Turn it Up! (Or Turn It Off)

Was 2009 a watershed year in the music industry? Nah. But there were some great things going on, some interesting things going on, and even a few surprises (or maybe “Surprises, Surprises” as Bruce Springsteen might say). Over the next few days I'll take a shot at some of the things I noticed -- and at some of the people who made me notice them. First up…

1. The Beatles remaster their catalog (finally). This didn’t have to be first up, but why not? Since 1987 fans have been waiting for this upgrade and in September we finally got it. Was it worth the wait? Well, yes and no. Twenty-two years is a long time to go between upgrades, but these discs sound great. One can quarrel with the marketing strategy – why can’t we decide ourselves whether to buy mono or stereo versions? -- But that becomes a minor quibble as soon as the CD player kicks in on the first cut of any CD you want to listen to.

The mono masters sound particularly great on the first four records where harmonies are tight but distinct, McCartney’s bass is crisper and cleaner, and Ringo’s drums are more defined – but that doesn’t mean the mono doesn’t match or in some cases surpass the stereo versions of the mid-career and later records. Sgt. Pepper in particular is more lush and dreamier in mono (and some of the mixes are different). The stereo versions of the early stuff still sound a bit awkward (they were recorded only in two-track and forced into stereo), but from Rubber Soul and Revolver on George Martin opens the soundstage wide and deep, harmonies maintain their definition, guitars slash and ring over clearly melodic bass lines while the steady drumming underlies it all – and you can hear everything! No major revelations, just a clear(er) reminder of how good this band really was.

Best option: Buy the mono box (if you can still find it) and supplement it with selected stereo versions. Caution: If you’re listening to this on your mp3 player or a boom box don’t expect to notice the same improvements. Next up, Kanye West gets a new career...