't sound as good as the 8-bit classic. 

Other than that, there's not much else to say. It's the first goddamn Super Mario Bros... undoubtedly one of the most important and famous video games of all time. And it's awesome of course. I also find it rather difficult, especially once you get to World 8 and every kind of enemy is coming out to get you (Hammer Bros in this game are evil, man). Actually beating it is extremely satisfying, knowing that finally the princess is not in another damn castle! Anytime I'm in a barcade (which has been a while obviously) I have to give this game a go. 

 

#5 - Mega Man X (SNES) 

Beaten before 2020? - No

Recommend? - Yes

 

I came into this with basically no experience playing any Mega Man games. I never owned any of them, and when I first started playing emulators this game slipped through the cracks. Which is a shame because this game is just damn awesome. Cool weapons, distinctive levels, a basic but effective storyline, and of course... the soundtrack is just amazing. I'm not sure if it was my learning curve from being so unfamiliar with the controls or the difficulty of the game itself, but I had a very hard time playing this game at first. The bosses regularly pummeled me until I finally found one I could beat, and it then got quite easier once I got more weapons and more powerups (I've heard Mega Man games usually have a specific order of bosses to beat to make things easier, but I didn't want to cop out and look it up). The final stages are still a great challenge, and beating Sigma felt really damn good. A nearly flawless game.

 

#3 - Super Castlevania 4 (SNES)

Beaten before 2020? - Yes a few times

Recommend? - Oh hell yes

 

I would've really loved to have given the original Castlevania on the NES a solid go, since it's a game I owned as a kid, is notoriously extremely hard and as such I could never get past Stage 10 as a youngster. Unfortunately my NES emulator doesn't even allow a controller to work and beating the game using a keyboard, which while undeniably super impressive, is an experience I'm sure will overwhelm with frustration (I actually did try one night and did get to Stage 12, so take that eight year old me!).

On to Castlevania 4, though, one of my favourite games of all damn time. The game is perfect: awesome controls (whip in any direction), the level design is extremely innovative for the early 90s (like the levels that rotate) and look distinct in their colourful creepiness, while the music is just so kickass. The intro, with the lightning hitting the gravestone as fog rolls in, still gives me chills every time. It might not be as hard as the earlier games in the series (which again are notorious for that) but it always provides a sizeable challenge even for someone like me who has played it so much, especially once to get to the bosses before Dracula (who himself is also a frustrating battle). Straight up, I love this game and the journey is always fun, creepy and satisfying.

 

#2 - Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES)  

Beaten before 2020? - No

Recommend? - Yes yes yes

 

Before this year I'd only played Link To The Past once a little over a decade ago, and while I got pretty far I guess late-teens me got bored with it (dumbass). I am glad I came back to it, as it is widely considered one of the greatest video games ever made and it lives up to that reputation easily. There is so much I could talk about in this game in regards to the various characters, the story, the diverse overworld etc... and all those elements add to its greatness. This is such an immersive game because it takes you to a world filled with so much detail, so much to explore and gradually uncover that when you think of so many modern games that do the same thing, it's unbelievable a game like this came out thirty years ago. Maybe the graphics aren't as realistic as those newer games, but I like the colourfulness on display here. It's simply a masterpiece that will probably hold up another three decades.   

 

#1 - Super Mario Bros 3 - (SNES/NES)

Beaten before 2020? Many times

Recommend? - Yes yes yes yes yes yes

 

This shouldn't be a surprise if you know that this is my favourite game of all time, and one that brings back so many memories every single time I play it. This year I beat it on my SNES emulator this past holiday season (though not without some public frustration) and on the original NES at a friend's house several months ago. To be honest I don't really have a preference on which version I like better: the classic NES version still looks great by 8-bit standards, while the All-Stars version beautifully spruces up the graphics and adds some really stunning backgrounds. It's also always a harder game than I remember: I think this year I came in a bit overconfident (especially after beating the NES version so recently) and forgot how hard this game gets near the end. Some of the levels in World 8 are just insane with enemies and jumps that need to be perfectly timed. Anyway, it's the best. Love it.

 

Well hope you enjoyed this dive into retro games. Some of you might wonder and ask why don't I play any more modern games. While sure, I have played games like GTA 5, Fallout 4 etc at friend's houses... the desire to buy a modern console just has never been there for me. I stopped around the time of GameCube and never much liked that one anyway. There's something about a game from the 80s/90s done well, I guess I just find it more appealing and nostalgic. Anyway, until next time.

 

               

    

  

 

Hope and Viruses

 

I lost/wasn't able to work three jobs this spring/summer/fall because of Covid-19, which while deeply depressing to myself I accepted it because shutting down my usual gigs (event venues) made sense in terms of public health, despite the personal pain and to others. During the Now eight months into this, and seeing how much worse it has spiked now (and how ol' Dougie Ford's natural inclination to be an imbecile has resurfaced in its obviousness)... I don't know what real point I wanna make here except that I'm disappointed. At no one in particular* either... not the bars that reopened so patrons could come in and help sustain their troubled businesses even slightly... or the parents optimistically hoping to send their kids back to school back when "maybe" this all looked better. 

 

'Hope' is what drives us all to do anything: whether it's hoping to bring your small local back into the black, hoping you can see your friends again on a consistent basis, hoping for a day just being outside doesn't carry any awkwardness, or hoping for a level of normalcy that children can go back to schools and not endanger all they come in contact with. Maybe I'm disappointed in hope for misleading us... seducing us in these such complicated times. This winter will not be easy for a lot of desperate, isolated people, but ideally hope can be some kind of light that I, like many others, can be disappointed in but not completely abandon.

*(all those anti-maskers/hoax believers who keep rallying and parading... yo dickwads go suck my ass you dumb fucks. And you shit-for-brains probably would because you don't believe in social distancing.... hey I'm not all lofty and poetic all the time you know)

East End Eats XIX: Beach Hill Smokehouse

 

 

I came into this one with big, big expectations. Every review of this place I've seen just raves about them. They've been open at their original location at Main/Gerrard hardly two years and they consistently sell out of product, and so have already opened a second outpost on Danforth. 

Needless to say, this is some premium you-know-what. Doing these reviews, I had to try this one just to understand what all the fuss is about. So in I went, got the sandwich you see above and... hmmmm.

Okay... it is legitimately very good. Very good. I think though that I did it wrong.

Let me explain. So I went for what is simply a brisket sandwich with BBQ sauce, with a pork rib (like a pickle) speared on the top bun. I'll start with the rib... holy moly. No sauce, not overly fatty, but this rib just melted in your mouth with tenderness. The flavour was just perfect lightly smokey meat, each factor (smoke and meat) working in equal measure. Frankly, it was the star of the show for me... truly one of the best ribs I've ever had. 

The sandwich though... this is where I messed up. If I had seen that another of their sandwiches had coleslaw, I'd have gone that way. I love brisket but a sandwich with just that, sauce and a bun? Even high quality brisket (which this is), in my personal taste gets boring about halfway in. That aside, the meat was a bit gamey in the teeth, lacking some juiciness... but tasted terrific. I prefer sweeter BBQ sauces and this one is top level: not sugary sweet but tangy, with a hint of smoke to compliment the slow cooked meats it is meant to compliment. 

