Monday Music: Revolver (2022 Mix) by The Beatles. On the occasion of the album’s 2022 Super Deluxe reissue-which, in addition to a new mix in Spatial Audio by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, features some extraordinary rehearsals, outtakes, and demos – a look back at what shaped Revolver and what Revolver shaped in turn.
Unleashed in the heady milieu of 1966, “Revolver” marked a point of no return for the Beatles, leaving the band untethered from their mop-top origins and headed into the psychedelic unknown. Consider it the smart-money choice as the best Beatles LP—and, as you may have heard, the runner-ups aren’t so shabby. The album sparkles in this boxed set, which includes a glistening new stereo mix. The revelations lie in the collection’s outtakes, which allow us to spy on the quartet as they mold their jarringly novel sounds, the shocker being “Yellow Submarine.” Even the non-Beatles-conversant can hum it; even Beatles disciples tend to undervalue it. Here, we learn that the song began life not in its droll “Revolver” glory but as a mopey John ballad. In a lesser band, the recording likely would have remained in that zone. The Beatles nudge the song along until it houses the Paul-penned chorus, Ringo’s deadpan vocal lead, and comedy sound effects—a master class in next-level collaboration.
– Jay Ruttenberg (The New Yorker)
