Revolver Review: Where the Studio Became an Instrument
10/10 — The Beatles - Revolver (1966)
Pros
- Groundbreaking studio experimentation
- Brilliant, varied songwriting
- 'Tomorrow Never Knows'
Cons
- 'Yellow Submarine' feels slight
Revolver was the Beatles’ seventh studio album and the first they made largely in the studio, after they had stopped touring. It captures them at a creative peak.
What works
The range is staggering, from the sitar-led ‘Love You To’ and the backwards-guitar ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ to the tape-loop sonic adventure of ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’. ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and ‘Taxman’ are pop-craft at its best, and ‘Yellow Submarine’ provides some welcome fun.
Where it falters
‘Yellow Submarine’ is a novelty next to the album’s heavier moments, and a couple of tracks are slighter.
Verdict
A thrilling, endlessly inventive album, and arguably the Beatles at their peak.
