

Kite” go from two-dimensional to sparkling 3-D, as Henry the Horse dances his liveliest waltz ever. John Lennon’s circus scenes during “Being for the Benefit of Mr. As a result, the new mix allows previously-unheard separation. Giles Martin’s new Deluxe Edition mix benefited from access to original component tapes that captured instruments before they were bounced into his father’s lushly-layered final four-track tapes. Much of the change is like removing a towel from your speakers to permit more clarity and detail. Ringo Starr’s drum fills thump, bloom and expand. The dimension, depth and chaos of the closing climax to “A Day in the Life” place you within a swirling storm of detailed sound. The 2017 mix and master top both results handily. It constituted a clear improvement over the earlier 1994 master on hand for review. The Beatles’ 2009 catalogue-wide campaign was a major clean-up effort coinciding with the Mono and Stereo CD box sets. It’s obvious that the elder Martin’s work and the Beatles’ music were treated with due reverence and meticulous care. The younger Martin served as Sir George’s ears in the studio as the acuity of his famous father’s hearing began to wane. Martin’s credits are bona fide, including Kula Shaker’s 1994 psych-rock treat K, the Beatles score for Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE, and Paul McCartney’s New. Current mix engineers Giles Martin and Sam Okell devoted months to their painstaking effort. For headphone enthusiasts and general stereo listening, the new stereo mix is frankly better than the old, familiar one. Pepper’s mono mix, and three days alone on the stereo mix. Sir George is said to have spent three weeks with the Beatles on Sgt. Fans may always prefer George Martin’s original mono mix, and that’s certainly valid.

If the Pepper “you’ve known for all these years” is considered a masterwork, why monkey with it? Pepper advanced the state of the art in recording while defining the psychedelic era in pop culture. Beatle diehards may argue whether Abbey Road is a stronger set than Paul McCartney’s carnival-colored concept piece, but it’s no exaggeration to say that Sgt. The outpouring of opinion was inevitable, given the album’s status as the most universally-praised release of the rock era. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has sparked ample debate. The 50th anniversary celebration for the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Deluxe Edition
