Omar's Album Reviews of The Rolling Stones' Top 500 Albums (and some other albums too)

[Sir Robin Of Camelot]

The Beatles: 4/5 stars. (I am reviewing the album commonly referred to as "The White Album.")

I've been listening to this album everyday for the past four or five days. I've heard each song at least 3 to 4 times, so I have a good feel of each. I did this because a lot of songs with this album take multiple listens to understand and reach a verdict on.

At times, I have slightly mixed feelings about this album, but as a whole piece of work, I'll take the good and the bad with this album and admit that I really enjoy it.

Here's what I liked about this album- unlike seemingly everything else released at the time, this album has specific songs that are disjointed from the rest of the album. While I enjoy a concept album ("The Wall") just as much as the next guy, there is something to be said for an album that lets you listen to each song on its own. And their foray into so many different genres, some genres with success; others, not so much- well, it was an admirable decision to try, in my opinion.

I will definitely agree that this should have been a single album. The only songs I'd keep off of Sides 3 and 4 are "Sexy Sadie," "Revolution 1," and "Savoy Truffle." I'd be willing to keep on "Revolution 9," which I did sort of enjoy in an extremely weird way that I can't describe, but I'd be fine if you cut it and don't view it as essential to The Beatles catalogue. If you keep these three songs, you can cut "Back In The U.S.S.R.," "Wild Honey Pie," and "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" from the first two sides. There, a single album that might be The Beatles' single best album of all time.

As it is, I will take Sgt. Pepper (4/5 stars) over this one. I like some songs on here more than some on Sgt. Pepper, but I do have to knock it for not being succinct and compact enough.

I'll now list my 5 favorite songs off The White Album:

5. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
4. Blackbird
3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
2. Martha My Dear
1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Some notes about my top 5... "Piggies" and "Revolution 1" were near misses. I was shocked to read that "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" has been critically maligned (and the sheer amount of contempt people have for it). I love the song and while yes, it's corny, it epitomizes the "don't worry, be happy" from earlier Beatles work- but with even better production. It's also catchy as hell. I love it.

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" slides into my top 3 Beatles songs, after "A Day In The Life" (second favorite) and "With A Little Help From My Friends" (my favorite). All three would likely land in my top 100 songs of all time, regardless of genre.

In a weird sort of way, I sympathize, or at least identify, with this album. I don't think I'm a genius or anything, but in a lot of my work in life, I put out everything that I'm thinking, without editing or trimming it for succinctness. It's something I've got to improve.

The White Album was the first Beatles album I had to "learn" how to like. I was 12 when it came out and it was a little inaccessible to me initially. Plus it came after "Magical Mystery Tour" so little 12 year old Robin was a bit jaded... at first. But... I hold this one up right under "Abbey Road" and the "Rubber Soul/Revolver" albums in my favorites list now. Some of my favorite Lennon songs are on this one ("Julia"; "Yer Blues" and the acoustic "Revolution")... and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is just absolute greatness and genius (I presume you know by now that there is a "session guitarist" playing the solo at the end - if you don't, I won't spoil it by telling you who it is). It's one of those albums that I prefer to listen to in sequence as opposed to randomly. It's also the last album they did where they were - for the most part - on the same page as a band.

Side note - a late friend of mine had a vinyl copy of the album with the white platters. His brother has it now. Wish I could get my hands on it just once to take a picture. It landed on three turntables and was played once on each. Mine was one.

Love it. Great album.

(BTW - favorite Lennon song is "Hey Bulldog" from the "Yellow Submarine" album... for the record)

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I hold this one up right under "Abbey Road" and the "Rubber Soul/Revolver" albums in my favorites list now.

Abbey Road is my favorite, too. That's unusual.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is just absolute greatness and genius (I presume you know by now that there is a "session guitarist" playing the solo at the end - if you don't, I won't spoil it by telling you who it is).

Prince.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Side note - a late friend of mine had a vinyl copy of the album with the white platters. His brother has it now. Wish I could get my hands on it just once to take a picture. It landed on three turntables and was played once on each. Mine was one.