I almost want to review this again and do it right-ish. Ideally I would get a sample platter of almost everything they've got: slaw, mac and cheese, different sauces and meats etc. Thing is, I don't have like 120 bucks to blow on something like this, and even splitting it with friends would be tough because: pandemic (and one of my best friends is a vegetarian so it would be very weird including him in such a thing anyway). 

Hey though, this place is high quality, well deserving of the high demand and check em out if you get the chance. Maybe one day I'll do a follow up where I can explore their menu more thoroughly.         

East End Eats XVIII: Fearless Meat

 

 

Way back in early April, when I first conceived of this local east side food sampling/tour, Fearless Meat was one of the first names I wrote on my list. As much as I enjoy writing about delicious food (especially pizza), nearly as big a reason I embarked on this journey was as an excuse to finally try some of these spots after years of never getting around to them.

Fearless Meat would've been one of my very first reviews here (it's just up the street from my house) except when the Covid-19 pandemic hit they closed down, and remained closed for quite sometime. I even scratched them from my list at one point, lamenting that this shuttering seemed permanent. So I was quite pleased to discover in mid-July that this was not the case, and that they had been open again for a least a month at that point. 

Up the cliff I went! While I'm not a burger expert (at least compared with my pizza expertise), I do have a certain method of determining the truest quality of a hamburger: go for the simplest thing. No, not just patty and bun (because those people are psychopaths and need to be stopped... ick) but pretty close... I often skip the extra charge cheese and keep my free toppings very simple: lettuce, mayo, pickles, and the most interesting mustard available. 

Now I definitely understand the argument towards getting the craziest, most indulgent thing on the menu: it's a better reflection of the creativity and ingenuity of the place. For me though... first off if I was actually working for a publication (or any actual publication) that covered my expenses then sure! Gimme a triple patty, grilled cheese bun, smoked meat tower with extra crispy onions, showered in secret sauce and then hook it to my veins. Then call the hospital. My counter-argument: a quality burger doesn't need much more than basic toppings (not even cheese sometimes, which I'm sure people will disagree) because that inherent quality of well cooked patty and fresh bun will shine through no matter what.

Well that's what I did here... aside from springing an extra dollar for a slice of Havarti on there because it's an underrated sandwich cheese and you rarely see it offered anywhere. Cheddar can be a bit overwhelming and so the lighter Havarti was a good choice here, because this is definitely a solid burger my friends. What I love is the texture: a bit crunchy on the outside (similar to a smash burger, though not as greasy or crumbly on the edges) yet still juicy enough on the inside. There are layers here (layers, Jerry!) and the beef doesn't overwhelm you with saltiness (like A&W) or saucy blandness (Burger King). The meat is top notch, and while even really good beef isn't as flavourful as other delicious meats (*cough* pork *cough*) really good beef prepared well is enjoyable to eat because of the subtle taste and the soft juicy feel in the mouth. 

This burger rules. It's different than 'No Bull' (which I reviewed recently) and I like that one also, so it's rather nice to know when the craving hits I've got two exceptional options very close by. If only they weren't up that damn hill though...

(And no. I will not make a best burger in Toronto list. ....for free. Heh.)      

Ranking The First 10 Black Sabbath Albums

                                                   

Black Sabbath, for me, has been a recently acquired taste. They're a band I only began exploring in my late 20s, once I'd already been a musician for several years with my own ingrained influences. Because of that, I don't hold a lot of personal connection with most of their music, unlike say The Beatles, Led Zeppelin or Queens of the Stone Age. 

But I cannot deny that at their best, they bring the power. I'm a sucker for some good heavy riffage and these guys were masters at it. 

I'm going to stick with their first ten albums because... well those are the only ten I've bothered to and been interested in hearing. 80s/90s Sabbath is full of lineup changes (Iommi is the only consistent member) and many of albums are universally considered terrible. So this is a review of "Classic Sabbath", with all of the original members (for the most part). This basically covers their peak and their most influential records anyway. 

All right lets get these war machines turning.




#10 -- Technical Ecstasy (1976)

**1/2

 

There are worse 70s prog-rock/metal blends, and credit to Tony Iommi he is always willing to try new things.
 

This doesn't work though since the album is so inconsistent. Not completely terrible... but most of it ranges from forgettable to truly unbearable. Ozzy's vocals sound really out of it, like he's mumbling his way to get through this one (and "The Osbournes" wouldn't even air for twenty-plus years). The experiments like Bill Ward's ELO-like ballad "It's Alright" or the flat shuffle of "Gypsy" just feel like they meander without finding purpose. Meanwhile "She's Gone" is such an over the top, overproduced ballad that "The Long And Winding Road" would say tone it down. Definite cringe. 

The true nadir of the album, though, is the awful "Rock And Roll Doctor". It's the worst Sabbath song I've ever heard, and even their good albums have some clunkers. They sound like they're trying to sound like KISS... the bad version of KISS (and I am not a KISS fan).

What saves the album from true awfulness are some great moments though... the brooding "You Won't Change Me" which dials up the prog-rock a bit too high, but is still a captivating track. "All Moving Parts (Stand Still)" is an experiment in funkiness done well, and "Dirty Women" is a guilty pleasure as a "so bad it's good". It's them trying to be KISS again but kinda making it work this time.

Technical Ecstasy isn't a good album though. Even when it's on, it's off... like constantly thinking you're on the wrong street when trying to find a friend's house... for like an hour... while dogs bark at you.


#9 -- Never Say Die! (1978)

***

 

 
 

It isn't nearly as bad as its reputation (considered by some as Sabbath's worst album, or the worst with Ozzy). Some people defend it adamantly, including a dear friend of mine.

I've tried, my friend... but I just can't get into it. I have it above Technical Ecstasy only because that album has multiple tunes I truly loathe. Never Say Die! confuses me more than it makes me wonder if my ears are bleeding.

Its best songs explode upon first listen, but wear out after a few listens and so lack noticeable resonance. The first three are the best: the title track hypnotizing you with energy, "Johnny Blade" getting the spacey prog keyboard perfectly timed with a heavy Iommi riff in the bridge, and "Junior's Eyes" strong groove showcases Geezer Butler's overlooked bassist ability. 

Then the record just... kinda... trails off... drifting through a mix of quasi riffs and keyboards that don't offend but leave little impression. The only interruption is the damn bizarre "Breakout", a jazzy freakout so out of place you'd suspect the producer put it on the wrong album. It sort of leads into Bill Ward's "Swinging The Chain", which is interesting (and Ward is a solid singer) but it just leaves you feeling so lost because... none of this sounds like anything that would ever be on a Sabbath record. And yeah, I know they'd throw some random quiet instrumentals in there on earlier albums... but those were usually really short and had atmosphere that fit somewhat into those records. This is like Steely Dan hijacked the last two songs one day and Sabbath just shrugged and walked away.    

The original lineup was completely falling apart at this point and much of the early production of  Never Say Die! was done with a different singer, who wrote completely different lyrics. Ozzy eventually came back and refused to sing those, yet so many of these songs were already semi-finished and well... it explains the way this album really runs out of steam fast, or fractures somewhat on repeated listens. It isn't exactly bad... but after hearing it a few times I'm mostly done with it (except "Junior's Eyes" because that groove is great).
 


