SPILL RETRO REVIEW: THE BEATLES – WITH THE BEATLES

THE BEATLES
WITH THE BEATLES
PARLOPHONE

ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 22, 1963

In 1960, a small band emerged out of Liverpool, England. You likely haven’t heard of them. In 1963, they released an album called With The Beatles. Wait, you don’t know it? The Beatles’ second album, With The Beatles, is arguably the most forgotten in their discography. It is quite sad, since this is possibly the best instance of an iconic band striking a perfect balance between deep yet fun rock songs.

The first track, “It Won’t Be Long”, is one of the catchiest tracks in their discography, with the vocal performances of each member almost as good as Paul McCartney on “Got To Get You Into My Life”. In simpler terms, it is pure fanatical fun with so much heart. Yet, all at once, this album is filled with love and pure rock, like their previous album, Please Please Me. With The Beatles, unlike their previous album, has a unique depth to it that can be felt right from the artwork, where we see each member in a more unique and bolder image for the LP compared to their simpler debut album’s artwork.

The lyrics here reach a level that most bands today could only wish to fathom, with songs like “All My Loving” and “Hold Me Tight” being possibly some of the best songs of their discography. They are simple yet brimming with love and life. One of the band’s most forgotten elements was their simplicity, which disappeared as they evolved. While this and other of their earlier efforts were simpler in lyric and song style, that is what made them so great. A work doesn’t need complex melodies or sounds to be great. Simply put, just good music. There is one important aspect of music that often goes unnoticed. While writing a thousand words is impressive, if it’s possible to convey the same message in just ten, then do that. Here, With The Beatles illustrates this. No song feels overdone. Simply put, once a song reaches its point, it moves on to the next. Its universal appeal is one aspect that makes this album and band, in particular, so iconic. This quality renders them both catchy and masterful.

With The Beatles is, without a doubt, a highlight in this band’s discography with only masterworks to showcase. While it may not be as bold as Revolver, or as cohesively wrapped in a bow as Rubber Soul, that simply isn’t its goal, and nonetheless, it works better than them both. With The Beatles attempts to be just a great album, and it stands as such. It’s catchy and moving all at once. Overall, With The Beatles is a forgotten gem in a band with diamonds, showing the beauty of simplicity yet style.

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