My mom, after college, went on a trip abroad. I don't remember exactly what country she said she was in - for some reason I'm thinking India - and she was being badly disturbed by a room down the hall in her hotel. She called and complained. Turns out it was the Beatles, who she met the next day and got all four signatures on a cocktail napkin from the hotel bar. She wasn't into The Beatles, so when she got back, she gave the napkin to her brother, who still has it in a safety deposit box.

She's asked him to leave it to me in his will, but I assume he'll leave it to one of his girls.

 

[beardown07]

The White Album was the first Beatles album I had to "learn" how to like. I was 12 when it came out and it was a little inaccessible to me initially. Plus it came after "Magical Mystery Tour" so little 12 year old Robin was a bit jaded... at first. But... I hold this one up right under "Abbey Road" and the "Rubber Soul/Revolver" albums in my favorites list now. Some of my favorite Lennon songs are on this one ("Julia"; "Yer Blues" and the acoustic "Revolution")... and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is just absolute greatness and genius (I presume you know by now that there is a "session guitarist" playing the solo at the end - if you don't, I won't spoil it by telling you who it is). It's one of those albums that I prefer to listen to in sequence as opposed to randomly. It's also the last album they did where they were - for the most part - on the same page as a band.

Side note - a late friend of mine had a vinyl copy of the album with the white platters. His brother has it now. Wish I could get my hands on it just once to take a picture. It landed on three turntables and was played once on each. Mine was one.

Love it. Great album.

(BTW - favorite Lennon song is "Hey Bulldog" from the "Yellow Submarine" album... for the record)

If you haven't seen it yet, Showtime(I believe?) is airing a pretty great documentary on Eric Clapton called Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars. It is great. Tragic af, but great.

 

[Sir Robin Of Camelot]

Prince.

Sssshh... don't ruin it for him.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Prince.

That was a joke, but I assume you saw Prince play that with Tom Petty and others live as a tribute to Harrison.

 

[beardown07]

My pops has every Beatles album on vinyl...TWICE. One set opened and one set unopened.


I have already staked my claim to em'.

 

[Sir Robin Of Camelot]

If you haven't seen it yet, Showtime(I believe?) is airing a pretty great documentary on Eric Clapton called Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars. It is great. Tragic af, but great.

I heard about this... don't get Showtime but I'll find it somehow. I always do.

 

[beardown07]

I heard about this... don't get Showtime but I'll find it somehow. I always do.

It is worth the watch for sure.

 

[Sir Robin Of Camelot]

That was a joke, but I assume you saw Prince play that with Tom Petty and others live as a tribute to Harrison.

It was brilliant - and him throwing his guitar up in the air and walking off the stage...

Prince.

 

[broncosmitty]

Calling all Beatles fans- what do we think of the album commonly referred to as The White Album:

@Sir Robin Of Camelot
@beardown07
@Wazmankg
@Clayton
@SlinkyRedfoot
@outofyourmind
@TheDayMan
@broncosmitty

I've listened to Rubber Soul way for than the tWhite Album.

But Revolution is pretty great. And the theme song from Life Goes On is good stuff. Track One was actually written about Corky Thatchers time working with the KGB.

 

[broncosmitty]

The Beatles: 4/5 stars. (I am reviewing the album commonly referred to as "The White Album.")

I've been listening to this album everyday for the past four or five days. I've heard each song at least 3 to 4 times, so I have a good feel of each. I did this because a lot of songs with this album take multiple listens to understand and reach a verdict on.

At times, I have slightly mixed feelings about this album, but as a whole piece of work, I'll take the good and the bad with this album and admit that I really enjoy it.

Here's what I liked about this album- unlike seemingly everything else released at the time, this album has specific songs that are disjointed from the rest of the album. While I enjoy a concept album ("The Wall") just as much as the next guy, there is something to be said for an album that lets you listen to each song on its own. And their foray into so many different genres, some genres with success; others, not so much- well, it was an admirable decision to try, in my opinion.

