I'm willing to accept that the opinion I'm about to express is going to be very unpopular. That said, I think "Let it Be... Naked" sounds pretty awful. There are a few tracks that sound a bit more interesting. "The Long and Winding Road" exposes the brilliance of the writing a bit when let loose from Spector's grasp. "Let It Be" is interesting when it loses the bombast. "For You Blue" really shines as nice George piece (although it seems to me that they've inexplicably reversed the stereo separation on the track).
However, the copious use of ProTools exposes the weaknesses of a band on the brink like I'd never have imagined. The vocals throughout are strained in often unlistenable ways. Paul is completely lost during much of "Get Back." I knew that he cracked up laughing a couple times. Now, however, it's really obvious. Spector's echo chamber saved a really poor read of "Across the Universe" from John. I can't listen to it now without cringing. Some of the rockers (noteably "I've Got A Feeling" and "One After 909") now sound much more ragged.
Some of my hesitation may simply be the fact that I've always thought that "Let It Be" was an under appreciated work. I just wasn't blown away like I had hoped to be.
Posted by mikewolf at November 20, 2003 12:59 PMHmmm...I was going to buy that CD for my brother for his birthday...now what?!
Posted by: Cassie on November 20, 2003 04:38 PMAt least they're not hyping the bejesus out of it; which makes me think they too realize it's only what it is.
Back when it came out, I didn't think much of it either. Especially when you compare it to the rest of the work that was recorded shortly thereafter (Abbey Road & the three beatle solo releases). It's clearly the weakest of that group and accurately reflects the band at their worst time.
So which song has best stood the test of time for you?
Me say it's 'Don't Let Me Down'.
Posted by: deano on November 20, 2003 07:34 PMOh, and this is timely:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,103661,00.html
Posted by: deano on November 20, 2003 08:47 PMI rather like it, mostly because I prefer the track flow and rawness of it. Even if it sounds like a band disintegrating, I find I want to hear it, whereas before it made little or no impression. Go figure.
Posted by: Bruce on November 21, 2003 08:48 AMI just picked it up yesterday, and I've only listened to it closely once, but I don't have the same problems with it. You may be right about the reversal in "For You Blue", but I like the fact that you can hear an acoustic guitar in there (George's I assume) which I don't remember hearing before. ’Course I haven't listened to the original for quite some time, but it's pretty much imprinted on my brain from my younger years.
Mostly I think it sounds great. I find I miss the post-song chatter most of all, but I guess some of that had been artificially placed in the first place. I got the 2-disc edition with the "Fly On The Wall" disc, so there's the chatter quotient filled. George just isn't keen on boats, is he?
But my main objection is the title. Let It Be...Naked. ??
I think better choices would have been Let It Be...Real.
Or maybe Let It Be...Without That Murderer's Over-Production.
I've never been so hard on Let It Be, maybe because it's the only Beatles disk I got the day it came out. My brother's girlfriend gave it to me. It was also the day he got drafted. The red apple label always did me in -- ripeness is all.
Individually, each of the songs holds up okay, apart from I've Got a Feeling and maybe Dig a Pony. Collectively, though, they don't compare well with other albums. The stripped down versions are an improvement, I guess, but I wouldn't want it to be any other young person's first slab of fab.
Posted by: Vernam on November 25, 2003 01:43 AM