THE BEATLES
Let It Be…Naked
Apple / Capitol Records
Ah…they’ve finally gone and released
something completely unnecessary…and it’s just in time for Christmas. Of
the 11 songs that were “unproduced” here to remove Phil Spector’s gloss,
only two are really worth the effort. Paul McCartney’s “The Long & Winding
Road” does benefit from the removal of the slurping choir and orchestra. In its
place, tasteful piano arpeggios and the full-enough backing of Lennon, Harrison and Starr
underscore the brilliance of McCartney’s voice, songwriting and arranging. This may
be the version of this classic but when it comes down to it, it’s all about
taste. This is certainly not the Earth shattering difference that Beatle Paul would’ve
had you believe. The other noticeable deviation is in Lennon’s “Across The
Universe.” Here, it’s broken down to just voices, acoustic instruments and
reverb which somehow makes it feel more “mind-expanding” than the previous
versions. Other than those two, there’s only the occasional startling crispness and
warmth that modern technology provides to differentiate these mixes from the originals.
“I’ve Got A Feeling” and “Let It Be” feel more close and urgent
but there’s really nothing here for anyone except the diehard collector. (1750 N.
Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028)
Chris McKay /concertshots.com