CD Review
BEATLES REIMAGINED
Various Artists
2013
Community Projects
Review:Joseph Suto
✰✰✰½
BEATLES REIMAGINED is a unique and interesting project that had strict guidelines that needed to be followed in order for an artist to appear on the album. Not only did the artist have to be an indie band, no member of the artist could be born during the era of The Beatles. The songs could not sound like a Beatles cover and all the songs had to be from the 1963-64 timeframe of the Beatles collection.
Delving into the album we see The Well Pennies gets things started with an interesting take on “All My Loving.” The folk/pop duo of husband/wife combination of Bryan & Sarah Vanderpool keep it simple and deliver a solid version to start the album off.
Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros are the most high profile artist on the record. They chime in with a sprightly version of “I Saw Her Standing There.”
To me the standout track is “There’s A Place.” The strange thing is there are two versions (one an itunes exclusive) and while they both are the same song the artist interpretation turns each into its own masterpiece. One version featuring piano was recorded by Leftover Cuties who give it a sunny pop feel reminiscent of it belonging to the 70s. The other recorded by Brett who makes the song sound like it was recorded a decade or so later with his heavy synthesiser.
It just goes to show you how different artists can take a song and vastly interpret it into another form. The songs while all written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney all those years ago, still maintain a certain charm and innocence even when in an abstracted state. Perhaps what made the project work so well was the different styles of music represented. With textures of new wave, electro-dance-pop, indie rock and pop mixed together along with new-rock, a little soul and some alternative flavor, producers Tim Anderson and Kevin Carvel have brought a very unique concept to life. We most definitely recommend this release.
Track
01. All My Loving- The Well Pennies
02. From Me To You- Mobley
03. Misery- Feverbody
04. I Saw Her Standing There- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
05. I Wanna Be Your Man- Night Panther
06. I Feel Fine- Jhameel
07. There’s A Place- Leftover Cuties
08. She Loves You- Badwolf
09. Please Please Me- Adventure Galley
10. And I Love Her- Doom & Gloom
11. There’s A Place- Brett
12. I Wanna Be Your Man- Gypsy Death Star
