Beatles to release expanded "Red" and "Blue" compilations in Dolby Atmos, including brand new song "Now and Then"

[Rstaylor]

Would have been a better "Beatles" song if Paul had written a middle-8 for it.

Instead, it sounds like a John Lennon track that, if we weren't told who they were, could have had just about anyone playing behind him.

IMO, it would have also been better if Jeff Lynne had produced the rest (2022 recording) of the track. He did a fantastic job with Free As A Bird and Real Love

 

[César]

Atmos mix of Love Me Do does sound a bit unbalanced with the harmonica all around but everything else not so much. It does sound good though, ngl. The transition from the last song to the first is beautiful IMHO.

Now going to loop this thing until I can't listen anymore.

Try them in stereo. I listened on headphones and both sound much more cohesive, specially Love me Do

 

[MrSmithers]

I quite like the song, it will probably start to grate fairly soon though. It's not quite as good as Free As A Bird or Real Love, but it's still worthy of release. The Atmos mix is pretty tame though, come on man have some balls. Maybe it sounds much better in the studio but the overall effect on my system was pretty meh for both mix and fidelity.

It's funny that they went to all the effort to separate and clean up John's voice on the original tape - where it had so much warble and compression mixed with the piano it had to be abandoned. Only for the whole song to end up sounding compressed due to the shitty bitrate they release it at. Tongue in cheek joke...

 

[Bill B]

It may be the same four guys doing the music but IT, does not feel or sound like a Beatles song. It lacked any joy IMO.
But here in 2023 we have to take what we can get.

 

[key_wiz]

It may be the same four guys doing the music but IT, does not feel or sound like a Beatles song. It lacked any joy IMO.
But here in 2023 we have to take what we can get.

well, they only had to work with what they had to work with. It wasn't a joyful demo, so not much they could do about that.

But I certainly was expecting it to sound more "Beatle-y". Otherwise, what's the point. Except to finish what will certainly be the last track all 4 of them played on.

I suppose it would be possible for Paul and Ringo to someday combine some John and George demos and make a new song out of them, but I don't expect they would do that. This is certain to be the final coda.

Also, knowing that Paul played the guitar solo, I'm hard-pressed to hear what George's contributions to the track were. The strumming acoustic guitar, I suppose?

 

[Guy Robinson]

WOW!

 

[Blackwood]

Also, knowing that Paul played the guitar solo, I'm hard-pressed to hear what George's contributions to the track were. The strumming acoustic guitar, I suppose?

I wondered about that, too. It wasn’t clear to me if George is actually on this, or Paul just recreated the guitar part that George had on the demo.

I think the song is OK for what it is and its origins. I’m glad they worked on it and released it.

I was more interested in how that and Love Me Do would sound in Atmos. (For me, “meh”.)

 

[key_wiz]

I wondered about that, too. It wasn’t clear to me if George is actually on this, or Paul just recreated the guitar part that George had on the demo.

I think the song is OK for what it is and its origins. I’m glad they worked on it and released it.

I was more interested in how that and Love Me Do would sound in Atmos. (For me, “meh”.)

They all say George is on it, so I trust he is. I don't think Paul re-created George's guitar solo. I don't think there was one at all, but he decided to play slide in the style of George as a tribute.

Yes, I'm glad they worked on it and released it as well. It is what it is and I'm glad we have it for what it is.

The track also would have been better if Paul's voice wasn't shot and he could still sing a proper high-harmony.

 

[admsh]

They all say George is on it, so I trust he is. I don't think Paul re-created George's guitar solo. I don't think there was one at all, but he decided to play slide in the style of George as a tribute.

Yes, I'm glad they worked on it and released it as well. It is what it is and I'm glad we have it for what it is.

The track also would have been better if Paul's voice wasn't shot and he could still sing a proper high-harmony.

There wasn't a solo at all. If I understand correctly George is playing the rhythm guitar in the background that starts around 1:40, and possibly the acoustic guitar or some of it, too?

Would have loved a new middle eight by Paul and would have been much better produced by Jeff Lynne... But it's moving none the less.

 

[bktouchstone]

Having listened to the song a few times now, I don’t really think it’s that good. Usually a Beatles song is like a mini vacation that draws you into its world for its 2-3 minutes. This doesn’t provide a vacation but it does make me think maybe I need a vacation or at least a cup of coffee. At best, I think it is a nice showcase for the demixing technology that was used to separate Lennon’s voice. It’s intriguing what may be coming down the pike from the AI world too. Imagine an AILennon, or an AIHarrison contributing to this song, maybe even arguing with McCartney, or suing him. Perhaps they should have waited a couple of years more for that. I say all of this as someone who has a history of love of everything Beatles, and who is still a bit ticked that we didn’t get a blu-ray of Revolver.

 

[admsh]

Having listened to the song a few times now, I don’t really think it’s that good. Usually a Beatles song is like a mini vacation that draws you into its world for its 2-3 minutes. This doesn’t provide a vacation but it does make me think maybe I need a vacation or at least a cup of coffee. At best, I think it is a nice showcase for the demixing technology that was used to separate Lennon’s voice. It’s intriguing what may be coming down the pike from the AI world too. Imagine an AILennon, or an AIHarrison contributing to this song, maybe even arguing with McCartney, or suing him. Perhaps they should have waited a couple of years more for that. I say all of this as someone who has a history of love of everything Beatles, and who is still a bit ticked that we didn’t get a blu-ray of Revolver.

Can't say I completely disagree with you unfortunately, at the same time I don't think I'll know exactly how I'm feeling about it until much later on when the dust had settled. Ultimately, I think George was right, but I'm still glad we got this last note.

 

[JohnN]

Now And Then is too sad. Not a pleasant listen.


Now edited.

 

[PurpleMoustache]

Found the listings for the new Red and Blue, not out til the 10th.

 

[key_wiz]

I rather like the surround mix of “Love Me Do”. I think it’s pretty well done considering the source material. Vocals isolated in the center!

 

[GOS]

I rather like the surround mix of “Love Me Do”. I think it’s pretty well done considering the source material. Vocals isolated in the center!

I thought Mr Moustache said it wasn't out till the 10th?

 

[key_wiz]

I thought Mr Moustache said it wasn't out till the 10th?

The single is out today. “Love Me Do” is the “b-side”.

 

[Wagonmaster_91]

I watched the "official" video on YouTube. It is as exciting as the single's cover. Oh wait, it is just the single's cover. I guess the art department didn't get the same size budget as the audio/engineering team had. Surprising given all the hype this project has received.

 

[LennonCobain]

I watched the "official" video on YouTube. It is as exciting as the single's cover. Oh wait, it is just the single's cover. I guess the art department didn't get the same size budget as the audio/engineering team had. Surprising given all the hype this project has received.

That’s not the official music video. That will be available tomorrow 9:00 a.m. ET.

 

[dobyblue]

WOW!
View attachment 97904

It’s absolute gash isn’t it. I’d be embarrassed to have my name on thaf if I mastered it, I’d ask for it to be anonymous. Let’s hope it’s the ONLY track from 1967-1970 that sounds this bad. That’s Oasis bad. I really can’t believe they juiced it that much. To release the two songs as an EP with levels so vastly different makes it seem even more amateurish.

Such a shame after the emotional high of watching the 12 mins making of video, which I absolutely loved and will watch several more times.

 

[jeromejohn]

I listened, and thought the track was an abomination. George was right. It should have stayed on the shelf.