9/20/2004

36. The Beatles, Revolver (EMI, 1966)

This makes the list solely on the strength of its final one-two punch: Paul's Motown-inspired jaunt "Got To Get You Into My Life" followed by John's tape loop and tabla-filled "Tomorrow Never Knows". No other band could've ever pulled off such a fluid, yin/yang transition of light into darkness. But even without that closing combo, this album looks more like the band's most consistent, least-dated set every day. Paul's "Eleanor Rigby" and "For No One" infused chamber pop with depth and soul, while the complex structures of "Here There and Everywhere" and "Good Day Sunshine" were in the same spirit as, but also light years beyond the band's earlier merseybeat. Apart from "Here Comes The Sun", George arguably never wrote better songs than "Taxman" or "I Want To Tell You". Even lesser tracks like 'Love You To" and "Doctor Robert" are pretty durable. Nothing drags, nothing falters (not even Ringo's best moment, "Yellow Submarine")--Revolver packs a lot of ideas in its slender frame and doesn't waste any of them.