"1962-1966" by THE BEATLES – Double-Album Compilation from April 1973 on Apple Records of Singles and Album Tracks [aka "The Red Album"] – featuring Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr with Producer George Martin and Klaus Voorman (November 2023 JAPAN-Only Universal/Apple '50th Anniversary' Expanded Edition 2CD Reissue on the SHM-CD Format (Super High Materials) - New 2022 and 2023 Abbey Road Remasters and Twelve Bonus Tracks – Format Exclusive to JAPAN) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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RATING: ***** 

"...Love Was Such An Easy Game To Play…"

Commonly known as the "Red Album" - the 2LP compilation vinyl set "1962 - 1966" became an instant classic when it was first released 19 April 1973 (2 April 1973 in the USA) - as did its "Blue" counterpart "1967-1970" issued at the same time globally. In fact, by November of 1973, EMI UK was limiting vinyl pressings of all other albums and artists to meet the staggering demand (the looming Christmas market making the two legendary anthologies the ideal holiday gift). Plus – put bluntly – both comps worked. In every way – song after song – the follow through of tunes felt like an almost perfect alchemy. And so the Red and Blue doubles have been in our hearts, homes and collections ever since. 

But where there's a Beatles Anniversary and filthy lucre to be made, there's a corporate will to reissue what they know we all adore and will buy yet again in its newest super-duper, fandango-schmango, ging-gang-gooley-gooley-wash-wash form. 

These new 10 November 2023 Expanded Edition 50th Anniversary reissues essentially replace the October 2010 versions that we have had of "1962-1966" and 1967-1970" ever since they came out after the 09/09/09 Remasters campaign of their entire catalogue. These 2023 versions have rejiggered tracks lists, added significant bonuses and boast new 2022 and 2023 mixes as well as some from after 2010. But is it worth it - you ask? The answer is a Hell Yes – it really is. There are very smart inclusions here that have rounded out The Beatles legacy experience on both compilations and while the rejiggered track lists might irk total purists, they really do tell the story better. To the matter at hand...

Our good buddy the Red Album gets a whopping 12 Bonuses across its two discs (six on either) upping the 26 song tally of old to a new total of 38 tracks – 30 of which are new 2022 and 2023 mixes carried out by the trusted crew of STEVE OKELL and GILES MARTIN at Abbey Road Studios. The rejiggered track runs also present the band’s growth-arc and interests in a more realistic way. Rockers like "Twist And Shout" and "Roll Over Beethoven" slice in that side of their show. And given that the Beatles reissue team had space to spread the wings, George Harrison also thankfully gets a better representation ("If I Needed Someone" and "Taxman"). Their love of Soul Music, R&B, Motown and cover versions in general is represented by "You Really Got A Hold On Me". 

Other smart choices include utterly brilliant gems like the early heart-thumper "I Saw Her Standing There", the gorgeous Non-LP three-part harmony B-side "This Boy" and the relax and float down the stream Psych trip-out of "Tomorrow Never Knows" that tail-ended "Revolver" in such a spectacular and revolutionary way. And while the old set ended on the Ringo-sung whimsy of "Yellow Submarine" – you know get five more that ups the "Revolver" track count to nine - almost the whole LP. And it works - "Got To Get You Into My Life" and "Here, There And Everywhere" – wowing.
I have noted where the inclusions are in my track list below. The card digipaks keep the same look but the booklets are of course upgraded featuring new liner notes from journalist, Author and Beatles nutter JOHN HARRIS. 

I would unfortunately have to say that even with this much stunning Beatles brilliance on display, I am not loving the £24.99 full price tag on material that let's face it, most of us already have. But when you clock the track list and know the new audio is even better than the heights they attained before, it may be too hard to resist for the faithful. 

And for this review, I'm going with the even pricier Japanese SHM-CD Exclusives brought back by my lovely daughter as a gift from her recent holidays in the Rising Sun. To the Norwegian Wood (via Tokyo and Osaka)...

JAPAN-released Friday, 10 November 2023 - "1962 - 1966" by THE BEATLES on Universal/Apple UICY-16200/1 (Barcode 4988031601723) is a 50th Anniversary 2023 Expanded Edition Reissue onto 2 SHM-CDs (Super High Materials format exclusive to Japan) with 12 Bonus Tracks (all recordings are STEREO) and plays out as follows: 

CD1 "1962-1966" (47:10 minutes, Six Bonuses Denoted By *):
1. Love Me Do
2. Please Please Me
3. I Saw Her Standing There * (2023 Mix)
4. Twist And Shout * (2023 Mix)
5. From Me To You
6. She Loves You
7. I Want To Hold Your Hand
8. This Boy * (2023 Mix)
9. All My Loving
10. Roll Over Beethoven * (2023 Mix)
11. You Really Got A Hold On Me * (2023 Mix)
12. Can't Buy Me Love
13. You Can't Do That * (2023 Mix)
14. A Hard Day's Night
15. And I Love Her
16. Eight Days A Week
17. I Feel Fine
18. Ticket To Ride 
19. Yesterday

