balalaikas ringing out

I've been listening to the reissue of The Beatles White Album.

There's several albums where I listen to modern remixes and think 'Hey, what happened?' I guess one's ears get used to a certain version.

White Album 2018 doesn't work like that. There's so many recordings around, so I suppose I've got used to hearing all kinds of variants.

And I'd be kidding myself to think that my much listened to re-taping of the vinyl onto cassette to play in a Ford Escort gave authentic reproduction.

My take until this latest version was that the stereo and mono versions were like two separate albums.

The old vinyl stereo was proper stereo - less gimmicky than some of the prior Beatles, where you could chop out the vocals with the balance control.

However, in some places the original seemed slightly "narrow". It's hard to describe but on some of the tracks I have a vision of it playing in a V shaped valley. Almost like the recording wanted to be bigger than the available technology permitted. I don't mean compressed sound, nor image width, more like the edges of the sound were somehow chopped off to fit it into the record's grooves.

Weirdly, the mono version (from that old mix?) doesn't have the same effect. There's more bass and a more even spread of the sound.

Then I have to factor in my own hearing and tastes in music listening, which will have changed over the years.

So what about this new version?

My general impression is that my perceived 'valley' effect has gone, and the main sound now has room to breathe that was sometimes missing on the old vinyl.

It means some of the tracks do sound different. There's bits that I simply don't remember from my many times of listening to the album. Even places where they've quietened pieces I do remember. For me, this still works and simply creates a more modern sound.

Given that the original is now 50 years old, this careful remix still - to these ears - sounds fresh and modern. Slightly crunchier top end, minor twiddling with vocal presence, cleaner separation of the soundscape, clearer bass and drums, some previously unnoticed instrument and equipment noises. I suspect that audiophiles would be able to hear much of what I'm noticing on the original. For me, it's just made it all more accessible to notice and enjoy.

This adaptation (mixed by George Martin's son, Giles Martin) is a clear modern way to enjoy this album. As a triple CD it's also fairly priced at around £15.

Triple because the new version also includes the Esher sessions (pronounced by Americans as the 'Escher' sessions). Essentially the Beatles getting prepared for the main recordings. It plays like 'White Album unplugged' - an interesting listen and good enough to stand as an album in its own right.

Not sure? It's on Spotify too. Including all the outtakes.