The Beatles: 1964 US Albums In Mono

On the shrink wrap of this cleanly appointed box from The Beatles, the affixed hype sticker refers to the enclosed seven mono U.S. albums from 1964 (and one from ’65) as replicas of the original recordings. As a word, replica is the most appropriate one. Still, as these are not mere contemporary reissues of those early Capitol (and United Artists) records, but rather newly-remastered homages to their ancestors, the word replica is ironically inexact, inspiring a question: Can something defined as a replica of an original be exceedingly better than that original?

In this case, the answer is a resounding yes. Particularly as all the required creative decisions made by the collaborative trust guarding the Fab empire- Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison, Apple, and Universal Music- prove quite conscientious and astute. So, to those Beatles-crazed fans that remain excessively hard to please, this collection should more than satisfy in rehabilitating and celebrating a grouping of albums that were often shadowed by critiques. Chief among the criticisms: that the original Capitol releases had been, in their day, the sonically re-imagined products of Capitol bigwig Dave Dexter, rather than the as-The Beatles-intended versions, produced by George Martin, that were available only as UK releases.

Dexter, knowing the audience of teens buying the records experienced this sensation in cars and on transistor radios, touched up the masters, accordingly. Different songs and sequences, boosted midrange, and layers of reverb all were strategic alterations noticeable when comparing the early Capitol monos to their British siblings. It is worth remembering, as well, that the Capitol albums were how nearly every American first and repeatedly heard and loved The Beatles.  Something must have been done right.

So, sixty years later, with Universal’s engineer, Kevin Reeves, availed those same analog, Dexterized masters from Capitol, what would he do? What Reeves did was study the originals meticulously and, utilizing vintage gear, cut all new and improved discs- with tamed midrange, glorious high-end, and robust bottom punch expertly instilled in their rightful places. Pressed on whisper-quiet wax, these seven sound superior in every way to the originals.

The cover art quality is upgraded, polished to a high gloss, better than the original tip-on variety. Each album contains liner notes from Beatle expert, Bruce Spizer, and a replica of the original inner sleeve; though, smartly, the actual vinyl comes in its own poly-liner. Again, the right choices made.

As for the music, itself, what new feelings really could be written about The Beatles at this point? It’s The Beatles. Arguably, the most successful rock-and-roll band of all-time, and these are the group’s first seven Capitol albums, on vinyl, in mono, in the best form one can enjoy and appreciate them. They are so much more than replicas.  They now stand as their own definitive versions, and the gold standard for The Beatles 1964 U.S. catalog.