User Profile

Another one from The Beatles, folks. The songs are getting a lot more experimental and interesting now, both in their composition and lyrical content alike, such as the opener "The Taxman" with its hard panned stereo, lo-fi recording, and guitar riffs. Some new and sophisticated usage of studio technology on here as well, like the spliced up tape loops (inspired by musique concrète from Stockhausen!), vari-speed pitching, ADT (this later became "chorus" effect), close-miked drums, and even some reverse playback of Harrison's guitar, plus a full-on string octet on "Eleanor Rigby" and Indian sounds from tambura and tabla. These are all pointing to the fact that this seventh album was intended more for the bedroom listening experience rather than the group's live performances (from which they shortly retired). We are also clearly in the era of psychedelia now, with themes of death, transcendence, and other metaphysical manifestations brought on by LSD (is "Yellow Submarine" a nonsensical children's song or a post-drug-induced euphoria with many social and political implications?). Acid was clearly affecting Lennon's synapses now, although McCartney [reportedly] refused to try LSD, while Harrison (who else experimented with the drug) has been influenced by the Hindustani classical music started coming out as a composer. It's easy to dismiss some of the production values invented on The Revolver by the modern ears, but it's important to acknowledge that the album has changed the way studio records were being made, introducing at least nine newly devised techniques. It's more than special.