 #8 -- Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)

***

Oh yeah. Here comes the surprise hate. 

My favourite thing about this album... is the cover because it is seriously badass. But overall, I don't like this album. It's uneven... and grates me in so many places.
 

Don't get me completely wrong. The opening track is an epic, crushing stomp... hitting all the right spots of melody, heavy guitar riffs, soft interludes to throw you off... and general uneasiness. It's doom, Sabbath style. Then comes "A National Acrobat", one of the best songs Sabbath ever recorded. It's wonderful, that a memorable weaving hook that seems like it itself is balancing on a wire, while Ozzy sings resigned to the point of being crazy enough to walk it. The lyrics are just great in their existentialism, and Ozzy hits it perfectly. What an opening one-two punch on this record.


The rest of the album is so weird because it has other incredible highs (the irresistible low key rock of "Sabbra Cadabra" like something Zeppelin might've snuck onto "Physical Graffiti"...  and then the true doominess of "Killing Yourself To Live"). Afterwards though, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath bottoms out fast. Once Ozzy starts singing "Spiral Architect" it really starts to suck (like a song designed in a lab to start a fan wave), while "Looking For Today" and "Who Are You" are likewise pretty low on the Tolerable Lameness spectrum. 

This record is either a great heavy rock classic or unpleasant shlock rock, which sums up these weaker Sabbath albums quite well... like a Jekyl and Hyde dynamic.  



#7 -- Sabotage (1975)

***1/2

 

 

Sabotage has probably my favourite Sabbath song of all, the opener "Hole In The Sky" (which I have definitely listened to multiple straight times, several times). The opening guitar lick sounds like it's launching you into the clouds like an airplane of chaos and it's exactly where you wanna be.

This is a solid mid 70s rock album. Full of great riffs (the super heavy "Symptom of the Universe" and its surprising groovy acoustic finish)... the haunting plucking of "Supertzar" (which I like, but would've been better at half the length)... or the sprawling epic "Megalomania", building on some trademark Ozzy gloom before the band kicks into overdrive on maximum rock mode, Ozzy's wails following right along. One thing you see on this record for the last time with the original lineup is how tight they could be (this song as a great example). Even the best moments of the last two 70s Sabbath albums can't compare with this song and the energy it pops.

My biggest criticism of Sabotage is that the second half of the album doesn't punch as hard as the first. It's fine (aside from the drearily flat "Am I Going Insane") but more forgettable. There's definitely a prog-rock influence beginning on the band here (explaining Technical Ecstasy and "Insane"). It works for the most part on Sabotage because it doesn't rob, it compliments the good foundation of heavy rock, adding touches instead of becoming part of the sound. 

I do think this album is good, but not a good starter for a casual listener to dive into... since this is the band in a transitional mode. Good record, but start elsewhere.

(aside from "Hole In The Sky"... seriously take a break from reading me and go listen to it. Now.)



#6 -- Mob Rules (1981)

****

 

 
Ah, Dio.

Again, I haven't listened to any later Sabbath-ish stuff past this one, including the one (Dehumanizer) where Ronnie James Dio reappeared to sing vocals. That being said, I'm confident this list gets the best two Dio Sabbath albums.

There is debate amidst fans of the band loyal to the original lineup that this version of the group should've just renamed themselves, since this incarnation only had Iommi and Geezer left (Vinny Appice sits in for Ward on drums). I mean... shrug? The Mob Rules lineup would eventually record an album of new material as a "Heaven and Hell" band in 2009, so maybe after a few decades they were more open to the idea. But also... Black Sabbath was a much different presence in popular music in 1980/1981 than they were in 2009, when at that point they hadn't released an album in fourteen years. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. I know musicians sometimes get annoyed about this stuff (Roger Waters notoriously sued the remaining members of Pink Floyd when they kept the name and continued on without him).

One thing you can say about Mob Rules related to my last point: they do sound a bit like a different band now. The different drummer certainly changes the dynamic, but mostly this album broods more in tone and lyrics than Heaven and Hell. Dio is a big part of this... sounding less knights and dragons and more personal here. His vocals are undeniably a big part of these songs. I'm not a huge Ozzy fan as a vocalist.... he has his moments and at his best he invokes a haunting specter of doom. Dio though powers through a song with urgent energy or subdued grace, always in total command it seems. Just a wonderful soaring rock voice. 

Mob Rules is a very good album, and will always remind me of one morning a few years past when I was incredibly hungover waking up at a friend's house. He played Mob Rules on cassette and we chatted until I had to go play baseball that evening. That title track is loaded with frantic energy... like an actual mob is going to grab you from inside your own headphones and drag you into the new law. "Voodoo" has the kind of sludgey addictive hook that got me into playing music sixteen years ago, Dio singing like he's an actual demon collecting his due... "Over and Over" is classic 80s metal lamentation sung by a master, with a guitar master backing him up.

Overall, the band is in fine form for arguably the last great Sabbath album. Not perfect, but very solid throughout (aside from "Country Girl" which never clicks and tries too hard). 


 
#5 -- Heaven And Hell (1980)

****1/2   

 

 

Like I said, love me some Dio.

 
Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules are siblings of course, recorded just a year apart. I give Heaven the nudge ahead because it sounds a bit tighter, has more of a classic heavy Sabbath tone... whereas Mob Rules loses focus during a song or two. 

The first time I heard Heaven and Hell my first thought was how much it seemed like the band was trying to copy 80s metal. Then I realized this album came out in 1980... leading me to the opposite conclusion: lots of generic metal bands have instead desperately tried to copy this great record.

It kicks you in the butt right away... "Neon Knights" blasting full speed out of the gate and introducing Dio's impressive pipes. The mood quickly shifts over to the grand slow building "Children of the Sea" showing that despite the final two 70s prog-rock Ozzy albums, Tony Iommi's guitar can still bring the firepower.  

This doesn't sound like 70s Sabbath at all, with gloom and doom traded for emotion and spookiness. A lot of that is Dio, who sounds nothing like Ozzy obviously, and this record seems so less murky than previous Sabbath outings as a result. Classic Ozzy Sabbath is loaded with the sense of impending biblical ruination, while Dio sings more of mythical legends and dangers. It works so well and is still very much Black Sabbath because those two things are different yet compatible genres of imagination. If you had to ask me... I'd prefer Dio, but that's entirely because I love his voice way way more.

My one criticism would be that the album sounds somewhat dated, since so much of its sound would be later mimicked by other 80s metal bands. This is that but done extremely well, and it makes Heaven and Hell Sabbath's great comeback album. And the cover is just fantastic. 

#4 -- Paranoid (1970)

****1/2

 

The album I knew best before digging into their catalogue. It has the hits: "Iron Man" (probably their most famous song), "War Pigs" and the title track (which they wrote and recorded in an hour! They needed one extra song for the LP and bam. Crazy stuff).
 

Paranoid is an album seventeeen year old me would've loved endlessly, but this thirty-three version merely greatly enjoys it. The thrills are impressive but as a cohesive album it has an uneven flow. It ranges from epic rockers ("War Pigs", "Iron Man", "Hand of Doom") to strange loungey pieces ("Planet Caravan") and drum interludes ("Rat Salad"). This is fine in theory, since its good for an album to have some variety... its just that these don't completely fit together, like a puzzle piece that almost locks in but the image is off. Additionally, for a band with consistently great cover art (at least until the 80s), this one isn't quite up to their usual level.

