Artist: The Beatles
Album: Rubber Soul
Year: 1965
From my very first post, you'll notice that I listed this very album here among my favorite five. It's just a remarkable album from start to finish. Nearly every song is a little masterpiece in some fashion, there's a great variety of material, and it stood as one of the most subtly innovative albums of its era or any era, for that matter. Rubber Soul is a masterpiece.
Many consider this album to be a "transition" from the teenybopper early Beatle material to their more introspective and innovative later stuff. I can see that argument. There are still ultra-catchy, pop songs here like "Drive My Car," replete with "beep beeps" built into its lyrics. But this time out, the lyrics are a far cry from "I Want to Hold Your Hand." "Norwegian Wood" is a fantastic song on so many levels. First, it's a freakin' waltz. Second, its verses actually tell a story...is this the influence of Bob Dylan at work?!? Third, it features George Harrison on sitar, an instrument more commonly found in Indian music--so this song could properly be considered one of the first popular forays into what is now termed "world music." Most importantly, it's a fun, catchy song that doesn't feel like throwaway pop.
The rest of the album offers more of the same--surprises at every turn. "The Word" is 12-bar blues, "Michelle" and "Girl" seem to steal a page from the Jacques Brel songbook, "I'm Looking Through You" starts off as a gentle folk-rocker before a strident guitar intercepts the chorus. "Think for Yourself" and "If I Needed Someone" are early psychedelia. "What Goes On" is a little country tune which gives drummer Ringo a little face time. And I haven't even mentioned the classical music-influenced "In My Life" yet, one of the band's most famous and most poignant pop songs.
Rubber Soul is one of the best albums ever made, and in terms of sheer likability, might just represent the peak of the band's career.
Rating: Indispensable
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