3xLP

The Beatles' Anthology series has been a success The first three volumes were a mix of live tracks, alternate versions of familiar songs -- sometimes stitched together from different takes -- and the occasional unreleased track. Not for fanatics who were looking for the rarest of the rare vault dwellers, instead the sets were a way for all sorts of fans -- from the devoted to the casual -- to look behind the scenes at some of the most popular music ever made, and to see the band for the hardworking craftsmen they were. The fourth volume is a little different than the three that preceded it, namely because almost half of the songs already saw the light of day on various deluxe editions, The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963 collection, and on the "Free as a Bird" single. That song also reappears, as do "Real Love" and "Now and Then," each of them sporting new mixes using updated technology to isolate and clean up John Lennon's vocals from his home demos. The existence of all these already issued tracks makes this collection lean more toward the casual fan, though the more dedicated will probably want to hear the acoustic takes, instrumentals, overdub sessions, and rehearsals that make their official debut here. There are definitely enough quality rarities to make the duplication less painful, and the already released tracks they cherry pick for the collection are mostly top-notch, especially the raw take of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," a lovely stripped-down take of "Here Comes the Sun," and a rip-roaring run through "Helter Skelter." The cream of the newly issued tracks is the block of recordings from the mid-'60s that see the lads working out the songs and delivering unvarnished takes that are a joy to hear. Take one of George Harrison's "I Need You" is direct and serious, at least until the rest of the group break up in giggles, "I've Just Seen a Face" has an almost country-ish bounce as the band race through at top speed, and quite interestingly, Lennon's first try at "In My Life" finds him adding vocal affectations that were all thankfully removed from the final version. Other highlights are a lengthy audio verité recording of the band goofing around and eventually walloping their way through a giddy "Baby You're a Rich Man" and on the other end of the silliness spectrum, an unused take of the session strings and brass playing the orchestral score of "I Am the Walrus." The newly fixed up "reunion" tracks sound a little better here with a more prominent Lennon vocal, and with the passage of time there is added poignance attached to songs that feature all four Beatles. They are fine additions to another set that -- minor quibbles, like a lack of true deep cut rarities that are alleged to be in the vault, aside -- is, if not quite the equal of the three that came before, still something any Beatles collector would want to own.

A1        I Saw Her Standing There (Take 2)
A2        Money (That's What I Want) (RM7 Undubbed)
A3        This Boy (Takes 12 And 13)
A4        Tell Me Why (Takes 4 And 5)
A5        If I Fell (Take 11)
A6        Matchbox (Take 1)
A7        Every Little Thing (Takes 6 And 7)
A8        I Need You (Take 1)
B1        I've Just Seen A Face (Take 1)
B2        In My Life (Take 1)
B3        Nowhere Man (First Version - Take 2)
B4        Got To Get You Into My Life (Second Version - Unnumbered Mix)
B5        Love You To (Take 7)
B6        Strawberry Fields Forever (Take 26)
B7        She's Leaving Home (Take 1 - Instrumental)
C1        Baby, You're A Rich Man (Takes 11 And 12)
C2        All You Need Is Love (Rehearsal For BBC Broadcast)
C3        The Fool On The Hill (Take 5 - Instrumental)
C4        I Am The Walrus (Take 19 - Strings, Bass, Clarinet Overdub)
D1        Hey Bulldog (Take 4 - Instrumental)
D2        Good Night (Take 10 With A Guitar Part From Take 5)
D3        While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Third Version - Take 27)
D4        (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care (Studio Jam)
D5        Helter Skelter (Second Version - Take 17)
D6        I Will (Take 29)
D7        Can You Take Me Back? (Take 1)
D8        Julia (Two Rehearsals)
E1        Get Back (Take 8)
E2        Octopus's Garden (Rehearsal)
E3        Don't Let Me Down (First Rooftop Performance)
E4        You Never Give Me Your Money (Take 36)
E5        Here Comes The Sun (Take 9)
E6        Something (Take 39 - Instrumental, Strings Only)
F1        Free As A Bird (2025 Mix)
F2        Real Love (2025 Mix)
F3        Now And Then