As for the good stuff... there's a lot. The title track is one of my favourite rock songs, full stop. It's so simple (and easy to play) yet it always grabs you: the riff, how it stops at the perfect time every time, Ozzy's bleak loner vocals... I just love all of it. "Hand of Doom" is a great lyrical track for this band, capturing the desperation of a drug addicted Vietnam veteran so well it gives one chills. The whole album has that kind of sense to it: the pointless of war, the devastation it or radiation can have on people.

My all time favourite on this one though is, "Fairies Wear Boots", which is either about Ozzy and Geezer picking a fight with some neo-Nazis (you love to see it) or just them on a bad acid trip, depends who in the band you ask. The song starts out with this proto-funk to it, then just jumps into this hard stomp of heavy guitar, slowing back down when Ozzy starts singing (though the heaviness lingers in the background, ready to burst through again).

Paranoid is a classic rock album and is great, but certain songs *cough* "War Pigs" *cough* "Iron Man" have been overplayed so much they lost some edge. We're getting to the best of the best here and there's some even better company.   

#3 -- Black Sabbath (1970)

****1/2

 

The way the opening track begins... the thunder... the church bells... such atmosphere... and then that sludgey, evil three note riff kicks in while the drums crash... what an entrance. It promises a certain reckoning, reaching out for your hand to welcome you along for the ride. A legendary opener and surely the best ever song that shares its name with a band (they actually wrote the song first, named it after the horror film "Black Sabbath" and then just ran with that name).

One of my dearest friends (you know who you are) considers this one of his favourite albums of all time. I'm not personally quite there, but this is definitely a classic rock masterpiece that has grown on me over time. Beyond the opener, this finds Sabbath at their most bluesy... bringing tons of extended grooves (Geezer's bass is especially notable in the mix) busy drum fills and of course those classic Iommi guitar licks. Songs like "N.I.B" hint that their impending heavy metalness, but this album is full of groove and open space. "The Wizard", "Wicked World" and "Evil Woman" (which isn't great, frankly) are rockers sure, but they resemble late 60s blues rock much more than anything the band would later do.

"Warning" (actually a cover) is just a wonderful document of a tight band at their very, very best, and a song that never feels as long as its fourteen minute run. A funky trip with some absolute great Iommi guitar interludes.  

The first Sabbath album is probably not what most would expect, if (like me) you started at Paranoid, listened up until Sabotage and then went back. It is unique in their discography since it doesn't maybe 'rock' as hard as later albums, but this is them at their roots (they started out as a pure blues band) and it blends heavy blues rock into an impressive debut album.

One final note about the cover: first, it's terrifying. Second, I always thought that was Ozzy as the person in front of the cottage. Turns out it was actually a female model.

 


#2 -- Vol. 4 (1972)

*****

Listening to this album, for me, is like trying to recall a vivid dream you had years ago. Full of notable moments, yet the sound and feel of it drifts hazily from full speed insanity to lonely ballads within its dreamy logic.

You can tell this is around when the band really started to get heavy into drugs (they've confirmed this themselves)... I mean listen to "Snowblind" for crying out loud. This influence leaks into the sound of the record: the opening track sounds like waking up from a night of mayhem, only to take a few seconds before the headache (heavy guitar) kicks in, as do the old habits.

All that considered, this is an incredibly great album. There are a lot of different ideas happening here, from the murky drugginess of the opener... the rocket charged "Supernaut" (which just kicks so much ass)... a sweet guitar instrumental "Laguna Sunrise"... the spinning round and round riff of "St. Vitus Dance"... the low rumble of "Every Day Under The Sun"... random guitar delay effects on "FX"... each song offers something rather different than the rest. It's all over the place, but not unfocused in its songcraft and consistently intriguing (except for "FX").

All that said, I still think "Changes" is damn lame though. I've tried. Ozzy in melodrama mode never appeals to me, with one exception.

Vol. 4 is a damn great album, almost a masterpiece even... really showing what the band could do. It's also where the excess and indulgence starts wearing them down, leading eventually to their weaker output at the end of the decade. Also, just another damn awesome album cover.   

#1 -- Master of Reality (1971)

*****

 

 
A predictable choice and the easy one. To me though, this is the definitive Sabbath album. It consolidates their classic heavy guitar attack, is full of cryptic lyricism and has some of the most memorable riffs in rock music. 
 

My argument for it at number one is just from how well it progresses and flows together. Each song naturally leads into the next in both in mood and concept. This is the first album Iommi started downtuning his guitar (something he came up with because it was too painful for him to play in standard tuning... he lost some of his fingertips in a factory accident as a teenager) and the results are amazing. This album sounds like it's rumbling up from underneath you.
 

I think Ozzy is really good on this one, since he's scaled back and his voice is complimenting the heavy mix, not trying to screech above it (one of my biggest issues with later Ozzy-era Sabbath). He sounds less like a rock star and more like a narrator here... carrying the listener along down through this journey. And this album really goes on an interesting journey: starting with the gratitude of "Sweet Leaf" (another song totally not about drugs... cough-cough-cough-cough) but it gradually descends into fear ("Children of the Grave"), lost souls ("Lord of This World"), the loneliness of longing ("Solitude") and finally the apocalyptic "Into The Void". That opening riff is such an all-time great one, with its odd timing and how it builds, I'm such a sucker for it.

To sum it up, Master of Reality is a masterpiece (see what I did there) of 70s heavy rock and probably their most influential album. Lots of metal bands that have come since either give kudos to this record for inspiring their own sound, especially when it comes to that lower tuning. So for all of that, it wins the prize.

Well... that's it for Black Sabbath. Hope this article has inspired you to maybe dust off some old CDs and pop on some godfathers of metal. Just kidding... nobody listens to CDs anymore. Next up I'll jump forward a few decades and tackle an essential artist of the 90s and profoundly interesting in the 00s (and not so hot in the 10s). Until next time.


  

Ranking the Thirteen Beatles Studio Albums

 

 

Even if you don't think much of their music (to which I would ask... why are you reading this?), it is safe to say you've at least familiar with the Beatles. Everyone is. Countless books and films have been made about them, and their influence on music and popular culture in general is still relevant and noticeable today. Lots has already been explored, analyzed (and don't forget parodied) about this band from so many different angles that I can't truly do anything like that justice. Instead, I'll explore their albums primarily from a fan's (mine!) perspective. 

(Also I'm sticking with the typical UK releases for the early albums, not comparing them with the US editions which have totally different track listings and even different versions of certain songs).

Anyway let's roll. I hope this list please pleases you (sorry).

 

#13 -- Yellow Submarine (1969)

**1/2

 

To be fair, Yellow Submarine isn't really a Beatles album. They were obligated to release a soundtrack album for the Yellow Submarine movie and reportedly were not enthusiastic about the project. 

As such, it's a pretty disjointed outing. All of the "new" Beatles material are unreleased tracks rejected from previous albums. There's a throwaway quality to these recordings... the whole enterprise definitely feels like a collection of B-sides (or in this case, B level B-sides).

