If you've been in a long sleep (or stupor) you may have missed that the 40th anniversary of the release of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was June 1st. Originally released June 1, 1967, this was the eighth album by the Beatles. Where to debut the acetate? It was the sixties, so off to Cass Elliot's London digs. Soon enough, the rest of the world would hear as well.
As Revolver had done before it, Sgt. Pepper's opened many doors for music (some of perception, some of wood). From time to time, someone feels the need to come along and tell you that Sgt. Pepper's really isn't all that. While a person's response is an individual thing, reading a piece suggesting that only "A Day In The Life" was worth noting had us rolling our eyes.
In March of this year, MOJO issued MOJO PRESENTS SGT. PEPPER . . . WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS. The 14 track disc ("All You Need Is Love" is included as a bonus track) recreates the classic album and anyone wondering if the songs still hold up should check this out.
Stephanie Dosen's "Within You Without You" is a must hear and possibly the best track of the collection which is saying a great deal because there's only one clunker in the mix, Chin Up Chin Up's version of "When I'm Sixty Four" which sounds as though the Chicago band decided to channel Mick Jagger for vocals (doing the country twang) and the Cowsills for music. Intentionally or not, it turns the song into a send up which is a real shame because the others involved are doing amazing work. Captain take "A Day In The Life" and turn it into a much more melodic piece (you really need to check out that vocal arrangement). Puerto Muerto brings a very Cass like opening vocal (via Christa Meyer) to "With A Little Help From My Friends." Simple Kid's bits of found sound enrich "Sgt. Pepper's Longely Hearts Club Band" and
there's so much going on in Circus' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" that you don't think it can work but it does (including the fiddle). At this level of excellence others may pick differently for the best and we doubt we'd argue with them but Dosen's "Within You Without You" really is amazing.
And the original? Unlike the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (a flawed but brilliant album), Sgt. Pepper's hasn't needed repackaging with stereo mixes and enhancements. It's sold quite well for the last forty years just on the recorded sound. Some may prefer Abby Road (Elaine does) but there's no denying this is one of the great rock albums.
Which is why everyone involved in writing this piece has the CD. When Jim, Jess and Ty shared an apartment in NY, the first thing they did was go through the CDs they'd each brought and knew it was going to be a long friendship because they all had a copy of Sgt. Pepper's. Dropping even further back, when Elaine, Rebecca and C.I. shared an apartment in college, this was one of the few Rebecca and Elaine could always agree to (C.I. went with whatever, Rebecca says, "just put something on and stop arguing!"). Forty years later and it continues to be common ground, continues to grab new listeners.
