Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

When I first heard about this release, I didn't even think about buying it. After reading all the positive reviews here on Amazon, I was pursuaded to buy this album. I was expecting some grandiose remixes, some completely mind blowing material, with songs completely rearranged. Although I didn't grow up in the 60's listening to this band, I grew up with their music...their songs were taught to us in elementary school, and I've never stopped listening. So I fashion myself a Beatles fan, maybe not a Beatlemaniac. But I know the source material well enough. After listening to this "new" album, I came to the conclusion that this was not nearly bold enough. The hype surrounding this has been completely overblown. I understand what it is...A Cirque Du Soleil soundtrack. So why not package it that way? It is packaged as "The BEatles like you've never heard them!" The potential was there for this album...but it seems as though the Martin's didn't want to step on any toes whilst making this album. If you're going to tamper with this holy grail of pop music, you can't do it half-hearted at 50%. A few overdubs sprinkled here, some rearranging there, an alternate take mixed in...that just doesn't cut it. All of these songs are pretty much intact, as they were...With new interwoven intro's and outro's...the meat of the songs are mostly the same. Alot of things they tried simply didn't work. The string arrangement at the beginning of "Octopus's Garden" doesn't fit musically at all. Just an awful job. When the song finally kicks in, it is excellent. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is the obvious highlight of this album. The intro sounds a bit forced, and you notice the cut-and paste job, but I guess it works. The rest of the song is brilliant. The sound of the album is the only redeeming factor. The vocals are vibrant, crisp...and makes you wish they'd digitally remaster their whole catalog of music. "I am the Walrus" sounds absolutely stunning. This cd isn't the worst CD I've ever bought, but it left me wanting more. More creativity, and more boldness. They could have gone in a million different directions with the source material. I'm not sure who this cd was made for...The hardcore fan or the new listener? The two camps who oppose or support tampering this music? To me, they didn't do enough. Does that please the purists?