Which is not to say they're bad songs. "Hey Bulldog" is a memorable rocking Lennon romp and "Only A Northern Song" reminds of Sgt. Pepper with it's noisy sonic experimentation. Harrison's "It's All Too Much" sounds like it would fit right in with his solo effort All Things Must Pass, or even early Tame Impala if you wanna jump ahead forty years. The problem is just that the rest of the Beatles material is forgettable filler or songs that appear on previous (better) albums ("All You Need Is Love" and the title track). 

The second side is exclusively orchestral work from the film turned in by producer George Martin, which while enjoyable for what it is, calling it "Beatles" isn't exactly honest since they had nothing to do with it. Thus my point that this isn't a Beatles album: all the tracks are either instrumentals done by their (incomparable) producer Martin, songs from other records, or leftover tracks from previous sessions. It's fun as a historical curiousity... these throwaway songs are decent but well below their usual standard.

 

#12 -- Beatles For Sale (1964)

***1/2

 

 

Here's the thing: there isn't a bad Beatles album (discounting Yellow Submarine). You can argue there isn't even a mediocre one, and I would agree for the most part. The worst Beatles albums (a very weird phrase to say) either aren't as cohesive as their truly great ones, or have some real clunkers that mess it all up.

Beatles For Sale falls into that second category. The band must've been completely exhausted at this point: consider this was their fourth full length album recorded and released in less than two years, while doing world tours and filming a freaking movie around all of that. Compared to the jumpy energy of A Hard Days Night, they seem weary on this record... not just vocally but by the nature of the songs themselves. Tunes like "No Reply", "Baby's In Black" and "What You're Doing" reflect this: a lively band used to bouncing off walls now sound jaded, even insecure. Even on the cover they look like they just needed a break from all this madness.

This does give For Sale an element that makes its good moments so terrific. Lennon would later explore deeper personal territory and introspection than on "I'm a Loser", but this song is where that really starts. "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" is similar... just a brilliantly sad song so misleading in its upbeatness. .

That being said, it has some real flops. The cover "Mr. Moonlight" is downright unlistenable, like a cheesy song someone in a comedy film plays while trying (and failing) to romance their sweetheart.  Likewise most of the other covers (there are a lot... exhausted band don't forget) just seem rather flat. Buddy Holly's "Words of Love" is an exception, and "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey" has always been fun because I love when McCartney just lets loose like that. 

The originals definitely overshadow the covers. "Eight Days A Week" is perfect early Beatles... "I'll Follow The Sun" is just so sweet, simple and beautiful (apparently McCartney wrote it when he was 16), and "I'm a Loser" is a standout Lennon song and important when considering his canon. Overall, it's an okay album... ballooned by some great all-time early Beatles tunes and bogged down by a lot of tracks you'll want to skip. Stars and scrubs.      

 

#11 -- Let It Be (1970)

***1/2

 

 

Before anyone mentions or even thinks it... yes yes I know Abbey Road was recorded after Let It Be but was released before blahblahblah.

I've never really loved Let It Be that much, for two reasons. First, the tensions in the band were just unbearable at this point: there are multiple bootlegs where you can hear them arguing, so I have a negative association with this album because of that. Yoko didn't break up the Beatles, Let It Be did? Not exactly true either way, but still.

Second though, is that these songs don't bring out any emotional connection for me, which is what I think this record demands from the listener. "Two of Us" is a sweet little song buthas a hundreth of an effect on me when compared to say, "Golden Slumbers". "Let It Be" the song is definitely a beautiful tear jerker, but it also reminds me of an ex-girlfriend and so just isn't a song I enjoy very much. Meanwhile songs like "The Long And Winding Road" are completely ruined by Phil Spector's stupid over-the-top 'wall of sound' production shenanigans. There's a great song in there but those strings strangle it to death. 

My personal favourites on Let It Be are the more rock'n'roll numbers: 'Get Back' is a delightfully odd lyrical romp that grows with how it insists upon itself; 'I've Got A Feeling' is a classic Beatles song where Lennon and McCartney merge two different melodic ideas into a cohesive tune; and 'One After 909' just rolls with fun. A forgotten classic of this album is Harrison's 'For You Blue', a straight upbeat blues/folk number that stands out here because it is unapologetically sweet, ego free and tender.

Let It Be captures a lot of the Beatles at their best at this point in time, but has always felt like an incomplete album and thus it lacks a strong sense of flow. The best songs are truly incredible, but considering how they eventually gave up on this project to later record something else as their true swan song... this just isn't anywhere close to their best records. 

 

#10 -- With The Beatles (1963)

****

 

 

My dad won't like me putting this one here.

It's tough with Beatles albums... this is a great early one, hitting you seductively with classics like "All I've Gotta Do", teasing with hope like 'All My Loving' ("i will send to you"... what a lyric), and the immediate energy of "It Won't Be Long". This record just starts with three punches to the sensibilities, and they're all wicked tunes.

The album loses steam at points, but not to the point of being dreadful (*cough* Mr. Moonlight *cough*), just forgettable. Critics/some very close friends of mine discount anything Beatles before Rubber Soul, arguing it all sounds repetitive, isn't as amazing, cerebral and mature as what they'd later create. Or it just isn't their cup of tea.

Myself though, I like and will defend early Beatles stuff because... they just sound so good. Perhaps it's the benefit of hindsight knowing the directions they would later take, but frankly this is just good 60s pop music, played with enthusiasm by excellent musicians. This album is terrific and yet somewhat forgotten within the Beatles canon (despite the iconic cover... which, well it's the Beatles so they're kinda all iconic).

 

#9 -- Magical Mystery Tour (1968)

****

 

 

Another good album (or double EP if you're specific). But when talking Beatles, good falls behind the shadow of great. Then great cowers under the shadow of sheer brilliance.

Also, this has got to be one of the worst album covers of all time. At least one of the worst by a universally known band. It's like a Care Bear had a few too many margaritas and didn't make it to the toilet in time.

As an album, it catches the Fab Four at their most loopy. I've never liked "All You Need Is Love" (despite its persevering message); "Hello Goodbye" is fairly overplayed, though has a sing-along quality that cannot be denied. "Baby You're A Rich Man" is rather lame also.

Frankly, Mystery Tour is a weird outing by the boys. The opening tune is energetic, like inviting you to a fabulous circus filled with delights. Thing is, that idea falls apart before that song even ends. It proposes something so grand but promises and delivers nothing... simply repeating its premise through multiple melody changes. It's a good song (because the Beatles could make a song about diarrhea appealing, surely) but has no direction.

Luckily, the rest of the album has some wonderful songs. Few will agree with me but 'Your Mother Should Know' is a top McCartney song, Beatles or otherwise. That melody just floats on a cloud, and the touch of piano brings it back down to earth while the George/John harmonies give it so much depth. So damn good, and just so quintessentially Beatles.

I'd be a foolish also to not mention "Strawberry Fields", "Penny Lane", or "I Am The Walrus". So... okay I mentioned them. Amazing songs. Done.

