#1986 The Beatles - Yellow Submarine

Is it possible? This blind spot?

I'm a big fan of the big late 5, of the Early Stuff, but the weird 2nd tier falls through, and the shock of that 2nd side of instrumentals, the shock of Only A Northern Song, that now knocks me over backwards on the (re?)listen, I think I might have never heard this before that day on the late 28th, 2015. How strange. I suspect this is the last Beatles album I ever get to hear for the first time.

I'm not trying to be contrary but:

Yellow Submarine // All You Need is Love, whatever.

And the second side instrumentals, eh, meh for double.

But fuckina. Those remaining 4, Only a Northern Song, All Together Now, Hey Bulldog, It's All Too Much [edit: ok, ok drunky - All Together Now is nothing special], god they knock it out. They find that sweet spot where the lads were a little selfaware about their spot, where a fist of truth punches right the fuck through in all these ways. They are, arguably, a few of my favorite Beatles songs, this brilliance that shines through The Beatles, more clearly than anything this side of Sgt Peppers' title tracks. They know, and in that knowing the transcend the transcenders.

Pretentious twatling aside, lukewarm instrumentals aside, there are at very least four incredible tracks here, and even a couple more if you unclench your heart. Maybe its that fuckedup Zooropa spirit in me, but I love, love, love those 4 lost 2nd tier tracks. Did from the first listen, more so in this review-time relisten.

Something shines through here, when a band has the freedom to do themselves as hard as they want, aware but unfettered by their own patterns, that rebellion against expected levels out to just dead even and something real comes through.

Shine on you crazy fuckin diamonds - and we're out, first and only Beatles album to find its way onto this blog ever you four souls. Fuckit. Even All You Need Is Love is pretty great, as it cracks me on the home stretch. Shine the fuck on 4.5/5 [edit: fully half the album is basically completely forgettable. I'm a mess.]