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Upcoming Release Calendar
64
A Camp Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Let It Be... Naked
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MUSIC:
Originally intended as a loose, spontaneous recording called 'Get Back,' 'Let It Be' was eventually released (after the band's breakup) after being shelved and then reproduced/enhanced by Phil Spector, leaving many fans (and an angry Paul McCartney) wondering, "what if?" This new release answers that question to a certain extent, with an altered track listing (which adds "Don't Let Me Down") containing some de-Spectorized versions as well as some originals that have been remixed and remastered.
| LABEL: | Capitol |
| RELEASE DATE: | 18 November 2003 |
| DISCS: | 1 disc |
| GENRE(S): | Rock |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The average user rating for this album is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 43 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Tim Timothy gave it a10:
Pure brilliance from start to finish.
John W. gave it a10:
Sheesh ! This would easily have been the best album if it was released in 2003 !!!! IMHO it truly does stand up to "Abbey Road" (also recorded in '69) but in a totally different way; just as The White Album stands up with Sgt. Pepper. I really like most of what has been done here (especially "Across The Universe"- though I like all the other versions as well, this may be the best one). I can't imagine encountering a band in this decade that could stack up such a collection of varied and exciting songs !!!
Preston J gave it a10:
People have missed the point of the album... which was to give us what the beatles intended for release to the masses, not what the studio and Label added to already perfect songs... This album is the epitome of everything beatles... Clean flawless LIVE recordings that pushed the bounds of what people thought was possible with music at the time...
Joe S gave it a10:
The sound is clean & natural. Performances more lively than the hideous Spector version. Hope they release the complete Hollywood Bowl concerts and the Xmas Album on CD this year.
Marilyn S gave it a10:
This christmas I bought volume I box set of the Beatles songs for a 16 year of girl. Sixteen and she is just mesmerized by them. The clerk that waited on me in the music store laughed and said they were good for their time. I Iooked at him and smiled and thought what an idiot. They were the then and are now. Thank you, Paul, Ringo, John and George.
Gary W gave it a6:
Although a fine record, which still contains great songs, the updated version of "let it be" has missed the entire point of the original albums concept and focus. A clean, straigt-foward album was not what the Beatles originally intended, but i suppose now that the 60's have faded away along with the psychodelic drugs, they decided to clean up the album, just as they cleaned up all the drugs they were on (or perhaps not enough drugs led to the creative downfall..hmmm...no one will ever know...).
John L gave it a10:
It doesn't get any more "10" than this folks !!! If this had really been released during the year it came out, it would have easily been the best album of the year. As far as the comparisons with the original go... I love that "Don't Let Me Down" is included here (great to have this live rooftop version, but I still prefer the other one), as it should have been on the original. The new stripped down "Across the Universe" may be the best version yet (there are now 4 versions out there of what I consider as high a water as the greatest band of all time ever had), and stands out as the CD's best moment. "I Me Mine" is greatly improved here without all the string/horn overdubs (it was Spectors worst work on this project), while still retaining it's artificial lenthening (a wise Spector touch). "Let it Be", and "The Long and Winding Road" are both strippped down here as well, and come off great. Those two tracks, and McCartney's lasting resentment about them, are the real reason for this release. to be honest, while I understand prefering the barer versions, I really thought that Spector's choices for the McCartney tunes could have been callled heavy handed, but to my ears they really were melodic and truly worked. Holy crap listen to McCartney's own rearrangement of Long & Winding on his awful Broad Street album if you want to hear something truly inappropriate ond disateroud(sound like Macca Las Vegas). My only dissapointment is that I miss the ripping, non-effects laden, solo that appeared on the album (though not the single) version of the title track (George initially recorded both of them overdubbed, and that combo has never been released-which is what I'd hoped they'd finally do here, alas...-one for the bootleggers to handle I guess). The rest is pretty darn similar, some minor differences version wise/sonically, but no as severe as the aforementioned track that received the Spector treatments. I do like having the little humerous asides, and shorter goofy works, but this does feel more like an album proper. Magical Mystery Tour was a collection of other stuff from '67 (why the other '67 material available, eventually released on Yellow Submarine, hasn't been added by now as bonus tracks is beyond me) and soundtrack and song for song it certainy stand up to Pepper. Let it Be Like the aforementioned, MMT, has been overlooked by many. Again song for song it certainly is the equal of what came before it (The White Album), and what came after (Abbey Road). While this isn't as big a deal as it's being hyped to be, as far as the differences are concerned, BUT...It is a big deal because it takes what was a criminally underated, and overlooked work by the greatest band of all time, and brings it bak to light. That is a welcome fact, and this is worth a listen in any incarnation.
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