Okay... fine. 'I Am The Walrus" is surely a song of its time, yet accordingly timeless. It is wonderfully without form, yet conforming mostly to melodic principles. A lyrical and musical tour-de-force difficult to do justice to. All I can say... it is a song that forces you to dive into a world where associations are meaningless, words mean everything and nothing, and all is true unless you actually believe it. Also if anyone reading this doubts Ringo's drumming ability, or even (gasp) considers him the weak link in the Beatles.... just listen to how he holds "Walrus" together. Brilliant stuff.

Where this album loses some prestige (beyond the awful cover... seriously!) are some of those well known songs that frankly... aren't all that great. This album is a good listen, but these fellas made records that far surpass this one.

 

#8 -- Please Please Me (1963)

****

 

I have such a soft spot for this album. It's no masterpiece, but is so legendary. The gang was barely in their 20s... hardened and professional from constant gigging all over... firing off their tightest live set in studio over one single day. And of course they pull it off. On 'Twist And Shout", Lennon's vocals are slightly scratched because he'd been singing all day with a throat cold, but was the last take he could do before his voice finally gave out. 

When listening to Please Please Me, you hear a version of the Beatles in their infancy. Most of these songs have a cute, bob-your-head-along presence to them. Just four young lads playing songs to try and swoon girls. While concept-wise... well yeah there isn't a whole lot else to analyze beyond that... this album is incredibly enjoyable for the catchy melodies, vocal harmonies and skilled musicianship. You can argue Lennon-McCartney weren't great songwriters yet (I'd disagree, but you can argue it) but you simply can't argue that the band wasn't yet great, even at this early point. The compositions are simple, sure, but are performed with energetic precision, especially the covers.

It's raw Beatles essentially: a bit looser and fast than the second album... which is why I think I like it more. They sound more fun, even if they sound more innocent. "I Saw Here Standing There", aside from being an addictive, timeless toe-tapper of a tune, does the job of announcing to the world "The Beatles are here!" And nothing was ever the same. 

 

 

#7 -- Help! (1965)

****1/2

 

An album I consider underrated and even somewhat forgotten in the Beatles canon, which is saying something since they made a (hilarious) movie with half of this album.

The first side features all the songs from said movie, and all seven are classics in their own right. The title track kicks it all off, bringing the weary unsettled feel of Beatles For Sale but punching up the energy by several ticks. It feels like Lennon is struggling to balance on a tightrope while he sings and you're right there with him. "The Night Before" is classic McCartney, running on an addictive melody that glides along so smoothly it's impossible not to hum along with it, while "I Need You" is a Harrison tune that always reminds me of that scene in the film where they're in the field surrounded by a bunch of tanks (not quite fitting the feel of the song...)

"You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" is a personal favourite Lennon song... finding him and the band drifting further into a Dylan-inspired folk direction that would be present on later albums. It's so good... from Lennon's vocals dripping with introspection, the closing flute solo, to the tambourine crashes in the end of the second verses. Likewise "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" is another winner... an energetic number that wouldn't have been out of place on A Hard Days Night, its superb tightness and great vocal harmony fitting perfectly here. Then, you've got "Ticket To Ride"... a masterpiece of 60s pop. The lyrics are so memorable ("I think I'm gonna be sad/ I think it's today... yeah/the girl that's driving me mad/is going away") that even reading that probably puts the melody into your head. 

The first side of Help! is likely the more famous side... strange when you remember the second side has the most covered song in the history of popular music ("Yesterday"). Indeed, the second side starts rather poorly (there are some good Ringo songs but "Act Naturally" isn't one)... but then dives into a proto-Rubber Soul feel. Tunes like "Tell Me What You See" and "It's Only Love" easily would slot into that next album (recorded later in 1965 after all). As such, I've always maintained Help! really is the record where you truly see the future direction the band was embarking upon. Heck, I always forget that the beautiful "I've Just Seen A Face"is on here and not Rubber Soul. 

Speaking of that song, in my opinion it's one of the very best McCartney songs, probably even a top ten Beatles song for me. It's sweet, touching and yet so fast paced... like a fleeting love you always recall that went by just a little too fast. I've always preferred it over the famous "Yesterday", which likewise is a touching song and brilliant in its catching simplicity. 

The record ending with the raucous Larry Williams cover "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" seems somewhat out of place, but it's a fun tune and one of the last times you get to hear Lennon wail on a Beatles album. Overall, this really is a great album among the great Beatles albums, and an important transitional one for the musical heights they were about to reach.

 

#6 -- The Beatles (White Album) - (1968)

****1/2

 

 

An extremely difficult one to review, discuss, or even listen to entirely front to back. It is a roller coaster of tone, exploring an endless array of genres, moods and experiments. Love it or hate it, the White Album is certainly unique.

I've never loved it, but I recognize its importance and influence. My issue is the lack of cohesion (which some argue is precisely what makes it great). The band was beginning to fracture, and you can tell by how separate stylistically so many of these ideas are. This isn't so much a complete album by a band as a collection of musical concepts tied together by its own conceptual randomness. Few bands could've pulled this off and made it work.

I don't consider it a masterpiece though because frankly, not all of these songs are good. Some are actually bad: "Bungalow Bill" is more mean than poignant (though the song is notable for having the only Yoko Ono vocal appearance on a Beatles track, so insert joke here); the ramshackle "Don't Pass Me By" is painfully too long; "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da" is a song I despise more and more each time I'm forced to hear it... and I've never listened to "Revolution 9" all the way through because... well Barney did it better.

Conversely, the White Album has some of the greatest songs the Beatles ever recorded. "Dear Prudence" brings cautious yet encouraging psychedelic whimsy, opening with that beautiful guitar plucking chord. "Glass Onion" is a fun lyrical trip through the band's own legend and lore, while "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" is so unsettling as it twists and weaves through an out of control descent. "I'm So Tired" is a great Lennon track that perfectly captures its title, "Piggies" is political satire both catchy and showcasing Harrison's serious songwriting chops, "Birthday" is a fun rocker and "Blackbird" is another sweet often-covered ballad that McCartney seemingly can just roll out of bed and write. 

I could keep going but there are thirty freaking songs on this album. Instead, I have to mention just a few of my personal favourites. "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey" is rock n roll chaos near perfection: the song seems like it's about absolutely nothing but hooks you with the bells and craziness bouncing around the melody like pinballs. I just love it. "Savoy Truffle" is another Harrison gem, bringing serious groove, fun stop-and-start drumming and excellent keyboard licks. "Cry Baby Cry" again finds Lennon at his best, crafting compelling regal lyrics over a straightforward chord progression (the airy piano touch in this song really sells it, and just sounds so Beatles).

The best song on the album though, perhaps one of the five best songs they ever recorded, has to be the incredible "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". On most ordinary albums, a song that feels this epic or immediate would be a climax near the end. Since this is the White Album where time and space are essentially meaningless, it isn't even the last song on side one. 

No matter, because this song is simply wonderful. Aside from being an absolute electric guitar masterclass, Harrison's vocals and lyrics emotionally capture a sense of detachment and disharmony, so broadly delivered that those feelings could be about the relations in the band, or a general sense of disharmony within the world at large. It's a brilliant composition, from Eric Clapton's excellent work (his presence supposedly helped Lennon and McCartney actually take the song seriously), to the little touches like the opening piano lick or McCartney and Harrison's chilling vocal harmony in the verses (with Paul's presence merely complimenting, not overtaking). "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a truly masterful tune. Here, check out this version. 

