Band's List Pop Rock The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Another masterpiece from the fabulous four of the 60s.

Track one starts out with an electric intro, followed by Paul's vocals and then a brass section which accompanies the band more or less throughout the whole song. Apparently the song is a concept album, with the band taking on alter egos (such as Ringo as Billy Shears).

Okay, drug references. Yeah, one can draw the conclusion that the Beatles made references to drug usage in this album. Track two, sung by Ringo "Billy Shears" Starr, has the line "I get high with a little help from my friends." But the one that is most notorious as being a drug reference is track number three. Though Lennon denied it, people still think that "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" means LSD. It sounds like a good psychedelic song from the age of free Love and recreational drugs, and, well, it was inspired by a painting by Julian Lennon rather than drug usage. But, maybe the whole "dark side" of the Beatles makes them more appealing.

Here comes another favorite: the optimistic "Getting Better". Following then is the mellow "Fixing a Hole". The next track is a full orchestral number about a woman who ran away from home. One thing is for sure: with or without guitars, the Beatles can still produce magic. Track seven is both oddly entertaining and disturbingly "carnie-ish", and serves as a nice attention getter after the last several mellow songs.

Now we go to the other side of the record (or track eight if you're on the CD), and find a wonder from the mind of George Harrison. An existential look into life through Hinduism, accented by the use of real traditional Indian instruments. Up next is a Love song, sure to warm the hearts of those forty years and older (since it is about growing old). Track number 3 (or 10) is rather cheery but otherwise uneventful. Aside from a guitar solo, the next track is somewhat like the previous one but just a bit more heavier and more orchestral. Then comes a "good-bye" song which fits with the album if one sees it as a concept, but aside from the distorted guitars, there's not much to it.

Personally, the last song really doesn't work for me. The dissonant orchestra doesn't fit, nor does McCartney's out-of-place piano verse. Furthermore, I don't see how "I'd Love to turn you on" has anything to do with drugs: it sounds more like a sexual reference. After the chord following the last dissonant cresendo, a bunch of weird, chaotic studio chatter can be heard (at least on the CD I have).

In my opinion, at the least, this album has some low points. But in spite of them, its a good album. The high points are very well done, and everyone, Beatles fan or not, should listen to this album at least once.