Magical Mystery Tour (Enhanced, Limited Edition, Original Recording Remastered)

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The Beatles

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The remastered Beatles CDS are out (finally), after a too long wait. If you want to get a quick idea what to expect from the remasterings, the best way to do this is to compair one of the 1987 remastered songs to your copy of BEATLES ONE (the number one singles CD from 2000.) The BEATLES ONE was remastered with 24 bit technology, and sound solutions to negate the hiss. A lot of MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR came out on the BEATLES ONE CD, as well as the remastered and remixed soundtrack to YELLOW SUBMARINE. (It included all 15 songs used in some way for the cartoon film.) So, I had misgivings about buying MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR remastered, cos I already had so many of the songs remastered. Nevertheless, i'm really glad I did. The remastering job is just hands down phenominal. Most of what pops out at you, are the little bits that were too sonically blurred, or buried in the mix, to decipher. The BASS is very punchy, while the top end resonates with much greater clarity and distinction. The ride and crash symbols come across so REAL. My only real disappointment, is that with the purity of the sound we now have, all the problems with bouncing down so often to free up tracks is evident. Its no secret that MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR was recorded on four track, like Pepper. So, because almost ALL the musical instruments ended up crowded onto one track, leaving another track or two for vocals and lead guitar, then a track for the sound effects. (I think Martin wanted the sound effects seperated, like the bus that drives between the speakers on the song MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, to produce that psychedelic movement between the stereo channels.) Sadly, this gives problems in the soundscape that sound very odd to our modern, 48 track hearing. Like having the drums crowded into the left channel, along with the guitars, maracas, keyboards, while the vocals and the Bass, or lead guitar, get stuck in the other channel. Of course, this is why the MONO editions were given such focus, until 8 track recording made the stereo soundscape more balanced. Still, for clarity, definition, and distinction (like finger cymbals or keyboard parts played low, around middle "C"), this remastered edition is just fantastic.

The other goodies that you get with the REMASTERED version of MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, is a VASTY IMPROVED booklet. For those you had the original Vinyl of this album, you know it came with a "comic book" in the middle, that had lots of photos and these drawings that told the "story" behind the movie the Beatles made in 1967 called MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR. I often wondered WHY they didnt reproduce this booklet in the first CD edition, but the new 38 page booklet finally fixes that problem. IT also has some recording notes, and a mini essay about how this album fits into the Beatles Discography. The layout of the new cardboard CD holder is pretty cool. It opens up into three panels, like a triplyct. The first panel shows the cover, that also holds the thick booklet. The next two inner panels combine to show all four Beatles looking out the top of the Magical Mystery Tour bus (it had a skylight opening). In the third panel you find the CD slipped in, but without a CD "record cover" as you normally see these "Vinyl reproduction" gatefold albums, so you need to be careful pulling the CDs out to prevent surface scruffs. When you fold in the gatefold panels, you have outside one panel a full color reproduction of the photograph taken for the SINGLE sleeve of STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER. (The fab 4 with bright floodlights around them, overexposing the film.) All in all, the design and layout are a HUGE improvement on the first CD release. Even the CD itself is printed like the old PARLOPHONE LPs. And lastly, here's a word about the 3-4 minute mini documentary. I was worried that my 10 year old MAC may not play it, but the QUICKTIME documentary will play on MACS with G4 or G5 processors, and anything past a OS X.3, or any PC with at least a pentium 3. The mini-doc shows a little bit of the first 5 song's "videos" from the MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR FILM. While the edited "videos" play, there's voice overs from the guys, including JOHN's famous statement about this album being his favorite, cos its so wierd, and cos its the album where I AM THE WALRUS was placed. Paul defends the film, as usual. Then, they continue the voice overs, while you see bits of the promo films for HELLO GOODBYE, PENNY LANE, and STAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER. As for studio chatter, there's a couple of bits, but not that much. I didnt own the Magical Mystery Tour DVD, I would have thought much more of this particular mini documentary. I am certain of one thing. The guys at APPLE wanted to make sure this sound remastering was done right, and would be the LAST WORD in upgrades for a long time. (At least until they do go back and remix from the original four tracks, and put out AUDIO DVDS. I wouldnt hold your breathe, tho.)

All in all, there's enough sound quality improvement here to make it well worth buying. If you dont want to replace your whole BEATLES CD collection, I suggest just buying one of the REMASTERS, just to put your toe in the water. Even tho I've always loved this album for the songs on it, I'd still buy WHITE ALBUM as a first pick, maybe even ABBEY ROAD. Since they were both recorded on 8 track, there's just that much more clarity, from the lack of bouncing down of tracks. The stereo soundscape was much improved by then as well. But whatever REMASTERED CD you buy, know this: You are hearing EXACTLY what George Martin and the Beatles heard, when they played back the master tapes in ABBEY ROADS studio. For some the sound improvment might only be subtle, but for me, any improvement to the BEATLES catalouge is VAST. The improved artwork, the quick time documentaries, etc is just icing on the cake. Who wants cake without icing anyway?