Overall, the White Album is weird. Full of genius, stuffed with filler and self-indulgence. It's so great in stretches but then something like "Don't Pass Me By" interrupts that flow and you sit there wondering how this ever got released on a record. It is certainly an engaging trip.

 

#5 -- A Hard Days Night (1964)

*****

 

Now I'm talking crazy. A Hard Days Night ahead of the White Album? Am I insane. Well yes. But is this opinion insane? 

No! A Hard Days Night is a very important Beatles album and in my view easily the best of their early work. First off, it is the first LP they recorded that was all original material. This gives the record a tighter flow, each song fitting together like puzzle pieces aligned into a more complete picture. 

The iconic opening chord of the title track kicks it off like a starter's pistol: this is going to be a sprint of a record... bustling with endless energy and infectious melodies. Musically it refines their early sound into an ideal package... whether it be punchy rockers like "A Hard Days Night", "Can't Buy Me Love"; soft tender ballads like "If I Fell" and "And I Love Her", or catchy broken hearts like the amazing "I'll Cry Instead", "Tell Me Why", "I'll Be Back", or "You Can't Do That". 

This record has so many memorable musical touches, like the harmonica that helps the great "I Should Have Known Better" chug along... the swaying drum beat of "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You"... McCartney's wicked bass playing that keeps "I'll Cry Instead" moving so smoothly... the bridge in "Things We Said Today" that expertly picks up the tone just for those moments... and of course their vocal harmony is constantly exceptional, coming and going at just the right moments.

Sure, the Beatles made later albums that were less fixed in a particular era and more topically relevant, but I'll argue they never made an album that sounded this fun. If Please Please Me are the boys being shy or sheepish about romance, Hard Days Night is them hitting the town on a Friday night like they own the place. This is straightforward, catchy stuff that invites you to run alongside full speed with it. 

 

#4 -- Rubber Soul (1965)

*****

 

 

I suspect most Beatles fans have some arrangement of these last four albums as their top four. Everyone I've talked to in semi-depth about the Fab Four has chosen one of these as their favourite, and Rubber Soul seems the most common choice amidst this sample size. Hey, it's a damn great album.

It begins misleadingly with the rock n'roll number "Drive My Car" (such a fun tune), suggesting none of the heavy folk influence that will so heavily affect this record. Rather, it's the second song "Norwegian Wood" that summons you down the rabbit hole into what this journey is really going to be. Also I'd be neglectful if I didn't mention how wonderful that song is lyrically, as it whisks you into this story of an encounter without a climax, but whisks you along nevertheless.

I mentioned how Help! was the album that hints at a different musical direction... Rubber Soul is the album that fully embraces it. Even a seemingly throwaway pop tune like "You Won't See Me" has a much different feel than it would've on previous records, bringing different drum fills and melodic structure. There's a dark warmness to this album, like sitting around a campfire in the woods. Safe comfort at the core, yet all around is mystery and a hidden unknown.

Rubber Soul isn't my favourite Beatles album because, while free of any bad songs, there are a few I've never loved. That said, it's loaded with true gems. "The Word" is proto-hippie culture with its "and the word/is love" vibe/message, plus the song is so strange with that odd guitar chord that squawks at you in the verses. "Girl" is just so damn fantastic, finding a regretful Lennon lamenting a love he cannot escape while the music plods behind him, perfectly capturing the feel of his plight. Likewise "In My Life" is another Lennon classic, a song of perfectly delivered nostalgia yet also one of hopefulness and appreciation of present relationships. An unbelievably beautiful song and a top song of his. I've always liked Harrison's "If I Needed Someone", a straightforward song with good lyrics and great harmonies, hinting at his rapidly developing songwriting ability. 

Rubber Soul also has the best Ringo song, which (duh) is "What Goes On".

I love this album, I truly do. Every time I listen to it, I get a fuzzy feeling inside. When a lot of people think of the Beatles but aren't intimate with their full catalogue, this is the kind of album they expect. It's so great, but there are two others I like a little bit more... and then the one that's completely on another planet.

 

#3 -- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

*****

 

 

True story... I was chatting with a close friend who is in a couple sorta-bands with me, and eventually the subject of how I was writing this list came up. I knew I had Sgt. Pepper at #3 and felt the need to explain why, since it is widely considered one of (sometimes the) greatest album of all time. My reasoning was: "well, there are just a couple of songs I don't like", after which I then tried to name these songs... and couldn't think of one. 

So yeah. I guess this album is pretty good. A lot pretty good. 

A lot has been said how this is the first concept album ever made. It definitely is a loose and simple concept: the whole album being a concert by Sgt. Pepper's 'band', bookended by the opening intro track and its reprise near the end. One of my favourite albums of all time, Songs For The Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age, uses a similar framework wherein the album is a collection of songs heard on various radio stations during a drive through the Southern California desert, with "DJ" interludes between tracks. I like that concept (and Sgt. Pepper's as well) because not only is it simple, its effective because by giving these songs a frame it makes the complete work feel so much grander. 

There are concept albums that dive deeper into certain ideas and do so brilliantly (later Pink Floyd is rather good at that... until The Final Cut... I'll sharpen my knives for you soon) but Sgt. Pepper announces what it is and then completely goes in any direction it pleases. "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" is an extremely famous song and its visually absurd lyrics rather amusing to listen to (especially if sung by William Shatner), but at the time it must've been even more surreal because in 1967 nobody in popular music sounded anything like that. That trippyness is followed by some solid McCartney songs ("Getting Better" and "Fixing a Hole", immortalized by George Burns???) and then the heartbreaking/inspiring "She's Leaving Home" (either way it's gorgeous). Then of course, the completely insane Lennon song "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite", which is genius in tone and texture (the collage of sound as it ends still holds up today as brilliant production).

As great as it is, Sgt. Pepper is really a Lennon-McCartney album. Harrison only gets the one song and it isn't one of his best ("Within You Without You"), while Ringo gets to sing the fun "With a Little Help From My Friends", which seems rather cheeky when you realize Lennon/McCartney wrote it for him. This doesn't take away from the truly great music... just that it's a case of the alpha songwriters of the band dominating affairs even more than usual.

The album winds down in fine form, with the dreamy journey of Lennon's "Good Morning Good Morning", McCartney's tale of falling for a meter maid "Lovely Rita" and the rocking reprise of the title track. Of course, no discussion of Sgt. Pepper can really be complete without the epic (and I use that word with pure truth) closing track: "A Day In The Life".

What can you really say. Aside from being one of the greatest Beatles songs, it's probably one of the greatest songs to end any album, or even one of the greatest songs ever written by anyone. It's truly a masterpiece. Lennon's lyrics of seemingly mundane happenings in a newspaper or seeing a forgettable film and that sense of dreariness, matched with McCartney's bright interlude of some fellow's morning routine...  it's not exciting in substance yet musically it is so captivating (also helped by George Martin's production and ability to conduct an orchestra for certain parts... I believe he had to talk the band out of telling the orchestra to just play whatever they wanted, instead conducting them each to reach the same note/pitch at different paces). The song is timelessly human, capturing feelings subtle and relatable. What can you really say.

