Retro Reviews: The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums.

The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour (1967)

*****

Producer: George Martin

Musicians: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and many more.

Songs: (American edition) Magical Mystery Tour, The Fool On The Hill, Flying, Blue Jay Way, Your Mother Should Know, I Am The Walrus, Hello Goodbye, Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane, Baby, You’re A Rich Man, All You Need Is Love

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    Following up earlier in the year with the release of the seminal Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a new Beatles album has come out that is a tie-in to an odd, surreal movie for Television. The UK issue was an E.P. of the first side in a different running order, The US version includes all of the important singles released for the year. I haven’t seen the TV movie so I can’t comment, but I have heard it’s rather odd, the quality of the album with production by Mr. Martin, and engineered by Geoff Emerick is equal to the quality of the Sgt. Pepper material, but it is still something new here, not a repeat. What is striking for me, objectively, is how introspective the whole album feels especially the first half. I don’t not know if that was by design or a mere accident, but it does place you in a certain mood. Setting aside the psychedelic trappings that many in the counterculture will embrace, their growth as composers is still surprising and invigorating. The packaging features a comic book telling of the television film.

    The opening title track is the most vibrant and set’s up the tone for a road-based carnival barker, experience, yet the ride out has some jazz piano that ends with a cryptic feel. Paul’s ballad “The Fool On The Hill” has a reflective, child like coloring due to the flute arrangement. The band instrumental “Flying” has a blues based whimsy to it. George’s “Blue Jay Way” has a somber feel to it with an unsettling quality. Paul’s “Your Mother Should Know” has a self-aware music hall quality to the proceedings, sort of his take off on “Sixty-Four”. John’s “I Am The Walrus” is one of his most musical and lyrically complicated numbers and Mr. Martin just about outdoes himself with the orchestral track.

    When it comes to the second side of proverbial singles, I don’t know what else to be added. That introspection is even reinforced in the second half. Paul’s “Hello, Goodbye” has that playful string quartet, a song about duality. John’s “Strawberry Fields Forever” is already profound in its self-aware meaning. The first verse remains the most direct, while the rest of the lines play on surrealism, the blending of rock, orchestration, exotic timbers will have a significant impact for years. Then there's the mellotron, a tape looped keyboard that is already allowing musicians a new freedom, the development is similar to the way the B-3 Organ liberated certain types of players. Paul’s “Penny Lane” isn’t any less profound in its child remembrance and reflection, while the pianos and orchestration dance around each other. “Baby, You’re A Rich Man” brings things down a little with a relaxed, playful feel and an instrument that I assume is the mellotron again. John’s profound “All You Need Is Love” is a dazzling execution of backing and orchestration, and already embraced by the counterculture, but I think the lyric may be getting misunderstood, it is more than just about loving your neighbor or brother, his point is about self-acceptance, you can’t love others until you love yourself.

    Let me speak about the band’s use of Orchestrations, it isn’t used for mere ornamentation, the use of strings, woodwinds, horns and exotic instruments enhances the framework of the songs. Their tactics are very different from when Buddy Holly used strings and a saxophone on “True Love Ways” or just look at the string orchestrations of Roy Orbison. Often the use of Orchestration is done in an off kilter or unsettling way, there’s always a wrinkle to it. This team knows what they are doing and why it is likely that this material may transcend the era it exists in. The Beatles exist in a rarified space compared to their peers. It will be interesting what direction they go into next year. There’s almost nothing to complain about with this album once you understand it’s stated aim; the band carries the mantle well of a band that represents the best their peers have to offer.