I will definitely agree that this should have been a single album. The only songs I'd keep off of Sides 3 and 4 are "Sexy Sadie," "Revolution 1," and "Savoy Truffle." I'd be willing to keep on "Revolution 9," which I did sort of enjoy in an extremely weird way that I can't describe, but I'd be fine if you cut it and don't view it as essential to The Beatles catalogue. If you keep these three songs, you can cut "Back In The U.S.S.R.," "Wild Honey Pie," and "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" from the first two sides. There, a single album that might be The Beatles' single best album of all time.

As it is, I will take Sgt. Pepper (4/5 stars) over this one. I like some songs on here more than some on Sgt. Pepper, but I do have to knock it for not being succinct and compact enough.

I'll now list my 5 favorite songs off The White Album:

5. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
4. Blackbird
3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
2. Martha My Dear
1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Some notes about my top 5... "Piggies" and "Revolution 1" were near misses. I was shocked to read that "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" has been critically maligned (and the sheer amount of contempt people have for it). I love the song and while yes, it's corny, it epitomizes the "don't worry, be happy" from earlier Beatles work- but with even better production. It's also catchy as hell. I love it.

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" slides into my top 3 Beatles songs, after "A Day In The Life" (second favorite) and "With A Little Help From My Friends" (my favorite). All three would likely land in my top 100 songs of all time, regardless of genre.

In a weird sort of way, I sympathize, or at least identify, with this album. I don't think I'm a genius or anything, but in a lot of my work in life, I put out everything that I'm thinking, without editing or trimming it for succinctness. It's something I've got to improve.

You cut back in the USSR, you die.


Communist Beach Boys shall live forever.

 

[RP-29]

@Omar 382, I gave you crap when you started this thread, but I wanted to let you know that I find your use of the Rolling Stone 500 to expand your music horizons and knowledge admirable.

 

[Wazmankg]

Calling all Beatles fans- what do we think of the album commonly referred to as The White Album:

@Sir Robin Of Camelot
@beardown07
@Wazmankg
@Clayton
@SlinkyRedfoot
@outofyourmind
@TheDayMan
@broncosmitty

Tbh, I'm not a huge Beatles fan, though I recognize their creative brilliance and contribution to music. I was 8 when I watched them on the Sullivan show and loved their early stuff. They started losing me a bit with their more experimental stuff after Revolver.. some of it I love and some of it I really don't.. and while catchy and nice homages to differant styles, I just don't need songs like "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and "Rocky Racoon" in my life. That's right around the time I decided that I was a Stones guy. Abbey Road, Revolver.. and pretty much anything before Revolver would be my go-to's for a Beatles fix.

 

[Omar 382]

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is just absolute greatness and genius (I presume you know by now that there is a "session guitarist" playing the solo at the end - if you don't, I won't spoil it by telling you who it is).

If you got bad news, you wanna kick them blues-
Cocaine

When your day is done and you wanna ride on-
Cocaine

 

[Omar 382]

Sssshh... don't ruin it for him.

No, I knew that Clapton was on there. I first heard that song about a month ago, long before I listened to the album in its entirety.

I never heard the live version with Prince though. I'll have to check that out.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

No, I knew that Clapton was on there. I first heard that song about a month ago, long before I listened to the album in its entirety.

I never heard the live version with Prince though. I'll have to check that out.

 

[Omar 382]

Tbh, I'm not a huge Beatles fan, though I recognize their creative brilliance and contribution to music. I was 8 when I watched them on the Sullivan show and loved their early stuff. They started losing me a bit with their more experimental stuff after Revolver.. some of it I love and some of it I really don't.. and while catchy and nice homages to differant styles, I just don't need songs like "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and "Rocky Racoon" in my life. That's right around the time I decided that I was a Stones guy. Abbey Road, Revolver.. and pretty much anything before Revolver would be my go-to's for a Beatles fix.

I like Stones more than the Beatles too. Might have to do another Stones album for my next review.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Is The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway on Rolling Stone's top 500?