I know my dad would disagree (in fact I know he does... heh) but I don't think Sgt. Pepper is the best Beatles album. That said, it is great and its influence on popular music and countless musicians cannot be fully measured. Between this and the first Velvet Underground album (obviously not as publicly beloved or known at the time), 1967 was some year.

 

#2 -- Revolver (1966)

*****

 

 

Musically, I think Sgt. Pepper and Revolver are pretty damn close in quality. Sgt. Pepper has the grand concept, sure, but what pushes Revolver above it in my eyes is that this feels like more of a complete band effort. 

Harrison's obvious talents are barely present on Pepper but on Revolver he's all over the place, with the exceptional opener "Taxman", the Eastern influenced "Love You To" (which I much prefer over "Within You Without You") and the straightforward "I Want To Tell You", which features the three main singers combining just fabulous vocal harmonies. His electric guitar playing is also a highlight and serious presence on this album, giving so many of these great tunes such memorable licks or adding to the eclectic atmosphere of the record.

All of them are in fine form, of course. Revolver was the first album the band released after they decided to stop touring, and the extra free time to explore and experiment in the studio clearly was fruitful. Ringo's drumming just pops and cracks on this album, McCartney's bass dips and surfaces like a constant wave, and again their vocal harmonies are just so damn on point (this is the album Brian Wilson was thinking about when conceptualizing Pet Sounds). Songs like "And Your Bird Can Sing" or "She Said She Said" roll with wild guitar workouts yet stay grounded thanks to those great harmonies and Lennon's lead lyrical presence, the latter song genuinely bringing the atmosphere of someone waking from a dream (which in a way, considering the song "I'm Only Sleeping", fits a kind of theme perhaps). 

Along with Harrison, Revolver is a great Lennon album. "Doctor Robert" (an ode to his dealer, heh) is a wicked tune that alludes but never confesses, while if my theme of dreaming is semi-true, then the closer "Tomorrow Never Knows" is a true sonic nightmare of chaos... descending further into madness while it ascends towards understanding. I love this song and consider it brilliant: the bass and drums keep it all grounded while crazy horns, Lennon's vague lyrical phrasing and backwards guitars give it otherworldly atmosphere... like a bridge from one plain of existence to the next. 

There are a few songs I could do without ("Eleanor Rigby" is heavily overplayed and "Yellow Submarine"... is "Yellow Submarine") so you can argue that Sgt. Pepper is the tighter album. To me though, Revolver is much more alive and exciting, showcasing a band equally together and focused on creating something dynamic and new. When I first really listened to it, I was about seventeen and actually didn't like it very much. I didn't get it. But it grew on me, and kept growing the more I listened... its secrets and subtle brilliance unraveling itself to me. Truly one of the greatest albums ever made.

 

#1 -- Abbey Road (1969)

*****

 

 

Speaking of the greatest album ever made...

The very first time I met one of my absolute closest friends, about twelve years ago when we were barely out of our teens... he was wearing an Abbey Road T-Shirt and I instantly knew I was gonna like this fella. 

I am incredibly biased here. For several years this was my favourite album of all time, period. Eventually I decided/realized that my tastes were diverse enough, my influences as a musician equally strong elsewhere, that choosing one album above all the others wasn't fair. So Abbey Road is merely one of my favourite albums of all time. But I do think it is the greatest Beatles album and the absolute perfect farewell, a chef's kiss for such an incredible and influential band. 

Side one, I'll admit, is not as strong as side two (what is though?). "Come Together" is great for its strange lyrics (another Lennon classic) and awesome bassline, giving an offbeat loungey kind of vibe (and really unlike any other Beatles song). "Something" is a lovely song, soft and beautiful, though I've heard it just a little too much (still enjoyable though)... meanwhile Steve Martin ruined "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" for me in the awful Sgt. Pepper movie (don't look that movie up. Seriously. Do. Not). 

One song I just completely love, more than anyone I know, is the song that closes side one: "I Want You (She's So Heavy)". Part of me likes to imagine an alternate universe where the Beatles stayed together at least through the early 70s and made more songs like that (among anything else they might've created that would've been awesome). Oh baby. That main guitar riff that opens and closes the song is so seductive, like it's hypnotizing you while it drags off into impending doom. I've loved this song forever but until recently never really considered it as a proto-metal song of sorts... I mean Abbey Road predates the first Black Sabbath album (and is bluesy as much of that record also). So there we go! The Beatles also invented heavy metal... prove me wrong.

Side two is where the legend begins. "Here Comes The Sun" is another song I've heard too often, but it's still a pleasant listen and really showcases Harrison's lyrical talent (his excellent All Things Must Pass would be released just a year after Abbey Road). "Because" is just transcendent vocal harmony, a chillingly simple song carried by those three voices singing like one omnipresent being. "You Never Give Me Your Money" is classic McCartney, opening with some piano and kicking in that dewy sweet voice of his... so damn good. It builds and progresses, adding little touches until before you know it it's evolved from 'just another Paul ballad' into that rollicking bridge, then those vocal harmonies kick in again to take it all home. "Oh that magic feeling/nowhere to go" is such a precisely vague, perfect lyric, suggesting despair or freedom, whichever you prefer. Just a magnificent song. Damn this album is so freaking good.

If I wrote about every song we'd be here forever, so I'll get to the famous medley. I've always found the first half (Mustard/Pam/Bathroom Window) a pleasant reprieve, plus all of them are great short songs in their own right. Then once you get to "Golden Slumbers"... I start losing it. There's a sadness to it, a regret "once there was a way/to get back home" and it tugs at those heart strings, especially with Martin's subtle touches in the background and McCartney's piano gently letting the song flow until he unleashes full force in the chorus, then slowly coming back to the verse. Leading into "Carry That Weight", it might be the best Beatles song Ringo sings lead on (I'm kidding... it really is "What Goes On"), but then halfway it brings back the melody of "You Never Give Me Your Money", just making this all sound so theatrical and giving the album a sense of serious continuity. That then jumps into "The End", with each of the three guitar players trading quick solos (after a Ringo drum solo!) and you can hear each of their styles. The closing line "The love you take/is equal to the love you make" just seems like such a perfect way for the Beatles to say goodbye, this incredible band finishing with a timeless message.

Then of course, they actually close the album with the twenty second ditty "Her Majesty", just in case you thought they were taking this stuff too seriously. Chef's kiss.

Obviously, I love this album... just a masterpiece of music, a fitting swansong for the most famous and perhaps influential band of all time, and it ends with a jokey song because of course it does. What makes the Beatles so good (aside from their obvious incredible talents as musicians) is that usually they were also having fun doing it. They made Abbey Road knowing this wasn't going to work much longer and so said "hey, let's just make an album like we used to and end it like that". And that's why Abbey Road is infinitely better than say, Let It Be, because this sounds like a band that's enjoying what they're doing. Even if the end was near and obvious on this record, that doesn't cloud this album or its music with a foreboding sense. Instead it sounds like a grand finale, a band going out on their own terms, and enjoying each of these final moments. Truly a special work in any artistic medium, and long may it live.          

 

Next up I'll be switching gears to the godfathers of doom and metal. If you don't know who I'm referring to, well don't be paranoid about it.