Is Sgt. Peppers the greatest rock album ever? I asked that question the other day about Revolver and it can be asked about this album as well. Sgt. Peppers is often ranked at the top of greatest album lists as it was by Rolling Stone Magazine in their 500 greatest album list. It is certainly one of, if not the most influential albums ever as well. Its influence can be seen in any concept album every produced or any album with any theme of any kind. I think Sgt. Pepper’s was the first real concept album, although, in the Beatles did not necessarily see it that way.
By the end of 1966 the band had stopped touring and Paul had come up with this idea that they should make an album that was like a concert to send out to their fans instead of playing live. He wrote and they recorded the opening and the closing and With a Little Help, but after that, John felt none of his work had anything to do with those, and did not see the album as a cohesive whole. Whether do to George Martins excellent producing, or just luck of the draw, the album as put together did come together as a whole, and it has been seen in that light from the moment it hit the record stores.
Like with Revolver, the Beatles used whatever technology they could to try different things. This led to many takes of the each song, with some having 20 or more. The album was recorded over 129 days, by far the longest ever for a Beatles album.
The album also used many more instruments and elaborate arrangements; even orchestras were heard. Essentially the Beatles, being the top group in the world, could do whatever they wanted.
So is Sgt. Pepper’s better than Revolver? I cannot say. I can only say that I love them both.
One final note about the stereo and mono mixes. Now that the Beatles were recording many takes, they would choose the best takes and use them for the mono mix which they still considered a better format. When it came time to do the stereo, it would often be up to George Martin, without the band. So he could choose different takes or even combine more than one. So sometimes the mono will be from one take, and the stereo from another. This can be seen clearly in the song She’s Leaving Home.
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band – Mono. The stereo mix has the lead vocal out of the right (back to that arrangement) and the backup out of the left, except they are rarely together in this song.
With A Little Help From My Friends – Stereo. This mix is beautiful. The re-master shows the depth and everything is perfectly balanced.
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – Stereo. Again wonderful depth and the vocals in the center make this much better than the mono.
Getting Better – Stereo. Vocals in the middle make this a winner.
Fixing a Hole – Mono edges out the stereo a bit. There is a bit too much reverb in the stereo .
She’s Leaving Home – Mono by far. The mix is a bit faster and clearer.
Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite – Mono. Stereo has vocals out of the right which I don’t like.
Here are both versions of She’s Leaving Home. I never liked the stereo version which was all I had to listen to in the past. I like it more with the mono, but you choose!
Enjoy!
Mono
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_rjVQJYY2A]
Stereo
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQNAGAbi3G0]