Album Club Week 77: 22.01.2013: The Beatles - 'White Album' (1968)

[Ashmore]

45 years separates us and this album. So how has it stood the test of time?

Is the White Album an eclectic masterpiece that captures the spirit of the age, or the rambling, unfocused indulgence of four egos on different journeys?

For me this album represents a disintegration of the Beatles as a coherent entity as much as it does a musical progression for the group. As such its probably the least 'Beatles-like' album they did.

It's a double album of course. The Epstein era Beatles might have condensed the 30 songs into one disc (or two separate albums) of the exceptional tracks, but Epstein was dead and the Beatles themselves were calling the shots.

The recording sessions lasted six months and were famously fractious. Ringo quit, only to be persuaded back two weeks' later. Harrison walked out shortly afterwards. Yoko Ono was a constant presence in the studio. A Hard Days Night (1964) must have seemed like a lifetime away to them.

OK that's enough preamble... I present the White Album... well I would except it's not on Spotify. But you've all got a copy right?

Wiki says some interesting things:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles_%28album%29

[Rare Bird]

Brilliant, i love it 9/10 from me.

[The Grand Wazoo]

You've chosen a monster there Simon!
I'll be interested to know what some of the other guys here about this one. I'll be playing my copy again in a day or so, though it's not that long since I played it last.

[Ashmore]

Haha I know. But not the most obvious Beatles record I hope. Tends to split opinion. We'll see.

[RichB]

A fantastic album let down only by my poor low quality mp3 version. Now looking for a cheap CD version to do it justice.

[John]

Probably my favourite Beatles album

[MartinT]

I haven't played it in ages so I'll pull it out and have a listen.

[Audioman]

It's The Beatles so it has to be 10/10 even if it's not their best. Abbey Road Revolver, and Pepper are better so if those come up we need the Spinal Tap rating scale.

[synsei]

I have never owned a copy of this album nor have I ever sat down to listen to it as an entity, although I can be fairly confident I will be familiar with individual tracks. Sgt Pepper is the only Beatles album I own. I am a bit non-committal when it comes to The Beatles, I was never really a fan. On that basis I feel it would not be appropriate for me to vote.

[MartinT]

Dave - if you can get to listen to it, then no matter what your views are it'll be appropriate to vote.