CD2 "1962-1966" (47:32 minutes, Six Bonuses Denoted by *):
1. Help!
2. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
3. We Can Work It Out
4. Day Tripper
5. Drive My Car
6. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
7. Nowhere Man
8. Michelle
9. In My Life
10. If I Needed Someone * (2023 Mix)
11. Girl
12. Paperback Writer
13. Yellow Submarine
11. Michelle
12. Girl
13. Eleanor Rigby
14. Yellow Submarine
15. Taxman * (2022 Mix)
16. Got To Get You Into My Life * (2022 Mix)
17. I'm Only Sleeping * (2022 Mix)
18. Here, There And Everywhere * (2022 Mix)
19. Tomorrow Never Knows * (2022 Mix)

The triple-foldout card pack remains the same as the worldwide issues but with an extra Japanese booklet, the OBI strip on the outside and the two SHM-CDs in protective plastics tucked inside each inner flap (a nice touch). 

The October 2010 issue had a 32-page booklet – here in November 2023 you get 36-pages with a new Essay on their history and the contents penned by JOHN HARRIS. The booklet is pleasingly substantial – gorgeous and clean black and white and colour photos from those extraordinary formative years – publicity shots, TV shows, live settings – and of those the lyrics on red pages (same as the original inner sleeves). Harris goes in deep - painting a picture of four young lads from Mop-Top Liverpool going from recording their debut album with the stuffy Parlophone Records in one day to releasing their fourth long player sarcastically called "Beatles For Sale". The sound is so damn good – the lovely harmonies of "This Boy" (a great B-side and genus inclusion) segue into the rattling guitars and Ringo drums of "All My Loving" bursting out your speakers (despite the innocence) with snotty/rowdy intent. Then we get another fabulous inclusion – The Beatles doing their Chess Records hero Chuck Berry a solid with their rambunctious cover of his "Roll Over Beethoven" – kicks the listen into a welcome upbeat. 

TRACK CHOICES:
The original compilation was the A-sides of all their UK 7" singles releases between 1962 and 1966 in chronological release date order with a few key album tracks thrown in for good measure. Eagle-eye fans would therefore note that as ALL Beatles UK 7" singles for that period were issued only in MONO, so the tracks on the album should reflect that - the MONO single mixes. But EMI did nothing of the sort. In fact the original 1973 albums stated only STEREO on the labels and only the STEREO code was reflected in their catalogue numbers too. The 2010 reissues reflected MONO and STEREO for the sake of accuracy. But this time in 2023 – the mixing/remastering posse at Abbey Road has gone out of its way to give us the best of the best – the word STEREO proudly displayed and worked towards (check out the punch in "You Can't Do That"). Purists may poo-poo such tampering, but I would argue that accuracy's loss is the listener's gain, because the STEREO versions used here are awesome.

CONTENT:
Even now, it's truly shocking to hear just how accomplished The Beatles were. Re-listening to each disc in straight order is a gobsmacking experience - and by the time you get to the real song-writing genius of "Ticket To Ride" and especially "Yesterday" (the song that single-handled shut all the begrudgers up) - you're left with a renewed sense of awe. "We Can Work It Out" and "Day Tripper" were a single for God's sake - not on any English album at the time of release! "Paperback Writer", "Ticket To Ride", "Michelle" - track after track of brilliance... Were they really this good - and so early on - the answer is yes - and always will be. It could just be me, but the SHM-CD delivers astonishing power when they go into that guitar solo in "A Hard Day's Night" – the speaker-to-speaker acoustic too in "And I Love Her" almost make up for the sappy lyrics. The feedback that starts "I Feel Fine" – Lennon with that smarmy way he had of making a song sound like a wink and a nod – the strangely joyful "Ticket To Ride" – does right by us.

I've loved re-hearing these classic Beatles songs in this beautiful new sound quality - I really have - and I feel sneakily sexy owning these ultimate 2023 Japanese SHM-CD variants of them. Yesterday - all my troubles seemed so far away – well, there are no shadows hanging over me or this stunning reissue. Job done and how…

PS: The UK/EUROPE VINYL VARIANT for the 50th Anniversary issue of "1962-1966" by THE BEATLES is a TRIPLE-ALBUM on Universal/Apple 0602455920539 (Barcode 602455920539). The First Two LPs reproduce the original 1973 play list of 13 Tracks on Each LP exactly – however LP 3 puts together all of the 12 Bonus Tracks (marked * above) as a separate listening experience. Comes with Inners and the new John Harris inserts. There are also a Red Coloured Vinyl variant.